Cited by 132Reproductive Biology and FertilityAdvanced Proteomics Techniques and ApplicationsReproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species

Proteomic analysis of human follicular fluid from fertile women

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Zamah, Alberuni M, Hassis, Maria E, Albertolle, Matthew E, Williams, Katherine E·2015·Clinical Proteomics

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Follicular fluid is a unique biological fluid in which the critical events of oocyte and follicular maturation and somatic cell-germ cell communication occur. Because of the intimate proximity of follicular fluid to the maturing oocyte, this fluid provides a unique window into the processes occurring during follicular maturation. A thorough identification of the specific components within follicular fluid may provide a better understanding of intrafollicular signaling, as well as reveal potential biomarkers of oocyte health for women undergoing assisted reproductive treatment. In this study, we used high and low pH HPLC peptide separations followed by mass spectrometry to perform a comprehensive proteomic analysis of human follicular fluid from healthy ovum donors. Next, using samples from a second set of patients, an isobaric mass tagging strategy for quantitative analysis was used to identify proteins with altered abundances after hCG treatment. RESULTS: A total of 742 follicular fluid proteins were identified in healthy ovum donors, including 413 that have not been previously reported. The proteins belong to diverse functional groups including insulin growth factor and insulin growth factor binding protein families, growth factor and related proteins, receptor signaling, defense/immunity, anti-apoptotic proteins, matrix metalloprotease related proteins, and complement activity. In a quantitative analysis, follicular fluid samples from age-matched women undergoing in vitro fertilization oocyte retrieval were compared and 17 follicular fluid proteins were found at significantly altered levels (p < 0.05) between pre-hCG and post-hCG samples. These proteins belong to a variety of functional processes, including protease inhibition, inflammation, and cell adhesion. CONCLUSIONS: This database of FF proteins significantly extends the known protein components present during the peri-ovulatory period and provides a useful basis for future studies comparing follicular fluid proteomes in various fertility, disease, and environmental exposure conditions. We identified 17 differentially expressed proteins after hCG treatment and together these data showed the feasibility for defining biomarkers that illuminate how the ovarian follicle microenvironment is altered in various infertility-related conditions.

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Authors
Zamah, A. M., Hassis, M. E., Albertolle, M. E., & Williams, K. E.
Affiliations
  • University of Illinois Chicago (US)
  • University of California, San Francisco (US)
Corresponding author
Zamah, Alberuni M
Venue
Clinical Proteomics
Published
2015-03-03
Volume
12
Issue
1
Pages
5-5
ISSN
  • 1542-6416 (ISSN-L)
  • 1559-0275
OpenAlex
W2146697938
Cited by
132
References
105
Citations by year
2026: 8 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 26 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 9 · 2018: 16 · 2017: 17 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 2
FWCI
14.66
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Clinical Proteomics (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
Funders
  • National Cancer Institute (P30CA082103)
  • National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (K12HD001262)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Reproductive Biology and Fertility
  • Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Spectroscopy › Advanced Proteomics Techniques and Applications
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Physiology › Reproductive biology and impacts on aquatic species
Keywords
follicular fluid, oocyte maturation, follicle maturation, human chorionic gonadotropin, hCG treatment, differentially expressed proteins, insulin-like growth factor, protease inhibition, inflammation, cell adhesion, infertility

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