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mtDNA dynamics between cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
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Abstract

Purpose

The aim was to evaluate mtDNA content and its dynamics in euploid and aneuploid embryos from cleavage to blastocyst stage following consecutive biopsies. The effect of female age on mtDNA content was evaluated by comparing reproductively younger (≤ 37 years) with older (> 37 years) women.

Methods

A retrospective single-centre descriptive study was performed between August 2016 and January 2017. Forty patients, with 112 embryos, undergoing preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies (PGT-A) by next-generation sequencing (NGS) were included. Embryos that reached the blastocyst stage and were not selected for fresh embryo transfer were included following consecutive biopsies of a single blastomere on day 3 and trophectoderm biopsy of day 5 blastocysts.

Results

Cleavage-stage mtDNA was significantly lower in fast cleaving embryos (p = 0.016). Based on the concordance between day 3 and day 5 biopsies, a difference was identified in blastocyst mtDNA content between groups (p = 0.019); true euploid blastocysts presented a lower mtDNA content. No association was identified between cleavage-stage mtDNA content and ploidy status (OR 1.008 [0.981–1.036], p = 0.565) nor between blastocyst mtDNA content and ploidy outcome (OR 0.954 [0.898–1.014], p = 0.129). No difference was found when comparing mtDNA content and ploidy outcome between the two reproductive age groups (p = 0.505 (cleavage stage) and p = 0.774 (blastocyst)).

Conclusion

Mitochondrial DNA content of cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts is unable to predict ploidy status. Subgroup analysis based on ploidy concordance between day 3 and day 5 revealed a significantly lower mtDNA content for true euploid blastocysts. Reproductive ageing does not affect mtDNA content.

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Author information

Author notes

  1. Neelke De Munck and Alberto Liñán contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IVIRMA Middle East Fertility Clinic, Marina Village, Villa B22-23, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates

    Neelke De Munck, Alberto Liñán, Ibrahim Elkhatib, Aşina Bayram, Ana Arnanz, Barbara Lawrenz & Human M. Fatemi

  2. IVIRMA Middle East Fertility Clinic, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman

    Alberto Liñán, Ibrahim Elkhatib & Human M. Fatemi

  3. Igenomix, Valencia, Spain

    Carmen Rubio

  4. IVI Foundation, Health Research Institute La Fe, Valencia, Spain

    Nicolas Garrido

  5. Obstetrical Department, Women’s University Hospital Tuebingen, Tuebingen, Germany

    Barbara Lawrenz

Authors
  1. Neelke De Munck
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  2. Alberto Liñán
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  9. Human M. Fatemi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Neelke De Munck.

Ethics declarations

Approval for this study was obtained from the local Ethics Committee of IVIRMA Middle East Fertility Clinic, Abu Dhabi, UAE (Research Ethics Committee IVI-MEREF010/2017/REFA009). All patients signed a consent form allowing additional trophectoderm biopsy of supernumerary euploid and aneuploid embryos not selected for transfer.

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De Munck, N., Liñán, A., Elkhatib, I. et al. mtDNA dynamics between cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts. J Assist Reprod Genet 36, 1867–1875 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01544-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-019-01544-4

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