Download The first 30 hours of embryo development are key to knowing

According to a study published in Nature Communications
The first 30 hours of embryo development are key to knowing whether the
human embryo is going to be chromosomally normal or abnormal and
ensuring a successful pregnancy
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It has been shown that, during this time, a group of genes controls the
movement of the chromosomes causing the embryos to be normal or abnormal
It is estimated that between 50% and 80% of transferred embryos through In
Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) have chromosomal abnormalities, which prevents many
couples from getting pregnant
This study will be used as the basis for developing new non-invasive diagnostic
tools that allow to predict the viability of an embryo during the first stages of
development
This is the first study to combine chromosomal information, gene expression and
time-lapse video to obtain a full picture of the human embryo
Valencia, 8th June 2015. Every year, 1.5% of the babies born in Europe are a result of
assisted reproduction techniques, a trend that has been growing over the past 20 years as
parenthood is postponed. According to European statistics, over half a million in vitro
fertilisation (IVF) procedures are performed every year, resulting in 100,000 newborns.
Scientists from Igenomix, University of Valencia, Stanford University and Oregon Health &
Science University (OSHU) have discovered that it is possible to predict if a human embryo
is going to be chromosomally normal or abnormal within the first 30 hours after the union
of the nuclei of an egg and a sperm, and ensure the success of the pregnancy. It has been
proven that, during this time, a group of genes controls the movement of the
chromosomes causing the embryos to be normal or abnormal.
This discovery, published in the journal Nature Communications, could improve the
success rates of IVF treatments, which are around 30%–35% worldwide. These low rates
are mainly due to the fact that between 50% and 80% of the embryos generated during
IVF contain genetic abnormalities, which prevent a pregnancy from reaching term
successfully.
The main conclusions of this research show that it is possible to predict the chromosomal
composition of the embryos based on their transcriptomic profile.
“The expression levels of only 12 genes are capable of predicting whether the embryo is
chromosomally normal or abnormal with over 85% of reliability”, concludes María Vera,
researcher at Igenomix and former visiting researcher at Stanford University.
Furthermore, another of the main results of the study was the detection of differences in
the duration of the first mitotic phase of the embryo, which is crucial for a proper
distribution of DNA. “We have found that this cellular cycle is, on average, 24 minutes
longer in those embryos that have chromosomal abnormalities”, pointed out Prof. Carlos
Simón, Scientific Director of Igenomix and one of the researchers of this study.
The results obtained during this study will provide a basis for non-invasive diagnostic tools
that allow to predict chromosomal variation after IVF, as current pre-implantation genetic
diagnosis requires an invasive analysis of the embryo using one of its cells.
Thanks to these discoveries, doctors and embryologists will be able to more quickly
identify which embryos are healthy and are better candidates for being implanted in the
maternal uterus. Furthermore, this early analysis of the embryos would significantly
reduce the time of the embryo under culture, as in the current clinical routine embryos
are not transferred until day 3 or 5 after fertilisation.
This research was conducted using 117 zygotes from couples with an average maternal
age of 33.7 years. All the embryos were donated to Stanford University for the purpose of
being used in future research to improve fertility problems. Thanks to these donations,
researchers on this study were able to analyse the chromosome set, gene expression and
time-lapse video for the first time to simultaneously obtain a full view of the viability and
normality of the human embryo.
The study’s first author is María Vera-Rodríguez, M.S., researcher at Igenomix and former
visiting researcher at Stanford University, and senior author is Carlos Simón, M.D., Ph.D.,
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the University of Valencia, Adjunct Clinical
Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Stanford University School of Medicine,
and Scientific Director at IGENOMIX and Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI). Coauthors include Shawn L. Chavez, Ph.D. Assistant Scientist in the Division of Reproductive
and Developmental Sciences at the National Primate Research Centre at Oregon Health
and Sciences University (OSHU), and Assistant Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology,
Physiology and Pharmacology in the OSHU School of Medicine; Carmen Rubio, Ph.D.,
Laboratory Director for PGD Molecular Cytogenetics at IGENOMIX; and Renee Reijo Pera,
Ph.D., Vice President of Research and Economic Development at Montana State
University.
Access the scientific paper here:
http://www.nature.com/ncomms/2015/150707/ncomms8601/full/ncomms8601.html
About Igenomix
IGENOMIX is a biotechnological company that offers advanced reproductive genetic services. Its
great experience and its advanced research capacity make the company one of the world points of
reference in this field and allow it to offer effective solutions adapted to different infertility
problems. It has a presence in Valencia, Miami, Los Angeles, Sao Paulo, Dubai, and Delhi, and it has
a staff of more than 150 qualified professionals all over the world.
More company information at www.igenomix.com
For further information:
Marisún Silvestre – [email protected]
Paula Miquel – [email protected]
Phone: +34 963905310