Comparative IFN-τ secretion after hatching by bovine blastocysts derived ex vivo and completely produced in vitro

The interferon-tau (IFN-τ) secretion levels after hatching by bovine blastocysts derived from in vitro maturated oocytes (Group A) and from in vivo (Group B) were investigated considering embryo quality. Only very homogeneous blastocysts of excellent or good quality were considered from day 7 of culture (Group A) and day 7 after artificial insemination with frozen-thawed from the same bull used for in vitro fertilization (Group B). All embryos were individually cultured into a 50 μl droplet of synthetic oviduct fluid medium with 10% fetal calf serum. After 24-h culture both Group A (n =44) and B (n = 40) secreted \u3c54 pm IFN-τ. After 48-, 72-, 96- and 120-h culture, Group A daily secreted 143 ± 24 pm IFN-τ (n = 19) vs 85 ± 12 pm IFN-τ (n = 21) for Group B (p \u3c 0.01), 491 ± 128 pm IFN-τ (n = 29) vs 216 ± 37 pm IFN-τ (n = 23) (NS), 499 ± 135 pm IFN-τ (n = 26) vs 353 ± 93 pm IFN-τ (n = 21) (NS), 559 ± 136 pm IFN-τ (n = 22) vs 333 ± 75 pm IFN-τ (n = 20) (NS), respectively. Taken all together during 5 days, Group A produced per embryo 1690 ± 290 pm IFN-τ (n = 22) vs 982 ± 182 pm IFN-τ (n = 20) for Group B (p \u3c 0.05). For all culture time there were sizable percentages of embryos that did not produce concentrations of IFN-τ above a certain cut-off level, and as such were not used to compute the means. In respect of the embryo quality whatever the groups after days 7-12 of culture, IFN-τ secretions were 1815 ± 453 pm (n = 10) for the embryos of excellent quality vs 1356 ± 200 pm (n = 28) for those of good quality (NS) and 360 ± 188 pm (n = 4) (p \u3c 0.05) for embryos of fair quality. A positive relationship between IFN-τ production and in vitro development of quality I embryos was observed, whatever the embryos origins and, the embryos completely produced in vitro secreted more IFN-τ than the embryos produced in vivo. © 2007 The Authors