Enhancing antioxidant levels and mitochondrial function in porcine oocyte maturation and embryonic development through notoginsenoside R1 supplementation

This study examines the impact of Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1), a compound from Panax notoginseng, on the maturation of porcine oocytes and their embryonic development, focusing on its effects on antioxidant levels and mitochondrial function. This study demonstrates that supplementing in vitro maturation (IVM) medium with NGR1 significantly enhances several biochemical parameters. These include elevated levels of glutathione (GSH), nuclear factor erythrocyte 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and mRNA expression of catalase (CAT) and GPX. Concurrently, we observed a decrease in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and an increase in JC-1 immunofluorescence, mitochondrial distribution, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α (PGC1α) and nuclear NRF2 mRNA levels. Additionally, there was an increase in ATP production and lipid droplets (LDs) immunofluorescence. These biochemical improvements correlate with enhanced embryonic outcomes, including a higher blastocyst rate, increased total cell count, enhanced proliferative capacity and elevated octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct4) and superoxide dismutase 2 (Sod2) gene expression. Furthermore, NGR1 supplementation resulted in decreased apoptosis, reduced caspase 3 (Cas3) and BCL2-Associated X (Bax) mRNA levels and decreased glucose-regulated protein 78 kD (GRP78) immunofluorescence in porcine oocytes undergoing in vitro maturation. These findings suggest that NGR1 plays a crucial role in promoting porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development by providing antioxidant levels and mitochondrial protection.

Transcriptome analysis of porcine oocytes during postovulatory aging

Decreased oocyte quality is a significant contributor to the decline in female fertility that accompanies aging in mammals. Oocytes rely on mRNA stores to support their survival and integrity during the protracted period of transcriptional dormancy as they await ovulation. However, the changes in mRNA levels and interactions that occur during porcine oocyte maturation and aging remain unclear. In this study, the mRNA expression profiles of porcine oocytes during the GV, MII, and aging (24 h after the MII stage) stages were explored by transcriptome sequencing to identify the key genes and pathways that affect oocyte maturation and postovulatory aging. The results showed that 10,929 genes were coexpressed in porcine oocytes during the GV stage, MII stage, and aging stage. In addition, 3037 genes were expressed only in the GV stage, 535 genes were expressed only in the MII stage, and 120 genes were expressed only in the aging stage. The correlation index between the GV and MII stages (0.535) was markedly lower than that between the MII and aging stages (0.942). A total of 3237 genes, which included 1408 upregulated and 1829 downregulated genes, were differentially expressed during porcine oocyte postovulatory aging (aging stage vs. MII stage). Key functional genes, including ATP2A1, ATP2A3, ATP2B2, NDUFS1, NDUFA2, NDUFAF3, SREBF1, CYP11A1, CYP3A29, GPx4, CCP110, STMN1, SPC25, Sirt2, SYCP3, Fascin1/2, PFN1, Cofilin, Tmod3, FLNA, LRKK2, CHEK1/2, DDB1/2, DDIT4L, and TONSL, and key molecular pathways, such as the calcium signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, TGF-β signaling pathway, PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, FoxO signaling pathway, gap junctions, and thermogenesis, were found in abundance during porcine postovulatory aging. These genes are mainly involved in the regulation of many biological processes, such as oxidative stress, calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial function, and lipid peroxidation, during porcine oocyte postovulatory aging. These results contribute to a more in-depth understanding of the biological changes, key regulatory genes and related biological pathways that are involved in oocyte aging and provide a theoretical basis for improving the efficiency of porcine embryo production in vitro and in vivo.

