Impaired DNA Repair as a Mechanism for Oocyte Aging: Is It Epigenetically Determined?

DNA damage is one of the most common insults that challenge all cells, and more so in resting cell-like oocytes. Increased DNA damage in aged oocyte has been shown to negatively impact the reproductive outcomes. The underlying molecular mechanism is still not completely comprehended, but based on the literature, this decline in the aging oocyte is attributed to impaired DNA repair and epigenetic modifications of these genes with increasing age. In this review, we discuss these molecular alterations and the epigenetic modifications in the DNA double strand break repair gene expressions as a mechanism of oocyte aging. Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.