Estudi de tractaments antioxidants en fertilitat. Aplicació en dones estèrils incloses en un programa de fecundació in vitro

Background and working hypothesis: in spite of the great advances in the assisted reproductive techniques, the implantation rates are still very low, this may be related with the state of the uterine epithelium. Oxidative stress and free radicals can induce biochemical and physiological changes in endometrial cells, inducing antiendometrial autoimmune responses, data that we have already published. The treatment of infertile patients with antioxidant agents can restablish the endometrial receptivity and increase the pregnancy rates. Goals: 1) to evaluate oxidative stress in an endometrial cell line and the effect of antioxidant agents in the interaction embryo-endometrium 2) to establish an animal model to measure oxidative stress in vivo, related to fertility 3) to evaluate oxidative stress markers in human endometrium from infertile patients 4) to assess the antioxidant ability of vitamin E and other flavonoids in women recruited for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Methods: cellular stress will be evaluated by several molecules: free radicals, nitric oxid, apoptosis related molecules. Cytokines will be measured by RT-PCR. The antioxidant ability of some flavonoids will be assessed at a cellular level embryo-endometrium and in a mouse model in vivo. The selected antioxidants will be used in infertile women following an in vitro fertilization program, by the implantation rate. Expected results: to find oxidative damage in endometrial cells and/or in embryos from infertile women. The use of antioxidative treatment will improve the pregnancy rates in assisted reproduction, particularly in IVF. Expected potential impact: this procedure will improve the pregnancy rate in IVF infertile women, and the cost and time will be shortened.