Conceição-Santos A L, Silva A F B, Sá N A R, Velarde J M D S, Oliveira A C, Silva B R, Júnior R M, Rodrigues A P R, Ferreira A C A, Figueiredo J R
Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
Theriogenology. 2025 Aug 19;249:117640. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117640.
In vitro follicle culture (IVFC) supports the development of in vitro-grown cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), but oocyte maturation and embryo production rates from these COCs are often lower than those of in vivo-derived counterparts. Anethole, a natural antioxidant, has shown potential to improve follicle development and oocyte maturation in vitro. However, the optimal timing of anethole supplementation during IVFC and/or in vitro maturation (IVM), and its impact on developmental outcomes relative to in vivo-derived COCs, remains to be clarified. This study aimed to investigate whether the addition of anethole during IVFC and/or IVM enhances the quality of in vitro-grown COCs and yields embryo production outcomes comparable to those obtained from in vivo-derived COCs in goats. Early antral follicles were cultured in IVFC medium with 300 μg/mL anethole or without it for 18 days, followed by IVM of in vitro-grown COCs in the absence or presence of 30 μg/mL anethole. This resulted in four treatments: IVFC/IVM (-AN/-AN, -AN/+AN, +AN/-AN, +AN/+AN). The addition of anethole during IVFC improved meiotic resumption and oocyte viability regardless of its presence during IVM. Metaphase II rate increased only when anethole was added during both IVFC and IVM. Cumulus cell viability was higher in all anethole-treated groups. Anethole also improved cleavage and blastocyst formation rates of in vitro-grown COCs and enhanced cleavage and embryonic development in in vivo-grown COCs. Notably, embryo development and blastocyst formation were similar between in vitro- and in vivo-derived COCs. In conclusion, anethole supplementation during IVFC and IVM improves oocyte quality and embryo development, achieving outcomes comparable to those obtained from in vivo-grown oocytes.
体外卵泡培养（IVFC）可支持体外生长的卵丘-卵母细胞复合体（COC）的发育，但这些COC的卵母细胞成熟率和胚胎产率通常低于体内来源的对应物。茴香脑是一种天然抗氧化剂，已显示出在体外改善卵泡发育和卵母细胞成熟的潜力。然而，在IVFC和/或体外成熟（IVM）过程中添加茴香脑的最佳时机，以及其相对于体内来源的COC对发育结果的影响，仍有待阐明。本研究旨在调查在IVFC和/或IVM过程中添加茴香脑是否能提高体外生长的COC的质量，并产生与山羊体内来源的COC相当的胚胎生产结果。将早期窦卵泡在含有300μg/mL茴香脑或不含茴香脑的IVFC培养基中培养18天，然后在不存在或存在30μg/mL茴香脑的情况下对体外生长的COC进行IVM。这产生了四种处理：IVFC/IVM（-AN/-AN、-AN/+AN、+AN/-AN、+AN/+AN）。无论IVM过程中是否存在茴香脑，在IVFC过程中添加茴香脑均可改善减数分裂恢复和卵母细胞活力。仅当在IVFC和IVM过程中均添加茴香脑时，中期II期比率才会增加。在所有茴香脑处理组中，卵丘细胞活力更高。茴香脑还提高了体外生长的COC的卵裂率和囊胚形成率，并增强了体内生长的COC的卵裂和胚胎发育。值得注意的是，体外和体内来源的COC之间的胚胎发育和囊胚形成相似。总之，在IVFC和IVM过程中添加茴香脑可提高卵母细胞质量和胚胎发育，实现与体内生长的卵母细胞相当的结果。
