P-178 Putrescine supplementation enhances embryonic development in patients with Recurrent Implantation Failure (RIF)
Authors: Lee G , Jeong J , Kim T  H , Yoon S , Park H , Eum J  H , Lee H  J , Han E  J , Park J  E , Kim S  J , Lee W  S 
Published: July 2024

Study question

Does putrescine, a type of polyamine, affect embryonic development in patients with recurrent implantation failure (RIF)?

Summary answer

Putrescine supplementation on cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) was associated with better embryologic development from fertilization to blastulation in patients with RIF.

What is known already

Putrescine, a type of polyamine, plays a role in cell growth and proliferation. Several animal studies suggest the potential impacts of putrescine on embryo development, but its effects on human IVF have yet to be extensively studied.

Study design, size, duration

This retrospective study analyzed 442 patients who have undergone IVF cycles three or more times from January to December 2023. The average IVF cycle number of RIF patients was 7.4 times. A total of 1356 oocytes from the putrescine group and 1391 oocytes from the control group underwent aspiration and ICSI. Further analysis was conducted by classifying RIF patients into two groups: patients under 40 years of age and patients over 40 years of age.

Participants/materials, setting, methods

COCs were cultured for 4 hours in a culture medium supplemented with 0.5mM putrescine. 2 hours after oocyte collection, cumulus cells were denuded, and ICSI was performed. Embryonic development was evaluated based on fertilized oocytes (2PN), good quality embryos (GQE) on day 3, and blastulation rates on day 5/6. Group differences were analyzed using t-tests and chi-square tests (p &lt; 0.05).

Main results and the role of chance

When maternal age was ≥40, the fertilization rate in the putrescine group was significantly higher than that in the control group (86.6% vs. 80.5%, p=0.002). The putrescine group had a numerically higher proportion of embryos with top-grade morphology on day 3 (47.8%, compared with 53.3% for control; p=0.057), without statistical significance. Additionally, the rate of blastulation on day 5 indicated a significant difference between the two groups (14.5% vs. 6.1%, p=0.0001). Further analysis was conducted in younger patients (&lt;40 years old), and it also showed a significantly higher fertilization rate (89.7% vs. 71.1 p=0.0001) and blastocyst development rates on the day 5 in the putrescine group (22.3% vs. 11.1%, p=0.0001), respectively. This study suggests that putrescine supplementation can be utilized to improve embryo quality and facilitate blastocyst formation in IVF procedures for patients with RIF, irrespective of age.

Limitations, reasons for caution

Putrescine supplementation in IVF showed improved fertilization and blastulation rates, but caution is needed due to the small sample size used. Therefore, a larger sample size will help improve the robustness of the conclusions drawn with respect to the embryologic development in patients with RIF.

Wider implications of the findings

The study’s findings suggest that putrescine supplementation in IVF may enhance outcomes for patients with RIF, potentially leading to personalized treatments.

Trial registration number

not applicable