Augmenting effect of vitrification on lipid peroxidation in mouse preantral follicle during cultivation: Modulation by coenzyme Q10

Cryopreservation-induced oxidative stress (OS) may lead to lipid peroxidation, which may be responsible for decreased cell survival rate. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) as a potent antioxidant may improve cell viability by neutralizing OS. In this study, oxidative lipid injury following the vitrification of preantral follicles was investigated. The effects of CoQ10 treatment on the malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, lipid peroxidation products, and activities of enzymatic and nonenzymatic antioxidants of vitrified preantral follicles were also studied. Preantral follicles were isolated from immature mouse ovaries and were vitrified. After warming, these follicles were cultured with or without CoQ10 for four days. The levels of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and MDA, as well as the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and catalase (CAT), were assessed at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of culture period. The MDA level in the vitrified preantral follicles was higher than that in the fresh groups. By contrast, the MDA level was significantly lower in the groups with CoQ10 treatment than in those without this treatment during cultivation. The TAC level was higher in the fresh preantral follicles than in the vitrified groups. The rates were also higher in the CoQ10-treated groups than in those without this treatment. The activities of SOD, GPX, and CAT were also significantly higher in the fresh groups than in the vitrified groups, especially in the groups with CoQ10 treatment than in those without this treatment. Lowering the vitrification-induced lipid peroxidation of preantral follicles by CoQ10-supplemented maturation medium may be mediated by increasing SOD, GPX, and CAT activities and TAC level during cultivation.