Graduate Student Chungbuk National University, Republic of Korea
Abstract: Erythropoietin (EPO), a cytokine secreted by the kidneys, is a key regulator of erythropoiesis; however, its role in female reproduction remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of EPO (control, 10 mU/mL, 100 mU/mL, and 1000 mU/mL) on nuclear maturation and early embryogenesis in porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM). After 42 hours of in vitro maturation, no significant differences in the nuclear maturation rate were observed among oocytes treated with 10, 100, and 1000 mU/mL EPO when compared to the control (p > 0.05). However, blastocyst formation rates were significantly higher in the 100 mU/mL EPO-treated group compared to the control (p < 0.05), while the 10 mU/mL and 1000 mU/mL groups did not exhibit significant differences. These findings suggest that EPO supplementation, particularly at 100 mU/mL, may enhance early embryogenesis during IVM. Further research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which EPO influences oocyte maturation and embryonic development.
Funding Source: This work was supported by grants from the “Technology Innovation Program funded by the MOTIE, Korea (20023068)”, and “IPET funded by MAFRA (RS-2024-00398561, RS-2024-00399475)", Republic of Korea.
