Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs improve bovine blastocyst formation and quality in in vitro culture

Prostaglandins may be one of the important factors affecting the development and quality of the embryo in in vitro production (IVP) and may have an inhibitory effect on the development of the embryo. The supplementation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in the in vitro culture medium may facilitate embryo development. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on embryo development and quality during bovine in vitro embryo culture. The study involved the performance of a series of procedures, including in vitro embryo production processes, the supplementation of different NSAIDs in the in vitro culture, and the evaluation and staining of embryos. In the initial 3 d of the in vitro culture stage, three different NSAIDs were administered to the groups: flunixin meglumine (FM), meloxicam (Mel), and carprofen (Car). No treatment was applied to the control group at this stage. All groups were incubated in the same culture medium, with the solutions being changed starting from the fourth day of the in vitro culture. On the seventh day of culture, the embryos were evaluated according to their developmental stages and quality. Subsequently, the developing embryos were subjected to differential staining and the TUNEL (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling) method for the assessment of their developmental competence, quality, and apoptotic index. Following the supplementation of NSAIDs in the culture medium, the blastocyst formation rates were found to be higher in the FM, Car, and Mel groups compared to in the control group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the inner cell mass, trophectoderm, and total cell counts were observed to be higher in the FM, Car, and Mel groups in comparison to the control group. In addition, the number of apoptotic cells and the apoptotic index were found to be lower in the FM, Car, and Mel groups compared to the control group. Consequently, it was established that the supplementation of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in the culture medium during in vitro embryo production resulted in an enhanced rate of blastocyst development and an improved quality of blastocysts.