Differential proteomic analysis of endometrial fluid suggests increased inflammation and impaired glucose metabolism in non-implantative IVF cycles and pinpoints PYGB as a putative implantation marker.

STUDY QUESTION

Is there any difference in the protein composition of the endometrial fluid aspirate (EFA) obtained the day of embryo transfer in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles achieving and not achieving pregnancy?

SUMMARY ANSWER

Comparative analysis identified a differential protein expression pattern in 'implantative' and 'non-implantative' IVF cycles.

WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY

EFA allows non-invasive characterization of the endometrium, and may contain important information on its receptivity when performing (IVF) cycles. Endometrial side of implantation has usually been studied with endometrial biopsy in an IVF cycle prior to embryo transfer, focusing on 'receptive/non-receptive' endometria and with low-throughput proteomic techniques.

STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: We have compared the protein expression patterns in EFA from a total of 110 women undergoing IVF, corresponding to 50 implantative and 60 non-implantative IVF cycles. Discovery (38 patients) and Validation (42 patients) sample cohorts were analyzed using a high-throughput differential proteomic approach. Then, the differential expression of glycogen phosphorylase B (PYGB) was validated by western blotting in an additional cohort (30 patients). The study period was 18 months.

PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: The population under study consisted of 110 women aged 18-40 years old, undergoing their first or second IVF/ intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle, with normal uterus and endometrium, and 1-2 good quality embryos, and embryo transfer being performed on Day 3. Endometrial fluid aspiration was performed immediately before the embryo transfer. Samples (80) were initially distributed in two independent cohorts and analyzed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The first cohort was used for the discovery and the second for the validation of the results. Filter-aided sample preparation was used for the in-solution tryptic digestion of the proteins present in the samples, followed by label-free mass spectrometry analysis. In order to unravel the molecular features of receptivity, the lists of differential proteins were thoroughly analyzed using different bioinformatic tools, including GSEA, IPA and GO analysis.

MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE

A false discovery rate-based correction of the t-test P-values was carried out in order to strengthen the reliability of the results. Functional analyses denoted the deregulation of important processes governing receptivity, such as antimicrobial response, cell-cell interaction, immune response and inflammatory signaling, among others. Overall eight proteins were commonly deregulated in both studied datasets and brain form glycogen phosphorylase (PYGB) was selected for confirmatory analysis.

LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: Our results were obtained from patients with normal uterus and endometrium and with good quality embryos, who had fresh Day-3 embryo transfer, in stimulated cycles. Therefore, our observations may not be applicable to poor prognosis cases or non-stimulated cycles.

WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS

This work provides insights into the molecular features of implantative IVF cycles using non-invasive methods. It reveals that EFA may reflect an increased inflammatory state in non-implantative endometrium. Additionally, it proposes PYGB as a potential biomarker for endometrial receptivity or implantation success. This knowledge opens a new avenue for developing embryo transfer strategies, through the improvement of embryo culture media or modifying endometrial fluid composition to increase pregnancy rates.

STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): This study was partially funded by a Grant for Fertility Innovation (GFI, 2011) from Merck (Darmstadt, Germany). Authors declare no competing interests.

TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER

Not applicable.