Cumulus Cell Mitochondrial Resistance to Stress In Vitro Predicts Oocyte Development During Assisted Reproduction

Context: Complex cumulus cell-oocyte interactions govern energy utilization during oocyte development. Objective: This study investigates the relationship of cumulus cell mitochondria with oocyte development during ovarian stimulation for in vitro fertilization (IVF). Design: This is a prospective cohort study. Setting: The setting was an academic center. Patients: Thirty women underwent ovarian stimulation for IVF. Intervention(s): Pooled cumulus cells were collected; numbers of total and mature oocytes and two-pronuclear (day 1), six- to eight-cell cleavage (day 3), and blastocyst (day 5) embryos were recorded. Main Outcome Measure(s): A mitochondrial bioassay was developed with Jurkat cells and used with cumulus cells from IVF patients to correlate mitochondrial membrane potential resistance to carbonyl cyanide 3-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) stress with oocyte development and embryogenesis. Results: Adjusting for FSH administered and maternal age, cumulus cell mitochondrial membrane potential resistance to CCCP positively correlated with numbers of total (P < .025) and mature (P < .025) oocytes retrieved. The highest oocyte numbers that correlated with cumulus cell mitochondrial membrane potential occurred in women with the greatest ovarian response to FSH (mitochondrial membrane potential resistance to CCCP-log FSH interactions: total oocytes P < .025; mature oocytes P < .05). Multiple regression modeling of mature oocyte numbers, age, and cumulus cell mitochondrial membrane potential resistance to CCCP showed that numbers of mature oocytes best correlated with numbers of embryos at all stages (P < .0001). Conclusion: During ovarian stimulation for IVF, cumulus cell mitochondrial membrane potential resistance to stress correlates with numbers of total and mature oocytes retrieved, suggesting that cumulus cell–oocyte interactions involving energy facilitate oocyte development.