In vitro fertility rate of 129 strain is improved by buserelin (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) administration prior to superovulation

The 129 mice are well recognized for their low fertility and it is speculated that this lack of fertility may be due to the oocyte condition. In this study we investigated superovulation regimens for the 129S1/SvImJ mouse strain to improve the oocyte quality and fertility rate of in vitro fertilization (IVF). Female mice were divided into four groups based on hormone and timing of injection. Group 1 received pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and 48 h later human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG); using the same dose, group 2 received hCG 52 h post-PMSG and group 3, 55 h post-PMSG. Group 4 received buserelin (gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist [GnRH]) followed 24 h later by PMSG and then hCG 55 h post-PMSG. IVF was performed using 129S1/SvImJ oocytes and sperm; C57BL/6J sperm with 129S1/SvImJ oocytes was used as fertility control. The IVF fertility rate was 1% (Groups 1 and 2), 17% (Group 3) and 55% (Group 4) for 129 oocytes fertilized with 129 sperm. For 129 oocytes fertilized with C57BL/6J sperm, the fertility rate was 5% (Group 1), 10% (Group 2), 40% (Group 3) and 59% (Group 4). These results suggest that extending the interval time between PMSG and hCG and giving GnRH in addition to the standard PMSG and hCG treatments can improve IVF fertility rate of 129S1/SvImJ mouse strains significantly.