Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics
Recently, the importance of bioenergetics in the reproductive process has emerged. For its energetic demand, the oocyte relies on numerous mitochondria, whose activity increases during embryo development under a fine regulation to limit ROS production. Healthy oocyte mitochondria require a balance o...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Antioxidants |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/4/745 |
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| author | Martina Placidi Giovanna Di Emidio Ashraf Virmani Angela D’Alfonso Paolo Giovanni Artini Anna Maria D’Alessandro Carla Tatone |
| author_facet | Martina Placidi Giovanna Di Emidio Ashraf Virmani Angela D’Alfonso Paolo Giovanni Artini Anna Maria D’Alessandro Carla Tatone |
| author_sort | Martina Placidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recently, the importance of bioenergetics in the reproductive process has emerged. For its energetic demand, the oocyte relies on numerous mitochondria, whose activity increases during embryo development under a fine regulation to limit ROS production. Healthy oocyte mitochondria require a balance of pyruvate and fatty acid oxidation. Transport of activated fatty acids into mitochondria requires carnitine. In this regard, the interest in the role of carnitines as mitochondrial modulators in oocyte and embryos is increasing. Carnitine pool includes the un-esterified <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (LC) and carnitine esters, such as acetyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (ALC) and propionyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (PLC). In this review, carnitine medium supplementation for counteracting energetic and redox unbalance during in vitro culture and cryopreservation is reported. Although most studies have focused on LC, there is new evidence that the addition of ALC and/or PLC may boost LC effects. Pathways activated by carnitines include antiapoptotic, antiglycative, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory signaling. Nevertheless, the potential of carnitine to improve energetic metabolism and oocyte and embryo competence remains poorly investigated. The importance of carnitine as a mitochondrial modulator may suggest that this molecule may exert a beneficial role in ovarian disfunctions associated with metabolic and mitochondrial alterations, including PCOS and reproductive aging. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:13:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-24e736726fc14b618466cf33cacc8ac3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3921 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T11:13:43Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Antioxidants |
| spelling | doaj.art-24e736726fc14b618466cf33cacc8ac32023-12-01T00:36:12ZengMDPI AGAntioxidants2076-39212022-04-0111474510.3390/antiox11040745Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo BioenergeticsMartina Placidi0Giovanna Di Emidio1Ashraf Virmani2Angela D’Alfonso3Paolo Giovanni Artini4Anna Maria D’Alessandro5Carla Tatone6Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyAlfasigma B.V., 3528 BG Utrecht, The NetherlandsDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDivision of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyDepartment of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, ItalyRecently, the importance of bioenergetics in the reproductive process has emerged. For its energetic demand, the oocyte relies on numerous mitochondria, whose activity increases during embryo development under a fine regulation to limit ROS production. Healthy oocyte mitochondria require a balance of pyruvate and fatty acid oxidation. Transport of activated fatty acids into mitochondria requires carnitine. In this regard, the interest in the role of carnitines as mitochondrial modulators in oocyte and embryos is increasing. Carnitine pool includes the un-esterified <span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (LC) and carnitine esters, such as acetyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (ALC) and propionyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps;">l</span>-carnitine (PLC). In this review, carnitine medium supplementation for counteracting energetic and redox unbalance during in vitro culture and cryopreservation is reported. Although most studies have focused on LC, there is new evidence that the addition of ALC and/or PLC may boost LC effects. Pathways activated by carnitines include antiapoptotic, antiglycative, antioxidant, and antiinflammatory signaling. Nevertheless, the potential of carnitine to improve energetic metabolism and oocyte and embryo competence remains poorly investigated. The importance of carnitine as a mitochondrial modulator may suggest that this molecule may exert a beneficial role in ovarian disfunctions associated with metabolic and mitochondrial alterations, including PCOS and reproductive aging.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/4/745<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (LC)propionyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (PLC)acetyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (ALC)mitochondriaembryooocyte |
| spellingShingle | Martina Placidi Giovanna Di Emidio Ashraf Virmani Angela D’Alfonso Paolo Giovanni Artini Anna Maria D’Alessandro Carla Tatone Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics Antioxidants <span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (LC) propionyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (PLC) acetyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (ALC) mitochondria embryo oocyte |
| title | Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics |
| title_full | Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics |
| title_fullStr | Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics |
| title_short | Carnitines as Mitochondrial Modulators of Oocyte and Embryo Bioenergetics |
| title_sort | carnitines as mitochondrial modulators of oocyte and embryo bioenergetics |
| topic | <span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (LC) propionyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (PLC) acetyl-<span style="font-variant: small-caps">l</span>-carnitine (ALC) mitochondria embryo oocyte |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/11/4/745 |
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