Published date: Sep 03 2024

Journal Title: International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine

Issue title: International Journal of Reproductive BioMedicine (IJRM): Volume 22, Issue No. 7

Pages: 527–538

DOI: 10.18502/ijrm.v22i7.16961

Raziye Chegini

Morteza Sadeghi

Sadegh Shirian

Fatemeh Sabbaghziarani

Ehsan Aali

Pouriya Soleimani

Mohammad Reza Ashtari Majelan

Fariba Zafari - f.zafari@qums.ac.ir

Shahram Darabi

Background: Melatonin and L-carnitine are free radical scavengers with antiapoptotic and antioxidant properties that improve oocyte development.

Objective: This study aimed to find the possible effect of combining 2 antioxidant agents of melatonin and L-carnitine on oocyte morphology, maturation, apoptosis, and expression of bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP-15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF-9) genes in a mice model.

Materials and Methods: To overstimulation, 60 female NMRI mice were injected intraperitoneally using mare serum gonadotropin. On day 2 post-injection, 70 cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from each mouse. The collected oocytes randomly were then divided into 4 groups including, the control, melatonin, L-carnitine, and melatonin + L-carnitine groups. The morphology and maturation rate of the oocytes was evaluated using a light microscope. Apoptosis was identified by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay and the expression of BMP-15 and growth and differentiation factor GDF-9 genes was also evaluated by real-time polymerase chain reaction.

Results: Oocyte diameter significantly was increased in combination treatment of L-carnitine and melatonin compared to other groups (p < 0.05). L-carnitine group showed the highest mean percentage of oocyte cytoplasmic pattern. Results of the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling indicated that the lowest apoptosis rate belonged to the melatonin + L-carnitine group. Moreover, the combination groups showed the highest number of oocytes and maturation rate. The BMP-15 and GDF-9 genes were significantly upregulated in all treatment groups compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Our results suggested a combination of melatonin + L-carnitine administration as a more effective choice for in vitro promotion of oocyte maturation.

Key words: In vitro oocyte maturation, Melatonin, L-carnitine.

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