Oocyte oxidative DNA damage may be involved in minimal/mild endometriosis-related infertility

Early endometriosis is associated with infertility, and oxidative stress may play a role in the pathogenesis of disease-related infertility. This prospective case-control study aimed to compare the presence of oxidative stress markers in the follicular microenvironment and systemic circulation of infertile women with minimal/mild endometriosis (EI/II) versus individuals undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Seventy-one blood samples (27 from infertile women with EI/II and 44 controls with tubal and/or male infertility factor) and 51 follicular fluid samples (19 EI/II and 32 controls) were obtained on the day of oocyte retrieval. Total hydroperoxides (FOX1), reduced glutathione, vitamin E, Superoxide dismutase, total antioxidant capacity, malondialdehyde, advanced oxidation protein products, and 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8OHdG) concentrations were measured in both fluids. Women with EI/II showed higher FOX1 (8.48 +/- 1.72 vs. 7.69 +/- 1.71mol/g protein) and lower total antioxidant capacity (0.38 +/- 0.18 vs. 0.46 +/- 0.15mEq Trolox/L) concentrations in serum, and higher 8OHdG concentrations (24.21 +/- 8.56 vs. 17.22 +/- 5.6ng/ml) in follicular fluid compared with controls. These data implicate both systemic and follicular oxidative stress may in infertile women with EI/II undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation for ICSI. Furthermore, the elevated 8OHdG concentrations in follicular fluid of women with EI/II may be related to compromised oocyte quality.