Effects of polyunsaturated fatty acids on the development of pig oocytes in vitro following parthenogenetic activation and on the lipid content of oocytes and embryos.

As oocytes and embryos of pigs have greater lipid content in the cytoplasm than those of other species, supplementation of the medium for in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may help to improve embryo development. This study was conducted to evaluate effects of the inclusion of the docosaexaenoic (DHA) and of the eicosapentaenoic acids (EPA) in the IVM medium on the development of pig oocytes and on the lipid content of oocytes and embryos. In all experiments, control media consisted of porcine follicular fluid and oocytes were activated through parthenogenesis. In Experiment 1, there were four treatments for each PUFA: one control; and three treatments including EPA or DHA in the IVM medium at 12.5 μM, 25.0 μM and 50.0 μM). In Experiment 2, inclusion of 50 μM DHA was compared against the control. Cleavage rates in the IVM medium including 12.5 μM EPA and blastocyst development rates in media at any EPA concentration were less than for the control in Experiment 1 (P <  0.05). Compared to the control, inclusion of 50 μM DHA in the IVM medium was related to greater cleavage rates and greater number of embryo cells, in Experiment 1, and lesser lipid content in oocytes after 22 and 44 h and in embryos after 7 days, in Experiment 2 (both P <  0.05). Addition of DHA in the IVM medium may benefit the development of pig oocytes, but EPA appears to be cytotoxic.