Melatonin enhances the in vitro maturation and developmental potential of bovine oocytes denuded of the cumulus oophorus

Zygote ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 525-536 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Ming Zhao ◽  
Jiang-Tao Min ◽  
Wei-Hua Du ◽  
Hai-Sheng Hao ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
...  

SummaryThis study was designed to determine the effect of melatonin on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and developmental potential of bovine oocytes denuded of the cumulus oophorus (DOs). DOs were cultured alone (DOs) or with 10−9 M melatonin (DOs + MT), cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were cultured without melatonin as the control. After IVM, meiosis II (MII) rates of DOs, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, apoptotic rates and parthenogenetic blastocyst rates of MII oocytes were determined. The relative expression of ATP synthase F0 Subunit 6 and 8 (ATP6 and ATP8), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) mRNA in MII oocytes and IFN-tau (IFN-τ), Na+/K+-ATPase, catenin-beta like 1 (CTNNBL1) and AQP3 mRNA in parthenogenetic blastocysts were quantified using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that: (1) melatonin significantly increased the MII rate of DOs (65.67 ± 3.59 % vs. 82.29 ± 3.92%; P < 0.05), decreased the ROS level (4.83 ± 0.42 counts per second (c.p.s) vs. 3.78 ± 0.29 c.p.s; P < 0.05) and apoptotic rate (36.99 ± 3.62 % vs. 21.88 ± 2.08 %; P < 0.05) and moderated the reduction of relative mRNA levels of ATP6, ATP8, BMP-15 and GDF-9 caused by oocyte denudation; (2) melatonin significantly increased the developmental rate (24.17 ± 3.54 % vs. 35.26 ± 4.87%; P < 0.05), and expression levels of IFN-τ, Na+/K+-ATPase, CTNNBL1 and AQP3 mRNA of blastocyst. These results indicated that melatonin significantly improved the IVM quality of DOs, leading to an increased parthenogenetic blastocyst formation rate and quality.

Author(s):  
Fatemeh Montazeri ◽  
Ali Mohammad Foroughmand ◽  
Seyed Mehdi Kalantar ◽  
Abbas Aflatoonian ◽  
Ali Mohammad Khalili

Background and Aims: One of the major subjects for improving in vitro fertilization (IVF) outcome is the quantity and quality of retrieved oocytes. In vitro maturation (IVM) provides an opportunity for using immature oocytes routinely discarded in clinics. This study aimed at evaluating the quality of embryos derived from in vivo and rescue in vitro matured oocytes. Materials and Methods: Totally, 462 immature oocytes as cases and 466 mature (MII) oocytes as controls were included for study of their developmental competence. Oocytes underwent intracytoplasmic sperm injection insemination and then denuded oocytes were microscopically assessed regarding cytoplasmic and nuclear maturity and quality. Results: The morphological assessments showed fertilization rate of 60.9 and 61.4%, the embryo formation rate of 86.7% and 90.9% and arresting rate of 27.3% and 25.6% for the case and control oocytes, respectively. Evaluating embryo quality in the cleavage stage indicated that 63% of the embryos in the case group and 68% of the embryos in the control group were of good quality. There was no significant difference between fertility rate and arresting rate of oocytes matured in both groups, although the embryo formation rate and the quality of embryos differed significantly. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that IVM is a valuable and practical option for patients who had to cancel IVF treatment cycles because of severe responses or resistance to routine hormonal therapies or those with low functional ovarian reserve.


2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (9) ◽  
pp. 1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yun-Gwi Park ◽  
Seung-Eun Lee ◽  
Yeo-Jin Son ◽  
Sang-Gi Jeong ◽  
Min-Young Shin ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress is partly responsible for the poor quality of IVM oocytes. The present study investigated the effects of the antioxidant β-cryptoxanthin on the IVM of porcine oocytes and the in vitro development of the ensuing embryos. Oocytes were matured in IVM medium containing different concentrations of β-cryptoxanthin (0, 0.1, 1, 10 or 100 μM). Treatment with 1 µM β-cryptoxanthin (Group 1B) improved polar body extrusion and the expression of maturation-related genes in cumulus cells and oocytes compared with control. In addition, levels of reactive oxygen species decreased significantly in Group 1B, whereas there were significant increases in glutathione levels and expression of the antioxidant genes superoxide dismutase 1 and peroxiredoxin 5 in this group. After parthenogenetic activation, although the cleavage rate did not differ between the control and 1B groups, the blastocyst formation rate was higher in the latter. Moreover, the total number of cells per blastocyst and relative mRNA levels of pluripotency marker and antioxidant genes were significantly higher in the 1B compared with control group. These results demonstrate that β-cryptoxanthin decreases oxidative stress in porcine oocytes and improves their quality and developmental potential.


