FNDs for the selective labelling and localized free radical measurements in sperm cells

To determine whether endometriosis is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in cumulus (granulosa [GC]) cells of subjects undergoing IVF-intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).Prospective cohort study.An IVF clinic in a tertiary academic care center.Eleven women with endometriosis and 39 controls.None.Cumulus cell adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels, mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and genomic DNA (gDNA) number.Cumulus cell ATP content was 65% lower in subjects with surgically proven endometriosis (median 312.5 attomoles/ng total DNA, interquartile range = 116.0–667.8) compared with controls (median 892.4 attomoles/ng total DNA, interquartile range = 403.0–1,412.2). There was no significant difference in mtDNA:gDNA ratio. There were no significant differences in age, body mass index (BMI), basal serum FSH level, total oocyte number, metaphase II (M2) oocyte number, metaphase I oocyte number, percentage of M2 oocytes, fertilization rate, implantation rate, or pregnancy rate (PR). Multivariate regression analysis showed significant positive correlations between ATP and [1] M2 oocyte number (r = 0.307) and [2] pregnancy (r = 0.332). There were also trends toward positive correlations between ATP and [3] age (r = 0.283), [4] total number of oocytes (r = 0.271), [5] percentage of M2 oocytes (r = 0.249), and [6] implantation rate (r = 0.293). There were no statistically significant correlations between mtDNA:gDNA ratio and any demographic factors or clinical outcomes measured.Surgically confirmed endometriosis may be associated with cumulus cell mitochondrial dysfunction in subjects undergoing IVF-ICSI for infertility, as reflected by decreased ATP production.