Comprehensive profiling of prostaglandins in human ovarian follicular fluid using mass spectrometry

Prostaglandins are formed by enzymatic and non-enzymatic mechanisms. They have been detected in human ovarian follicular fluid (HFF), a medium rich in growth factors and nutrients important for oocyte growth and fertility. However, the comprehensive identification of HFF prostaglandins has not been addressed. Here we use hybrid triple quadrupole time-of-flight and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers to comprehensively analyze prostaglandins in HFF. We identified PGE1, PGE2, PGF2 alpha, and other prostaglandins synthesized via prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase (i.e. Cox) cascades. We also identified specific PGF2 alpha isomers (F2-isoprostanes) and PGF3 alpha analogs whose structures are inconsistent with Cox-dependent formation. A prospective cohort pilot study of infertility patient subtypes revealed two potential associations. F2-isoprostanes are decreased in the diminished ovarian reserve subtype and elevated PGF2 alpha may be associated with decreased live birth. Other than PGF2 alpha, only body mass index > 25 kg/m(2) correlated with poor in vitro fertilization outcome. Our studies suggest that HFF contains prostaglandins formed from at least two mechanisms, which may correlate with distinct clinical parameters.