AUTHOR=Cunningham Thomas Keith , Allgar Victoria , Dargham Soha R. , Kilpatrick Eric , Sathyapalan Thozhukat , Maguiness Stephen , Mokhtar Rudin Haira R. , Abdul Ghani Nour M. , Latiff Aishah , Atkin Stephen L. 

TITLE=Association of Vitamin D Metabolites With Embryo Development and Fertilization in Women With and Without PCOS Undergoing Subfertility Treatment

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Endocrinology

VOLUME=Volume 10 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/endocrinology/articles/10.3389/fendo.2019.00013

DOI=10.3389/fendo.2019.00013

ISSN=1664-2392

ABSTRACT=Objective. The relationship between fertilization rates and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (1,25(OH)2D3), 25-hydroxyvitamin D2 (25(OH)D2), 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25(OH)D3), 24,25-dihydroxyvitamin D (24,25(OH)2D3) and 25-hydroxy-3epi-Vitamin D3 (3epi25(OH)D3) concentrations in age and weight matched women with and without PCOS was studied. 
Methods. 59 non-obese women, 29 with PCOS and 30 non-PCOS undergoing IVF, matched for age and weight were included. Serum vitamin D metabolites were taken the menstrual cycle prior to commencing controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. Results. Vitamin D metabolites did not differ between PCOS and controls; however, 25(OH)D3 correlated with embryo fertilization rates in PCOS patients alone (p=0.03). For all subjects, 3epi25(OH)D3 correlated with fertilization rate (p<0.04) and negatively with HOMA-IR (p<0.02); 25(OH)D2 correlated with cleavage rate, G3D3 and blastocyst (p<0.05; p<0.009; p<0.002, respectively). 24,25(OH)2D3 correlated with AMH, antral follicle count, eggs retrieved and top quality embryos (G3D3) (p<0.03; p<0.003; p<0.009; p<0.002, respectively), and negatively with HOMA-IR (p<0.01). 1,25(OH)2D3  did not correlate with any of the metabolic or embryo parameters. In slim PCOS, 25(OH)D3 correlated with increased fertilization rates in PCOS, but other vitamin D parameters did not differ to matched controls. 
Conclusion. 3epi25(OH)D3, 25(OH)D2, and  24,25(OH)2D3, but not 1,25(OH)2D3, were associated with embryo parameters suggesting that that vitamin D metabolites other than 1,25(OH)2D3  are important in fertility.