Mangiferin improves early porcine embryonic development by reducing oxidative stress

Mangiferin (MGN) is primarily found in the fruits, leaves, and bark of plants of the Anacardiaceae family, including mangoes. MGN exhibits various pharmacological effects, such as protection of the liver and gallbladder, anti-lipid peroxidation, and cancer prevention. This study aimed to investigate the effects of MGN supplementation during in vitro culture (IVC) on the antioxidant capacity of early porcine embryos and the underlying mechanisms involved. Porcine parthenotes in the IVC medium were exposed to different concentrations of MGN (0, 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μM). The addition of 0.1 μM MGN significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate of porcine embryos while reducing the apoptotic index and autophagy. Furthermore, the expression of antioxidation-related (SOD2, GPX1, NRF2, UCHL1), cell pluripotency (SOX2, NANOG), and mitochondria-related (TFAM, PGC1α) genes was upregulated. In contrast, the expression of apoptosis-related (CAS3, BAX) and autophagy-related (LC3B, ATG5) genes decreased after MGN supplementation. These findings suggest that MGN improves early porcine embryonic development by reducing oxidative stress-related genes.

Apigenin delays postovulatory oocyte aging by reducing oxidative stress through SIRT1 upregulation

After ovulation, senescent oocytes inevitably experience reduced quality and defects in embryonic development. Apigenin (API) is a flavonoid with a wide range of pharmacological effects. Therefore, this study examined the protective effects of API on the quality of porcine oocytes during in-vitro ageing and the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that API treatment could reduce the activation rate after aging for 48 h. In addition, API significantly reduced reactive oxygen species, abnormal distribution of mitochondria, early apoptosis in ageing oocytes, increased glutathione, and mitochondrial adenosine triphosphate levels in ageing oocytes. Importantly, API increased the embryonic development rate in aged oocytes. We also examined molecular changes, finding decreased sirtuin 1 expression in in-vitro postovulatory oocytes, but API reversed this effect. Our results suggest that API attenuates the deterioration of oocyte quality during in-vitro ageing, possibly by reducing oxidative stress through the upregulation of sirtuin 1.

Supplementation with Eupatilin during In Vitro Maturation Improves Porcine Oocyte Developmental Competence by Regulating Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress

Eupatilin (5,7-dihydroxy-3',4',6-trimethoxyflavone) is a flavonoid derived from Artemisia plants that has beneficial biological activities, such as anti-apoptotic, anti-oxidant, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, the protective effects of eupatilin against oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress in porcine oocyte maturation are still unclear. To investigate the effect of eupatilin on the development of porcine oocytes after in vitro maturation and parthenogenetic activation, we added different concentrations of eupatilin in the process of porcine oocyte maturation in vitro, and finally selected the optimal concentration following multiple comparisons and analysis of test results using SPSS (version 17.0; IBM, Chicago, IL, USA) software. The results showed that 0.1 μM eupatilin supplementation did not affect the expansion of porcine cumulus cells, but significantly increased the extrusion rate of porcine oocyte polar bodies, the subsequent blastocyst formation rate, and the quality of parthenogenetically activated porcine embryos. Additionally, it reduced the level of reactive oxygen species in cells and increased glutathione production. Further analysis revealed that eupatilin supplementation could reduce apoptosis, DNA double-strand breaks, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. In conclusion, supplementation with 0.1 μM eupatilin during in vitro maturation improved oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development by reducing oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Chrysoeriol Improves the Early Development Potential of Porcine Oocytes by Maintaining Lipid Homeostasis and Improving Mitochondrial Function

Our previous study established that chrysoeriol (CHE) can reduce reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, apoptosis, and autophagy in vitro culture (IVC) of porcine embryos. However, the role of CHE in oocyte maturation and lipid homeostasis is unclear. Herein, we aimed to elucidate the effect of CHE on porcine oocyte competence in vitro maturation (IVM) and subsequent embryo development. The study chooses parthenogenetic activated porcine oocytes as the research model. The study revealed that the cumulus expansion index and related gene expressions are significantly elevated after supplementing 1 μM CHE. Although there were no significant differences in nuclear maturation and cleavage rates, the blastocyst formation rate and total cell numbers were significantly increased in the 1 μM CHE group. In addition, CHE improved the expression of genes related to oocyte and embryo development. ROS was significantly downregulated in all CHE treatment groups, and intracellular GSH (glutathione) was significantly upregulated in 0.01, 0.1, and 1 μM CHE groups. The immunofluorescence results indicated that mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and lipid droplet (LD), fatty acid (FA), ATP, and functional mitochondria contents significantly increased with 1 μM CHE compared to the control. Furthermore, CHE increased the expression of genes related to lipid metabolism, mitochondrial biogenesis, and β-oxidation.

