Top

Journal of Ovarian Research

Published in:

Open Access 01-12-2013 | Research

Developmental potential of human oocytes matured in vitro followed by vitrification and activation

Authors: Patrick Imesch, David Scheiner, Min Xie, Daniel Fink, Erwin Macas, Raghvendra Dubey, Bruno Imthurn

Published in: Journal of Ovarian Research | Issue 1/2013

Abstract

Background

Oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and cryopreservation at the time of routine ovarian tissue freezing may be offered to cancer patients as an additional option for fertility preservation. This study aimed to investigate the developmental capacity of oocytes isolated from unstimulated ovaries.

Methods

Immature oocytes (n = 63) from seven consenting premenopausal patients were analysed. Oocytes were collected during routine laparoscopic examination with biopsy of an ovary (cystic adnexal mass, n = 3; cervical adenocarcinoma, n = 2) or oophorectomy (sex reassignment surgery, n = 2) without previous stimulation of the ovaries. The stage of the patient’s menstrual cycle was not considered. Oocytes in all visible antral follicles were aspirated from ovaries, cultured in IVM medium and vitrified at the MII stage before being kept in liquid nitrogen for at least one month. After warming, oocytes were subjected to parthenogenetic activation by chemical stimulus. Their further development was recorded at intervals of 24 hours for up to 6 days of culture.

Results

61.9% of oocytes matured in vitro within 48 hours. The survival rate after vitrification and warming was 61.5%. A total of 75% of surviving oocytes were able to respond to artificial activation, 44.4% of the parthenotes developed to early embryonic stage. However, only 1 in 18 (5.6%) of the resulting embryos reached blastocyst stage.

Conclusions

Oocytes matured in vitro from unstimulated ovaries seem to have limited developmental potential after cryopreservation and artificial activation. Although the outcome of IVM for non-stimulated oocytes is poor, it is currently the only chance besides cryopreservation of ovarian tissue for women for whom ovarian stimulation is not possible due to life circumstances. Based on our preliminary results, we suggest that the use of cryopreserved ovaries for fertility preservation in women with cancer warrants further investigation.

Donnez J, Martinez-Madrid B, Jadoul P, Van Langendonckt A, Demylle D, Dolmans M-M: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation: a review. Hum Reprod Update 2006, 12: 519–535. 10.1093/humupd/dml032PubMedCrossRef

Deepinder F, Agarwal A: Technical and ethical challenges of fertility preservation in young cancer patients. Reprod Biomed Online 2008, 16: 784–791. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60143-5PubMedCrossRef

Wallace WHB, Thomson AB, Kelsey TW: The radiosensitivity of the human oocyte. Hum Reprod 2003, 18: 117–121. 10.1093/humrep/deg016PubMedCrossRef

Kim SS: Fertility preservation in female cancer patients: current developments and future directions. Fertil Steril 2006, 85: 1–11. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2005.04.071PubMedCrossRef

Varghese AC, Nagy ZP, Agarwal A: Current trends, biological foundations and future prospects of oocyte and embryo cryopreservation. Reprod Biomed Online 2009, 19: 126–140. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60056-9PubMedCrossRef

Gidoni Y, Holzer H, Tulandi T, Tan SL: Fertility preservation in patients with non-oncological conditions. Reprod Biomed Online 2008, 16: 792–800. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60144-7PubMedCrossRef

Meirow D, Hardan I, Dor J, Fridman E, Elizur S, Ra’anani H, Slyusarevsky E, Amariglio N, Schiff E, Rechavi G, Nagler A, Ben Yehuda D: Searching for evidence of disease and malignant cell contamination in ovarian tissue stored from hematologic cancer patients. Hum Reprod 2008, 23: 1007–1013. 10.1093/humrep/den055PubMedCrossRef

Dolmans M-M, Marinescu C, Saussoy P, Van Langendonckt A, Amorim C, Donnez J: Reimplantation of cryopreserved ovarian tissue from patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia is potentially unsafe. Blood 2010, 116: 2908–2914. 10.1182/blood-2010-01-265751PubMedCrossRef

Bittinger SE, Nazaretian SP, Gook DA, Parmar C, Harrup RA, Stern CJ: Detection of Hodgkin lymphoma within ovarian tissue. Fertil Steril 2011, 95: 803. e3–6PubMedCrossRef

10.

Chian R-C, Buckett WM, Abdul Jalil AK, Son W-Y, Sylvestre C, Rao D, Tan SL: Natural-cycle in vitro fertilization combined with in vitro maturation of immature oocytes is a potential approach in infertility treatment. Fertil Steril 2004, 82: 1675–1678. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2004.04.060PubMedCrossRef

11.

de Fried EP, Ross P, Zang G, Divita A, Cunniff K, Denaday F, Salamone D, Kiessling A, Cibelli J: Human parthenogenetic blastocysts derived from noninseminated cryopreserved human oocytes. Fertil Steril 2008, 89: 5–5.

12.

Revel AA, Koler MM, Simon AA, Lewin AA, Laufer NN, Safran AA: Oocyte collection during cryopreservation of the ovarian cortex. Fertil Steril 2003, 79: 1237–1239. 10.1016/S0015-0282(02)04963-4PubMedCrossRef

13.

Revel A, Revel-Vilk S, Aizenman E, Porat-Katz A, Safran A, Ben-meir A, Weintraub M, Shapira M, Achache H, Laufer N: At what age can human oocytes be obtained? Fertil Steril 2009, 92: 6–6.CrossRef

14.

