Effects of Developmental Stage, Embryonic Interferon-tau Secretion and Recipient Synchrony on Pregnancy Rate after Transfer of in vitro Produced Bovine Blastocysts

Three separate trials of bovine embryo transfers were performed consisting of 32, 41 and 33 transfers, respectively, to examine the effects of (a) the developmental stage of in vitro-derived blastocysts, (b) the amount of interferon-tau (IFN-tau) they secreted during culture and (c) the cyclic stage of the recipient at the time of transfer on the probability of establishment of pregnancy. One blastocyst was transferred into the ipsilateral uterine horn to the CL. At the time of transfer, blastocysts were classified into one of three developmental stages (early blastocyst, blastocyst and expanded blastocyst) and the cyclic stage of each cow was assessed (-12 h, on time, +12 h, +24 h, >24 h). Prior to the second and third trials, blastocysts were individually cultured for 24 h in 50 microl medium droplets and the IFN-tau concentration in the droplet was determined. Logistic regression analyses revealed that expanded blastocysts had a significantly higher likelihood of establishing pregnancy (p = 0.009), and that there was a significant interaction with the cyclic stage of the recipient in this group with lower rates of pregnancy resulting from decreasing synchrony with the recipient (p = 0.033). IFN-tau secretion during culture was significantly higher in expanded blastocysts than in the other two groups (p < 0.05). A significant effect of the pre-transfer level of IFN-tau secretion was found only in the 'Blastocyst' group where transfer of embryos with lower IFN-tau production prior to transfer resulted in higher pregnancy rates (p = 0.047). These results demonstrate that IFN-tau secretion may be a useful tool to predict pregnancy outcome, but only within certain developmental stages.

30USE OF ADULT STEM/PROGENITOR CELLS AS NUCLEAR DONORS TO PRODUCE CLONED PORCINE EMBRYOS

Incomplete or defective nuclear reprogramming may be responsible for low cloning efficiencies. Less differentiated stem cells are thought to be more easily reprogrammed, resulting in improved survival of cloned mice (Rideout WM III et al., 2000 Nat. Genet. 24, 109–110). Our objective was to establish porcine mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) cultures and use these as donor cells in nuclear transfer (NT). A bone marrow (BM) aspirate was collected from an anesthetized gilt. BM mononuclear cells were isolated by centrifugation over a density gradient (Histopaque-1077; Sigma, St. Louis, MO, USA), resuspended in low glucose DMEM (Gibco) plus 10% FBS and plated on flasks; fibroblast-like MSCs were later passaged. Ear skin fibroblast (SF) cultures from the same BM donor gilt were established. Cultures of MSC and SF were exposed to lipogenic, osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation media (Pittenger MF et al., 1999 Science 284, 143–147) for 14 days. Cells cultured in DMEM with 10% FBS served as controls. Differentiation was assessed by histochemical methods. Calcium deposits and alkaline phosphatase (AP) activity (Vector Red AP Substrate Kit, Vector Labs) were indicative of osteogenic differentiation. MSCs cultured under osteogenic conditions were positive for AP activity and developed a black color after von Kossa staining, indicative of calcium deposition. Oil red O stain identified cellular lipid accumulation. When exposed to adipogenic differentiation media, 10–15% of MSCs developed an adipocyte phenotype with lipid droplet accumulation and oil red O staining. Lipogenic differentiation was not observed in SF and control cultures. Presence of acidic mucopolysaccharides associated with cartilage formation was determined by alcian blue stain. MSCs exposed to chondrogenic conditions were alcian blue-positive, and SF and control cultures were alcian blue negative. For NT, confluent (passage 2) MSC and SF cultures were exposed to roscovitine (15μM; Sigma) for 24h. In vitro-matured oocytes were enucleated and a single cell (MSC or SF) was transferred into the periviteline space. Cell-oocyte couplets were fused in Zimmerman’s medium with a single electric pulse (250V/mm for 20μs) delivered through a needle-type electrode. NT units were electrically activated (2 pulses of 100V/mm for 60μs separated by 5s) in a chamber 1h after fusion and transferred to NCSU-23 medium. Embryos were examined for cleavage and blastocyst formation at 2 and 7 days after NT, respectively. Cleavage rates were 53.3% (40/75) for MSC and 59.7% (46/77) for SF NT embryos. Development to blastocyst stage was 6.6% (5/75) in the MSC group and 1.2% (1/77) in SF group. In conclusion, we established an adult MSC line from a live animal using a minimally invasive BM aspiration technique. Additionally, MSC donor-derived NTs developed to the blastocyst stage. Further experiments will determine nuclear reprogramming in MSC-derived NT embryos.

