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DNA fragmentation index, pAKT and pERK1/2 in cumulus cells are related to oocyte competence in patients undergoing in vitro fertilization programme

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 August 2019

Giovanni Ruvolo
Affiliation:
Centro di Biologia della Riproduzione, Via Villareale Palermo, Sicily
Maria Carmela Roccheri
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16, Palermo, Sicily
Claudio Luparello
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16, Palermo, Sicily
Domenica Matranga
Affiliation:
Department of Health Promotion Sciences Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialities, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
Alberto Ferrigno
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16, Palermo, Sicily
Liana Bosco*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16, Palermo, Sicily
*
Address for correspondence: Liana Bosco. Dipartimento di Scienze e Tecnologie Biologiche, Chimiche e Farmaceutiche. Università degli Studi di Palermo, Viale delle Scienze Ed.16, Palermo, Sicily. Tel: +39 09123897411. Fax: +39 0916577210. E-mail: liana.bosco@unipa.it

Summary

Activated pERK1/2 and pAKT are key players in supporting cell survival and proliferation pathways. Translocation of pERK1/2 into the nucleus, where it interacts with transcription factors and DNA itself, is instrumental in exerting an anti-apoptotic effect. In this study, pAKT levels, pERK1/2 nuclear localization and DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in cumulus cells of single cumulus–oocyte complexes of patients undergoing in vitro fertilization programmes were evaluated and correlated with the clinical outcome of the related embryos. For a positive clinical outcome of blastocyst development, pERK1/2 nuclear localization and DFI value had a significant inverse relationship, whereas the former and the intracellular accumulation of pAKT had a significant direct relationship. This relationship was not observed for the negative clinical outcome of the arrested embryos. Moreover, intracellular accumulation of pAKT and DFI value had a significant inverse relationship in all samples examined. The obtained data suggest that the intranuclear relocation of pERK1/2, along with an enhanced intracellular accumulation of pAKT, may exert a survival effect and increase cell viability, therefore providing a novel marker tool to choose the best oocyte to be fertilized and submitted to an intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle.

Type
Short Communication
Copyright
© Cambridge University Press 2019 

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