A blood test will allow knowing the level of fertility of the women before undergoing an assisted fertilization treatment, according to a study published by a Franco-Spanish group of researchers and doctors, published in the Journal of Gynecology and Women´s Health. In their conclusions, the study indicates that excessive levels of free DNA in blood are a negative prognostic factor regarding the probability of reaching a normal pregnancy.
According to Dr. Jan Tesarik, one of the authors of this work and director of the MARGen Clinic in Granada (Spain), “the quality of the ovules, even those of young women, has dropped significantly in the last 20 years. The causes are multiple, although our results suggest a probable common denominator: oxidative stress suffered by ovary cells involved in the development and maturation of the ovules, which is responsible for the release of DNA from the affected cells. ”
DNA molecules are carriers of the genetic information of all cells, and their usual location is intracellular, within the nucleus. However, a small proportion of DNA escapes from the cells and appears free in the blood.
In recent years, numerous studies have evaluated the use of free DNA, circulating in the blood, in the diagnosis and prognosis of cancer. In these studies, known as liquid biopsies, circulating free DNA is sequenced to obtain information about their cellular origin and the functional status of the cells in question. Similar techniques are also being developed to evaluate the degree of cellular damage in the case of myocardial infarction or immune disorders. Now the Franco-Spanish publication suggests that the analysis of free circulating DNA could also be relevant in the field of assisted reproduction.
For Dr. Tesarik, the development of techniques based on circulating free DNA as a marker of the reproductive function of women, and probably also of man, will go through a qualitative analysis of the samples obtained, including not only deep sequencing but also the evaluation of epigenetic information (a determining factor in the regulation of the expression or repression of certain genes). “These studies,” concludes Dr. Tesarik, “will allow us to determine more precisely the origin of the problem in each individual clinical case and choose an appropriate therapeutic strategy.”
Currently there are other markers in blood that reflect the level of fertility related to hormone levels such as anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) or Follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH). However, these markers allow knowing the number of ovules present in the ovaries, not their quality. In this way, the analysis of circulating free DNA would have a relevant complementary value, by providing independent information.
Source: Agencia ID
