Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the reduction of polyspermic penetration, and increase of mitochondrial activity, in early pig embryonic development by supplementing different concentrations of coenzyme Q10 during oocyte maturation. Oocytes (n = 1,100) were supplemented during the last 24 h of maturation with 0 (control), 10, 50, or 100 μM of coenzyme Q10. After in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryos were evaluated for fertilization kinetics (penetration, polyspermic penetration, male pronuclear formation), and subsequent embryonic development and mitochondrial activity. Supplementation of 100 μM coenzyme Q10 was detrimental to the oocytes, as they had significantly lower (p < 0.05) fertilization kinetic and early embryonic development rates to the other treatment groups. There were no differences in fertilization kinetic and early embryonic development rates between the 0, 10 and 50 μM coenzyme Q10 treatment groups. Oocytes, matured in medium supplemented with 50 μM coenzyme Q10, ultimately developed into embryos with a significantly greater (p < 0.05) presence of intact mitochondrial membranes (observed at both 48 and 144 h post-IVF) compared to oocytes not supplemented with coenzyme Q10. In summary, supplementation of 100 μM coenzyme Q10 during oocyte maturation is detrimental, yet supplementation of 50 μM coenzyme Q10 leads to a higher occurrence of intact mitochondrial membranes in the in vitro produced pig embryos.
Highlights
Pig embryos produced from in vitro fertilization (IVF) are an ideal biomedical research model due to the similar genetics, organ development, and disease progression as seen in humans (Whyte and Prather 2011)
Plus an untreated control group of n = 150; 50 per time interval, times 3 intervals) were incubated in maturation media supplemented with 50 μM coenzyme Q10 during the second phase of oocyte maturation, this was followed by IVF and culture in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-23 medium
The 0, 10, and 50 μM coenzyme Q10 treatment groups showed no statistical differences in the percentage of embryos cleaved by 48 h after IVF or percentage of blastocysts formed by 144 h after IVF
Summary
Pig embryos produced from in vitro fertilization (IVF) are an ideal biomedical research model due to the similar genetics, organ development, and disease progression as seen in humans (Whyte and Prather 2011). There are several contributing factors to inefficient IVF including lack of oocyte cytoplasmic maturation, high rate of polyspermic penetration (polyspermy), and insufficient blastocyst formation (Niemann and Rath 2001). In vitro techniques in pigs need to be improved in order to increase the efficiency and success of in vitro derived embryos. Changing the in vitro maturation conditions can improve IVF success and increase efficiency in producing pig embryos (Grupen 2014). Oxidative stress is a major contributing factor to both the lack of cytoplasmic maturation and to an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) development. Reducing detrimental levels of ROS and decreasing oxidative stress can promote oocyte development and embryo survivability
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