Effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha on porcine oocyte meiosis progression, spindle organization, and chromosome alignment.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the effects of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) on porcine oocyte maturation, spindle dynamics, and chromosome alignment.


METHODS
Controlled, prospective study.


METHODS
University hospital and IVF research laboratory.


METHODS
Ovaries collected from slaughtered prepubertal gilts.


METHODS
Oocyte maturation rate and cytoskeleton distribution. MATERIALS AND METHOD(S): Immature porcine oocytes (GV) were exposed to TNF-alpha at a concentration of 0 (as a control), 1, 5, 10, 100, 200, or 600 ng/mL in M199 medium. Oocytes were cultured for 24 hours to the pre-MI stage or 44 hours to the MII stage. After in vitro maturation for 44 hours, the rates of GV oocytes reaching MII stage were assessed, and MII oocytes were fixed for further examination of the cytoskeleton and the chromosomal distribution.


RESULTS
The TNF-alpha concentration at 5 ng/mL decreased the porcine oocyte maturation rate compared with the control after culture for 44 hours, whereas exposure to 10 or 100 ng/mL TNF-alpha resulted in a significant increase in the frequency of defective spindles or abnormal microfilament distribution. Exposed to 200 ng/mL, TNF-alpha caused a significantly higher abnormality rate of chromosome alignment when compared with the controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Exposure of porcine oocytes to an elevated TNF-alpha concentration clearly caused a reduction in their maturation from GV stage to MII stage and increased the proportion of oocytes with abnormal chromosome alignment and cytoskeleton structure.
Ma
Cai-Hong
CH
Center of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing 100083, People's Republic of China.
Yan
Li-Ying
LY
Qiao
Jie
J
Sha
Wei
W
Li
Li
L
Chen
Yuan
Y
Sun
Qing-Yuan
QY