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Review
. 2022 May 27;10(6):1254.
doi: 10.3390/biomedicines10061254.

Follicular Fluid: A Powerful Tool for the Understanding and Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Ana Teresa Brinca  1 , Ana Cristina Ramalhinho  1   2   3 , Ângela Sousa  1 , António Hélio Oliani  2   4 , Luiza Breitenfeld  1   3 , Luís A Passarinha  1   5   6   7 , Eugenia Gallardo  1   7
Affiliations
Review

Follicular Fluid: A Powerful Tool for the Understanding and Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Ana Teresa Brinca et al. Biomedicines. .

Abstract

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) represents one of the leading causes of anovulatory infertility and affects 5% to 20% of women worldwide. Until today, both the subsequent etiology and pathophysiology of PCOS remain unclear, and patients with PCOS that undergo assisted reproductive techniques (ART) might present a poor to exaggerated response, low oocyte quality, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, as well as changes in the follicular fluid metabolites pattern. These abnormalities originate a decrease of Metaphase II (MII) oocytes and decreased rates for fertilization, cleavage, implantation, blastocyst conversion, poor egg to follicle ratio, and increased miscarriages. Focus on obtaining high-quality embryos has been taken into more consideration over the years. Nowadays, the use of metabolomic analysis in the quantification of proteins and peptides in biological matrices might predict, with more accuracy, the success in assisted reproductive technology. In this article, we review the use of human follicular fluid as the matrix in metabolomic analysis for diagnostic and ART predictor of success for PCOS patients.

Keywords: human follicular fluid; metabolomics; polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS); reproduction.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Biomarkers of oxidative stress: (a) chemical structure of 8-Isoprostane; (b) chemical structure of 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Glucose and derivatives: (a) chemical structure of glucose; (b) chemical structure of lactate; (c) chemical structure of pyruvate; (d) chemical structure of glycerol.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Steroid hormones: (a) chemical structure of testosterone; (b) chemical structure of dihydrotestosterone; (c) chemical structure of estradiol; (d) chemical structure of estrone; (e) chemical structure of pregnenolone; (f) chemical structure of 17-Hydroxypregnenolone; (g) chemical structure of 17-Hydroxyprogesterone.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Steroid hormones: (a) chemical structure of testosterone; (b) chemical structure of dihydrotestosterone; (c) chemical structure of estradiol; (d) chemical structure of estrone; (e) chemical structure of pregnenolone; (f) chemical structure of 17-Hydroxypregnenolone; (g) chemical structure of 17-Hydroxyprogesterone.
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