Supplementing α-Linolenic acid in the in vitro maturation media improves nuclear maturation rate of oocytes and early embryonic development in the Nili Ravi buffalo

The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of omega-3 poly unsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), alpha-linolenic acid (ALA; 18: 3 n-3) on the in vitro maturation (IVM) of buffalo oocytes and subsequent embryonic development. Buffalo cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs; n = 2282) were in vitro matured in TCM-199 (0.6% fatty acid free bovine serum albumin, 0.02 Units/ml FSH, 1 mu g/ml 17-beta-estradiol, 10 mu g/ml epidermal growth factor, 50 mu g/ml gentamicin) supplemented with 0 (control), 25, 50, 100, 150 or 300 mu m ALA under an atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air at 38.5 degrees C for 22-24 h. The matured oocytes were then fertilized in Tyrode's Albumin Lactate Pyruvate (TALP) medium and cultured in synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) medium. Concentrations up to 100 mu m ALA improves (P <= 0.05) the cumulus expansion compared to control. Higher percentage of oocytes reaching MII stage was observed at 50 mu m and 100 mu m of ALA compared to control (P = 0.05). Concentrations of 150 and 300 mu m ALA were detrimental both for cumulus expansion and nuclear maturation rate of buffalo oocytes. Moreover, supplementation with 100 mu m ALA improved (P <= 0.05) cleavage rate compared to control and treatment with 50 and 100 mu m ALA yielded significantly higher morulae compared to control. The results of present study indicate that the supplementation with 100 mu m ALA to the IVM medium improves nuclear maturation rate of buffalo oocytes and subsequent early embryonic development.