Effects of paraquat on development of preimplantation embryos in vivo and in vitro

Paraquat can cause oxidative stress through redox cycling, and preimplantation embryos are sensitive to oxidative stress in vitro. In this study, the effects of paraquat on preimplantation embryo development were examined. Exposure of preimplantation embryos (collected on the day after ovulation) to paraquat in vitro for 24 h at concentrations as low as 8 μM caused a significant decrease in the percentage of 8-cell embryos and an increase in the percentage of compacted morulae, but the content of reduced glutathione (GSH) in embryos was not changed. Altered embryo development was most likely due to premature compaction because a 42% decrease in cell number per compacted morulae was observed in embryos exposed to paraquat at 1 mM. Exposure of preimplantation embryos to paraquat in vitro for 4 days at 200 μM or higher eliminated development beyond the blastocyst stage. Exposure of bred female mice to paraquat at 30 mg/kg on day 2 after ovulation led to a small but significant decrease in the percentage of 8-cell embryos on day 3 without a detectable increase in the percentage of compacted morulae. No detectable change in preimplantation embryo development was found following paraquat exposure on the day of ovulation (day 0), although a significant decrease in embryo GSH was found on day 1. These data indicate that paraquat can adversely impact the development of preimplantation embryos in vitro and in vivo without consistent modulation of GSH level.