title: Effects of acetoacetate and D-beta-hydroxybutyrate on bovine in vitro embryo development in serum-free medium.
abstract: It is known that the ketone bodies acetoacetate and D-beta-hydroxybutyrate can be metabolized by the early bovine embryo for in vitro development. In the present work, we report experiments leading to the culture of bovine embryos in the absence of serum. In vitro-produced bovine zygotes were cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid medium supplemented with acetoacetate derivatives, acetoacetate and D-beta-hydroxybutyrate. Acetoacetate and its derivatives prevented blastocysts from forming in the absence of serum during the whole culture period. However, from Days 6 to 8 of culture in the absence of serum, acetoacetate did not affect development as compared to controls containing lactate and pyruvate or no substrate. Interestingly, D-beta-hydroxybutyrate stimulated blastocyst and expansion development, and allowed lipid mobilization. In feeder cells coculture, embryos produced with D-beta-hydroxybutyrate showed improved hatching. Embryos cultured in D-beta-hydroxybutyrate were viable upon transfer to recipients, although no pregnancies were confirmed later by ultrasonic scanning. The protective effect of serum upon embryos cultured in medium containing acetoacetate is apparently not required in the presence of D-beta-hydroxybutyrate.
authors.affiliation: Consejería de Medio Rural y Pesca, SERIDA/CENSYRA, Gijón, Asturias, Spain. enriqugp@princast.es
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.forename: Paloma
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Duque
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Díaz
authors.forename: Nieves
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Facal
authors.forename: Isaac
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Antolín
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hidalgo
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Díez
mesh_terms: D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000090:Acetoacetates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D009028:Morula / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000090:Acetoacetates; D016895:Culture Media, Serum-Free; C016635:acetoacetic acid; D020155:3-Hydroxybutyric Acid