Interleukin 15 concentrations in follicular fluid and their effect on oocyte maturation in subfertile women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

PURPOSE: To calculate the concentrations of interleukin 15 (IL-15) in follicular fluid (FF) and evaluate their relation with oocyte maturation, follicle size, and patients' body mass index (BMI) and age.

METHODS: Follicular fluid specimens were obtained from 56 subfertile women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) during oocyte retrieval for measurement of IL-15 concentrations with ELISA. Wilcoxon's test and Pearson's correlation coefficient were used to correlate FF concentrations of IL-15 with follicular size and stage of oocyte maturation, along with patients' BMI and age.

RESULTS: IL-15 concentrations in FF of follicles with immature oocytes were significantly greater than those from follicles with mature ones (median 5.333 vs. 3.250 pg/ml, respectively, p < 0.001). There was a significant negative correlation between IL-15 concentrations and follicle size (r = - 0.333, p = 0.003). No significant correlation was observed between IL-15 concentrations and patients' BMI and age (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: IL-15 concentrations in FF are adversely related with the size of the follicles and the maturity of the corresponding retrieved oocytes in a cohort of expected normal responders undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Follicular fluid concentrations of IL-15 should be investigated as a possible predictive factor for oocyte maturity.