Isachenko EE, Rahimi GG, Isachenko VV, Nawroth FF: In-vitro maturation of germinal-vesicle oocytes and cryopreservation in metaphase I/II: a possible additional option to preserve fertility during ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Reprod Biomed Online 2004, 8: 553–557. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)61102-9PubMedCrossRef

15.

Fasano G, Moffa F, Dechène J, Englert Y, Demeestere I: Vitrification of in vitro matured oocytes collected from antral follicles at the time of ovarian tissue cryopreservation. Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2010, 9: 150–150.CrossRef

16.

González C, Devesa M, Boada M, Coroleu B, Veiga A, Barri PN: Combined strategy for fertility preservation in an oncologic patient: vitrification of in vitro matured oocytes and ovarian tissue freezing. J Assist Reprod Genet 2011, 28: 1147–1149. 10.1007/s10815-011-9628-3PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef

17.

Escribá M-J, Grau N, Escrich L, Novella-Maestre E, Sánchez-Serrano M: Spontaneous in vitro maturation of oocytes prior to ovarian tissue cryopreservation in natural cycles of oncologic patients. J Assist Reprod Genet 2012, 29: 1261–1265. 10.1007/s10815-012-9860-5PubMedCentralPubMedCrossRef

18.

Paffoni AA, Brevini TALT, Somigliana EE, Restelli LL, Gandolfi FF, Ragni GG: In vitro development of human oocytes after parthenogenetic activation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection. Fertil Steril 2006, 87: 6–6.

19.

Pal L, Leykin L, Schifren JL, Isaacson KB, Chang YC, Nikruil N, Chen Z, Toth TL: Malignancy may adversely influence the quality and behaviour of oocytes. Hum Reprod 1998, 13: 1837–1840. 10.1093/humrep/13.7.1837PubMedCrossRef

20.

Cobo ACA, Requena AA, Neuspiller FF, MMA S, Mercader AA, Navarro JJ, Simón CC, Remohí JJ, Pellicer AA: Maturation in vitro of human oocytes from unstimulated cycles: selection of the optimal day for ovum retrieval based on follicular size. Hum Reprod 1999, 14: 1864–1868. 10.1093/humrep/14.7.1864PubMedCrossRef

21.

Chian RC, Gülekli B, Buckett WM, Tan SL: Priming with human chorionic gonadotropin before retrieval of immature oocytes in women with infertility due to the polycystic ovary syndrome. N Engl J Med 1999, 341: 1624–1626.PubMedCrossRef

22.

Chian R-C, Buckett WM, Tan SL: In-vitro maturation of human oocytes. Reprod Biomed Online 2004, 8: 148–166. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60511-1PubMedCrossRef

23.

Kuwayama MM, Vajta GG, Kato OO, Leibo SPS: Highly efficient vitrification method for cryopreservation of human oocytes. Reprod Biomed Online 2005, 11: 300–308. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60837-1PubMedCrossRef

24.

Cobo A, Kuwayama M, Rez SP, Ruiz A, Pellicer A, RemohÃ J: Comparison of concomitant outcome achieved with fresh and cryopreserved donor oocytes vitrified by the Cryotop method. Fertil Steril 2008, 89: 8–8.CrossRef

25.

Chian R-C, Huang JYJ, Gilbert L, Son W-Y, Holzer H, Cui SJ, Buckett WM, Tulandi T, Tan SL: Obstetric outcomes following vitrification of in vitro and in vivo matured oocytes. Fertil Steril 2009, 91: 2391–2398. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.04.014PubMedCrossRef

26.

Larman MG, Minasi MG, Rienzi L, Gardner DK: Maintenance of the meiotic spindle during vitrification in human and mouse oocytes. Reprod Biomed Online 2007, 15: 692–700. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60537-8PubMedCrossRef

27.

Cobo A, Pérez S, Santos MJ Dl, Zulategui J, Domingo J, Remohí J: Effect of different cryopreservation protocols on the metaphase II spindle in human oocytes. Reprod Biomed Online 2008, 17: 350–359. 10.1016/S1472-6483(10)60218-0PubMedCrossRef

28.

Ciotti PM, Porcu E, Notarangelo L, Magrini O, Bazzocchi A, Venturoli S: Meiotic spindle recovery is faster in vitrification of human oocytes compared to slow freezing. Fertil Steril 2009, 91: 2399–2407. 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.03.013PubMedCrossRef

Title: Developmental potential of human oocytes matured in vitro followed by vitrification and activation
Authors: Patrick Imesch
David Scheiner
Min Xie
Daniel Fink
Erwin Macas
Raghvendra Dubey
Bruno Imthurn
Publication date: 01-12-2013
Publisher: BioMed Central
Published in: Journal of Ovarian Research / Issue 1/2013
Electronic ISSN: 1757-2215
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1757-2215-6-30

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Developmental potential of human oocytes matured in vitro followed by vitrification and activation

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Please log in to get access to this content

Other articles of this Issue 1/2013

Carboplatin and oxaliplatin in sequenced combination with bortezomib in ovarian tumour models

Her-2/neu expression is a negative prognosticator in ovarian cancer cases that do not express the follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR)

Individualization of the FSH starting dose in IVF/ICSI cycles using the antral follicle count

Sensitization of ovarian carcinoma cells to Bcl-xL-targeting strategies through indirect modulation of Mcl-1 activity by MR22388, a molecule of the tripentone family

Mosaic pregnancy after transfer of a “euploid” blastocyst screened by DNA microarray

Immature ovarian teratoma with unusual gliomatosis