Veterinary Research Forum

AMINO ACIDS AND ENDOGENOUS LIPIDS AS UNIQUE OXIDATIVE SUBSTRATES FOR PORCINE OOCYTE NUCLEAR AND CYTOPLASMIC IN VITRO MATURATION

Articles in Press

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Sergio Adrian Morado 1
Stephania Madrid Gaviria 2
Florencia Iriarte 3
Carolina Leto 3
Franco Portillo 3
Giuliana Tricerri 3
Elizabeth Breininger 2
Pablo Cetica 2

1 Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA) Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (INPA, CONICET-UBA)

2 Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA) Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (INPA, CONICET-UBA).

3 Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), FCV, UBA.

10.30466/vrf.2026.2080329.5018
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate if amino acids (aa) or endogenous lipids may be used as unique oxidative substrates for porcine oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM). Immature porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes were in vitro matured in NCSU-37 (without pyruvate and glucose, negative control), NCSU-37+L-carnitine (lipid catabolism stimulator), NCSU-37+etomoxir (lipid catabolism inhibitor), NCSU-37+aa, NCSU-37+aa+salicylate (aa catabolism inhibitor), or NCSU-37+glucose (positive control). Oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation were determined by metaphase II rate and cleavage and blastocyst production rates, respectively. The use of endogenous lipids was determined by evaluating oocyte lipid content after IVM using Nile Red stain, while the use of aa was evaluated measuring ammonia production using spectrophotometry. The medium supplemented with L-carnitine showed a higher nuclear maturation rate (35.3%) compared to those without oxidative substrates (8%) or added with etomoxir (0%) and an increase in lipid consumption respect to the other treatments. Supplementation with aa during IVM resulted in a faster meiotic progression (52.4% of metaphase II) and a higher level of residual ammonia compared with the other groups. No significant differences, however, were detected for cytoplasmic maturation rates between oocytes matured in the presence of aa, L-carnitine or glucose. Our results indicate that both endogenous lipids or aa may be used as unique substrates for porcine oocyte metabolism during IVM, sustaining nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation.

Keywords

DEFINED in vitro maturation MEDIUM
EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT
METABOLIC SUBSTRATES
PORCINE OOCYTES
Subjects
Veterinary Research Forum

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 06 October 2026

  • Receive Date 26 December 2025
  • Revise Date 03 August 2026
  • Accept Date 14 September 2026

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