Association between interleukin concentration in follicular fluid and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) outcome

PROBLEM: The aim of this study was to determine the presence and concentrat ion of interleukin IL-6, IL-8, and granulocyte-macrophage-colony-stimulatin g factor (GMCSF) in pre-ovulatory ovarian follicular fluid (FF) of patients undergoing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) therapy on one hand, and to find out whether these cytotok ine concentrations could be used as a predictive parameter for ICSI outcome . DESIGN: The levels of IL-6, IL-8, and GM-CSF were measured from women that underwent ICSI therapy and the results were compared between the patients w ho became pregnant after ICSI and those who did not. MATERIAL AND METHODS: FF was obtained from 84 women participating in our IC SI program. The patients underwent ovarian hyperstimulation with human meno pausal gonadotropin after they had been treated with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) for pituitary down-regulation. The concentration of IL-6, IL-8, and GM-CSF was measured by the highly sensitive enzyme-linke d immunosorbent assay method. RESULTS: Twenty-eight women became pregnant (group I) and the other 56 (gro up II) did not. The main concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and GM-CSF in FF of patients who became pregnant were 5.4 +/- 2.9, 207.9 +/- 118.3, and 1.01 +/ - 0.8 pg/mL, respectively, and the corresponding values in patients who did not become pregnant were 7.0 +/- 5.1, 230.8 +/- 183, and 1.34 +/- 0.09 pg/ mL, respectively No statistical difference was found between the two groups with regard to the age of patients, IL concentration in FF, mean number of retrieved oocytes, mean number of mature oocytes (metaphase II), and the f ertilization rate. CONCLUSION: IL-6, IL-8, and GM-CSF were found in most FF investigated eithe r from patients who became pregnant after ICSI treatment or from those who did not. Furthermore, no significant differences were found between the IL- 6, IL-8, and GM-CSF concentrations in both groups. The mean oocyte retrieva l, fertilization, and cleavage rates were not significant between the patie nts who became pregnant and those who did not. Therefore, the IL-6, IL-8, a nd GM-CSF concentrations in pre-ovulatory FF cannot be used as a reliable p rognostic index for fertilization ability, developing potential, and implan tation probability.