PURPOSE: To determine intraindividual variability in concentrations of homocysteine and related thiols in follicular fluids of particular follicles after ovarian stimulation and assess the differences between follicles with/or without oocytes. METHODS: HPLC-FD analysis of plasma and follicular fluid cysteine, homocysteine, cysteinylglycine and glutathione in women undergoing IVF. RESULTS: In blood plasma, the homocysteine, cysteine, and cysteinylglycine concentrations decreased significantly during stimulation with rec FSH (p<0.001). We found significant differences in concentrations of cysteine and glutathione between follicles with or without retrieved oocytes. High intraindividual variability in concentrations of thiols was determined. CONCLUSIONS: The concentration variability of thiols between single follicles is very high and we recommend mean at least from 3 follicles with/or without oocytes for characterization of each woman. It is the best to examine individual follicles for further research and analysis of fertility outcomes.

Department of Biochemistry Faculty of Medicine Masaryk University A16 Kamenice 5 Brno Czech Republic

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