Peroxides in mineral oil used for in vitro fertilization: defining limits of standard quality control assays.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the relative sensitivities of the 1 and 2-cell mouse embryo assays (MEA) and the human sperm motility assay (HSMA) for peroxides in mineral oil. The effect of peroxide on blastocyst cell number and apoptosis was also studied.


METHODS
One and two-cell MEA and HSMA were performed using mineral oil containing cumene hydroperoxide (CH).


RESULTS
The 1-cell MEA was twice as sensitive as the 2-cell MEA and 20-times more sensitive than the HSMA for CH in mineral oil. The sensitivity of the 1-cell MEA doubled when embryos were cultured individually versus group culture. CH decreased blastocyst cell number in a dose dependent manner.


CONCLUSIONS
Individually cultured 1-cell embryos had the highest sensitivity for peroxides in mineral oil. Current quality control assays, including group cultured murine embryos and human sperm motility, have limited sensitivity for peroxides in mineral oil and may not detect levels of peroxides that cause sub-lethal cellular damage.
Hughes
Phoebe M
PM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Rochester, MN, USA.
Morbeck
Dean E
DE
Hudson
Susan B A
SB
Fredrickson
Jolene R
JR
Walker
David L
DL
Coddington
Charles C
CC
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D001555:Benzene Derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000494:pharmacology; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000592:standards*; D001757:Blastomeres / Q000187:drug effects; D002452:Cell Count; D004340:Drug Contamination; D004355:Drug Stability; D004356:Drug Storage; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007202:Indicators and Reagents / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008899:Mineral Oil / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000592:standards; D010545:Peroxides / Q000032:analysis*; D011786:Quality Control; D013081:Sperm Motility / Q000187:drug effects; D015053:Zygote / Q000187:drug effects
D001555:Benzene Derivatives; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D010545:Peroxides; D008899:Mineral Oil; C007164:cumene hydroperoxide