Uterine fluid analysis as a new opportunity to increase implantation ratesin assisted reproductive technology programs

Babayan A.A., Makarova N.P., Kondakova N.V., Gokhberg Ya.A., Nepsha O.S., Kalinina E.A.

Academician V.I. Kulakov National Medical Research Center of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Perinatology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Moscow, Russia
A significant proportion of ineffective cycles of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) prompt investigators to continue to search for new approaches to defining endometrial receptivity. Most modern methods for evaluating the functional state of the endometrium are invasive and cannot be performed in one cycle with embryo transfer in the ART programs. The introduction of new-generation technologies (epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) makes it possible to better understand the complex biological processes that contribute to the successful outcome of ART programs. The possibility of obtaining uterine fluid directly in the embryo transfer cycle, on the one hand, and the use of omix technologies that allow the search for prognostic and diagnostic markers, on the other hand, open up new perspectives for studying the endometrium during the implantation window. Endometrial secretion analysis will be able to identify the molecular profile of uterine fluid to detect window of displacement or disruption. This review describes the possibilities of applying modern omix technologies in identifying the molecular profile of uterine fluid during the implantation window for the elaboration of an individual treatment approach in the ART programs.
Conclusion: The results of the studies conducted confirm the prospects and relevance of investigating the protein, metabolomic and transcriptomic profiles to determine the most favorable time period for embryo transfer, which can be used to enhance the effectiveness of ART programs.

Keywords

assisted reproductive technologies
ART
uterine fluid
secretome
extracellular vesicles
proteome
small noncoding RNAs
embryo implantation

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Received 24.09.2021

Accepted 09.11.2021

About the Authors

Alina A. Babayan, Ph.D., Researcher at the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P,
Ministry of Health of Russia, a_babayan@oparina4.ru, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.
Natalia P. Makarova, Dr. Biol. Sci., Senior Researcher at the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, np_makarova@oparina4.ru, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.
Natalia V. Kondakova, embryologist at the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P,
Ministry of Health of Russia, n_kondakova@oparina4.ru, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.
Oksana S. Nepsha, Ph.D. (Biol. Sci.), Researcher at the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, nepsha@oparina4.ru, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.
Yael A. Gokhberg, postgraduate student at the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P,
Ministry of Health of Russia, dr.yaelgokhberg@gmail.com, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.
Elena A. Kalinina, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Head of the B.V. Leonov Department of Assisted Technologies for the Treatment of Infertility, V.I. Kulakov NMRC for OG&P, Ministry of Health of Russia, e_kalinina@oparina4.ru, 117997, Russia, Moscow, Academician Oparin str., 4.

Authors' contributions: Babayan A.A. – literature data collection and analysis; writing the article; Makarova N.P. – editing the article; approval of the publication; Kondakova N.V. – literature data collection and analysis; Gokhberg Ya.A. – search for literature data; Nepsha O.S. – critical analysis of the manuscript; editing; Kalinina E.A. – final approval of the publication.
Conflicts of interest: The authors declare that there are no possible conflicts of interest.
Funding: The investigation was conducted within the framework of the state assignment “Solving the problem of infertility in modern conditions, by creating a clinical and diagnostic model of infertile marriage and using innovative technologies in the assisted reproduction programs" (No. 121040600410-7).
For citation: Babayan A.A., Makarova N.P., Kondakova N.V., Gokhberg Ya.A., Nepsha O.S., Kalinina E.A. Uterine fluid analysis as a new opportunity
to increase implantation ratesin assisted reproductive technology programs.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2021; 11: 32-40 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2021.11.32-40

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