The role of abnormal hypermethylation of the HOXA10 and HOXA11 promoters in implantation failures in IVF programs

Abstract

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the association between methylation levels of HOXA10 and HOXA11 promoters, clinical parameters, and implantation outcomes after in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVT-ET) cycles in women with repeated implantation failures and tubal infertility.

Methods: Endometrium samples were collected from 34 women during implantation window before IVF-ET cycle to assess methylation status of HOXA10 and HOXA11 promoters using bisulfite sequencing. All participants had a tubal factor of infertility and at least two implantation failures in the anamnesis. A logistic regression model was used to predict the implantation outcome depending on methylation status and clinical parameters.

Results: The methylation of CpG-islands of HOXA10 and HOXA11 promoters was identified in 76.5 and 100% of participants, respectively. The median methylation levels did not differ significantly between the groups with different implantation outcomes, but a logistic regression model based on HOXA10 and HOXA11 methylation and clinical parameters allowed to classify the implantation outcomes with the total percentage of correct predictions of 85.19%.

Conclusions: Abnormal methylation levels of the HOXA10 and HOXA11 promoters were found in the endometrium of women with tubal infertility and repeated implantation failures. The findings suggest that methylation status could be an important factor of implantation failure during IVF-ET cycles.