Effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on preimplantation mouse B6D2F1/J embryo formation

Platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine; PAF) is a potent signaling phospholipid that has been implicated in a variety of reproductive processes. Human, rabbit, and mouse preimplantation embryos produce and secrete PAF. Anti-PAF antibodies interfere with mouse preimplantation development. A controversy exists on whether exogenous PAF is beneficial to preimplantation embryo development. The study objective was to determine the effect of exogenous PAF on embryo formation. One-cell mouse B6D2F1/J embryos were collected from PMSG/hCG primed females mated with fertile males. Embryos were exposed to PAF (0-10 microM) in MEM (0.3% BSA) for 15 min, then cultured in MEM (0.3% BSA) in a 5% CO2 in air, 95% relative humidity at 37 degrees C atmosphere, for 120 hr to the hatched blastocyst stage. PAF (0.1 or 0.01 microM) significantly (P < 0.05) improved preimplantation embryo development and formation in vitro. PAF at higher doses had no significant effect. Supplementation of culture medium with exogenous PAF was beneficial to preimplantation embryo development in B6D2F1/J mice.