Biological effects and dose-response assessment of diesel exhaust particles on in vitro early embryo development in mice.

An increased risk of early pregnancy loss in women briefly exposed to high levels of ambient particulate matter during the preconceptional period was recently observed. The effects of this exposure on early embryo development are unknown. This study was designed to assess the dose-response and biological effects of diesel exhaust particles (DEP) on in vitro embryo development using the in vitro fertilization (IVF) mouse model. Zygotes obtained from superovulated mice after IVF were randomly cultured in different DEP concentrations (0, 0.2, 2, and 20 microg/cm(2)) for 5 days and observed for their capacity to attach and develop on a fibronectin matrix until day 8. Main outcome measures included blastocyst rates 96 and 120 h after insemination, hatching discriminatory score, total cell count, proportion of cell allocation to inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE), ICM morphology, attachment rate and outgrowth area, apoptosis and necrosis rates, and Oct-4 and Cdx-2 expression. Multivariate analysis showed a negative dose-dependent effect on early embryo development and hatching process, blastocyst cell allocation, and ICM morphology. Although blastocyst attachment and outgrowth were not affected by DEP, a significant impairment of ICM integrity was observed in day 8 blastocysts. Cell death through apoptosis was significantly higher after DEP exposure. Oct-4 expression and the Oct-4/Cdx-2 ratio were significantly decreased in day 5 blastocysts irrespective of DEP concentration. Results suggest that DEP appear to play an important role in disrupting cell lineage segregation and ICM morphological integrity even at lower concentrations, compromising future growth and viability of the blastocyst.

Impact of short-term preconceptional exposure to particulate air pollution on treatment outcome in couples undergoing in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF/ET).

PURPOSE: To assess the potential effects of short-term exposure to particulate air pollution during follicular phase on clinical, laboratory, and pregnancy outcomes of women undergoing IVF/ET. METHODS: Retrospective cohort study of 400 first IVF/ET cycles of women exposed to ambient particulate matter during follicular phase. Particulate matter (PM) was categorized into quartiles (Q(1): < or =30.48 microg/m(3), Q(2): 30.49-42.00 microg/m(3), Q(3): 42.01-56.72 microg/m(3), and Q(4): >56.72 microg/m(3)). RESULTS: Clinical, laboratory, or treatment variables were not affected by follicular phase PM exposure periods. Women exposed to Q(4) period during the follicular phase of conception cycles had a higher risk of miscarriage (odds ratio, 5.05; 95% confidence interval: 1.04-25.51) when compared to women exposed to Q(1-3) periods. CONCLUSION: Our results show an association between brief exposure to high levels of ambient PM during the preconceptional period and early pregnancy loss, although no effect of this exposure on clinical, laboratory, and treatment outcomes was observed.

In vitro embryo development after pre- and/ orpostnatal exposure of five-month-old Swiss Albino female mice to particulate air pollution / Desenvolvimento embrionário in vitro após a exposição pré e/oupós-natal de fêmeas de camundongo da linhagem Swiss Albinocom cinco meses de idade à poluição ambiental particulada

Objective: to evaluate the effects of pre- and/or postnatal exposure to particulate air pollution on fertilization, embryo development, and cell lineage segregation in preimplantation blastocysts during late-life reproductive period, using the in vitro fertilization (IVF) mouse model. Materials and methods: five-month-old mice underwent superovulation and were pre- and/or postnatally exposed to filtered air (FA-FA), filtered-ambient air (FA-AA), or ambient air (AA-AA) in exposure chambers, 24 hours per day, during six months. Results: ovarian response was not affected by the exposure protocol. A multivariate effect for pre- and/or postnatal exposure to ambient air on blastocyst differential staining, but not on IVF and embryo development, was found. Cell counts in inner cell mass (ICM) and ICM/trophectoderm ratios in blastocysts produced in FA-FA protocol were significantly higher than in blastocysts produced in FA-AA and AA-AA protocols. Conclusions: our study suggests that the exposure to particulate air pollution of a large urban center does not affect ovarian function but may negatively affect the female reproductive health in the late-life period by disrupting the lineage specification at the blastocyst stage.

Objetivo: avaliar os efeitos da exposição pré e/ou pós-natal ao ar ambiente no final da vida reprodutiva sobre a fertilização, desenvolvimento embrionário e segregação das linhagens celulares em blastocistos pré-implantacionais, utilizando o modelo de fertilização in vitro (FIV) de camundongo. Material e métodos: fêmeas de camundongo com idade de cinco meses tiveram a ovulação estimulada e, no período pré e/ou pós-natal, foram expostas ao arfiltrado (AF-AF), ar filtrado-ar ambiente (AF-AA) ou ar ambiente-ar ambiente (AA-AA) em câmaras de exposição, 24 horas por dia durante seis meses. Resultados: a resposta ovariana não foi afetada pelo protocolo de exposição. Um efeito multivariável para a exposição pré e/ou pós-natal ao material particulado fino ambiente sobre coloração diferencial dos blastocistos, mas não sobre a FIV e o desenvolvimento embrionário, foi observado. A contagem celular na massa celular interna (MCI) e a razão MCI/trofoectoderma dos blastocistos produzidos no protocolo AF-AF foram significativamente maioresdo que aquelas em blastocistos produzidos nos protocolos FA-AA e AA-AA. Conclusões: nosso estudo sugere que a exposição à poluição ambiental particulada de um grande centro urbano não altera a função ovariana, mas pode afetar negativamente a saúde reprodutiva feminina no período final do menacme, em razão da alteração da especificação das linhagens celulares do embrião no estágio de blastocisto.