One more year we have attended the 70th edition of the Congress of the Society for Reproductive Research (SRI), held in Brisbane (Australia) from March 21 to 25, where we presented almost twenty works. Among these, three have been awarded, with important recognitions for our great research work. Our main objective is to continue advancing and innovating within the field of assisted reproduction and finding the best solutions and treatments for our patients.
The importance of research at IVI
And it is that without research there is no future. Assisted reproduction is probably the field of medicine that has advanced the most in recent years. Putting research and innovation at the center is the secret, since this is the only way we can offer different alternatives for the different types of patients who come to our clinics.
“Research for us is a fundamental pillar, it has been guiding our steps for more than 3 decades and it is this effort to constantly advance in the knowledge of the field to which we dedicate ourselves and the discovery of the best options for our patients that has allowed us to become a benchmarks in the assisted reproduction sector and achieve the best results in our treatment and the best success rates in the sector: 9 out of 10 patients achieve their desire to have a baby. Thanks to this, today we continue studying, learning, progressing, so that tomorrow any fertility problem can be solved with the help of science; and forums like this make room for the exchange of knowledge to outline those present axes that will mark the future of our profession”, comments Dr. Juan Antonio García Velasco, scientific director of IVIRMA Global and co-director of IVI Madrid.
Study to reverse premature ovarian failure
One of the prominent themes of the Congress has been the importance of addressing therapies for women experiencing premature ovarian failure (POF), which may prevent them from having children with their own eggs. In this sense, our group of Biology of Endometrial Stem Cells and Uterine Bioengineering of the IVI Foundationled by Dr. Irene Cervellohas presented a study awarded by the SRI ‘Bioengineering an Ovarian-Specific ECM Hydrogel to Treat Premature Ovarian Failure’,
“The results of the study are very promising, as they show that the hydrogel combined with growth factors improved the number of mature eggs obtained in the female mice, compared to animals that did not receive the treatment, or that received alternative treatments. This work, therefore, could become a therapeutic option for women with FOP.” explains Dr. Cervelló.
Treatment of uterine fibroids
Another of the reproductive problems is related to the appearance of uterine fibroids, making pregnancy difficult. The research project led by Dr. Hortensia Ferreroa researcher at the IVI Foundation, has been recognized by the SRI scientific committee and has been awarded the President’s Presenter’s Award.
“Uterine fibroids are the most frequent tumor in women of reproductive age, affecting 70% of them worldwide. The results of our study ‘Doxercalciferol Decreases Uterine Fibroid Growth Rate Through the Regulation of ECM Synthesis and Cell Proliferation’ show the potential of vitamin D analogues, specifically Doxercalciferol, as a therapeutic option for the treatment of uterine fibroids in those patients who wish to maintain their fertility. In this sense, Doxercalciferol reduces the growth of fibroids by 42%, and it does so mainly by regulating the expression of genes involved in cell proliferation and the production of extracellular matrix, the two main pathways for the progression of this type of tumors”. points out Dr. Ferrero.
Research focused on Trisomy 21
Another award-winning study was the ‘Targeted Elimination of Human Chromosome 21 (HSA21) in Adult and Embryo Stem Cell Lines Using a Novel CRISPR-Cas3 Genome-Editing Tool’, which focuses on analyzing how embryos develop after transfer in prolonged cultures. until day 12 depending on whether they are euploid, trisomic 21 or monosomic 21.
“Knowing when these differences start will help us to see if it is possible to silence the extra chromosome of some embryos using CRISPR technology in human cell lines, and in a second step to see if we can do the same in the human embryo,” clarifies Dr. Imma Sánchez, gynecologist at IVI Barcelona and supervisor of the study.
Decreased oocyte quality
The low quality of the eggs is currently one of the most important problems that hinder the success of the treatments. This deterioration has been mainly related to the increase in the age of women who expect to have children, since more and more do so at an advanced age. Another cause is the side effect produced by chemotherapy in women with cancer.
“Aware of this, in our study ‘Nicotinamide Mononucleotide supplementation improves oocyte quality in chemotherapy induced ovarian damage mouse models’ we have evaluated whether oral supplementation with nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) is capable of reversing the decline in oocyte quality associated with the damage that produces chemotherapy in an animal model, being the first time that the role of NMN against the damage of cancer treatments has been investigated”, says the doctor sonia herraizresearcher at the IVI Foundation and supervisor of the study.
NMN is a precursor of the active substance Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+). This molecule is of great importance in various biological processes and also has antioxidant potential.
“After the in vitro fertilization process, we observed higher fertilization rates and better embryonic development in the treated animals. As a conclusion to these results, we can indicate that treatment with NMN represents a promising therapeutic strategy for improving oocyte quality, for which there is currently no viable treatment.” adds Dr. Herraiz.
Factors influencing the decline in fertility
In recent years there has been a decline in fertility rates, especially in those industrialized areas. This leads to an increase in the use of assisted reproductive techniques. Several factors have been identified as responsible for this decrease in fertility, such as environmental, socioeconomic, and lifestyle factors. The work ‘Positive association between essential trace elements in female biological matrices and IVF outcomes in euploid single embryo transfer cycles’ has identified how certain essential elements in the female body can influence the success of assisted reproduction treatments.
“Our data showed that a higher concentration of trace elements, such as copper and copper/zinc ratio in follicular fluid and plasma, and plasma manganese, was significantly associated with greater ovarian response to hormonal stimulation and better embryological results in treatment of in vitro fertilization. On the contrary, a higher concentration of lithium in follicular fluid is associated with a lower ovarian reserve, a lower response to ovarian stimulation, and a lower fertilization rate in in vitro fertilization treatment. These results suggest a direct impact between trace element levels and IVF treatment outcomes.” concludes the doctor Francisco Dominguezresearcher at the IVI Foundation and supervisor of the study.
