L-carnitine decreases DNA damage and improves the in vitro blastocyst development rate in mouse embryos.
OBJECTIVE
To optimize the L-carnitine (LC) concentration as a supplement in embryo culture medium and to investigate the effect of LC on developing embryos.


METHODS
Experimental study.


METHODS
Reproductive research center at a tertiary hospital.


METHODS
To optimize the LC concentration, 420 mouse embryos were divided into seven groups and incubated with different LC concentrations (0, 0.3, 0.6, 1.2, 2.5, 5.0, and 10 mg/mL). To investigate the effect of LC on the developing embryos, 500 mouse embryos were divided into three groups and incubated with either actinomycin-D (AD; 0.005 microg/mL), hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2); 500 micromol/L), or tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha; 500 ng) with and without LC 0.3 or 0.6 mg/mL. Blastocyst development rate (%BDR) and DNA damage were examined for all groups.


METHODS
Effect of LC on embryogenesis.


RESULTS
Significant improvement in %BDR was seen at LC 0.3 mg/mL compared with the control (p = 0.006). L-Carnitine at 0.3 and 0.6 mg/mL significantly reduced the blocking effect of AD, H(2)O(2), and TNF-alpha and significantly decreased the level of DNA damage.


CONCLUSIONS
Embryo culture medium supplementation with LC may offer a novel and a cost-effective technique to improve the embryogenesis of cultured embryos. This may be beneficial in improving IVF outcomes.
Abdelrazik
Hussein
H
Reproductive Research Center, Glickman Urological and Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio 44195, USA.
Sharma
Rakesh
R
Mahfouz
Reda
R
Agarwal
Ashok
A
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000473:pathology; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D003470:Culture Media / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004249:DNA Damage / Q000187:drug effects*; D003609:Dactinomycin / Q000633:toxicity; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000633:toxicity; D051379:Mice; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000633:toxicity
D003470:Culture Media; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003609:Dactinomycin; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002331:Carnitine