Effects of oxygen tension on gene expression in preimplantation mouse embryos.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of atmospheric and physiologic oxygen concentrations on the global patterns of gene expression during mouse preimplantation development.


METHODS
Comparative analysis of in vivo-produced and in vitro-produced embryos.


METHODS
Research laboratory.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Control embryos at the blastocyst stage that developed in vivo were collected from uteri. Experimental embryos were obtained at the zygote stage and cultured to the blastocyst stage in Whitten's medium or KSOM medium with amino acids under 20% oxygen (atmospheric) or 5% oxygen (physiologic).


METHODS
Embryo development, cell number, and gene expression assayed by microarray technology.


RESULTS
Low (physiologic) oxygen concentration is associated with faster embryo development and increased cell number. In addition, there are marked perturbations in the global pattern of gene expression, as assessed by oligonucleotide microarray, after culture in 20% oxygen as compared with 5% oxygen.


CONCLUSIONS
Culture in low oxygen is associated with fewer perturbations in the global pattern of gene expression and more closely resembles that of the in vivo control embryos. These findings provide rationale for culturing human embryos in the presence of 5%, rather than 20%, oxygen.
Rinaudo
Paolo F
PF
Department of Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. rinaudo@obgyn.ucsf.edu
Giritharan
Gnanaratnam
G
Talbi
Said
S
Dobson
Anthony T
AT
Schultz
Richard M
RM
D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D002452:Cell Count; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D015870:Gene Expression / Q000187:drug effects*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D010100:Oxygen / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology
D010100:Oxygen