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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Artificial blastocyst collapse prior to vitrification significantly improves Na+/K+-ATPase-dependent post-warming blastocoel re-expansion kinetics without inducing endoplasmic reticulum stress gene expression in the mouse

L. A. Frank orcid.org/0000-0003-4189-0751 A B , R. D. Rose A C E , M. R. Anastasi C , T. C. Y. Tan C , M. F. Barry A C , J. G. Thompson C D and H. M. Brown orcid.org/0000-0001-6342-3316 C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Fertility SA, St Andrew’s Hospital, 350 South Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

B College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Level 5, Flinders Medical Centre, Sturt Road, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia.

C The Robinson Research Institute, Adelaide Health and Medical School, The University of Adelaide, Corner of North Terrace and George Street, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

D Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, The University of Adelaide, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

E Corresponding author. Email: rrose@fertilitysa.com.au

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 31(2) 294-305 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD17500
Submitted: 27 November 2017  Accepted: 29 June 2018   Published: 13 August 2018

Abstract

Blastocoel expansion during embryo development is known to be reliant on the Na+/K+-ATPase pump, but little is known about the relative contribution of active (Na+/K+-ATPase pump) and facilitated diffusion (aquaporins) water transport during blastocoel re-expansion after vitrification. The aims of this study were to examine potential effects of artificial blastocoel collapse (ABC) on markers of embryo stress and the contribution of active and facilitated diffusion water transport mechanisms to blastocoel re-expansion. Day 5 mouse embryos were vitrified using either a standard protocol, laser pulse ABC, a hyperosmotic sucrose ABC protocol or both laser pulse and sucrose. Using real-time polymerase chain reaction, no differences were found in the gene expression of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers activating transcription factor 4 (Atf4) or heat shock protein 90-alpha (Hsp90α) 2 h after warming. Similarly, expression of the Na+/K+-ATPase pump gene, ATPase, Na+/K+ transporting, beta 1 polypeptide (Atp1b1) and protein did not differ between groups. Aquaporin 8 (Aqp8) gene expression was significantly lower in the laser + sucrose ABC group than in fresh controls, and aquaporin 3 (Aqp3) expression significantly higher in standard vitrified embryos compared with all other groups. Ouabain, a potent and specific Na+/K+-ATPase pump inhibitor, inhibited blastocoel re-expansion in both standard protocol- and laser ABC-vitrified embryos, reducing both groups to the same rate of re-expansion 3 h after warming. These results demonstrate that ABC before vitrification does not alter mRNA or protein expression of Na+/K+-ATPase, or mRNA levels of ER stress genes Atf4 and Hsp90α. Activity of the pump may be increased in ABC embryos, with potential compensation by AQP3 when it is compromised.

Additional keywords: assisted blastocyst collapse, embryo re-expansion kinetics, embryo collapse, laser-assisted collapse.


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