Chromosomal abnormality rate in human pre-embryos derived from in vitro fertilization cycles cultured in the presence of Follicular-Fluid Meiosis Activating Sterol (FF-MAS).
BACKGROUND
The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of Follicular-Fluid Meiosis Activating Sterol (FF-MAS) when added to the culture media on the incidence of chromosomal abnormalities and pre-embryo development in human pre-embryos.


METHODS
243 women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment donated 353 oocytes in a multicentre, prospective, randomized, double blind, four-arm, controlled trial performed at Danish and Swedish public and private IVF centers. Metaphase II oocytes were randomly assigned to: FF-MAS 5 microM, FF-MAS 20 microM, ethanol 0.2% (vehicle control) or water for injection (inert control). The exposure regimen of FF-MAS to the human oocytes was 4 h prior to fertilization by ICSI and 20 h exposure post ICSI. The primary endpoint was the incidence of numerical chromosomal abnormalities. Secondary endpoints were cleavage rate and pre-embryo quality.


RESULTS
On the pre-embryo level, no significant differences in chromosomal abnormality rate were observed among the four groups. However, the percentage of uniformly normal pre-embryos was significantly lower in the pooled FF-MAS group (5 microM: 12% and 20 microM: 17%) than in the pooled control group (inert control 32% and vehicle control 42%). A high level of mosaicism (41-60%) was found in all groups. At the blastomere level, the percentage of blastomeres categorized as normal was significantly lower in the FF-MAS 5 microM group (41%) and the FF-MAS 20 microM (29%) group versus the inert (52%) and the vehicle (61%) groups. Significantly reduced cleavage and good quality pre-embryo rates were found in both FF-MAS groups.


CONCLUSIONS
FF-MAS increased the rate of aneuploidy and had detrimental effects on cleavage and pre-embryo development, when exposed both before and after fertilization.
Bergh
Christina
C
Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden. christina.bergh@vgregion.se
Loft
Anne
A
Lundin
Kersti
K
Ziebe
Sören
S
Nilsson
Lars
L
Wikland
Matts
M
Gröndahl
Christian
C
Arce
J-C
JC
D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002782:Cholestenes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002869:Chromosome Aberrations / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum / Q000187:drug effects; D020732:Cytogenetic Analysis; D003593:Cytoplasm / Q000648:ultrastructure; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D015571:Follicular Fluid / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008677:Metaphase; D009030:Mosaicism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D009994:Osmolar Concentration
D002782:Cholestenes; C100324:4,4-dimethylcholesta-8,14,24-trienol