Journal of International Reproductive Health/Family Planning ›› 2023, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (2): 89-94.doi: 10.12280/gjszjk.20220498

• Expert Forum •     Next Articles

Clinical Practice of Oocyte Mitochondrial Transplantation and Ethical Issue

CUI Yu-gui(), JIA Hong-yan, SHI Chen-nan, YAN Zheng-jie, LIU Jia-yin, MA Xiang()   

  1. Center of Clinical Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 210029, China (CUI Yu-gui, YAN Zheng-jie, LIU Jia-yin, MA Xiang); Lianyungang Maternity and Childcare Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang 222000, Jiangsu Province, China (JIA Hong-yan);Center of Reproductive Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University, Nantong 226001, Jiangsu Province, China (SHI Chen-nan)
  • Received:2022-10-25 Published:2023-03-15 Online:2023-03-21
  • Contact: CUI Yu-gui,MA Xiang E-mail:cuiygnj@njmu.edu.cn;sxmaxiang@126.com

Abstract:

Oocyte development depends on the mitochondrial energy metabolism, while the decline of oocyte quality in advanced women is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. Oocyte mitochondria also provide the sufficient energy accumulation for early embryonic development. Oocyte mitochondrial transplantation has been used in the clinical practice of mitochondrial dysfunction diseases caused by the mutations or microdeletions of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). In recent years, many clinical trials have been reported that oocyte mitochondrial transplantation was used in the advanced women with poor oocyte quality, poor ovarian response and repeated failure of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer that were related to the mitochondrial function impairment. Mitochondrial transplantation can be divided into the allogeneic mitochondrial transplantation and the autologous mitochondrial transplantation. The autologous mitochondrial transplantation can reduce the risk of mtDNA heterogeneity and mtDNA mutation and avoid ethical problems. However, mitochondrial transplantation still has great challenges in technology, which requires further basic experiment, technological development and safety verification with animal models.

Key words: Oocytes, Embryonic development, Mitochondria, Mitochondrial diseases, Energy metabolism, Mitochondrial transplantation