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Vertebrate reproductive science and technology
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Fluctuations in total antioxidant capacity, catalase activity and hydrogen peroxide levels of follicular fluid during bovine folliculogenesis

Sajal Gupta A , Audrey Choi A B , Hope Y. Yu C , Suzanne M. Czerniak C , Emily A. Holick C , Louis J. Paolella C , Ashok Agarwal A and Catherine M. H. Combelles C D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Center for Reproductive Medicine, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Women’s Health Institute, Glickman Urological & Kidney Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk A19.1, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA.

B Case Western Reserve University, School of Medicine, 10900 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA.

C Department of Biology, Middlebury College, McCardell Bicentennial Hall 346, Middlebury, VT 05753, USA.

D Corresponding author. Email: ccombell@middlebury.edu

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 23(5) 673-680 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD10270
Submitted: 19 October 2010  Accepted: 22 December 2010   Published: 17 May 2011

Abstract

Follicular fluid is an important environment for oocyte development, yet current knowledge regarding its in vivo oxidant and antioxidant levels remains limited. Examining follicular fluid oxidants and antioxidants will improve understanding of their changes in vivo and contribute to optimisation of in vitro maturation conditions. The aim of the present study was to consider selected markers, namely catalase (CAT) enzyme activity, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in follicular fluid samples (n = 503) originating from bovine antral follicles. The dynamic changes in two relevant antioxidant measures and one reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured through stages of bovine follicular development and the oestrous cycle. CAT activity and H2O2 levels decreased significantly as follicle size increased, whereas TAC increased significantly as follicle size increased. Lower TAC and higher H2O2 in small follicles suggest increased ROS in the initial stages of folliculogenesis. Because CAT levels are highest in the follicular fluid of small follicles in the setting of an overall low TAC, CAT may represent a dominant antioxidant defence in the initial stages of folliculogenesis. Future studies must focus on other reactive oxygen species and their various scavenger types during antral folliculogenesis.

Additional keywords: antioxidant, follicle size, oestrous stage, oocyte development, reactive oxygen species.


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