Elsevier

Reproductive Toxicology

Volume 12, Issue 1, January–February 1998, Pages 57-68
Reproductive Toxicology

Original contribution
Cigarette smoke inhibits oocyte cumulus complex pick-up by the oviduct in vitro independent of ciliary beat frequency

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0890-6238(97)00100-7Get rights and content

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to quantify the effects of acute exposure to mainstream (MS) and sidestream (SS) smoke solutions on oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate in expiants of hamster oviducts using a newly developed in vitro assay. Experiments were performed in handmade perfusion chambers using infundibula from hamster oviducts and oocyte cumulus complexes harvested from mature ovarian follicles. Oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate was measured by placing a stained oocyte cumulus complex at the base of the infundibulum and recording the length of time needed for the complex to traverse a defined path to the ostium. Addition of either whole MS or SS smoke solutions to the perfusion chamber caused a dose dependent decrease in oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate. Unexpectedly, upon washout of smoke solutions with control medium, oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate continued to decline. The gas phase of MS smoke is more inhibitory than the particulate phase, while SS gas and particulate phases inhibit oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate at equivalent doses. Ciliary beat frequency and oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate were measured using the same infundibular expiants to determine if smoke solutions decrease oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate by inhibiting ciliary beat frequency. Ciliary beat frequency decreased in MS smoke solutions and recovered either partially or completely after washout of the smoke solutions. SS smoke solutions either produced no change in ciliary beat frequency or stimulated ciliary beat frequency. Oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate decreased in both MS and SS smoke solutions and further declined during washout when ciliary beat frequency was equivalent to or higher than controls. These data show that oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate and ciliary beat frequency can be uncoupled and that smoke solutions inhibit oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate by affecting factors in addition to ciliary beat frequency. Possible reasons for the smoke induced decrease in oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate are discussed. These results may explain the increased incidence of tubal infertility and ectopic pregnancy observed in women who smoke.

References (49)

  • RJ Stillman et al.

    Smoking and reproduction

    Fertil Steril

    (1986)
  • W-H Chow et al.

    Maternal cigarette smoking and tubal pregnancy

    Obstet Gynecol

    (1988)
  • T Nakatani et al.

    Morphology of the intercapsular segment of the oviduct of the golden hamster with special reference to ovum-transit from ruptured follicles to the ampulla

    Experientia

    (1985)
  • JK Harper

    Gamete and zygote transport

  • R Blandau

    Gamete transport-comparative aspects

  • SA Haibert et al.

    Ovum transport in the rat oviductal ampulla in the absence of muscle contractility

    Biol Reprod

    (1989)
  • RHF Hunter

    Modulation of gamete and embryonic microenvironments by oviduct glycoproteins

    Molec Reprod Develop

    (1994)
  • A Neri et al.

    Effect of nicotine on the motility of the oviducts in the Rhesus monkey: a preliminary report

    J Reprod Fertil

    (1972)
  • J Mitchell et al.

    Effects of nicotine on oviductal blood flow and embryo development in the rat

    J Reprod Fertil

    (1985)
  • M Knoll et al.

    Ciliary beat frequency of hamster oviducts is decreased in vitro by exposure to solutions of mainstream and sidestream cigarette smoke

    Biol Reprod

    (1995)
  • S Huang et al.

    In vitro analysis of oocyte cumulus complex pick-up rate in the hamster Mesocricetus auratus

    Molecular Reprod Devel

    (1997)
  • G DiCarlantonio et al.

    Analysis of ciliary beat frequencies in hamster oviductal expiants

    J Exp Zool

    (1995)
  • MO Puikkinen

    Oviductal function is critical for very early human life

    Ann Med

    (1995)
  • EPA

    EPA Report/600/6-90/006F: Respiratory health effects of passive smoking: lung cancer and other disorders

    (1992)
  • Cited by (102)

    • Cigarette smoking impairs clinical outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies: A meta-analysis of the literature

      2018, Reproductive Toxicology
      Citation Excerpt :

      Tubal and endometrial functions appeared to be compromised by a cigarette smoking habit [3] with repercussions not only on the clinical pregnancy rate but also on the miscarriage and the ectopic pregnancy rates in smokers. Concerning the tubal function, cigarette smoking impacted the tubal ciliary quantity [67] and the ciliary beat frequency [68–70], suggesting a possible association between cigarette smoking and the risk of ectopic pregnancy. An obvious limitation of our research is that the considered studies, although satisfying the inclusion criteria, do not examine patients with a comparable age between the groups.

    • Embryo transport

      2018, Encyclopedia of Reproduction
    • Cigarette smoking and reproductive and developmental toxicity

      2017, Reproductive and Developmental Toxicology
    • Thirdhand smoke: Chemical dynamics, cytotoxicity, and genotoxicity in outdoor and indoor environments

      2016, Toxicology in Vitro
      Citation Excerpt :

      The car exposure chamber was closed but the lid and the three ports were not sealed to allow some ventilation. Marlboro Red cigarettes were puffed using ISO standards (2 s puffs × 35 ml puff volumes for 1 min) on a smoking machine as described previously (Knoll and Talbot, 1998; Knoll et al., 1995) using a MasterFlex peristaltic pump (Barnart Company, Barrington, IL, Model #7520-00) to generate sidestream smoke which entered the chamber through polyvinylchloride tubing (Cole Parmer MasterFlex Tygon) for 4 min/day (1 min every 2 h for 8 h) over a total of 30 days (Fig. 1B). This is equivalent to about 20 cigarettes being smoked in a car/day, assuming it takes about 10 min for a person to smoke one cigarette.

    View all citing articles on Scopus

    This work was supported by Grants #4RT0081 and #6RT-0039 from the Tobacco Related Disease Research Program.

    View full text