MITOFUSIN 1 AS A MARKER FOR EMBRYO QUALITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN RELEVANCE TO ICSI OUTCOME IN INFERTILE FEMALES

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Cell Biology
• Biochemistry

Background:

• Mitofusin-1 (MFN1) is crucial for mitochondrial fusion, impacting oocyte and embryo development.
• Mitochondrial function is vital for the energy demands of early embryonic growth.
• Defects in mitochondrial dynamics can impair embryo quality and reduce pregnancy rates.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate mitofusin-1 as a potential biomarker for embryo quality and pregnancy rates in infertile women undergoing ICSI.
• To correlate MFN1 levels in serum and follicular fluid with ICSI outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study of 50 infertile couples undergoing ICSI.
• Measurement of mitofusin-1 levels in serum (day 2) and follicular fluid (oocyte pickup day).
• Correlation analysis between MFN1 levels and embryo quality parameters, including total embryo count and specific embryo grades (GI, GII).

Main Results:

• Follicular fluid MFN1 levels showed significant positive correlations with total embryo number, GI embryos, and GII embryos.
• Pregnant women had significantly higher MFN1 levels in follicular fluid compared to non-pregnant women (3.88±1.41 vs. 2.73±1.24, p=0.007).
• A cut-off value of ≥2.89 ng/ml for follicular fluid MFN1 demonstrated 71.4% sensitivity and 66.7% specificity for predicting pregnancy.

Conclusions:

• Elevated mitofusin-1 levels in follicular fluid are associated with improved embryo quality and higher pregnancy rates in ICSI cycles.
• MFN1 in follicular fluid may serve as a valuable predictive biomarker for IVF/ICSI success.
• Further research is warranted to explore the therapeutic implications of MFN1 in assisted reproductive technologies.