HUMAN FOLLICULAR-FLUID MATURITY AND ENDOTHELIAL-CELL CHEMOTAXIS

Follicular fluid of varying maturity was collected from the largest Gr aafian follicle of 23 ovulatory patients during laparoscopy (five bloo d-stained samples were discarded) and from five patients undergoing oo cyte collection for assisted reproduction. The endothelial cell (EC) c hemotactic potentials of the samples were tested with bovine aortic EC s in modified Boyden Chambers and an EC density score was determined f or each sample. Intra-assay coefficients of variation (CV) varied from 2.9-17%; inter-assay CV was 45%. Therefore, cell density scores were expressed in terms of positive and negative control values from their respective plates. Serum progesterone was positively correlated with E C chemotactic potential (R(2) = 14.9%). There was no correlation with day of cycle, follicular diameter, serum luteinizing hormone (LH) or o estradiol, or follicular fluid total protein levels (all R(2) less tha n or equal to 6%). Five subjects were in early and four in midfollicul ar phase, seven were in early and two in late LH surge, and there were also five in-vitro fertilization (IVF) specimens. There was a statist ically significant difference between the EC chemotactic potential of the five groups by analysis of variance (F = 5.98; P = 0.006). There w as no significant difference between the late LH surge and the IVF sam ples (two-sample t-test). The mean cell density was higher for these t wo groups than the other three (P < 0.01 in all cases; two-sample t-te st). It is concluded that the EC chemotactic potential of human follic ular fluid increases after the LH surge and before ovulation.