Antioxidants in Mouse Embryo Culture and Vitrification Media Maintain an In Vivo Like Gene Expression Profile

Abstract

Background: Embryo culture and cryopreservation causes detrimental effects on blastocyst gene expression. While combined antioxidants (acetyl-L-carnitine/N-acetyl-L-cysteine/[Formula: see text]-lipoic acid (A3)) in culture and vitrification media have beneficial effects on embryo and fetal development, their impact on fetal gene expression has not been assessed. Therefore, the effects of antioxidants on global gene expression were examined from fetal and placental tissue of transferred blastocysts and compared to in vivo derived embryos. Aim: To determine the effect of A3 in culture and vitrification media on mouse blastocyst, fetal and placental gene expression. Method: Embryo transfers w..