Developmental regulation and modulation of apoptotic genes expression in sheep oocytes and embryos cultured in vitro with L‐carnitine

The objective of this study was to find out the impact of L‐carnitine (10 mM) on developmental regulation of preimplantation sheep embryos cultured in vitro when supplemented in maturation medium and post‐fertilization medium separately. Subsequent objective was to observe the L‐carnitine‐mediated alteration in expression of apoptotic genes (Bcl2, Bax, Casp3 and PCNA) in sheep oocytes and developing embryos produced in vitro. Oocytes matured with L‐carnitine showed significantly (p < .05) higher cleavage (67.23% vs 43.12%), morula (47.65% vs 28.58%) and blastocysts (32.12% vs 13.24%) percentage as compared to presumptive zygotes cultured with L‐carnitine during post‐fertilization period. So it is suggested to use L‐carnitine during maturation than post‐fertilization period. Antiapoptotic and proliferative effects of L‐carnitine were confirmed by inducing culture medium with actinomycin D (apoptotic agent) and TNFα (antiproliferative agent), respectively, with and without L‐carnitine. Oocytes and embryos cultured with actinomycin D and TNFα showed developmental arrest with significant (p < .05) decrease in morula and blastocysts percentage but s upplementation of L‐carnitine to actinomycin D and TNFα induced culture medium showed similar result as that of control . L‐carnitine supplementation during IVM significantly (p < .05) upregulated the expression of Bcl2 and PCNA genes in majority of the developmental stages. Although L‐carnitine upregulated the expression of Bax in initial developmental stages but downregulated at latter part, whereas the expression of Casp3 was upregulated upto 16‐cell stage but after that there was no difference in expression. Expression of GAPDH gene was not affected by L‐carnitine supplementation. In conclusion, L‐carnitine acted as an antiapoptotic and proliferative compound during embryo development and supplementation of L‐carnitine during IVM altered the expression of apoptotic genes in the developmental stages of embryos.