title: Administration of visfatin during superovulation improves developmental competency of oocytes and fertility potential in aged female mice.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine whether visfatin administration during superovulation improves ovarian response, developmental competence of oocytes, and fertility in aged female mice.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two groups of differently aged C57BL female mice (6-11 and 26-31 weeks).
  
  
  METHODS
  Female mice were coinjected intraperitoneally with 5 IU pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and visfatin of various doses (0-500 ng/mL), followed by 5 IU human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection 48 hours later. Then the mice were immediately mated with an individual male. After 18 hours zygotes were cultured, and expression of ovarian visfatin and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was examined. Potential pregnancies of visfatin-administered aged female mice were monitored for delivery of offspring.
  
  
  METHODS
  Number of zygotes retrieved, embryo developmental competency, fertility potential, ovarian visfatin and VEGF expression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ovarian visfatin expression was significantly decreased in the aged mice group compared with the young. Visfatin administration significantly increased embryo developmental rate and ovarian visfatin and VEGF expressions in the aged mice. Visfatin-administered aged mice delivered significantly higher numbers of offspring than controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study suggests that visfatin administration during superovulation plays an important role in regulating oocyte quality and can improve oocyte quality and fertility of aged female mice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Medical Research Institute, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
authors.forename: Kyoung-Hwa
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Bo-Sun
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Sheng-Ta
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Min-Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Jung-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Jong-Kil
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Joo
authors.forename: Kyu-Sup
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000375:Aging; D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000187:drug effects*; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008098:Litter Size; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013480:Superovulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism; D015053:Zygote / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D016207:Cytokines; D005300:Fertility Agents, Female; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C467480:vascular endothelial growth factor A, mouse; D054409:Nicotinamide Phosphoribosyltransferase; C495867:nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase, mouse