242 USE OF BRAIN-DERIVED NEUROTROPHIC FACTOR IN IN VITRO PREMATURATION OF BOVINE OOCYTES SUBJECTED TO PARTHENOGENETIC ACTIVATION

Abstract

Prematuration provides an additional time for oocyte capacitation and maturation in an attempt to improve in vitro embryo production (IVP) rates and allows media supplementation during this period for IVP. The aim of this study was to use brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) in prematuration to improve maturation of bovine oocytes subjected to parthenogenetic activation and cultured with different media. Oocytes were subjected to prematuration in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 10 µm butyrolactone I, 2.0 mm pyruvate, and 10 µg mL^–1 gentamicin for 24 h in the absence of BDNF (control) or in the presence of 10 ng mL^–1 BDNF (BD). Oocytes were then in vitro-matured (IVM) in TCM-199 medium supplemented with 10% FCS, 0.5 µg mL^–1 FSH, 5.0 µg mL^–1 LH, 2.0 mm pyruvate, and 10 µg mL^–1 gentamicin at 38.5°C under 5% CO₂ in air. After 19 h oocytes were denuded using hyaluronidase and vortexing for 3 min for the 1st polar body (1PB) selection. Those which extruded the 1PB were maintained in IVM until 26 h, when parthenogenetic activation was performed (5 min in 5 µm ionomycin, followed by 3 h in 2 mm 6-DMAP). Activated oocytes were then transferred to in vitro culture (IVC) for embryo development evaluation. Embryos from both groups were cultured in SOF medium with 2.5% FCS, 0.05 g mL^–1 BSA, 0.2 mm pyruvate, and 10 mg mL^–1 gentamicin. Cleavage rates on the second day of in vitro culture (D2), embryo production at Days 7 and 8 (D7 and D8), and hatching rate at Day 8 were evaluated. Data regarding 1PB extrusion, cleavage, blastocyst development on D7 and D8, and blastocyst D8 hatching rates of three replicates were analyzed by chi-square test at 5% significance using the BIOESTATS 4.0 software. Control and BD, respectively, did not show differences (P > 0.05) regarding 1PB extrusion (n = 164, 63.81%, and n = 175, 66.79%) or cleavage (n = 117, 71.34%, and n = 138, 78.86%). However, for control and BD, respectively, blastocyst development on D7 (n = 63, 38.41%, and n = 89, 50.86%), D8 (n = 63, 38.41%, and n = 91, 52.00%), and hatching on D8 (n = 22, 34.92%, and n = 39, 43.82%) were all significantly higher for BD when compared with control (P < 0.05). In conclusion, BDNF during prematuration improved in vitro embryo development by increasing blastocyst and hatching rates of parthenogenetic embryos.