The Role of Follicular Fluid Thiol/Disulphide Homeostasis in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Abstract

Background: Oxidative stress has been proposed as a potentialtrigger in the etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndromerelatedinfertility. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis, a recently identifiedoxidative stress marker, is one of the antioxidant mechanism inhumans with critical roles in folliculogenesis and ovulation.Aims: To investigate follicular fluid thiol/disulphide homeostasis inthe etiopathogenesis of polycystic ovary syndrome and to determine itsassociation with in vitro fertilization outcome. The study procedureswere approved by the local ethics committee.Study Design: Cross-sectional study.Methods: Follicular fluid from 22 women with polycystic ovarysyndrome and 20 ovulatory controls undergoing in vitro fertilizationtreatment was sampled. Thiol/disulphide homeostasis was analyzedvia a novel spectrophotometric method.Results: Follicular native thiol levels, as well as the native thiol/total thiol ratio, were lower in the polycystic ovary syndrome groupthan in the non-polycystic ovary syndrome group (p=0.041 andp