Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances
ISSN: Online 1993-601XISSN: Print 1680-5593
Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the synergistic effects of beta-Mercaptoethanol (β-ME) and MEM vitamins (MEMv) as antioxidants supplemented into porcine maturation medium on maturation and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) of oocytes. In addition, the effects of β-ME and MEMv on subsequent embryonic development, ROS generation by embryos and apoptosis of blastocysts following In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), Chemical Activation (CA) and Electrical Activation (EA) were investigated. Cumulus-Oocyte-Complexes (COCs) were cultured in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-23 medium supplemented with 0.05xMEMv, 25 μM β-ME and 25 μM β-ME and 0.05xMEMv, respectively. COCs cultured without β-ME and MEMv were regarded as control. Maturation rate and ROS levels of oocytes at 44 h of culture were assessed. Oocytes were fertilized in vitro or activated parthenogenetically and embryonic development and the ROS levels on 2 days of culture and the apoptosis levels of blastocyts were evaluated. Maturation rate of the β-ME and MEMv group was higher than that of the control group (86.0±3.6 vs. 73.3±1.1%; p<0.05) although, ROS levels were not significantly different among the groups. Cleavage rate following IVF was increased in the β-ME and MEMv group compared to those of other groups and ROS levels of the β-ME and MEMv group were lower than those of the control group (6.9±0.2 vs. 8.0±0.2; p<0.05). Blastocyst rate was increased in the β-ME and MEMv group compared to those of the control and MEMv groups (p<0.05). Conversely, the level of apoptosis of the β-ME and MEMv group was lower than others (4.6±1.0 vs. 11.4±1.9%, 12.2±1.8 and 15.6±3.0%, respectively; p<0.05). Cleavage rate of the β-ME and MEMv group following CA was significantly higher compared with control while the ROS level was lower than the β-ME group (19.0±1.9 vs. 25.0±1.7; p<0.05). The blastocyst formation rate of the β-ME and MEMv group was significantly increased than control while the level of apoptosis was lower than those of other groups (5.8±1.2 vs. 17.2±4.6%, 17.0±5.2 and 22.6±3.2%, respectively; p<0.05). Embryonic developments following EA were not significantly different among the groups although, the ROS level of the β-ME and MEMv group was lower (p<0.05). In conclusion, addition of β-ME and MEM vitamins during porcine oocyte maturation was effective on subsequent embryonic development in IVF and CA by alleviating the influences of ROS generation and apoptosis.
How to cite this article:
Sang-Hyoun Park and Il-Jeoung Yu. The Effects of MEM Vitamins and β-Mercaptoethanol on Porcine Embryonic
Development, Reactive Oxygen Species and Apoptosis.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.36478/javaa.2012.2576.2583
URL: https://www.makhillpublications.co/view-article/1680-5593/javaa.2012.2576.2583