291PRESENCE OF PLATELET-ACTIVATING FACTOR (PAF) RECEPTOR IN BULL SPERM AND POSITIVE CORRELATION OF SPERM PAF CONTENT WITH FERTILITY

Male fertility involves the capacity to obtain viable pregnancy and offspring after insemination. Currently, the most common way to measure bull fertility is through non-return rates (NRR) calculated after insemination of many females. However, this method is time-consuming and expensive. A number of biochemical molecules in sperm have been proposed as potential predictors of male fertility, e.g. platelet-activating factor (PAF). Platelet-activating factor (1-O-alkyl-2-O-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine) is a ubiquitous phospholipid that is implicated in the mediation of a wide variety of reproductive processes. The mechanism of PAF’s action is a receptor-mediated event reported to affect intracellular calcium levels. Bull sperm contain PAF and its content has a positive relationship with motility. While the PAF-receptor has been reported in other species, it has not been demonstrated in bull sperm. Therefore, our objectives were to determine: 1. the relationship between PAF content in bull sperm and Estimated Relative Conception Rates (ERCR, a 3-year rolling average of NRR); and 2. the presence of the PAF-receptor in bull sperm. Sperm PAF content for bulls (n=8) with different ERCR was determined by radioimmunoassay. PAF-receptor expression was determined as follows: total RNA was purified by acid phenol extraction and ethanol precipitation. Complementary DNAs were synthesized by reverse transcriptase with dNTPs and random primers at 37°C, 60min; followed by 65°C, 5min. Reverse transcription (cDNA) products were amplified with Taq polymerase, dNTP, and PAF receptor primer pair (upper, 5′-AATCCAGTCACCCTGGTTGTAG-3′; lower, 5′-TGGACTCAGAGTTCCGATACAC-3′) at 94°C, 1min; 55°C, 1min; 72°C, 1min for 35 cycles followed by 72°C, 7min. RT-PCR products were analyzed by 2% agarose gel electrophoresis. PAF-receptor protein was determined as follows: PBS-washed bull sperm was exposed to human PAF-receptor antibody at 4°C for 3h, washed in PBS, then exposed to fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated anti-IgG for 90min at 37°C, and again washed in PBS. Specimens were examined by epifluorescence microscopy at 400×. PAF content in bull sperm ranged from 1.39ng/106 sperm cells to 13.68ng/106 sperm cells. There was a positive correlation (P&lt;0.05) between PAF content and ERCR. Presence of PAF-receptors in bull sperm was confirmed by immunofluorescence. However, distribution of PAF-receptors in bull sperm was not uniform within or between specimens. A cDNA clone containing the coding region for PAF-receptor was isolated from bull sperm using a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction protocol. There is a positive correlation (R=0.40; P&lt;0.05) between PAF content in sperm and in vivo fertility of individual bulls as determined by NRR. Molecular and immunofluorescence data confirm the presence of PAF-receptor (mRNA and protein) in bull sperm. Additional studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanism of PAF’s action in sperm. Early selection for fertility in bulls represents a potentially valuable application to enhance efficiency in cattle breeding.

Effect of leukemia inhibitory factor on bovine embryos produced in vitro under chemically defined conditions

The objective of these experiments was to assess putative embryotrophic effects of leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) on bovine preimplantation development in chemically defined media. Recombinant human LIF was added to embryo culture media at a concentration of 100 ng/ml. When added for culture of morulae LIF had no positive effect on the proportion of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage. However, LIF significantly reduced development to the blastocyst stage when added for culture of 4-cell stage embryos (P<0.05). In contrast, a positive effect was found for progression of blastocyst development. In vitro blastocyst hatching rates were significantly improved in the presence of LIF (P<0.02). Number of total cells and of inner cell mass (ICM) cells were increased in LIF-treated blastocysts. In vitro survival of frozen-thawed blastocysts was not improved by adding LIF to morula stage embryos before cryopreservation. The pregnancy rate after direct transfer of cryopreserved LIF-treated embryos was not different from that for untreated control embryos. Data indicate that addition of LIF has no major beneficial effect on bovine embryos produced in these chemically defined conditions.

Determination of neutron absorbed doses in lithium aluminates

Lithium-based ceramics have been proposed as tritium breeders for fusion reactors. The lithium aluminate (gamma phase) seems to be thermally and structurally stable, the damages produced by neutron irradiation depend on the absorbed dose. A method based on the measurement of neutron activation of foils through neutron capture has been developed to obtain the neutron absorbed dose in lithium aluminates irradiated in the thermal column facility and in the fixed irradiation system of a Triga Mark III Nuclear Reactor.