3D hepatic organoid production from human pluripotent stem cells

Hepatic organoids might provide a golden opportunity for realizing precision medicine in various hepatic diseases. Previously described hepatic organoid protocols from pluripotent stem cells rely on complicated multiple differentiation steps consisting of both 2D and 3D differentiation procedures. Therefore, the spontaneous formation of hepatic organoids from 2D monolayer culture is associated with a low-throughput production, which might hinder the standardization of hepatic organoid production and hamper the translation of this technology to the clinical or industrial setting. Here we describe the stepwise and fully 3D production of hepatic organoids from human pluripotent stem cells. We optimized every differentiation step by screening for optimal concentrations and timing of differentiation signals in each differentiation step. Hepatic organoids are stably expandable without losing their hepatic functionality. Moreover, upon treatment of drugs with known hepatotoxicity, we found hepatic organoids are more sensitive to drug-induced hepatotoxicity compared with 2D hepatocytes differentiated from PSCs, making them highly suitable for in vitro toxicity screening of drug candidates. The standardized fully 3D protocol described in the current study for producing functional hepatic organoids might serve as a novel platform for the industrial and clinical translation of hepatic organoid technology.

Improving the developmental competences of porcine parthenogenetic embryos by Notoginsenoside R1-induced enhancement of mitochondrial activity and alleviation of proapoptotic events

Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1), derived from the Panax notoginseng root and rhizome, exhibits diverse pharmacological influences on the brain, neurons, and osteoblasts, such as antioxidant effects, mitochondrial function protection, energy metabolism regulation, and inhibition of oxygen radicals, apoptosis, and cellular autophagy. However, its effect on early porcine embryonic development remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated NGR1's effects on blastocyst quality, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, glutathione (GSH) levels, mitochondrial function, and embryonic development-related gene expression in porcine embryos by introducing NGR1 during the in vitro culture (IVC) of early porcine embryos. Our results indicate that an addition of 1 μM NGR1 significantly increased glutathione (GSH) levels, blastocyst formation rate, and total cell number and proliferation capacity; decreased ROS levels and apoptosis rates in orphan-activated porcine embryos; and improved intracellular mitochondrial distribution, enhanced membrane potential, and reduced autophagy. In addition, pluripotency-related factor levels were elevated (NANOG and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 [OCT4]), antioxidant-related genes were upregulated (nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 [NRF2]), and apoptosis- (caspase 3 [CAS3]) and autophagy-related genes (light chain 3 [LC3B]) were downregulated. These results indicate that NGR1 can enhance early porcine embryonic development by protecting mitochondrial function.

Protective effect of onion peel extract on ageing mouse oocytes

Mammalian oocytes not fertilized immediately after ovulation can undergo ageing and a rapid decline in quality. The addition of antioxidants can be an efficient approach to delaying the oocyte ageing process. Onion peel extract (OPE) contains quercetin and other flavonoids with natural antioxidant activities. In this study, we investigated the effect of OPE on mouse oocyte ageing and its mechanism of action. The oocytes were aged in vitro in M16 medium for 16 h after adding OPE at different concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, and 500 μg/ml). The addition of 100 μg/ml OPE reduced the oocyte fragmentation rate, decreased the reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, increased the glutathione (GSH) level, and improved the mitochondrial membrane potential compared with the control group. The addition of OPE also increased the expression of SOD1, CAT, and GPX3 genes, and the caspase-3 activity in OPE-treated aged oocytes was significantly lower than that in untreated aged oocytes and similar to that in fresh oocytes. These results indicated that OPE delayed mouse oocyte ageing by reducing oxidative stress and apoptosis and enhancing mitochondrial function.

