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Telomere length in trophectoderm and inner cell mass of human blastocysts: comparative analysis and assessment of influencing factors
- Authors: Tikhonov A.V.1, Efimova O.A.1, Krapivin M.I.1, Malysheva O.V.1, Komarova E.M.2, Golubeva A.V.1, Pendina A.A.1
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Affiliations:
- The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
- The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
- Section: Human ecological genetics
- Submitted: 16.04.2024
- Accepted: 31.07.2024
- Published: 31.07.2024
- URL: https://journals.eco-vector.com/ecolgenet/article/view/630364
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.17816/ecogen630364
- ID: 630364
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Abstract
BACKGROUND: The study of telomere length and influencing factors in early human development has both fundamental and applied importance.
AIM: A comparative assessment of telomere length in the compartments of human blastocysts, and the analysis of the telomere length association with the quality of blastocysts, genetic imbalance and the maternal age.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study was performed on trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) samples of 41 human blastocysts, 26 of which were genetically imbalanced according to preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and verification of its results. The microscope slides were prepared for further telomere detection in interphase nuclei by quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH).
RESULTS: Telomeres in TE were longer than in ICM, with their length varied from blastocyst to blastocyst. Telomere length in either TE or ICM did not differ between genetically balanced and imbalanced blastocysts. There was a tendency towards a decrease in telomere length in the blastocyst compartments with increasing maternal age, however, a statistically significant correlation was not confirmed. The telomere length in the ICM, but not in the TE, was associated with blasocysts’ quality based on the Gardner grade: medium quality blastocysts had longer telomeres than high quality blastocysts.
CONCLUSIONS: Long telomeres in TE may be necessary for implantation and subsequent placentation. Telomere length can be considered among modifiers of the effects of karyotype abnormalities and other negative factors: the inheritance by an embryo of long telomeres apparently gives it a developmental advantage even when genetically imbalanced or has poor morphology. Implantation seems to be an important checkpoint for negative selection of embryos with “unsuccessful” combinations of telomere length, karyotype, and morphology.
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About the authors
Andrei V. Tikhonov
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Author for correspondence.
Email: tixonov5790@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-2557-6642
SPIN-code: 3170-2629
Scopus Author ID: 57191821068
ResearcherId: Q-1380-2016
Cand. Sci. Biol., Researcher
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgOlga A. Efimova
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: efimova_o82@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-4495-0983
SPIN-code: 6959-5014
Scopus Author ID: 14013324600
ResearcherId: F-5764-2014
Cand. Sci. Biol., Head of the Laboratory of Cytogenetics and Cytogenomics of Reproduction
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgMikhail I. Krapivin
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: krapivin-mihail@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-1693-5973
SPIN-code: 4989-1932
Scopus Author ID: 56507166200
ResearcherId: F-4166-2017
Junior Researcher
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgOlga V. Malysheva
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: omal99@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-8626-5071
SPIN-code: 1740-2691
Scopus Author ID: 6603763549
ResearcherId: O-9897-2014
Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Researcher
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgEvgeniia M. Komarova
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: evgmkomarova@gmail.com
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9988-9879
SPIN-code: 1056-7821
Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Head of the Laboratory of Early Embryogenesis
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgArina V. Golubeva
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: AlikovaAV1504@yandex.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-1613-222X
SPIN-code: 4610-3686
research assistant
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgAnna A. Pendina
The Research Institute of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductology named after D.O. Ott
Email: pendina@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0001-9182-9188
SPIN-code: 3123-2133
Scopus Author ID: 6506976983
ResearcherId: F-4396-2017
Cand. Sci. (Biol.), Senior Researcher
Russian Federation, St. PetersburgReferences
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