Effect of bovine endometrial mesenchymal cell conditioned medium on bovine embryo development

Endometrial mesenchymal stromal cell (eMSCs) secretes bioactive molecules such as cytokines and growth factors. MSCs conditioned media (CM) maintains the immunomodulation and regenerative potential properties of the cells that produced it. In this work CM was used during IVC as an alternative to deliver growth factors in bovine embryo culture medium to induce embryo development and reduce apoptosis. The percentage of embryos that underwent cleavage was similar (P>0.05) among CM, BSA and FBS groups, but blastocyst formation was higher (P<0.05) in FBS group. The total cell number was higher in CM group, but there was no significant differences in cell numbers or apoptotic index among the 3 experimental groups (P>0.05). The relative mRNA expression of ELOVL6 was higher in the CM group, of CASP3 in the BSA group and of ACSL3 and VEGF in the FBS group. Taken together, these data suggest that CM can be used as an alternative supplement in bovine IVF. The gene expression profile suggested that the use of CM inhibited an increase in the relative mRNA levels for CASP3. Moreover, the CM favored the total number cells, inhibited the percentage of cells in apoptosis and produces better quality embryo.