ID3 regulates progesterone synthesis in bovine cumulus cells through modulation of mitochondrial function

DNA binding inhibitory factor 3 (ID3) has been shown to have a key role in maintaining proliferation and differentiation. It has been suggested that ID3 may also affect mammalian ovarian function. However, the specific roles and mechanisms are unclear. In this study, the expression level of ID3 in cumulus cells (CCs) was inhibited by siRNA, and the downstream regulatory network of ID3 was uncovered by high-throughput sequencing. The effects of ID3 inhibition on mitochondrial function, progesterone synthesis, and oocyte maturation were further explored. The GO and KEGG analysis results showed that after ID3 inhibition, differentially expressed genes, including StAR, CYP11A1, and HSD3B1, were involved in cholesterol-related processes and progesterone-mediated oocyte maturation. Apoptosis in CC was increased, while the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 was inhibited. During this process, mitochondrial dynamics and function were disrupted. In addition, the first polar body extrusion rate, ATP production and antioxidation capacity were reduced, which suggested that ID3 inhibition led to poor oocyte maturation and quality. The results will provide a new basis for understanding the biological roles of ID3 as well as cumulus cells.

Production of Highly Uniform Midbrain Organoids from Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

Brain organoids have been considered as an advanced platform for in vitro disease modeling and drug screening, but numerous roadblocks exist, such as lack of large-scale production technology and lengthy protocols with multiple manipulation steps, impeding the industrial translation of brain organoid technology. Here, we describe the high-speed and large-scale production of midbrain organoids using a high-throughput screening-compatible platform within 30 days. Micro midbrain organoids (µMOs) exhibit a highly uniform morphology and gene expression pattern with minimal variability. Notably, µMOs show dramatically accelerated maturation, resulting in the generation of functional µMOs within only 30 days of differentiation. Furthermore, individual µMOs display highly consistent responsiveness to neurotoxin, suggesting their usefulness as an in vitro high-throughput drug toxicity screening platform. Collectively, our data indicate that µMO technology could represent an advanced and robust platform for in vitro disease modeling and drug screening for human neuronal diseases.

Melatonin Supplementation during In Vitro Maturation of Porcine Oocytes Alleviates Oxidative Stress and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Induced by Imidacloprid Exposure

Imidacloprid (IMI) is an endogenous neonicotinoid insecticide widely used in agriculture and has attracted researchers' attention because of its risks to the environment and human health. Melatonin (MT) is an antioxidant hormone produced by the pineal gland of the brain. Studies have shown that it has a variety of physiological functions and plays a crucial role in the development of animal germ cells and embryos. The potential protective effects of MT against oocyte damage caused by neonicotinoid pesticide toxicity remain unclear. In this study, we report the toxicity of IMI against, and its effects on the quality of, porcine oocytes and the protective effect of MT on IMI-exposed oocytes. The results show that IMI exposure adversely affected oocyte maturation, while MT supplementation ameliorated its toxic effects. Specifically, IMI exposure increased oxidative stress (OS), endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), and apoptosis, which may affect polar body expulsion rates and blastocyst formation. Also, IMI exposure reduced oocyte cleavage rates and the number of cells in blastocysts. However, all of these toxic effects can be restored after a melatonin supplementation treatment. In conclusion, these results suggest that melatonin has a protective effect on IMI-induced defects during porcine oocyte maturation.

Xanthoangelol promotes early embryonic development of porcine embryos by relieving endoplasmic reticulum stress and enhancing mitochondrial function

RESEARCH QUESTION

Does the addition of an antioxidant agent, xanthoangelol (XAG), to the culture medium improve in-vitro development of porcine embryos?

DESIGN

Early porcine embryos were incubated in the presence of 0.5 μmol/l XAG in in-vitro culture (IVC) media and analysed using various techniques, including immunofluorescence staining, reactive oxygen species (ROS) detection, TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL), and reverse transcription followed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR).

