74 EFFECT OF SIZE AND CULTURE PERIOD OF FROZEN-THAWED BOVINE TROPHOBLASTIC VESICLES ON INTERFERON-τ SECRETION

Abstract

Frozen–thawed bovine trophoblastic vesicles (bTV) derived in vivo could secrete interferon-τ (IFN-τ) at the same level as fresh bTV on Days 4 to 6 after thawing. However, amounts of IFN-τ decreased following continuous in vitro culture (Hashiyada et al. 2012 38th IETS). Co-transfer of frozen–thawed bTV improved pregnancy rate of embryos due to the effects of IFN-τ secreted by bTV (Hashiyada et al. 2008 41th SSR). However, the relation between bTV size and IFN-τ secretion level during culture has not been well documented. The objective of present study was to characterise the concentration of IFN-τ related bTV volume and culture period after thawing of cryopreserved bTV. The bTV were prepared from Day 16 elongating blastocysts recovered nonsurgically. The dissected trophoblastic fragment, 1 to 1.5 mm in width, was cultured using TCM-199 supplemented with 20% (vol/vol) fetal bovine serum and 0.1 mM β-mercaptoethanol. Formed vesicles after 24 h of culture were cryopreserved using D-PBS supplemented with 20% calf serum and 1.8 M ethylene glycol. After thawing, bTV were cultured individually with 100 μL/well/day until Day 2 (i.e. the day of thawing was defined as Day 0), and thereafter changed to 200 μL/well/day to termination at Day 10. Collection of culture media and measurement of bTV diameter were performed before cryopreservation and after thawing for every day. Interferon-τ in collected media was measured by radioimmunoassay. The estimated bTV volume was calculated based on the diameter. Data were analysed by Student's t-test. Nine fresh bTV before cryopreservation were used to assess the IFN-τ secretion for 24 h in relation to bTV volume. A significant positive correlation was observed between secreted IFN-τ (mean ± s.e.M, 19.9 ± 3.1 ng mL^–1) and bTV volume (1.49 ± 0.6 mm³, r = 0.91; P < 0.01). Initial IFN-τ secretion from bTV cultured for 24 h after thawing was significantly decreased compared with that before cryopreservation (29.1 ± 2.1 ng mL^–1 and 58.4 ± 4.8 ng mL^–1; P < 0.01, n = 27). In continuous culture of bTV (n = 8), IFN-τ secretion increased gradually from Day 2 (23.1 ± 9.0 ng mL^–1) to Day 4 (32.2 ± 8.4 ng mL^–1), and then maintained this level until Day 7 (33.4 ± 14.9 ng mL^–1). However, this amount of IFN-τ tended to decrease on Day 8 (24.8 ± 5.0 ng mL^–1), 9 (16.5 ± 4.4 ng mL^–1), and 10 (12.0 ± 1.7 ng mL^–1). Interferon-τ secretion from bTV on Day 9 and 10 was lower than that on Day 3, 4, 5, 6, and 8, respectively (P < 0.05). Volume of bTV increased also from Day 2 (0.2 ± 0.1 mm³) to Day 5, 6 (0.8 ± 0.3 mm³) and 7 (0.7 ± 0.2 mm³). However, bTV volumes shrank drastically on Day 8 (0.3 ± 0.1 mm³), 9, and 10 (0.2 ± 0.1 mm³). In comparison with bTV during culture, volumes on Day 4, 5, and 7 were greater than those on Day 2 and 3, and volumes on Day 6 and 7 were greater than on Day 8, 9, and 10 (P < 0.05). These results indicate that the dynamics of IFN-τ secretion reflected the expansion or reduction of bTV in continued culture after thawing. Interferon-τ secretion might be related to bTV volume. Moreover, we reconfirmed that cryopreserved bTV highly express IFN-τ during 4 to 7 days after thawing.