The effect of coenzyme Q10 on cryotolerance of in vivo-derived mouse embryos.

Objective: Cryopreservation has some adverse effects on embryos including cell metabolism reduction, mitochondria and plasma membrane damage, excess production of 'Reactive Oxygen Species' and damage to DNA. In the present study. In this study we assessed the effect of coenzyme Q10 as an exogenous antioxidant on mouse embryos following cryopreservation.

Methods: We collected mice embryos at the morula stage from uterine horns on the third day of gestation. The morulae were divided into 9 groups (1 control, 2 vehicles and 6 experimental), then vitrified. The culture and/or vitrification media of the experimental groups were supplemented by 10 or 30 μM of CoQ10. After one week, the embryos were warmed and then cultured. After 48 hours of embryo culture, the blastocyst rate, total cell number, viability; and after 72 hours of embryo culture, we assessed the hatching rate.

Results: Blastocyst rate and hatching rate were significantly reduced in the groups containing 30 μM CoQ10 supplemented culture media compared to other groups (p<0.05). The hatching rate in the groups containing 10 μM CoQ10 supplemented in both culture and vitrification media was significantly higher than in the other groups (p<0.05). In groups containing 10 μM CoQ10 supplemented culture media, the viability was higher than that in the other groups (p<0.05).

Conclusions: It seems that CoQ10 in a dose-dependent manner is able to improve hatching rate and viability following cryopreservation through its antioxidant and anti-apoptotic properties, and through the production of ATP.