Effect of recombinant gonadotropins on embryo quality in superovulated rabbit does and immune response after repeated treatments

• Published in: Theriogenology Vol. 72; no. 5; pp. 655 - 662
• Main Authors: Viudes De Castro, M.P., Cortell, C., Mocé, E., Marco-Jiménez, F., Joly, T., Vicente, J.S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 15.09.2009; [Oxford]: Butterworth-Heinemann; [New York]: Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Animals; antibody detection; cell lines; Cells, Cultured; cytology; Doe rabbit; drug effects; embryo (animal); Embryo Culture Techniques; embryo quality; Embryo viability; Embryo, Mammalian; Embryo, Mammalian - cytology; Embryo, Mammalian - drug effects; Embryo, Mammalian - immunology; Female; females; follicle-stimulating hormone; Freezing; Gonadotropins; Gonadotropins - pharmacology; hormone supplements; Immune response; Immune System Phenomena; Immune System Phenomena - drug effects; immunology; in vitro culture; methods; Oocyte Retrieval; Oocyte Retrieval - methods; Periodicity; pharmacology; physiology; Pregnancy; Quality Control; rabbits; Rabbits - immunology; Rabbits - physiology; recombinant gonadotropins; Recombinant human FSH; Recombinant Proteins; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Superovulation; Superovulation - immunology; Recombinant human FSH; Embryo viability; Doe rabbit; Immune response; Superovulation
• ISSN: 0093-691X; 1879-3231; 1879-3231
• DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2009.04.022

This study aimed first to evaluate the effect of recombinant human FSH (rhFSH) with and without recombinant human LH (rhLH) on fresh and frozen-thawed embryo development and also to analyze the immune response of rabbit does (Oryctolagus cuniculus) subjected to repeated rhFSH treatments. Nulliparous New Zealand White does were used. In Experiment 1, 120 does were superovulated with 25 IU rhFSH alone or in combination with 5% or 10% rhLH (1.25 IU or 2.50 IU rhLH). A total of 1116 embryos at the compacted morula stage were cultured at 38.5 °C, 5% CO 2, and saturated humidity for 48 h. The embryo development to hatching blastocyst was significantly lower for the group with 10% rhLH versus that of the control group (65.6 vs. 79.5 for rhFSH + 10% rhLH vs. control, respectively). However, no significant difference was found in development to hatching blastocyst for the control, rhFSH alone, and rhFSH + 5% rhLH groups. The developmental potential of frozen-thawed embryos obtained from all groups was similar, with an 83.5% in vitro development rate until the expanded blastocyst stage. To detect anti-FSH antibodies, in Experiment 2, does were subject to four superovulation treatments. The hormone administration had a significant effect on immune response in the superovulation group after two treatments (0.14 ± 0.074 and 0.15 ± 0.076 vs. 0.46 ± 0.078 and 0.50 ± 0.078 optical density for the first, second, third, and forth cycles, respectively). Nevertheless, none of the treated does had an immune response in both the first and second treatments; on the contrary, a significant increase in the antibody levels was observed in these females at the moment of the third and fourth superovulation treatments. In conclusion, rhFSH superovulation treatments increase the reproductive potential of rabbit does.