Ascorbic acid–cyclodextrin complex alters the expression of genes associated with lipid metabolism in bovine in vitro produced embryos

Ascorbic acid (AC) used as antioxidant in embryo culture is very sensitive and degrades unavoidably in aqueous solution. Methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin (CD) improved the stability of AC in solution to elevated temperature, light, humidity and oxidation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the complex AC‐CD during in vitro maturation (IVM) or in vitro culture (IVC) on oocyte developmental competence and subsequent embryo development and quality. AC‐CD (100 µM) was added to IVM media, and maturation level and embryo development were examined. Matured oocytes, their cumulus cells and produced blastocysts were snap‐frozen for gene expression analysis by RT‐qPCR. Besides, in vitro‐produced zygotes were cultured with 100 µM of AC‐CD and blastocysts were as well snap‐frozen for gene expression analysis. A group without AC‐CD (control^?) and other with CD (control⁺) were included. No differences were found on maturation, cleavage or blastocyst rates. However, in matured oocytes, AC‐CD downregulated BAX, GPX1 and BMP15. In cumulus cells, AC‐CD downregulated BAX/BCL2 and GSTA4 while upregulated BCL2 and CYP51A1. The expression of SL2A1, FADS1, PNPLA and MTORC1 was downregulated in blastocysts derived from oocytes matured with AC‐CD, while in blastocysts derived from zygote cultured with AC‐CD, CYP51A1 and IGF2R were downregulated and PNPLA2 was upregulated. In conclusion, AC‐CD in both IVM and IVC media may reduce accumulated fat by increasing lipolysis and suppressing lipogenesis in blastocysts derived from both oocytes and zygotes cultured with AC‐CD, suggesting that CD improves the quality of embryos and bioavailability of AC during IVM and IVC.