Women undergoing IVF or ICSI who have higher levels of a chemical called 6:2Cl-PFESA in their blood tend to produce fewer fertilized eggs and fewer embryos that progress to the cleavage stage.
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
This chemical builds up in the eggs and early embryos, making it harder for them to produce the energy they need. Without enough energy and with too much cellular damage, the eggs can't mature properly or start dividing after fertilization, leading to fewer viable embryos.
Most probable mechanism
When this chemical builds up in the body, it interferes with the energy production in egg cells and early embryos, causing damage from harmful byproducts. This makes it harder for the egg to mature properly and for the fertilized egg to start dividing normally.
6:2Cl-PFESA accumulates in ovarian follicular fluid and oocytes due to its lipophilic properties and affinity for lipid-rich reproductive tissues
The compound disrupts mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibits electron transport chain complexes, reducing ATP production in oocytes and early embryos
Impaired mitochondrial function increases reactive oxygen species generation, leading to oxidative damage to cellular components including DNA, lipids, and spindle apparatus
Oxidative stress and energy deficit impair meiotic spindle formation, chromosome alignment, and cytoplasmic maturation in oocytes, reducing successful fertilization
In early cleavage-stage embryos, persistent mitochondrial dysfunction and DNA damage activate cell cycle checkpoints, causing arrest or fragmentation before formation of viable 2PN embryos
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
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