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Aquaporins and Animal Gamete Cryopreservation: Advances and Future Challenges. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12030359. [PMID: 35158682 PMCID: PMC8833750 DOI: 10.3390/ani12030359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Cryopreservation is the method for the long-term preservation of gametes and embryos. In recent years, intensive research has focused on improving cryopreservation protocols for the determination of optimal freezing conditions and cryoprotective agents’ concentration for each cell type. The optimal cryopreservation protocol comprises the adequate balance between the freezing rate and the correct concentration of cryoprotective agents to achieve controlled cellular dehydration and minimal intracellular ice formation. Osmoregulation is, therefore, central in cryobiology. Water and some solutes can cross the plasma membrane, whereas facilitating transport takes a great part in intracellular/extracellular fluid homeostasis. Cells express water channels known as aquaporins that facilitate the transport of water and small uncharged solutes on their plasma membrane, including some cryoprotective agents. This review explores the expression and the function of aquaporins in gametes and embryos. In addition, the putative role of aquaporins for cryopreservation procedures is discussed. Abstract Cryopreservation is globally used as a method for long-term preservation, although freeze-thawing procedures may strongly impair the gamete function. The correct cryopreservation procedure is characterized by the balance between freezing rate and cryoprotective agents (CPAs), which minimizes cellular dehydration and intracellular ice formation. For this purpose, osmoregulation is a central process in cryopreservation. During cryopreservation, water and small solutes, including penetrating cryoprotective agents, cross the plasma membrane. Aquaporins (AQPs) constitute a family of channel proteins responsible for the transport of water, small solutes, and certain gases across biological membranes. Thirteen homologs of AQPs (AQP0-12) have been described. AQPs are widely distributed throughout the male and female reproductive systems, including the sperm and oocyte membrane. The composition of the male and female gamete membrane is of special interest for assisted reproductive techniques (ART), including cryopreservation. In this review, we detail the mechanisms involved in gamete cryopreservation, including the most used techniques and CPAs. In addition, the expression and function of AQPs in the male and female gametes are explored, highlighting the potential protective role of AQPs against damage induced during cryopreservation.
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Ng C, Wais M, Nichols T, Garrow S, Hreinsson J, Luo ZC, Chan C. Assisted hatching of vitrified-warmed blastocysts prior to embryo transfer does not improve pregnancy outcomes. J Ovarian Res 2020; 13:88. [PMID: 32753045 PMCID: PMC7401203 DOI: 10.1186/s13048-020-00692-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2020] [Accepted: 07/26/2020] [Indexed: 08/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective This study aims to determine the impact of assisted hatching (AH) on pregnancy outcomes in vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers, and evaluate if embryo expansion or morphology influences outcomes. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed including vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfers at our clinic between 2013 and 2017. Of the 2165 embryo transfers, 1986 underwent laser AH and 179 were non-assisted hatched (NAH). The primary outcome was live birth. Secondary outcomes included conception, implantation, clinical pregnancy, clinical pregnancy loss, and monozygotic twinning (MZT). Results AH and NAH groups had similar rates of conception (38.7% vs 42.1%), implantation (26.2% vs 27.3%), clinical pregnancy (29.1% vs 30.3%), clinical pregnancy loss (24.0% vs 17.8%), live birth (19.9% vs 20.5%), and MZT (2.08% vs 2.86%). Five pairs of dichorionic/diamniotic twins resulted from single embryo transfers. AH of embryos with expansion grades ≤3 was associated with lower rates of conception (32.5% vs 44.3%%, p < 0.05) and clinical pregnancy (24.0% vs 32.8%, p < 0.05). Conclusion AH prior to transfer of vitrified-warmed blastocysts was not associated with improved pregnancy outcomes. The identification of dichorionic/diamniotic twins from single blastocyst transfers challenges the previously held notion that dichorionic/diamniotic MZTs can only occur from division prior to the blastocyst stage. Prospective studies are needed to validate the novel finding of lower rates of conception and clinical pregnancy after AH in embryos with lower expansion grade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charis Ng
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Marta Wais
- Mount Sinai Fertility, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | | | | | | | - Zhong-Cheng Luo
- Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, 250 Dundas Street West, 7th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada
| | - Crystal Chan
- Mount Sinai Fertility, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. .,Lunenfeld-Tanenbaum Research Institute, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, 250 Dundas Street West, 7th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada.
