Plasma anti-mullerian hormone: an endocrine marker for in vitro embryo production from Bos taurus and Bos indicus donors

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between plasma anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) concentration and in vitro embryo production (IVP) from Bos taurus (Holstein) and Bos indicus (Nelore) donors. A total of 59 Holstein (15 prepubertal heifers aged 8-10 mo, 15 cyclic heifers aged 12-14 mo, 14 lactating cows, and 15 nonlactating cows) and 34 Nelore (12 prepubertal heifers aged 10-11 mo, 10 prepubertal heifers aged 21-23 mo, and 12 cyclic heifers aged 24-26 mo) females were enrolled. All females underwent an ovum pick-up (OPU), without previous synchronization of the follicular wave, and IVP procedure. Immediately before the OPU procedure, blood samples were collected for subsequent AMH determination. A positive correlation was observed between the plasma AMH and number of in vitro embryos produced from Holstein (r = 036, P < 0.001) and Nelore (r = 0.50, P = 0.003) donors. For additional analyses, donors within each genotype were classified into 1 of 2 AMH categories (low or high) according to the average AMH concentration for each genotype. The results revealed that females classified as having high AMH presented a greater number of visible aspirated follicles (Holstein: 20.9 +/- 1.5 vs 13.6 +/- 0.9, P < 0.0001; Nelore: 54.3 +/- 6.1 vs 18.6 +/- 2.1, P < 0.0001) and a greater number of recovered cumulus-oocyte complexes (Holstein: 17.3 +/- 1.5 vs 9.0 +/- 0.9, P < 0.0001; Nelore: 45.3 +/- 6.4 vs 13.4 +/- 1.7, P < 0.0001). However, there was no difference in the blastocyst production rate (Holstein: 20.6% +/- 4.0% vs 19.8% +/- 42%, P = 0.60; Nelore: 33.7% +/- 6.5% vs 27.4% +/- 5.5%, P = 0.41, high and low AMH, respectively). Moreover, donors classified as having high AMH yielded a greater number of embryos produced per OPU (Holstein: 3.0 +/- 0.7; Nelore: 7.0 +/- 1.7) compared with those classified as having low AMH (Holstein: 1.2 +/- 0.3, P = 0.04; Nelore: 2.2 +/- 0.5, P = 0.007). In conclusion, although the plasma AMH concentration did not alter the ability of the cumulus-oocyte complex to reach the blastocyst stage, the AMH concentration in plasma can be an accurate endocrine marker for the in vitro embryo yield from either B. taurus (Holstein) or B. indicus (Nelore) donors. Therefore, AMH is a promising tool to enhance the overall efficiency of OPU-IVP programs in the field as a selective criterion for high embryo producing donors. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.