Proteomic profile of maternal-aged blastocoel fluid suggests a novel role for ubiquitin system in blastocyst quality

Purpose The etiology of maternal aging, a common cause of female factor infertility and a rate-limiting step in vitro fertilization (IVF) success, remains still unclear. Proteomic changes responsible for the impaired successful pregnancy outcome after IVF with aged blastocysts have not been yet evaluated. The objective of this prospective study was to employ proteomic techniques and bioinformatic tools to enlight differences at the protein level in blastocoel fluid of aged and younger woman. Methods Protein composition of human blastocoel fluid isolated by micromanipulation from 46 blastocysts of women aged