An Overview of Reactive Oxygen Species Damage Occurring during In Vitro Bovine Oocyte and Embryo Development and the Efficacy of Antioxidant Use to Limit These Adverse Effects

Abstract

The in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos has gained popularity worldwide and in recent years and its use for producing embryos from genetically elite heifers and cows has surpassed the use of conventional superovulation-based embryo production schemes. There are, however, several issues with the IVP of embryos that remain unresolved. One limitation of special concern is the low efficiency of the IVP of embryos. Exposure to reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one reason why the production of embryos with IVP is diminished. These highly reactive molecules are generated in small amounts through normal cellular metabolism, but their abundances increase in embryo culture because of oocyte and embryo exposure to temperature fluctuations, light exposure, pH changes, atmospheric oxygen tension, suboptimal culture media formulations, and cryopreservation. When uncontrolled, ROS produce detrimental effects on the structure and function of genomic and mitochondrial DNA, alter DNA methylation, increase lipid membrane damage, and modify protein activity. Several intrinsic enzymatic pathways control ROS abundance and damage, and antioxidants react with and reduce the reactive potential of ROS. This review will focus on exploring the efficiency of supplementing several of these antioxidant molecules on oocyte maturation, sperm viability, fertilization, and embryo culture.

Mangiferin improves early porcine embryonic development by reducing oxidative stress

“…Early embryonic development is characterized by rapid cell division and gene activation, making the embryo particularly sensitive to environmental influences. If unregulated, ROS can disrupt the structure and function of the genome and mitochondrial DNA, alter DNA methylation, increase lipid membrane damage, and alter protein activity (Keane & Ealy, 2024).…”

Transwell Culture with Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells and Fertilized Eggs Mimics the In Vivo Development of Fertilized Eggs to Blastocysts in the Fallopian Tube: An Animal Study

“…In the Transwell culture, the fertilized eggs developed into blastocysts using the 3rd-passage stem cells, cultured in the upper layer, more efficiently than those using the 20th-passage stem cells and those without stem cells. In principle, it has been thought that ROS are endogenously generated in pre-implantation embryos as a by-product of ATP synthesis through oxidative phosphorylation and enzymes such as nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase and xanthine oxidase and that physiological concentrations of ROS are indispensable for crucial embryonic processes, including pronuclear formation, first cleavage, and cellular proliferation [ 46 , 47 ]. Reportedly, high concentrations of reactive oxygen species induce oxidative stress damage to DNA, proteins, and lipids in cells [ 48 , 49 , 50 ].…”

Clove Essential Oil: Chemical Profile, Biological Activities, Encapsulation Strategies, and Food Applications

“…The first one is related to CAT, an enzyme that converts H 2 O 2 to generate H 2 O and O 2 . The other one is the glutathione peroxidase (GPx), where GPx utilizes glutathione (GSH) as an electron donor to convert H 2 O 2 to H 2 O [108]. The activity of these enzymes and their relationship to the presence of the CEO was investigated by Mohammadi [109].…”

“…Bovine embryos IVP has gained popularity over the past several decades, generating more than 1.5 million bovine embryos in 2021. However, it has been described that cellular stress and/or imbalances in biological systems can harm DNA, proteins, and lipid bilayers, thus compromising oocyte quality and maturation potential and delaying embryonic development [108]. Regarding this description, the authors hypothesized that the optimization of culture systems by supplementation with antioxidants could improve bovine in vitro embryo production.…”

“…The tests were performed in IVM medium evaluating nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation (experiment 1), bioenergetic/oxidative status (experiment 2), and developmental competence of bovine embryos (experiment 3). Regarding the first experiment, it has been described that the expansion of cumulus cell layers is an indicative factor associated with good nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation because the elimination of these cells weakens the ability of oocytes to synthesize GSH [108]. All antioxidant-supplemented groups experienced a greater degree of meiosis resumption and progression to metaphase II, although the researchers pointed out that the positive effects depended on the type and concentration of antioxidants used.…”