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1H NMR based profiling of spent culture media cannot predict success of implantation for day 3 human embryos

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Abstract

Background

Identification of a non-invasive technique to assess embryo implantation potential in assisted reproduction would greatly increase success rates and lead more efficiently to single embryo transfer. Early studies suggested metabonomic analysis of spent culture media could improve embryo selection. The goal of this study is to assess if embryo implantation can be predicted based on proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) profiles of spent embryo culture media from patients undergoing transfer of multiple embryos on cycle day 3.

Method

We conducted a retrospective study in an academic assisted reproduction technology (ART) program and analyzed the data in a university research center. Two hundred twenty-eight spent culture media samples originating from 108 patients were individually analyzed. Specifically, five distinct sets (1 to 5) of different types of spent media samples (volume ~14 μL) from embryos that resulted in clinical pregnancy (positive heart rate at 6 weeks gestation) (n 1 = 29; n 2 = 19; n 3 = 9; n 4 = 12; n 5 = 33; n total = 102) and from embryos that did not implant (n 1 = 28; n 2 = 29; n 3 = 18; n 4 = 15; n 5 = 36; n total = 126) were collected on day 3 of embryo growth. The media samples were profiled using 1H NMR spectroscopy, and the NMR profiles of sets 1 to 5 were subject to standard uni- and multi-variate data analyses in order to evaluate potential correlation of profiles with implantation success.

Results

For set 1 of the media samples, a borderline class separation of NMR profiles was obtained by use of principal component analysis (PCA) and logistic regression. This tentative class separation could not be repeated and validated in any of the other media sets 2 to 5.

Conclusions

Despite the rigorous technical approach, 1H NMR based profiling of spent culture media cannot predict success of implantation for day 3 human embryos.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Shehua Shen

    Present address: Department of Clinical Research and Development, Auxogyn. Inc., Menlo Park, CA, USA

  2. Jia Hua

    Present address: Fresenius Kabi, Grand Island, NY, 14072, USA

  3. Uday Prabhu

    Present address: Bruker India, Mumbai, 400093, India

  4. Erwin Garcia

    Present address: LipoScience Inc., 2500 Sumner Blvd., Raleigh, NC, 27616, USA

  5. Chris Andrews

    Present address: Department of OVS, Room 8320, University of Michigan, 1000 Wall St, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105, USA

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of OB GYN and Reproductive Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA

    Paolo Rinaudo, Shehua Shen & Marcelle Cedars

  2. Departments of Chemistry and Biostatistics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Jia Hua, Uday Prabhu, Erwin Garcia, Dinesh Sukumaran & Thomas Szyperski

  3. Departments of Biostatistics, State University of New York at Buffalo, Buffalo, NY, USA

    Su Qian & Chris Andrews

Authors
  1. Paolo Rinaudo
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  2. Shehua Shen
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  8. Dinesh Sukumaran
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  9. Thomas Szyperski
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  10. Chris Andrews
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Paolo Rinaudo or Thomas Szyperski.

Additional information

Capsule 1HNMR media profiling does not predict embryo implantation.

Support: NICHD-R21: HD054956-01A2 (to PR, SS, and TS)

Electronic Supplementary Material

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Supplemental Figure 1

Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) 1D 1H NMR spectrum recorded on an INOVA 600 spectrometer equipped with a PROTASIS micro-flow probe for a media specimen (G1.3 medium with HSA) of an embryo that implanted into the uterus. The CPMG procedure eliminates signals arising from biological macromolecules so that only the resonance lines of the low molecular weight metabolites are registered. Chemical shifts are relative to 2,2-Dimethyl-2-silapentane-5-sulfonic acid. The left upper corner insert represents an expansion of the boxed part of the spectrum. Selected resonance assignments of metabolites are indicated: Ala-Gln: Alanyl-Gutamine, Asp: Aspartate, Cit: Citrate, Glu: Glucose, Pro: Proline, Pyr: Pyruvate, Tau: Taurine. Some of the resonance lines of compounds that have thus far not been identified are located in the downfield spectral region between 6 and 9 ppm. (DOC 285 kb)

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Rinaudo, P., Shen, S., Hua, J. et al. 1H NMR based profiling of spent culture media cannot predict success of implantation for day 3 human embryos. J Assist Reprod Genet 29, 1435–1442 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9877-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-012-9877-9

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