CHANGES IN MACROPHAGE-COLONY-STIMULATING FACTOR CONCENTRATION IN SERUM AND FOLLICULAR-FLUID IN IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND EMBRYO-TRANSFER CYCLES

Objective: To evaluate the changes of macrophage colony-stimulating fa ctor concentration in serum and compare macrophage colony-stimulating factor concentration in follicular fluid (FF) through IVF-ET cycles. D esign: Sera and the matched FFs were collected serially through the IV F-ET cycles and analyzed retrospectively with respect to macrophage co lony-stimulating factor concentration, Setting: Department of Obstetri cs and Gynecology of Kumamoto University Hospital, Patient(s): Ninety- four women underwent 129 cycles of ovulation induction by using GnRH a gonist (GnRHa)-hMG-hCG for IVF-ET program. Intervention(s): Serum and FF macrophage colony-stimulating factor concentrations were measured b y ELISA. Main Outcome Measure(s): Concentrations of macrophage colony- stimulating factor in serum and FF, Result(s): Serum macrophage colony -stimulating factor concentration was gradually increased throughout o varian stimulation, and reached a peak from the day of oocyte retrieva l to 2 days after oocyte retrieval, whereas no significant change in m acrophage colony-stimulating factor was observed in cases of poor ovar ian response to hMG, The macrophage colony-stimulating factor concentr ation in follicles was significantly higher than that in sera on the d ay of oocyte retrieval, and the concentrations in follicles from which oocyte could be retrieved were significantly higher than those from w hich oocyte could not be retrieved. Conclusion(s): These results sugge st that gonadotropins lead to an increase in ovarian macrophage colony -stimulating factor production, and that this macrophage colony-stimul ating factor production in response to hMG administration is lost in p oor ovarian responders. Thus, macrophage colony-stimulating factor may play an important role in the process of follicular maturation and ov ulation as an intraovarian regulator. (C) 1998 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.