RESULTS

The addition of 0.5 μmol/l XAG to IVC media increased the rate of blastocyst formation, total cell number, glutathione concentrations and proliferative capacity, while reducing reactive oxygen species concentrations, apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, upon XAG treatment, the abundance of mitochondria and mitochondrial membrane potential significantly increased (both P < 0.001), and the genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis (TFAM, NRF1 and NRF2) were significantly up-regulated (all P < 0.001). XAG treatment also significantly increased the endoplasmic reticulum abundance (P < 0.001) and reduced the concentrations of endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) marker GRP78 (P = 0.003) and expression of the ERS-related genes EIF2α, GRP78, CHOP, ATF6, ATF4, uXBP1 and sXBP 1 (all P < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

XAG promotes early embryonic development in porcine embryos in vitro by reducing oxidative stress, enhancing mitochondrial function and relieving ERS.

BDE-47 Induces Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress to Inhibit Early Porcine Embryonic Development

Widely used as a flame retardant, 2,2'4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) is a persistent environmental pollutant with toxicological effects, including hepatotoxicity, neurotoxicity, reproductive toxicity, and endocrine disruption. To investigate the toxicological effects of BDE-47 on early porcine embryogenesis in vitro, cultured porcine embryos were exposed to BDE-47 during early development. Exposure to 100 μM BDE-47 decreased the blastocyst rate and mRNA level of pluripotency genes but increased the level of LC3 and the expression of autophagy-related genes. After BDE-47 exposure, porcine embryos' antioxidant capability decreased; ROS levels increased, while glutathione (GSH) levels and the expression of antioxidant-related genes decreased. In addition, BDE-47 exposure reduced mitochondrial abundance and mitochondrial membrane potential levels, downregulated mitochondrial biogenesis-associated genes, decreased endoplasmic reticulum (ER) abundance, increased the levels of GRP78, a marker of ER stress (ERS), and upregulated the expression of ERS-related genes. However, ER damage and low embryo quality induced by BDE-47 exposure were reversed with the ERS inhibitor, the 4-phenylbutyric acid. In conclusion, BDE-47 inhibits the development of early porcine embryos in vitro by inducing mitochondrial dysfunction and ERS. This study sheds light on the mechanisms of BDE-47-induced embryonic toxicity.

Customized liver organoids as an advanced in vitro modeling and drug discovery platform for non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its progressive form non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have presented a major and common health concern worldwide due to their increasing prevalence and progressive development of severe pathological conditions such as cirrhosis and liver cancer. Although a large number of drug candidates for the treatment of NASH have entered clinical trial testing, all have not been released to market due to their limited efficacy, and there remains no approved treatment for NASH available to this day. Recently, organoid technology that produces 3D multicellular aggregates with a liver tissue-like cytoarchitecture and improved functionality has been suggested as a novel platform for modeling the human-specific complex pathophysiology of NAFLD and NASH. In this review, we describe the cellular crosstalk between each cellular compartment in the liver during the pathogenesis of NAFLD and NASH. We also summarize the current state of liver organoid technology, describing the cellular diversity that could be recapitulated in liver organoids and proposing a future direction for liver organoid technology as an in vitro platform for disease modeling and drug discovery for NAFLD and NASH.

6-Gingerol Improves In Vitro Porcine Embryo Development by Reducing Oxidative Stress

6-Gingerol, the main active ingredient in ginger, exhibits a variety of biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anticancer activities, and can affect cell development. However, the effects of 6-gingerol on mammalian reproductive processes, especially early embryonic development, are unclear. This study explored whether 6-gingerol can be used to improve the quality of in vitro-cultured porcine embryos. The results showed that 5 μM 6-gingerol significantly increased the blastocyst formation rates of porcine early embryos. 6-Gingerol attenuated intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation and autophagy, increased intracellular glutathione levels, and increased mitochondrial activity. In addition, 6-gingerol upregulated NANOG, SRY-box transcription factor 2, cytochrome c oxidase subunit II, mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase, and RPTOR independent companion of MTOR complex 2 while downregulating Caspase 3, baculoviral IAP repeat containing 5, autophagy related 12, and Beclin 1. Most importantly, 6-gingerol significantly increased the levels of p-extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 while reducing the levels of p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1/2/3 and p-p38. These results indicate that 6-gingerol can promote the development of porcine early embryos in vitro.

