Skip Navigation


Hum. Reprod. Advance Access originally published online on March 23, 2006
Human Reproduction 2006 21(7):1725-1733; doi:10.1093/humrep/del081
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF ) Freely available
Right arrow All Versions of this Article:
21/7/1725    most recent
del081v1
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Ebisch, I.M.W.
Right arrow Articles by Steegers-Theunissen, R.P.M.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Ebisch, I.M.W.
Right arrow Articles by Steegers-Theunissen, R.P.M.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© The Author 2006. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Homocysteine, glutathione and related thiols affect fertility parameters in the (sub)fertile couple

I.M.W. Ebisch 1 , 2 , 3 , W.H.M. Peters 4 , C.M.G. Thomas 3 , A.M.M. Wetzels 1 , P.G.M. Peer 2 and R.P.M. Steegers-Theunissen 1 , 2 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9

1 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 3 Department of Chemical Endocrinology 4 Department of Gastroenterology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen 5 Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology 6 Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics 7 Department of Pediatrics/Division of Pediatric Cardiology and 8 Department of Clinical Genetics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

9 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: r.steegers{at}erasmusmc.nl

BACKGROUND: Thiols are scavengers of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We aim to investigate associations between thiols in various fluids in (sub)fertile couples and fertility outcome parameters. METHODS: In 156 couples undergoing assisted reproduction techniques (ART), we measured the concentrations of glutathione (GSH), cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and cysteinylglycine (CGS) and fertility outcome parameters in the ejaculate, purified spermatozoa and follicular fluid. RESULTS: All thiols were detectable in most ejaculates, spermatozoa and follicular fluids, of which Cys concentrations were highest. Thiol concentrations in the ejaculate were similar in fertile and subfertile men. However, Hcy in follicular fluid was higher in women with endometriosis compared with women in the idiopathic subfertile group (P = 0.04). The GSH, Cys, Hcy and CGS concentrations in spermatozoa of subfertile men were significantly higher compared with men in the idiopathic subfertile group and fertile men (P < 0.001). Most notably, Hcy concentrations in both the ejaculate and follicular fluid were negatively associated with embryo quality on culture day 3 in the IVF/ICSI procedure. CONCLUSIONS: Spermatozoa of subfertile men contain significantly higher thiol concentrations as compared with those of fertile men. The detrimental effect on embryo quality of a high Hcy concentration in the ejaculate and in follicular fluid is intriguing and may suggest that Hcy is inversely associated with fertility outcome.

Key words: assisted reproduction/fertility outcome parameters/semen parameters/thiols


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
M. Vujkovic, J.H. de Vries, G.R. Dohle, G.J. Bonsel, J. Lindemans, N.S. Macklon, P.J. van der Spek, E.A.P. Steegers, and R.P.M. Steegers-Theunissen
Associations between dietary patterns and semen quality in men undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment
Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2009; 24(6): 1304 - 1312.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
B. Berker, C. Kaya, R. Aytac, and H. Satiroglu
Homocysteine concentrations in follicular fluid are associated with poor oocyte and embryo qualities in polycysti c ovary syndrome patients undergoing assisted reproduction
Hum. Reprod., May 14, 2009; (2009) dep069v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
J. C. Boxmeer, N. S. Macklon, J. Lindemans, N. G.M. Beckers, M. J.C. Eijkemans, J. S.E. Laven, E. A.P. Steegers, and R. P.M. Steegers-Theunissen
IVF outcomes are associated with biomarkers of the homocysteine pathway in monofollicular fluid
Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2009; 24(5): 1059 - 1066.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum ReprodHome page
J. C. Boxmeer, R. P.M. Steegers-Theunissen, J. Lindemans, M. F. Wildhagen, E. Martini, E. A.P. Steegers, and N. S. Macklon
Homocysteine metabolism in the pre-ovulatory follicle during ovarian stimulation
Hum. Reprod., November 1, 2008; 23(11): 2570 - 2576.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
E. H. Ruder, T. J. Hartman, J. Blumberg, and M. B. Goldman
Oxidative stress and antioxidants: exposure and impact on female fertility
Hum. Reprod. Update, June 4, 2008; (2008) dmn011v1.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Eur Heart JHome page
P. H. Jongbloet
Non-optimal maturation of the oocyte, maternal MTHFR polymorphisms, periconceptional folate, and decrease of congenital heart defects
Eur. Heart J., August 2, 2007; 28(16): 2043 - 2043.
[Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J AndrolHome page
J. C. Boxmeer, M. Smit, R. F. Weber, J. Lindemans, J. C. Romijn, M. J. Eijkemans, N. S. Macklon, and R. P. Steegers-Theunissen
Seminal Plasma Cobalamin Significantly Correlates With Sperm Concentration in Men Undergoing IVF or ICSI Procedures
J Androl, July 1, 2007; 28(4): 521 - 527.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Hum Reprod UpdateHome page
T. Forges, P. Monnier-Barbarino, J.M. Alberto, R.M. Gueant-Rodriguez, J.L. Daval, and J.L. Gueant
Impact of folate and homocysteine metabolism on human reproductive health
Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2007; 13(3): 225 - 238.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.