Cyclic QDE peptide increases fertilization rates and provides healthy pups in mouse  Virginie Barraud-Lange, M.D., Nathalie Naud-Barriant, Ph.D., Béatrice Ducot, M.D., Stéphane Chambris, B.S., Morgane Bomsel, Ph.D., Jean-Philippe Wolf, M.D., Ph.D., Ahmed Ziyyat, Ph.D.  Fertility and Sterility  Volume 91, Issue 5, Pages 2110-2115 (May 2009) DOI: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.05.088 Copyright © 2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

Figure 1 Binding of the cyclic QDE peptide to mouse oocytes. (A) Cyclic QDE bound to zona-intact oocyte (B) but not on the area surrounding metaphase. Zona-intact mouse oocytes were incubated with biotinylated cQDE or PBS followed by Alexa 594 streptavidin incubation. Bound peptide was detected by indirect immunofluorescence. (C) Negative control was performed by oocyte incubation with streptavidin Alexa 594. ∗Amicrovillar region was not stained. (Bar = 20 μm.) Fertility and Sterility 2009 91, 2110-2115DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.05.088) Copyright © 2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions

Figure 2 Effect of cyclic QDE peptide on the fertilization ability of the cumulus complex. Oocytes were inseminated with spermatozoa at 105/mL in absence (control) and the presence of cQDE peptide at 100 μM. The fertilization rate (number of eggs fused with at least one sperm over the number of metaphase II oocytes) was determined (mean ± SD of four different experiments). Spermatozoa were considered fused when their nuclei were seen decondensed into the ooplasm. Numbers above represent the number of oocytes in each group. ∗Statistically significant difference from control (P<.0001). IVF: in vitro fertilization; spz: spermatozoa. Fertility and Sterility 2009 91, 2110-2115DOI: (10.1016/j.fertnstert.2008.05.088) Copyright © 2009 American Society for Reproductive Medicine Terms and Conditions