Microtubule stabilisers docetaxel and paclitaxel reduce spindle damage and maintain the developmental competence of in vitro-mature bovine oocytes during vitrification

Abstract

This study compared the efficacy of docetaxel (DT) and paclitaxel (PT) in reducing spindle damage during vitrification and maintaining the developmental competence of in vitro-matured (IVM) bovine oocytes after vitrification and warming. Pretreatment of IVM oocytes with 0.05 µM DT for 30 min before vitrification resulted in significantly higher (P < 0.05) rates of oocyte survival and cleavage after IVF, as well as subsequent blastocyst rates on Days 7–9 and hatching on Days 8–9, compared with oocytes pretreated with 1.0 µM PT before vitrification or those vitrified without pretreatment. When nuclear status and spindle morphology of vitrified oocytes were assess after warming by immunostaining, DT pretreatment before vitrification resulted in a significantly higher (P < 0.05) percentage of oocytes at the MII stage with a normal, intact spindle compared with PT pretreatment or no pretreatment, but the percentage of MII oocytes was still significantly lower (P < 0.05) than in the control group. Pretreatment of IVM bovine oocytes with 0.05 µM DT or 1.0 µM PT for 30 min before vitrification reduces spindle damage to the same extent, without side effects on fertilisation and development. Pretreatment with 0.05 µM DT improved the developmental competence of vitrified–warmed oocytes to a greater degree than 1.0 µM PT pretreatment.