Mitochondrial Oxygen Consumption Rate of Human Embryos Declines with Maternal Age

Overview

Journal J Assist Reprod Genet

Publisher Springer

Specialties Genetics
Reproductive Medicine

Date 2020 Aug 3

PMID 32740687

Citations 19

Authors

Naoharu Morimoto

Shu Hashimoto

Masaya Yamanaka

Tatsuya Nakano

Manabu Satoh

Yoshiharu Nakaoka

Hisataka Iwata

Atsushi Fukui

Yoshiharu Morimoto

Hiroaki Shibahara

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: The fertility of women decreases with age because of factors such as an increased incidence of aneuploidies and-possibly-decreased mitochondrial activity in oocytes. However, the relationship between maternal aging and mitochondrial function of their embryos remains unknown. Here, we assessed the relationship between maternal age and mitochondrial functions in their oocytes and embryos METHODS: The relationships between maternal age and oxygen consumption rates (OCRs), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy numbers, or blastocyst development was investigated using 81 embryos donated from 63 infertility couples. The developmental rates from morulae to blastocysts were retrospectively analyzed using data of 105 patients.

Results: The OCRs of morulae decreased with maternal age (r = 0.48, P < 0.05) although there were no relationships between maternal age and mtDNA copy number in any stages. The more oxygen consumed at the morula stage, the shorter time was required for embryo development to the mid-stage blastocyst (r = 0.236, P < 0.05). According to the clinical data analysis, the developmental rate from morulae to blastocysts decreased with maternal age (P < 0.05, < 37 years, 81.1%, vs. ≥ 37 years, 64.1%).

Conclusions: The data of the present study revealed that mitochondrial function at the morula stage of human embryos decreased with their maternal age and a decrease of mitochondrial function led to slow-paced development and impaired developmental rate from morulae to blastocysts.

Citing Articles

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Winstanley Y, Stables J, Gonzalez M, Umehara T, Norman R, Robker R Nat Aging. 2024; 4(12):1682-1696.

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Mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction in ovarian aging and potential interventions.

Ju W, Zhao Y, Yu Y, Zhao S, Xiang S, Lian F Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2024; 15:1361289.

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Fatty acid supplementation during warming improves pregnancy outcomes after frozen blastocyst transfers: a propensity score-matched study.

Sawado A, Ezoe K, Miki T, Ohata K, Amagai A, Shimazaki K Sci Rep. 2024; 14(1):9343.

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