Rapid Screening and Comparison of Chimeric Lysins for Antibacterial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus Strains

Chimeric lysins composed of various combinations of cell wall-lysing (enzymatic) and cell-wall-binding (CWB) domains of endolysins, autolysins, and bacteriocins have been developed as alternatives to or adjuvants of conventional antibiotics. The screening of multiple chimeric lysin candidates for activity via E. coli expression is not cost effective, and we previously reported on a simple cell-free expression system as an alternative. In this study, we sufficiently improved upon this cell-free expression system for use in screening activity via a turbidity reduction test, which is more appropriate than a colony reduction test when applied in multiple screening. Using the improved protocol, we screened and compared the antibacterial activity of chimeric lysin candidates and verified the relatively strong activity associated with the CHAP (cysteine, histidine-dependent amidohydrolase/peptidase) domain of secretory antigen SsaA-like protein (ALS2). ALS2 expressed in E. coli showed two major bands, and the smaller one (subprotein) was shown to be expressed by an innate downstream promoter and start codon (ATG). The introduction of synonymous mutations in the promoter resulted in clearly reduced expression of the subprotein, whereas missense mutations in the start codon abolished antibacterial activity as well as subprotein production. Interestingly, most of the S. aureus strains responsible for bovine mastitis were susceptible to ALS2, but those from human and chicken were less susceptible. Thus, the simple and rapid screening method can be applied to select functional chimeric lysins and define mutations affecting antibacterial activity, and ALS2 may be useful in itself and as a lead molecule to control bovine mastitis.

Chrysoeriol Improves In Vitro Porcine Embryo Development by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Autophagy

Chrysoeriol (CHE) is a flavonoid substance that exists in many plants. It has various physiological and pharmacological effects, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-tumor, and protective activity, especially for the cardiovascular system and liver. Among common livestock embryos, porcine embryos are often considered high-quality objects for studying the antioxidant mechanisms of oocytes. Because porcine embryos contain high levels of lipids, they are more vulnerable to external stimuli, which affect development. Our study explored the influence of CHE supplementation on oxidative stress in porcine oocytes and its possible mechanisms. Different concentrations of CHE (0, 0.1, 1, and 3 µM) were supplemented in the in vitro culture medium of the porcine oocytes. The results showed that supplementation with 1 µM CHE significantly increased the blastocyst rate and total cell number of embryos in vitro. After finding the beneficial effects of CHE, we measured reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) when the oocytes reached the 4-cell stage of development and determined the levels of apoptosis, cell proliferation, and autophagy at the blastocyst stage of development. The expression levels of some related genes were preliminarily detected by qRT-PCR. The results showed that the apoptosis of blastocysts in the CHE-treated culture also decreased compared with the untreated culture. Furthermore, CHE downregulated intracellular ROS and increased GSH in the embryos. CHE was also shown to improve the activity of mitochondria and inhibit the occurrence of autophagy. In addition, antioxidant-related genes (SOD1, SOD2, and CAT) and cell pluripotency-related genes (SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG) were upregulated. At the same time, apoptosis-related (Caspase 3) and autophagy-related (LC3B) genes showed a downward trend after supplementation with CHE. These results indicate that CHE improved the development of porcine embryos in vitro by reducing oxidative stress and autophagy levels.

