Docosahexaenoic acid and phenazine ethosulfate are not efficient lipid modulators for porcine in vitro maturation systems

The high lipid content in porcine oocytes impairs in vitro embryo production (IVP). Here, we evaluated the influence of two different lipid modulators during in vitro maturation (IVM) on the embryo development and the lipid content of oocytes and embryos. In Experiment I, oocytes were exposed to 50 μM docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) with (+) or without (−) the presence of porcine follicular fluid (pFF). In Experiment II, phenazine ethosulfate (PES) was added during IVM at two concentrations (0.5 and 0.05 μM). The pFF- with 50 μM DHA treatment impaired nuclear maturation, cleavage and blastocyst rates (p < 0.05). Oocytes in pFF- media accumulated less lipids (p < 0.05). The addition of 0.5 μ M PES reduced all development rates (p < 0.05) and resulted in higher lipid content for oocytes and embryos. Only 0.05 μM PES oocytes matured similarly to the control (p > 0.05), although embryo development and embryo lipid content was similar to 0.5 μM PES oocytes (p > 0.05). Thus, 50 μM DHA supplementation in the IVM medium without pFF impaired oocyte maturation and embryo development rates without interfering in oocyte lipid content even in the presence of pFF. Maturation with PES neither favored porcine embryo development nor reduced their lipid content.