Tsunehisa Makino
Fuji-Oyama Hospital, Japan
Title: EXPOSURE TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL SUBSTANCES IN MEDICINE FOR IN VITRO FERTILIZATION (IVF-ET) SYSTEMS
Biography
Biography: Tsunehisa Makino
Abstract
Introduction : Very little has been discussed concerning the health hazards posed by environmental chemical substances with regard to assisted reproductive technology(ART), although in vitro fertilization and embryo-transfer(IVF-ET) has been becoming more popular over the last two decades in reproductive medicine.　
Materials and Methods : Highly sensitive and specific chromatographic and spectrometric assays have been developed for the measurement of several common but important chemicals including perfluorinated compounds (PFCs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and phthalates (DEHP,MEHP). After establishing the reference concentration standards for these chemicals in human fetomaternal environment specimens, we investigated the amounts of contaminations in culture media and culture dishes used for IVF-ET. The possible health hazards induced by exposure to amounts of chemicals detected in the culture media and/or culture dishes were then evaluated by analyzing epigenetic profile alterations in mouse embryonic stem cell (ESCs) and, in some cases, in human pluripotent stem cells (iPS cells).
Results : Levels of MEHP and PBDE that were 10-100 times higher than
those in fetomaternal specimens (approximately 1-10 ppb) were detected in some in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer(IVF-ET) media, suggesting that such concentration was capable of inducing reversible/irreversible changes in the epigenetic profile. In contrast only trace amounts of perfluorinated compounds were found in the same culture media.
Conclusion : The present study is the first admonitory report to evaluate the toxic and/or teratologic influences of chemicals inIVF-ET culture media. (This study was supported by a Health Science Grant from the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan)
