DAMAGE-ASSOCIATED MOLECULAR PATTERNS IN PATIENTS WITH INTRAMURAL UTERINE FIBROIDS AND INFERTILITY

Objective: To investigate the levels of damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs) in fertile and infertile patients with uterine fibroids (UF). Materials and methods: This single-center prospective study included 90 women. The main group comprised 60 patients with intramural UF, with 30 infertile (study group) and 30 fertile patients (comparison group). The control group consisted of 30 healthy women without uterine fibroids. The serum levels of DAMPs, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), protein S100, interleukin-10, glutathione, uric acid, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), and fibrinogen, were measured. Results: The data obtained indicated a significant increase in glutathione, uric acid, and LDL-C in the presence of UF, regardless of fertility, compared to the control group. More pronounced changes in parameters (increased protein levels of S100, uric acid, and LDL-C, as well as decreased glutathione levels) were observed in the presence of intramural UF and infertility compared to fertile and healthy patients. The proposed DAMPs markers (glutathione, LDL-C, S100 protein, and uric acid) can be used as diagnostic and prognostic markers of infertility in the presence of intramural UF. When threshold values are reached (glutathione less than 413 µmol/l; S100 protein more than 0.172 µg/l; uric acid more than 280.5 µmol/l; LDL-C more than 3.78 mmol/l), the relative risk of infertility increases. Conclusion: This study significantly enhances our understanding of the pathogenesis of infertility in UF and confirms the presence of systemic metabolic disorders (oxidative-inflammatory stress) as a cofactor of infertility. © A group of authors, 2024.