Methods for Selecting Oocytes and Competent Embryos with High Potential for Pregnancy Outcome

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for selecting a competent oocyte or a competent embryo.

1 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . A kit, comprising:
 means for measuring the expression level of genes in a cumulus cell surrounding an oocyte or an embryo, wherein said means for measuring are selective reagents selected from the group consisting of probes, primers, and binding partners which are specific for each of the following 45 genes: WNT6, LRCH4, PAX8, CABP4, PDE5A, BCL2L11, PCK1, TCF20, SLAMF6, EPOR, CACNG6, NLRP1, PECAMI, NOS1, ATF3, KRTAP8, GRIK5, SLC24A3, SLC5A12, SLCA10A2, SLCO1A2, SLC25A5, MG29, NLGN2, PRKACA, FOSB, SIAT6, LOXL2, PRFI, ADPRH, APBB3, EGR3, CNR2, IFITM1, PLA2G5, CAMTA1, SOX4, NFIB, NFIC, RBMSI, G0S2, FAT3, SLC40A1, GPC6 and IGFIR.   
     
     
         6 . The kit according to  claim 5  further comprising:
 a non-transient storage medium containing stored reference values for a control sample having cumulus cells associated with an oocyte or an embryo wherein said reference values include expression levels for said control for each of said 45 genes; and 
 means for comparing each of said stored reference values to measured values obtained with said means for measuring for each of said 45 genes. 
 
     
     
         7 . The kit according to  claim 5 , wherein the selective reagents are hybridization probes and wherein said hybridization probes are nucleic acids which are suitable for hybridizing to mRNA of WNT6, LRCH4, PAX8, CABP4, PDE5A, BCL2L11, PCK1, TCF20, SLAMF6, EPOR, CACNG6, NLRP1, PECAM1, NOS1, ATF3, KRTAP8, GRIK5, SLC24A3, SLC5A12, SLCA10A2, SLCO1A2, SLC25A5, MG29, NLGN2, PRKACA, FOSB, SIAT6, LOXL2, PRF1, ADPRH, APBB3, EGR3, CNR2, IFITMI, PLA2G5, CAMTAI, SOX4, NFIB, NFIC, RBMS1, G0S2, FAT3, SLC40A1, GPC6 and IGFIR under high stringency hybridization conditions. 
     
     
         8 . The kit according to  claim 7  wherein the hybridization probes are chemically attached to a substrate. 
     
     
         9 . The kit according to  claim 8  wherein the kit comprises a DNA chip comprising said hybridization probes chemically attached to a solid support. 
     
     
         10 . The kit according to  claim 5 , wherein the selective reagents are amplification primers and wherein said amplification primers are single stranded nucleic acids from 10 to 25 nucleotides which are suitable for hybridizing to mRNA of WNT6, LRCH4, PAX8, CABP4, PDE5A, BCL2L11, PCK1, TCF20, SLAMF6, EPOR, CACNG6, NLRP1, PECAMI, NOSI, ATF3, KRTAP8, GRIK5, SLC24A3, SLC5A12, SLCA10A2, SLCO1A2, SLC25A5, MG29, NLGN2, PRKACA, FOSB, SIAM, LOXL2, PRF1, ADPRH, APBB3, EGR3, CNR2, IFITM1, PLA2G5, CAMTA1, SOX4, NFIB, NFIC, RBMSI, G0S2, FAT3, SLC40A1, GPC6 and IGFIR under high stringency hybridization conditions. 
     
     
         11 . The kit according to  claim 10  wherein the kit comprises reagents for a quantitative or semi-quantitative RT-PCR. 
     
     
         12 . The kit according to  claim 5 , wherein the selective reagents are binding partners and wherein said binding partners are capable of selectively interacting with the proteins WNT6, LRCH4, PAX8, CABP4, PDE5A, BCL2L11, PCK1, TCF20, SLAMF6, EPOR, CACNG6, NLRP1, PECAM1, NOS1, ATF3, KRTAP8, GRIK5, SLC24A3, SLC5A12, SLCA10A2, SLCO1A2, SLC25A5, MG29, NLGN2, PRKACA, FOSB, SIAT6, LOXL2, PRF1, ADPRH, APBB3, EGR3, CNR2, IFITMI, PLA2G5, CAMTA1, SOX4, NFIB, NFIC, RBMS1, G0S2, FAT3, SLC40A1, GPC6 and IGFIR. 
     
     
         13 . The kit according to  claim 12  wherein the binding partner is antibody. 
     
     
         14 . The kit according to  claim 13  wherein the kit comprises reagents for an ELISA.