Dehydration-based preservation of cat cumulus–oocyte complexes is not improved by membrane-permeable trehalose

Introduction: Dry-preservation of gametes offers a promising alternative to cryobanking by potentially storing cells at ambient temperatures; however, successful preservation of whole oocytes remains limited by dehydration-induced cellular damages. This study evaluated whether intracellular delivery of trehalose via a membrane-permeable derivative, trehalose hexaacetate (6-O-Ac-Tre), could enhance dehydration tolerance of domestic cat cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), a relevant model for mammalian fertility preservation. Methods: Cat COCs were incubated with 0, 3, 10, or 30 mM of 6-O-Ac-Tre to assess intracellular trehalose incorporation and cytotoxicity. Non-cytotoxic doses (3 and 10 mM) were then tested for their ability to mitigate cellular damage following 10 or 15 min of microwave-assisted drying and rehydration, with outcomes including DNA integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, cell membrane integrity, and meiotic maturation competence. Results: > 0.05) a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential, cell membrane integrity, and meiotic competence. Discussion: These findings demonstrated that, while 6-O-Ac-Tre effectively delivered trehalose into COCs, this approach did not improve dehydration tolerance of whole oocytes under the conditions tested. Collective results reflected limitations of the 6-O-Ac-Tre delivery strategy owing to its potential cytotoxicity at higher concentrations. Alternative trehalose delivery conditions or approaches need to be explored to facilitate the development of effective dry-preservation strategies for oocytes.