2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (4) ◽  
pp. 385-390 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minami Matsuo ◽  
Kazuma Sumitomo ◽  
Chihiro Ogino ◽  
Yosuke Gunji ◽  
Ryo Nishimura ◽  
...  

Abstract. The objective of the article is to evaluate the effect of three-step in vitro maturation (IVM) culture system imitating estradiol-17β (E2) and progesterone (P4) concentrations in preovulatory follicles on in vitro bovine embryo production. The cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from follicles (2 to 8 mm in diameter) of bovine ovaries obtained from a local slaughterhouse. For IVM, the COCs were cultured for 22 h in a three-step system: (1) culture in medium 199, containing 700 ng mL−1 E2 and 50 ng mL−1 P4, for 5 h, followed by the medium containing 150 ng mL−1 E2 and 150 ng mL−1 P4 for 11 h, and then the medium containing 20 ng mL−1 E2 and 300 ng mL−1 P4 for 6 h (EP group); (2) culture in the medium containing 700 ng mL−1 E2 for 5 h, followed by the medium containing 150 ng mL−1 E2 for 11 h, and then the medium containing 20 ng mL−1 E2 for 6 h (E group); or (3) culture in the medium containing 50 ng mL−1 P4 for 5 h, followed by the medium containing 150 ng mL−1 P4 for 11 h, and then the medium containing 300 ng mL−1 P4 for 6 h (P group). The COCs were cultured in the medium containing 1000 ng mL−1 E2 for 22 h (control group). After IVM, the COCs were co-incubated with sperm and further cultured. At 48 h after insemination, the cleavage rate of embryos was not different among the groups. At 192 h after insemination, the blastocyst formation rate of EP group was significantly higher than that of the other groups. The total cell number of blastocysts did not differ among the groups. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the three-step IVM culture system of bovine oocytes imitating temporal changes of E2 and P4 concentrations in preovulatory follicular fluid improves the developmental potential of embryos in vitro.


Zygote ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 348-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xue-Ming Zhao ◽  
Jing-Jing Ren ◽  
Wei-Hua Du ◽  
Hai-Sheng Hao ◽  
Yan Liu ◽  
...  

SummaryWe investigated the effect mouse cumulus cells (mCCs) on the in vitro maturation (IVM) and developmental potential of bovine denuded germinal vesicle oocytes (DOs). Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs), DOs and DOs cocultured with either mCCs (DOs + mCCs) or bovine cumulus cells (bCCs; DOs + bCCs) were subjected to IVM. The meiosis II (MII) rates of DOs, glutathione (GSH) contents, zona pellucida (ZP) hardening and parthenogenetic blastocyst rates of MII oocytes were determined. The relative expression levels of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) in MII oocytes were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). mCCs significantly increased the MII rate of DOs from 53.5 ± 3.58% to 69.67 ± 4.72% (p < 0.05) but had no effect on the GSH content (2.17 ± 0.31 pmol/oocyte with mCCs, 2.14 ± 0.53 pmol/oocyte without mCCs). For the DOs + mCCs group, the BMP-15 and GDF-9 expression levels were significantly higher and the ZP dissolution time was significantly lower (162.49 ± 12.51 s) than that of the DOs group (213.95 ± 18.87 s; p < 0.05). The blastocyst rate of the DOs + mCCs group (32.56 ± 4.94%) was similar to that of the DOs group (31.75 ± 3.65%) but was significantly lower than that of the COCs group (43.52 ± 5.37%; p < 0.05). In conclusion, mCCs increased the MII rate of DOs and expression of certain genes in MII oocytes, and decreased the ZP hardening of MII oocytes, but could not improve their GSH content or developmental potential.


Antioxidants ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 860
Author(s):  
Wu-Sheng Sun ◽  
Hoon Jang ◽  
Mi-Ryung Park ◽  
Keon Bong Oh ◽  
Haesun Lee ◽  
...  

