Melatonin inhibits apoptosis and improves the developmental potential of vitrified bovine oocytes.
Vitrification of oocytes has been shown to be closely associated with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic events. However, little information is available the effect of melatonin on the ROS levels and apoptotic events in vitrified oocytes. Therefore, we studied the effect of melatonin on ROS and apoptotic events in vitrified bovine oocytes by supplementing vitrification solution or in vitro maturation (IVM) and vitrification solution with 10(-9) m melatonin. We analyzed the ROS, mitochondrial Ca(2+) (mCa(2+) ) and membrane potential (ΔΨm), externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS), caspase-3 activation, DNA fragmentation, mRNA expression levels of Bax and Bcl2 l1, and developmental potential of vitrified bovine oocytes. Vitrified bovine oocytes exhibited increased levels of ROS, mCa(2+) , Bax mRNA, and caspase-3 protein and higher rates of PS externalization and DNA fragmentation, and decreased ΔΨm and Bcl2 l1 mRNA expression level. However, melatonin supplementation in vitrification solution or IVM and vitrification solution significantly decreased the levels of ROS, mCa(2+) , Bax mRNA expression, and caspase-3 protein, and PS externalization and DNA fragmentation rates, and increased the ΔΨm and Bcl2 l1 mRNA expression level in vitrified oocytes, resulting in an increased developmental ability of vitrified bovine oocytes after parthenogenetic activation. The developmental ability of vitrified oocytes with melatonin supplementation in IVM and vitrification solution was similar to that of fresh ones. This study showed that supplementing the IVM and vitrification medium or vitrification medium with 10(-9) m melatonin significantly decreased the ROS level and inhibited apoptotic events of vitrified bovine oocytes, consequently increasing their developmental potential.
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Xue-Ming
XM
Zhao
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Hai-Sheng
HS
Hao
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Wei-Hua
WH
Du
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Shan-Jiang
SJ
Zhao
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Hao-Yu
HY
Wang
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Na
N
Wang
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Dong
D
Wang
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Yan
Y
Liu
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Tong
T
Qin
Embryo Biotechnology and Reproduction Laboratory, Institute of Animal Sciences (IAS), Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, China.
Hua-Bin
HB
Zhu
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000187:drug effects*; D053148:Caspase 3 / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008550:Melatonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D051020:bcl-X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D053148:Caspase 3; D008550:Melatonin
bovine; melatonin; mitochondria; oocytes; vitrification