Melatonin Enhances Vitrified Mouse Blastocyst Development by Mitigating Oxidative Stress and Preserving Mitochondrial Function

This study aimed to investigate the benefits of melatonin supplementation during blastocyst vitrification and thawing process and explore underlying mechanisms to prevent apoptotic event. Overall design: We evaluated blastocysts in three groups: fresh blastocysts (Control), non-melatonin treated vitrification (VT), and melatonin treated vitrification (MVT). We compared their developmental potential and oxidative stress levels to analyze effects of optimized melatonin supplementation. Additionally, transcriptome analysis in blastocysts by Smart-seq2 was performed to investigate the underlying transcriptional mechanism. The antioxidant enzyme and mitochondrial function protein expression were investigated by immunofluorescence staining.