Cohesin protein-related age-related changes and the safety of oocyte freezing

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K20170
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Akita University
• Principal Investigator: Hiromitsu Shirasawa 秋田大学, 医学系研究科, 助教 (60598019)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: 体外成熟培養 / 単為発生 / タイムラプスイメージング / 次世代シーケンサー / 異数性

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In the present study, immature oocytes were mainly recovered from non-stimulated resected ovaries and observed under in vitro maturation culture and time lapse of the parthenogenetic activation process. For immature oocyte retrieval, we used a unique method of open and laparoscopic retrieval in endometrioid adenocarcinoma patients with resections of ovaries. The collected immature oocytes were cultured for in vitro maturation, and the results of in vitro maturation culture with commercial medium were compared with those of the previous hand-made culture medium. For mature oocytes, we observed the parthenogenetic activation process in detail and clarified the relationship between the timing of first polar body release and subsequent parthenogenetic activation process performance. In addition, egg freezing and thawing were performed in the parthenogenetic activation process, followed by aneuploidy evaluation using a next-generation sequencer to observe the safety.

Free Research Field

生殖医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究成果によって各年齢層における体外成熟培養後の単為発生能および卵子凍結安全性に関する評価が、染色体異数性およびタイムラプスイメージングによる動的挙動を踏まえて施行することが可能となった。これらの知見はヒト単為発生由来胚盤胞作成および効率的な多能幹細胞作成プロセスにも寄与する所見であり、その意義は大きいと考える。