Elevated cell-free mitochondria DNA level of patients with premature ovarian insufficiency

BackgroundPremature ovarian insufficiency (POI) patients present with a chronic inflammatory state. Cell-free mitochondria DNA (cf-mtDNA) has been explored as a reliable biomarker for estimating the inflammation-related disorders, however, the cf-mtDNA levels in POI patients have never been measured. Therefore, in the presenting study, we aimed to evaluate the levels of cf-mtDNA in plasma and follicular fluid (FF) of POI patients and to determine a potential role of cf-mtDNA in predicting the disease progress and pregnancy outcomes.MethodsWe collected plasma and FF samples from POI patients, biochemical POI (bPOI) patients and control women. Quantitative real-time PCR was used to measure the ratio of mitochondrial genome to nuclear genome of cf-DNAs extracted from the plasma and FF samples.ResultsThe plasma cf-mtDNA levels, including COX3, CYB, ND1 and mtDNA79, were significantly higher in overt POI patients than those in bPOI patients or control women. The plasma cf-mtDNA levels were weakly correlated with ovarian reserve, and could not be improved by regular hormone replacement therapy. The levels of cf-mtDNA in FF, rather than those in plasma, exhibited the potential to predict the pregnancy outcomes, although they were comparable among overt POI, bPOI and control groups.ConclusionsThe increased plasma cf-mtDNA levels in overt POI patients indicated its role in the progress of POI and the FF cf-mtDNA content may hold the value in predicting pregnancy outcomes of POI patients.

Automated summary

This study assessed the levels of cell-free mitochondrial DNA (cf-mtDNA) in plasma and follicular fluid (FF) of premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) patients and investigated its potential role in predicting disease progression and pregnancy outcomes.