Effect of Kaempferol on In Vitro Maturation of Porcine Oocytes

Abstract

We investigated the effects of kaempferol on porcine oocytes in vitro maturation. Kaempferol is one the most studied flavonoids and is in research attention on animal cells until 1979. Flavonoids are known as polyphenolic compounds synthesized by the plants. Cumulus-oocyte complexes aspirated from the ovaries were maturated in vitro, fertilized and embryos were cultured in a defined conditioned medium with 5, 15, 25, 35 µg/ml or without kaempferol supplementation. During in vitro maturation with highest kaempferol concentration (35 µg/ml) distinct significantly increase the rate of cumulus cell expansion in grad 4 (42.74 vs. 50.96%, p<0.01). The same, addition of 5 µg/ml kaempferol to the in vitro maturation medium increase significantly the rate of expansion compared to 25 µg/ml (42.20 vs. 48.67%, p<0.05) and increase distinct significantly the rate of expansion compared to 35 µg/ml (42.20 vs. 50.96%, p<0.01). Kaempferol supplementation (15 µg/ml vs. 35 µg/ml) of the in vitro fertilization medium led to a significant increase in the rate of 4-8 cells formation (0.69 vs. 4.96%, p<0.05). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that supplementation with kaempferol during in vitro maturation improved the developmental competence of porcine oocytes.

Keywords

• kaempferol
• in vitro maturation
• oocytes
• porcine