Open Access
Research (Published online: 11-01-2021)
10. Effect of oxygen tension and antioxidants on the developmental competence of buffalo oocytes cultured in vitro
Amro M. El-Sanea, Ahmed Sabry S. Abdoon, Omaima M. Kandil, Nahed E. El-Toukhy, Amal M. Abo El-maaty and Hodallah H. Ahmed
Veterinary World, 14(1): 78-84

Amro M. El-Sanea: Department of Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki 12622, Cairo, Egypt.
Ahmed Sabry S. Abdoon: Department of Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki 12622, Cairo, Egypt.
Omaima M. Kandil: Department of Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki 12622, Cairo, Egypt.
Nahed E. El-Toukhy: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza Square 12211, Cairo, Egypt.
Amal M. Abo El-maaty: Department of Animal Reproduction and Artificial Insemination, Veterinary Research Division, National Research Centre, Tahrir St., Dokki 12622, Cairo, Egypt.
Hodallah H. Ahmed: Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza Square 12211, Cairo, Egypt.

doi: www.doi.org/10.14202/vetworld.2021.78-84

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Article history: Received: 05-10-2020, Accepted: 24-11-2020, Published online: 11-01-2021

Corresponding author: Hodallah H. Ahmed

E-mail: hodaahatem@yahoo.com

Citation: El-Sanea AM, Abdoon ASS, Kandil OM, El-Toukhy NE, Abo El-Maaty AM, Ahmed HH (2021) Effect of oxygen tension and antioxidants on the developmental competence of buffalo oocytes cultured in vitro, Veterinary World, 14(1): 78-84.
Abstract

Aim: Oxidative stress (OS) is one of the major disruptors of oocyte developmental competence, which appears due to the imbalance between the production and neutralization of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

Materials and Methods: In Experiment 1, buffalo oocytes were in vitro matured, fertilized, and cultured at 38.5°C under 5% CO2 + 20% O2 in standard CO2 incubator (OS) or under 5% O2 + 5% CO2 + 90% N2 (Multi-gas incubator, low O2). In Experiment 2, buffalo cumulus oocytes complexes (COCs) were matured in Basic maturation medium (BMM) composed of TCM199+ 10% FCS+ 10 μg/ml FSH+ 50 μg/ml gentamicin (control group) or in BMM supplemented with 50 μM ascorbic acid (ascorbic acid group) or 3.0 mM glutathione (glutathione group) or 10-5 M melatonin (melatonin group) and cultured at 38.5°C under 20% O2 for 24 h. Matured buffalo oocytes in control, ascorbic acid, or melatonin groups were fertilized and zygotes were cultured for 8 days under the same conditions.

Results: In both experiments, maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst rates were recorded. Results showed that culture of buffalo oocytes under low O2 (5% O2) significantly increased maturation, cleavage, and blastocyst rates (p<0.05). Meanwhile, under 20% O2, addition of 10-5 M melatonin or 50 μM ascorbic acid to in vitro maturation (IVM) medium significantly improved cumulus cell expansion, nuclear maturation rates of buffalo oocytes (p<0.05), and increased cleavage and blastocyst rates (p<0.05).

Conclusion: About 5% O2 is the optimum condition for in vitro production of buffalo embryos, and addition of 10-5 M melatonin to IVM medium for oocytes cultured under 20% O2 could alleviate the adverse effect of high oxygen tension and increased embryo yield.

Keywords: antioxidants, buffalo oocytes, developmental competence, in vitro embryo production, O2 tension.