The Role of Luteinizing Hormone and Its Receptor on Cumulus-Oocyte Complex in Patients with Endometriosis

The prevalence of endometriosis approaches 10–15% of all women of reproductive age while it has been reported that one-third of women with endometriosis have infertility. Many studies demonstrated that women with endometriosis have a lower fecundity than normal group, but the cause–effect relationship between endometriosis and infertility is controversial. Some studies demonstrated that endometriosis is associated with diminished ovarian quality and ovulation dysfunction. Luteinizing hormone(LH) plays a role in developing capacity of dominant follicles, stimulating oocyte ovulation to achieve luteinization and promoting estrogen production. At the same time, luteinizing hormone also maintains progesterone production from the corpus luteum to achieve successful implantation of embryo. Therefore, abnormal production of luteinizing hormone may lead to ovulatory dysfunction, luteal phase insufficiency, oocyte premature aptosis, and recurrent miscarriage. In general, the pathophysiology of endometriosis is an inflammatory process, resulting in oxidative stress. Oxidative stress induces oocyte degeneration and apoptosis. However, the relationship of elevated oxidative stress and oocyte aptosis is not clear. Some studies reported higher prevalence of serum LH and progesterone receptor polymorphism in patients with endometriosis rather than normal group. And some studies noted that endometriotic patients had reduced the hormone levels such as LH and progesterone in follicular fluid and the granulose cells were less sensitive to LH. Given that progesterone and luteinizing hormone are essential to human reproduction and alterations in these genes and hormonal dysfunction have been associated to endometriosis or infertility, we will investigate whether elevated oxidative stress of cumulus-oocyte complex in patient with endometriosis interferes with hormone dysfunction and correlates with infertility. We intend to conduct the follow studies within two year: 1. To exam the levels of LH, estrogen, and progesterone in follicular fluid between endometriosis patients and control group. 2. To compare the expressions of LH receptor, progesterone receptor, and oxidative stress marker in cumulus-oocyte complex between patients with endometriosis and control group. 3. To analyze the incidences of LH and progesterone receptor polymorphism in cumulus-oocyte complex between two groups 4. To investigate the relationship between the levels of LH and progesterone and the expression of its receptors and the following embryo development. 5. To assess the correlation between oxidative stress marker and hormone levels.

Project ID:PC10301-0552
External Project ID:NSC102-2314-B182A-123-MY2