Effect of vitamin E on fertility parameters among cigarette
smoke-exposed inbred Balb-C type male and female mice
H. Hassa1, F. Gürer2, H.M.
Tanir1, M. Kaya1, A. Eker Sariboyaci2, N. Balkose Gunduz2, C. Bal3
1Eskisehir
Osmangazi University School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,
Eskisehir, Turkey, 2Eskisehir Osmangazi University School of Medicine,
Department of Histology and Embryology, Eskisehir, Turkey, 3Eskisehir Osmangazi
University School of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Eskisehir, Turkey
Objective The aim of this study was to determine the role of antioxidant
treatment (vit E) on fertility parameters of cigarette smoke-exposed (SE) female
and male inbred Balb-C type mice in an experimental rodent model of in vitro
fertilisation (IVF) and, secondarily to observe if female or male treatment
effect alone has an impact on the fertility parameters.
Design and methods
Having obtained an informed consent from Hospital Ethics Committee, all female
and male Balb-C type mice (18-25 gr, 14-16 weeks of age) were separated and
exposed to cigarette smoke during the study. A specially designed cage with
cigarette smoke machine was constructed. SE (20 cigarette/day) groups were put
in the cage. SE female and male mice were given 50 mg/kg vit E intraperitoneally
for 10 weeks. All antioxidant exposed and non-exposed groups were cross-mated
with each other as to give four different subgroups (n:10, each) of mice
population. Group I comprised SE male and SE female mice without vit E; group II
consisted of SE female mice with vit E treatment and SE only male mice; group
III had SE only female mice with SE male mice treated with vit E mice and
finally group IV had all vit E treated SE male and SE female mice. Fertilisation,
cleavage rates and day 3 embryo grading (GI-III) were assessed in four groups.
Statistical analysis was performed by using SPPS 13.0 programme. For comparison
of proportions, Z-test and Fisher’s exact chi-square tests were applied for
parametric and non-parametric data distributions, respectively.
Results With
regard to fertilisation, group I, II, II and IV had a fertilisation rate of
20.6%,20%,19.3% and 5%, respectively (Fisher’s exact ?2 test, p>0.05).
Neither cleavage and embryo development rates nor percentages of day 3 grade I
embryos did differ among four groups (Fisher’s exact ?2 test, p>0.05).
Fertilisation rate (20%), cleavage rate (60%) as well as embryo development rate
(12%) were lower in group II, compared to other groups, albeit no statistical
significance was observed.
Conclusions The impact of cigarette smoke on
fertilisation, cleavage and embryo development rates did not differ whether SE
male or SE female mice were treated with vitamin E.