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Phoebe C. Jennings1, Julie A. Merriman1, Emma L. Beckett1,2, Philip M. Hansbro1,2 and Keith T. Jones1,*1School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia 2Centre for Asthma and Respiratory Disease and Hunter Medical Research Institute, The University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia *Correspondence address. Tel: +61-2-49-21-66-82; Fax: +61-2-49-21-79-03; E-mail: keith.jones{at}newcastle.edu.auReceived October 5, 2010. Revision received December 13, 2010. Accepted December 17, 2010. BACKGROUND The precise effects of cigarette smoking on female fertility have not yet been clearly defined. We have used a mouse model that mimics human smoking and is able to control for variables that may confound clinical studies to assess the impact of chronic smoking on the quality of mouse oocytes. METHODS Mice received cigarette smoke directly to their lungs for 12 weeks. Lung tissue was analyzed for emphysematous changes and cumulus enclosed oocytes (CEOs) were recovered to study their quality. CEOs were in vitro matured, fixed and stained for chromatin and tubulin. Meiotic spindles, chromatin and the zona pellucida were all examined using confocal microscopy. RESULTS After 12 weeks of cigarette smoking, mice developed alveolar tissue damage that was determined by an increase in destructive index of the lung parenchyma. The numbers of oocytes recovered and the rates of oocyte maturation were not significantly different from non-smoking mice. However, oocytes from smoking mice had a significantly thicker zona pellucida along with shorter and wider meiotic spindles. Furthermore in total, almost a quarter of oocytes from smoking mice were abnormal as assessed by either errors in chromosomal congression or spindle shape. CONCLUSIONS We have used a novel model of inhalational cigarette smoking to show that chronic smoking has a detrimental effect on oocyte quality, and this can be observed even though oocytes are removed from the ovary and cultured in vitro. © The Author 2011. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com This ArticleHum. Reprod. (2011) 26 (4): 878-884. doi: 10.1093/humrep/deq393 First published online: January 12, 2011Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.
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