Effect of melatonin on DNA damage of bovine cumulus cells during in vitro maturation (IVM) and on in vitro embryo development

The effect of melatonin during in vitro maturation (IVM) on DNA damage of cumulus cells (CCs) from bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) and embryo development was evaluated. COCs from abattoir ovaries were cultured in maturation medium (MM) with 0.5 μg/ml FSH and 5.0 μg/ml LH (FSH–LH); 10−9 M melatonin (MEL) or FSH–LH + MEL (FSH–LH–MEL). After 24 h of in vitro maturation, the CCs surrounding the oocyte were subjected to DNA analysis by Comet assay. After in vitro fertilization and in vitro embryo culture, the embryo development rates were evaluated on day 2 post insemination (cleavage) and days 7–8 (blastocyst). The percentage of CCs with no DNA damage was significantly superior in MEL group (37.6 ± 2.4) than in FSH–LH–MEL (28.0 ± 2.4) and FSH–LH (17.8 ± 2.41) groups. Cleavage and blastocysts rates were similar among groups. Melatonin during IVM protects the CCs from DNA damage but this effect did not influence embryo development in vitro.