Objective: To determine the effect of vitrification and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) on the methylation levels of the putative imprinted control region (ICR) of H19 and H19 expression in bovine two-cell embryos and their derived blastocysts.
Design: Experimental animal study.
Setting: Academic institution.
Animal(s): Abattoir-derived bovine ovaries.
Intervention(s): Vitrified two-cell embryos were cultured in vitro to blastocysts with 0.01 μM 5-aza-dC (5-aza-dC group) or without 5-aza-dC (vitrification group). Fresh embryos and their derived blastocysts were used as control.
Main outcome measure(s): Putative ICR methylation of H19 was measured by bisulfate mutagenesis and sequencing, blastocyst development rate; total cell number were determined; and H19 expression was measured by real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (PCR).
Result(s): Vitrification significantly increased putative ICR methylation of H19 in two-cell embryos and their derived blastocysts; 5-aza-dC significantly reduced putative ICR methylation of H19 in vitrified two-cell embryos and their derived blastocysts. The H19 expression level was significantly higher in blastocysts from the 5-aza-dC group than the vitrification group. The blastocyst development rate and total cell number in the 5-aza-dC and vitrification groups were similar.
Conclusion(s): Putative ICR methylation levels of H19 significantly increased in vitrified two-cell embryos and their derived blastocysts; 5-aza-dC significantly reduced putative ICR methylation of H19 and increased H19 expression in blastocysts derived from vitrified two-cell embryos.
Copyright © 2012 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.