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Comparison between in vitro embryo production using Y-sorted sperm and timed artificial insemination with non-sorted sperm to produce crossbred calves. Anim Reprod Sci 2019; 208:106101. [PMID: 31405466 DOI: 10.1016/j.anireprosci.2019.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2018] [Revised: 04/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Due to the increasing use of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) and the importance of crossbreeding for beef production, pregnancy rates of Nelore recipients were evaluated following Fixed Time Embryo Transfer with fresh or vitrified IVEP embryos produced with Y-sorted sperm of Angus bulls (B. taurus) or Fixed Time Artificial Insemination using non-sorted sperm. For IVEP in Experiment 1, oocytes were obtained using Ovum Pick Up (OPU) (n = 84 embryos) or from ovaries from a slaughterhouse (SLAUGHTER, n = 66 embryos). In Experiment 2, with oocytes obtained by OPU, IVEP embryos were fresh (FRESH, n = 271) or after vitrification/warming (VITRIFIED, n = 79) and PR was compared with FTAI (n = 239). In Experiment 1, cleavage rates were 63.8% and 39.1% for OPU and SLAUGHTER groups, respectively (P = 0.02), and blastocyst rates were 30.5% and 14.7%, respectively (P = 0.09). The PR was similar when considering the source of oocytes (OPU = 35.7%; SLAUGHTER = 25.8%; P = 0.17). In Experiment 2, there was no difference in PR for FRESH or VITRIFIED embryos (34.3% and 30.4%, respectively, P = 0.72), but lesser than FTAI (47.7, P = 0.002). It is concluded that the IVEP with Y-sorted sperm associated with vitrification or embryos produced with oocytes from different sources did not affect PR when there was transfer of crossbred embryos into recipients, and can optimize large-scale application of IVEP technology; however, FTAI pregnancy rates with non-sex sorted sperm were greater.
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Rolland L, Courbiere B, Tassistro V, Sansoni A, Orsière T, Liu W, Di Giorgio C, Perrin J. Comet assay on thawed embryos: An optimized technique to evaluate DNA damage in mouse embryos. Toxicol In Vitro 2017; 44:266-272. [PMID: 28712879 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2017.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 07/07/2017] [Accepted: 07/12/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Our objective was to optimize the CA technique on mammal embryos. MATERIALS AND METHODS 1000 frozen 2-cell embryos from B6CBA mice were used. Based on a literature review, and after checking post-thaw embryo viability, the main outcome measures included: 1) comparison of the embryo recovery rate between 2 CA protocols (2 agarose layers and 3 agarose layers); 2) comparison of DNA damage by the CA on embryos with (ZP+) and without (ZP-) zona pellucida; and 3) comparison of DNA damage in embryos exposed to 2 genotoxic agents (H2O2 and simulated sunlight irradiation (SSI)). DNA damage was quantified by the % tail DNA. RESULTS 1) The recovery rate was 3,3% (n=5/150) with the 2 agarose layers protocol and 71,3% (n=266/371) with the 3 agarose layers protocol. 2) DNA damage did not differ statistically significantly between ZP- and ZP+ embryos (12.60±2.53% Tail DNA vs 11.04±1.50 (p=0.583) for the control group and 49.23±4.16 vs 41.13±4.31 (p=0.182) for the H2O2 group); 3) H2O2 and SSI induced a statistically significant increase in DNA damage compared with the control group (41.13±4.31% Tail DNA, 36.33±3.02 and 11.04±1.50 (p<0.0001)). The CA on mammal embryos was optimized by using thawed embryos, by avoiding ZP removal and by the adjunction of a third agarose layer.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Rolland
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, AP-HM La Conception, Pôle femmes parents enfants, 147 bd Baille, 13005 Marseille, France; Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, Univ Avignon, Marseille, France
| | - B Courbiere
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, AP-HM La Conception, Pôle femmes parents enfants, 147 bd Baille, 13005 Marseille, France; Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, Univ Avignon, Marseille, France.
| | - V Tassistro
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, Univ Avignon, Marseille, France.
| | - A Sansoni
- Centre d'Immunophénomique - CIPHE, PHENOMIN, INSERM US012, CNRS UMS3367, UM2 Aix-Marseille Université Marseille, France.
| | - T Orsière
- Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, Univ Avignon, Marseille, France.
| | - W Liu
- CNRS, Aix Marseille Univ, IRD, CEREGE UM34, UMR 7330, 13545 Aix en Provence, France.
| | - C Di Giorgio
- Laboratoire de mutagagénèse environnementale, Aix Marseille Univ, Univ Avignon, CNRS, IRD, IMBE, Marseille, France.
| | - J Perrin
- Department of Gynecology, Obstetrics and Reproductive Medicine, AP-HM La Conception, Pôle femmes parents enfants, 147 bd Baille, 13005 Marseille, France; Institut Méditerranéen de Biodiversité et d'Ecologie marine et continentale (IMBE), Aix Marseille Univ, CNRS, IRD, Univ Avignon, Marseille, France; CECOS, Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, Department of Gynecology, Obstetric and Reproductive Medicine, Pôle femmes parents enfants, AP-HM La Conception, 147 bd Baille, 13005 Marseille, France.
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