Volatilomics as an Emerging Strategy to Determine Potential Biomarkers of Female Infertility: A Pilot Study

Abstract

Due to its high prevalence, infertility has become a prominent public health issue, posing a significant challenge to modern reproductive medicine. Some clinical conditions that lead to female infertility include polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and premature ovarian failure (POF). Follicular fluid (FF) is the biological matrix that has the most contact with the oocyte and can, therefore, be used as a predictor of its quality. Volatilomics has emerged as a non-invasive, straightforward, affordable, and simple method for characterizing various diseases and determining the effectiveness of their current therapies. In order to find potential biomarkers of infertility, this study set out to determine the volatomic pattern of the follicular fluid from patients with PCOS, endometriosis, and POF. The chromatographic data integration was performed through solid-phase microextraction (SPME), followed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The findings pointed to specific metabolite patterns as potential biomarkers for the studied diseases. These open the door for further research into the relevant metabolomic pathways to enhance infertility knowledge and diagnostic tools. An extended investigation may, however, produce a new mechanistic understanding of the pathophysiology of the diseases.

Horizons in Endometriosis: Proceedings of the Montreux Reproductive Summit, 14-15 July 2023

“…Volatilomics, a subgroup of metabolomics, focuses on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be derived from both exogenous and endogenous sources (Brinca et al, 2022). VOCs are present in readily accessible biofluids such as urine, exhaled breath, saliva, blood, serum, skin emanations, breast milk, and tissues (Brinca et al, 2022).…”

“…In the context of endometriosis, volatilomics studies have revealed a versatile profile of specific compounds present in follicular fluid. These compounds, such as fatty aldehydes and siloxanes, show altered levels in women with endometriosis compared to controls (Brinca et al, 2022). The presence of these metabolites suggests possible disruptions in steroidogenesis and sphingolipid metabolism, as well as implications in cell signalling and apoptosis (Brinca et al, 2022).…”

Untitled

“…Volatilomics, a subgroup of metabolomics, focuses on volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that can be derived from both exogenous and endogenous sources (Brinca et al, 2022). VOCs are present in readily accessible biofluids such as urine, exhaled breath, saliva, blood, serum, skin emanations, breast milk, and tissues (Brinca et al, 2022). This approach provides insights into the physiological processes of various disorders, including cancer, genetic and metabolic disorders, schizophrenia, and infectious diseases (Longo et al, 2021).…”