Safety of macitentan for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension: Real‐world experience from the OPsumit® USers Registry (OPUS) and OPsumit® Historical USers cohort (OrPHeUS)

Macitentan is an oral endothelin receptor antagonist for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The OPsumit® USers Registry (OPUS) and the OPsumit® Historical USers cohort (OrPHeUS) medical chart review provide real‐world data for patients newly initiating macitentan. This study aims to describe the characteristics, safety profile, and clinical outcomes of PAH patients newly treated with macitentan in the combined OPUS/OrPHeUS data set. OPUS was a prospective, multicenter, long‐term, observational drug registry from April 2014 to June 2020. OrPHeUS was a retrospective, US, multicenter chart review: observation period October 2013 to March 2017. All analyses were descriptive. At registry closure in June 2020, the combined population consisted of 5654 patients, of whom 81.9% were diagnosed with PAH. For these 4626 patients, median duration of macitentan exposure observed was 14.5 (Q1 = 5.2, Q3 = 29.0) months; idiopathic PAH (54.8%) was the most common form of PAH; macitentan was initiated as monotherapy (37.9%), or as part of double (48.0%) or triple therapy (14.1%); discontinuation due to nonhepatic/hepatic adverse events occurred in 17.1%/0.3% of patients; 9.9% of patients experienced ≥1 hepatic adverse events; Kaplan–Meier estimates showed that at 1 year 59.9% (95% confidence interval: 58.3, 61.5) of patients were free from hospitalization and survival was 90.4% (89.3, 91.3). This analysis of real‐world data from the combined OPUS and OrPHeUS populations demonstrated that macitentan is well tolerated in a large, diverse population of PAH patients, with overall and hepatic safety profiles consistent with previous macitentan clinical trials.

Concomitant initiation of combination therapy with macitentan and tadalafil in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients with comorbidities: real-world data from OPUS and OrPHeUS

Background

Guidelines for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) recommend early combination therapy of an endothelial receptor antagonist (ERA) and a phosphodiesterase type-5 inhibitor (PDE5i) [1]. There is, however, limited guidance about the management of PAH patients with comorbidities.

Purpose

To describe the demographics, clinical characteristics, safety, tolerability, and outcomes associated with initiation of the ERA macitentan and the PDE5i tadalafil in patients with comorbidities in the US OPsumit® USers (OPUS) and the OPsumit® Historical USers cohort (OrPHeUS) combined dataset.

Methods

This analysis reports data from the OPUS registry (Apr 2014–Jun 2020) and OrPHeUS medical chart review (Oct 2013–Mar 2017) on PAH patients initiating macitentan and tadalafil (M+T) combination therapy, in any order, as concomitant initiation (≤60 days apart, concomitant initiation group). The index date was defined as the start date of the second therapy (i.e., the start of combination therapy). Patients were further grouped by the number of comorbidities present prior to or at macitentan initiation: systemic hypertension, diabetes, renal insufficiency, BMI ≥30 kg/m2, other signs of right heart failure and atrial fibrillation. Results are presented descriptively alongside results for all PAH patients receiving M+T combination therapy (overall M+T group).

Results

Of the 1336 PAH patients that received M+T combination therapy, 431 (32%) were in the concomitant initiation group. In the concomitant initiation and overall M+T groups, respectively: 72% and 68% had ≥1 comorbidity, and the most common were systemic hypertension (47% and 47%), obesity (32% and 26%) and diabetes (23% and 22%). Patients were more likely to be older, male and have idiopathic/heritable PAH with increasing comorbidity burden (Table 1). Patients in the concomitant initiation group were more likely to be incident (median time from diagnosis: 1–2 months vs 9–24 months in the overall M+T group; Table 1). Most patients had ≥1 adverse event (AE); in both groups, patients with a high comorbidity burden (≥3) were more likely to have had an AE and to have discontinued treatment (Table 2). The incidence rate of first all-cause hospitalisation and mortality by comorbidity was comparable between the concomitant initiation and overall M+T groups.

