Abstract
Recent studies have suggested that the hydrosalpinx has a negative effect on
pregnancy outcome, with markedly diminished implantation and increased early
pregnancy loss. Fluid from the hydrosalpinx may leak into and accumulate in the
uterine cavity. It is not clear, however if this creates a hostile local environment
in the uterus for embryo implantation or exerts a direct embryotoxic effect. This
study was conducted to investigate the detrimental effects of hydrosalpinx fluid
(HSF) on the development of mouse embryos in vitro and to demonstrate whether
Vero cells overcome these adverse effects. HSF was collected from three women
with bilateral hydrosalpinx at the time of laparoscopic surgery. Collected fluid was
centrifuged and the supernatant was frozen at -20degrees C. For co-culture, Vero cells
were commercially obtained in a frozen state and cultured using Ham's F10 medium.
Single-cell mouse embryos (B6CBAF1) were cultured for 5 days in 0, 0.4,
0.8, and 1.2% of HSF in media with and without Vero cells and examined daily
to record the number of embryos reaching expanded blastocyst and hatching
stage. Co-culture of mouse embryos with Vero cells at 0.8% HSF concentration
significantly enhanced embryo development, but not at 1.2% hydrosalpinx fluid
concentration. These results suggest that HSF is highly embryotoxic and Vero
cells are likely to overcome these detrimental effects to some degree.