Nuclear magnetic resonance analysis of female and male pre-hatching embryo metabolites at the embryo-maternal interface

Introduction Bovine female and male embryos differentially release metabolites with signalling effects to culture media. However, it is unknown if the embryo-maternal interface (EMI) metabolome is modified by embryonic sex. Objective To analyse using a combination of 1H NMR and a co-culture of endometrial cells the EMI. Results Twenty-six metabolites were identified and quantified in the EMI, nine metabolites reflected the sex of the embryo rather than their presence. Conclusions 1H NMR is sensitive enough to perform quantitative analysis of sex-induced differences in the EMI. These results may help to understand the embryo-maternal dialogue on the basis of embryonic sex.