APOPTOSIS RATE IN CUMULUS CELLS AS POSSIBLE MOLECULAR BIOMARKER FOR OOCYTE COMPETENCE.

Several lines of evidence showed that apoptosis rate of cumulus cells in oocytes denved by assisted reproductive technologies could be used as an indicator of fertilizing gamete quality. Aim of the study was to investigate the effects of three different ovarian stimulation protocols on the biological and clinical outcome in hyporesponder patients. Collected data showed a higher significant of DNA fragmentation index (DFI) in U group (patients treated with Highly Purified human Menopausal Gonad otrophin) than in group (treated with recombinant human Follicle Stimulating Hormone (r-hFSH) combined with recombinant human Luteinizing Hormone (r-hLH)). Both groups R (treated with r-hFSH alone) and showed a significant increase in collected and fertilized oocytes number, embryo quality number. study showed that combined r-hFSH/r-hLH therapy could represent the best pharmacological strategy for controlled ovarian stimulation and suggests to use DFI as a biomarker of ovarian function in hyporesponder patients.