LC-MS detected universal metabolites of human day 3 embryos with distinct implantation outcomes for Cook Medical and Vitrolife culture medium

Abstract Background To implore the universal metabolites from metabolomic profiling of spent embryo culture medium (SECM) correlated to day 3 embryo’s implantation potential in two commercial culture medium (Cook Medical and Vitrolife). Methods This investigation was a prospective randomized study. Patients undergoing IVF-ET and having utilizable day 3 embryos were recruited. Patients were randomized for embryo culture in Cook Medical or Vitrolife medium. On day 1 each zygote of patients was individually cultured in a 30 µL microdroplet until day 3. Then SECM from each microdroplet was collected within 2 hours after the embryo was utilized (transferred or frozen) and detected by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Results For Vitrolife medium, 3 batches of total 69 SECM samples were collected. According to the embryo’s implantation outcome, 17 were successfully implanted group, while 52 were failed implanted group. 147 metabolomic irons presenting significantly different level between the two groups were identified as the Vitrolife metabolomic profiling set. For Cook Medical medium, 2 batches of total 37 SECM samples were collected. According to the embryo’s implantation outcome, 14 were successfully implanted group, while 23 were failed implanted group. 435 metabolomic irons presenting significantly different level between the two groups as the Cook Medical metabolomic profiling set. There were 66 universal metabolites between the Vitrolife and Cook Medical metabolomic profiling set and the ion with m/z = 121.029 was the most reproduciable signature, which was identified to be benzoic acid. Conclusions Metabolomic profiling in SECM correlated to day 3 embryo’s implantation potential in Vitrolife and Cook Medical medium could be sensitively detected by LC-MS approach. The universal metabolites for the two commercial medium, such as benzoic acid, may provide a potential solid adjunct to day 3 embryo’s evaluation.