MicroRNAs AS PREDICTIVE BIOMARKERS: ASSESSING EMBRYO QUALITY AND ANEUPLOIDY

Aneuploidy significantly affects embryo viability, making the selection of a single competent embryo crucial to minimizing the risk of gestation loss. Testing for aneuploidy in embryos aims to enhance implantation rates and increase pregnancy success for in vitro fertilization (IVF) patients. Despite advancements in pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) through genomic analyses of biopsied cells and improved biopsy techniques, these methods remain invasive and controversial. This research project investigates alternative non-invasive genetic testing method for detecting aneuploidy in pre-implantation embryos. We specifically focus on utilizing microRNAs (miRNAs) released by pre-implantation embryos into the culture media as potential genetic markers for identifying incompetent embryos. Mouse embryos at the 2-cell stage will be collected from gonadotropic super-ovulated female mice after mating. The embryos will be cultured to the 4-cell stage then treated with the AZ3146 to induce aneuploidy. AZ3146 is a monopolar spindle 1 kinase inhibitor that disrupts proper chromosome segregation during cell division. Subsequently, these aneuploid embryos will be cultured, and the miRNAs present in the culture media will be collected and assessed using RNA sequencing. Proportions of cell lineage markers will also be assessed using immunofluorescence confocal imaging. We aim to understand the effect of aneuploidy on lineage marker expression as well as to identify distinct differences in the miRNA profiles of aneuploid and euploid embryos. This study seeks to establish a non-invasive approach to embryo assessment, potentially improving current practices in embryo selection and IVF outcomes.