Oxidative stress has been suggested to negatively affect oocyte and embryo quality and developmental competence, resulting in failure to reach full term. In this study, we investigated the effect of N-acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC), a cell-permeating antioxidant, on developmental competence and the quality of oocytes and embryos upon supplementation (0.1–10 mM) in maturation and culture medium in vitro using slaughterhouse-derived oocytes and embryos. The results show that treating oocytes with 1.0 mM NAC for 8 h during in vitro maturation attenuated the intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) (p < 0.05) and upregulated intracellular glutathione levels (p < 0.01) in oocytes. Interestingly, we found that NAC affects early embryonic development, not only in a dose-dependent, but also in a stage-specific, manner. Significantly (p < 0.05) decreased cleavage rates (90.25% vs. 81.46%) were observed during the early stage (days 0–2), while significantly (p < 0.05) increased developmental rates (38.20% vs. 44.46%) were observed during the later stage (from day 3) of embryonic development. In particular, NAC supplementation decreased the proportion of apoptotic blastomeres significantly (p < 0.05), resulting in enhanced hatching capability and developmental rates during the in vitro culture of embryos. Taken together, our results suggest that NAC supplementation has beneficial effects on bovine oocytes and embryos through the prevention of apoptosis and the elimination of oxygen free radicals during maturation and culture in vitro.


Reproduction ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 154 (6) ◽  
pp. 745-753 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scott Convissar ◽  
Marah Armouti ◽  
Michelle A Fierro ◽  
Nicola J Winston ◽  
Humberto Scoccia ◽  
...  

The regulation of AMH production by follicular cells is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the oocyte-secreted factors, growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15), on AMH production in primary human cumulus cells. Cumulus cells from IVF patients were cultured with a combination of GDF9, BMP15, recombinant FSH and specific signaling inhibitors. Stimulation with GDF9 or BMP15 separately had no significant effect onAMHmRNA levels. In contrast, simultaneous stimulation with GDF9 and BMP15 (G + B) resulted in a significant increase inAMHmRNA expression. Increasing concentration of G + B (0.6, 2.5, 5 and 10 ng/mL) stimulated AMH in a dose-dependent manner, showing a maximal effect at 5 ng/mL. Western blot analyses revealed an average 16-fold increase in AMH protein levels in cells treated with G + B when compared to controls. FSH co-treatment decreased the stimulation of AMH expression by G + B. The stimulatory effect of G + B on the expression of AMH was significantly decreased by inhibitors of the SMAD2/3 signaling pathway. These findings show for the first time that AMH production is regulated by oocyte-secreted factors in primary human cumulus cells. Moreover, our novel findings establish that the combination of GDF9 + BMP15 potently stimulates AMH expression.


2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 1821 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuang Liang ◽  
Jing Guo ◽  
Jeong-Woo Choi ◽  
Nam-Hyung Kim ◽  
Xiang-Shun Cui

After reaching the metaphase II (MII) stage, unfertilised oocytes undergo a time-dependent process of quality deterioration referred to as oocyte aging. The associated morphological and cellular changes lead to decreased oocyte developmental potential. This study investigated the effect of exogenous melatonin supplementation on in vitro aged bovine oocytes and explored its underlying mechanisms. The levels of cytoplasmic reactive oxygen species and DNA damage response in bovine oocytes increased during in vitro aging. Meanwhile, maturation promoting factor activity significantly decreased and the proportion of morphologically abnormal oocytes significantly increased. Melatonin supplementation significantly decreased quality deterioration in aged bovine MII oocytes (P < 0.05). Additionally, it decreased the frequency of aberrant spindle organisation and cortical granule release during oocyte aging (P < 0.05). In the melatonin-supplemented group, mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production were significantly increased compared with control. Furthermore, melatonin treatment significantly increased the speed of development of bovine oocytes to the blastocyst stage after in vitro fertilisation and significantly decreased the apoptotic rate in the blastocysts (P < 0.05). The expression of Bax and Casp3 in the blastocysts was significantly reduced after treatment with melatonin, whereas expression of Bcl2 significantly increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, these findings suggest that supplementation of aged bovine oocytes with exogenous melatonin improves oocyte quality, thereby enhancing the developmental capacity of early embryos.


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