(167) Deciphering the Embryo Secretome - The Metabolome and Embryo Quality: A New Perspective

Luana T. S. Rodrigues¹; Caroline P. Carvalho²; Iasmim L. Lima²; Marcos N. Eberlin²; Felipe R. P. Mansoldo²; Fernanda B. Cordeiro³; Fernando P. Ferreira⁴; Edson G. Lo Turco¹

1. Department of Surgery - Division of Urology - Human Reproduction Section, São Paulo Federal University, São Paulo, Brazil

2. Mackenzie Institute for Graphene and Nanotechnology Research - MackGraphe, Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, Brazil

3. Laboratorio para Investigaciones Biomédicas - Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Escuela Superior Politecnica del Litoral, Guayaquil, Ecuador

4. Department of Gynecology, Neo Vita Clinic, São Paulo, Brazil

Abstract Text:

Embryo metabolomics indicates that certain metabolites, for example, amino acids, lipids, and glycolytic intermediates, are associated with embryo morphology and developmental competence. Better quality embryos have characteristic metabolic signatures, which may be used as biomarkers of implantation and pregnancy success. Metabolomics of the culture media of embryos can be used to evaluate the embryos’ viability and to distinguish between good and bad embryos in assisted reproductive technologies like IVF.
We performed a prospective cohort study of 117 embryos from two IVF centers, which were divided into two groups: high quality embryos (HQ-Group, n=117) and low quality embryos (LQ-Group, n=27). The study was performed between 2022 and 2024. After signing the informed consent and fulfilling the inclusion and exclusion criteria, the culture media of the participants' embryos was harvested for the purpose of the metabolomic analysis.
All the patients had COH, and the oocytes were injected using the ICSI method. The embryos were cultured up to the blastocysts stage, at 5-7 days of culture, then evaluated morphologically and the media harvested after the embryos were frozen or transferred to the uterus. Metabolomic analysis was carried out with MALDI Orbitrap mass spectrometry. MetaboAnalyst 6.0 was used for statistical analysis and metabolic profiles were quite different between groups.
The study shows the feasibility of using metabolomic profiling to help select embryos based on their morphological quality by identifying specific metabolic signatures. This non-invasive approach may enhance the prospects of ART, being a personalized and economical approach, and thus contributing to the current understanding and practice in reproductive medicine.