Conclusions

In the real-world, concomitant initiation of M+T is used in PAH patients with comorbidities, usually shortly after diagnosis. Patient characteristics were similar for the concomitant initiation and overall M+T groups, with the exception of time from diagnosis. At index date, age, gender proportion, and PAH aetiology differed between the comorbidity groups. The safety profile of M+T combination therapy in the concomitant initiation group was consistent with that in the overall M+T group.

Funding Acknowledgement

Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): Actelion Pharmaceuticals Ltd, a Janssen Pharmaceutical Company of Johnson & Johnson

Wedelolactone facilitates the early development of parthenogenetically activated porcine embryos by reducing oxidative stress and inhibiting autophagy

Wedelolactone (WDL) is a coumaryl ether compound extracted from the traditional Chinese medicinal plant, Eclipta prostrata L. It is a natural polyphenol that exhibits a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-free radical, and antioxidant activities in the bone, brain, and ovary. However, its effect on embryonic development remains unknown. The present study explored the influence of WDL supplementation of porcine oocytes culture in vitro on embryonic development and the underlying mechanisms and its effect on the levels of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1/nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Keap1/Nrf2/ARE). The results showed that WDL (2.5 nM) significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate, mitochondrial activity, and proliferation ability while reducing the reactive oxygen species accumulation, apoptosis, and autophagy. These findings suggested that WDL can enhance the growth and development of early porcine embryos to alleviate oxidative stress and autophagy through regulating NRF2 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (MAP1LC3) gene expression levels.

Oroxin A reduces oxidative stress, apoptosis, and autophagy and improves the developmental competence of porcine embryos in vitro

Oroxin A (OA) is a flavonoid isolated from Oroxylum indicum (L.) Kurz that has various biological activities, including antioxidant activities. This study aimed to examine the viability of using OA in an in vitro culture (IVC) medium for its antioxidant effects and related molecular mechanisms on porcine blastocyst development. In this study, we investigated the effects of OA on early porcine embryo development via terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine labeling, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, and immunocytochemistry. Embryos cultured in the IVC medium supplemented with 2.5 μM of OA had an increased blastocyst formation rate, total cell number, and proliferation capacity, along with a low apoptosis rate. OA supplementation decreased reactive oxygen species levels, while increasing glutathione levels. OA-treated embryos exhibited an improved intracellular mitochondrial membrane potential and reduced autophagy. Moreover, levels of pluripotency- and antioxidant-related genes were upregulated, whereas those of apoptosis- and autophagy-related genes were downregulated by OA addition. In conclusion, OA improves preimplantation embryonic development by reducing oxidative stress and enhancing mitochondrial function.

Citrinin impairs pig oocyte maturation by inducing oxidative stress and apoptosis

Citrinin (CTN) is a polyketide mycotoxin produced by several strains of Penicillium, Monascus, and Aspergillus. While CTN poses various toxic effects on the female reproductive system in animals, its direct effects on germ cell development are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of increasing concentrations of CTN (0,20,40,80,100 μM) on porcine oocyte in vitro maturation. Our results indicate that CTN supplementation inhibited polar body extrusion in a dose-dependent manner. Actin and spindle assembly were also disrupted after treatment, indicating that CTN affects the cytoskeleton of porcine oocytes. Oxidative stress and apoptosis were observed under CTN treatment to explore the cause of meiotic maturation failure in porcine oocytes. The results showed that reactive oxygen species levels, cathepsin B activity, and caspase-3 activity were increased in the treated group, indicating that CTN induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. In conclusion, CTN exposure could reduce porcine oocyte maturation by affecting cytoskeletal dynamics, oxidative stress, and apoptosis.

Derivation of iPSC lines from two idiopathic ASD patients (OFi001-A, OFi002-A)

Here we described two human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) lines from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of idiopathic autism spectrum disorder (ASD) patients through forced expression of OCT4, SOX2, KLF4, and c-MYC. The hiPSC lines displayed morphology, gene expression patterns, and pluripotential differentiation potentials similar to those of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). The hiPSC lines from idiopathic ASD patients might be useful to unveil the underlying mechanism of idiopathic ASD and finding its therapeutics.