Orthostatic headache syndrome with CSF leak secondary to bony pathology of the cervical spine

The syndrome of orthostatic (low pressure) headaches is well described and most commonly occurs following deliberate violation of the dura (e.g. lumbar puncture). This syndrome can also occur spontaneously and results from the leakage of CSF. We describe three patients who suffered from spontaneous CSF leaks secondary to bony pathology of the cervical spine, and propose that this may be a more common aetiology than originally thought. Often these patients are difficult to manage medically, and surgery may be necessary for symptomatic relief.

Offspring resulting from direct transfer of cryopreserved bovine embryos produced in vitro in chemically defined media

The present work was designed to study the in vitro and in vivo viability, as assessed by blastocyst formation, pregnancy rate and term delivery of bovine embryos produced under completely defined conditions with or without insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) following direct transfer after cryopreservation. Slaughterhouse-derived bovine oocytes were matured for 24h, fertilized with frozen-thawed spermatozoa and cultured in vitro under completely defined conditions with or without exposure to IGF-I (5 ng/ml). Only those embryos classified as excellent or good quality blastocysts were frozen. Each blastocyst was individually loaded into a straw, seeded and pre-cooled to -7 degrees C. After 10 min at -7 degrees C straws were frozen further to -30 degrees C at a rate of 0.3 degrees C/min and then plunged into liquid nitrogen. Synchronized recipient cows received one embryo in the horn ipsilateral to the corpus luteum (CL). Pregnancies were diagnosed by ultrasonography 35-45 days after embryo transfer (ET). IGF-I failed to improve cleavage rate, as well as blastocyst production, when added during in vitro culture (IVC). Pregnancy outcome was not significantly improved in cows that received an IGF-I-treated embryo compared with controls (4/10 versus 3/10, respectively). Five out of six calves delivered to date were born alive and healthy. We have shown that it is possible to obtain healthy live offspring from frozen-thawed embryos produced under chemically defined conditions after direct transfer.

Human skeletal muscle cells in ex vivo gene therapy to deliver bone morphogenetic protein-2

We have examined whether primary human muscle-derived cells can be used in ex vivo gene therapy to deliver BMP-2 and to produce bone in vivo. Two in vitro experiments and one in vivo experiment were used to determine the osteocompetence and BMP-2 secretion capacity of cells isolated from human skeletal muscle. We isolated five different populations of primary muscle cells from human skeletal muscle in three patients. In the first in vitro experiment, production of alkaline phosphatase by the cells in response to stimulation by rhBMP-2 was measured and used as an indicator of cellular osteocompetence. In the second, secretion of BMP-2 was measured after the cell populations had been transduced by an adenovirus encoding for BMP-2. In the in vivo experiment, the cells were cotransduced with a retrovirus encoding for a nuclear localised beta-galactosidase gene and an adenovirus encoding for BMP-2. The cotransduced cells were then injected into the hind limbs of severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mice and analysed radiographically and histologically. The nuclear localised beta-galactosidase gene allowed identification of the injected cells in histological specimens. In the first in vitro experiment, the five different cell populations all responded to in vitro stimulation of rhBMP-2 by producing higher levels of alkaline phosphatase when compared with non-stimulated cells. In the second, the five different cell populations were all successfully transduced by an adenovirus to express and secrete BMP-2. The cells secreted between 444 and 2551 ng of BMP-2 over three days. In the in vivo experiment, injection of the transduced cells into the hind-limb musculature of SCID mice resulted in the formation of ectopic bone at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after injection. Retroviral labelling of the cell nuclei showed labelled human muscle-derived cells occupying locations of osteoblasts in the ectopic bone, further supporting their osteocompetence. Cells from human skeletal muscle, because of their availability to orthopaedic surgeons, their osteocompetence, and their ability to express BMP-2 after genetic engineering, are an attractive cell population for use in BMP-2 gene therapy approaches.

Human skeletal muscle cells in ex vivo gene therapy to deliver bone morphogenetic protein-2

We have examined whether primary human muscle-derived cells can be used in ex vivo gene therapy to deliver BMP-2 and to produce bone in vivo. Two in vitro experiments and one in vivo experiment were used to determine the osteocompetence and BMP-2 secretion capacity of cells isolated from human skeletal muscle.

We isolated five different populations of primary muscle cells from human skeletal muscle in three patients. In the first in vitro experiment, production of alkaline phosphatase by the cells in response to stimulation by rhBMP-2 was measured and used as an indicator of cellular osteocompetence. In the second, secretion of BMP-2 was measured after the cell populations had been transduced by an adenovirus encoding for BMP-2. In the in vivo experiment, the cells were cotransduced with a retrovirus encoding for a nuclear localised β-galactosidase gene and an adenovirus encoding for BMP-2. The cotransduced cells were then injected into the hind limbs of severe combined immune-deficient (SCID) mice and analysed radiographically and histologically. The nuclear localised β-galactosidase gene allowed identification of the injected cells in histological specimens. In the first in vitro experiment, the five different cell populations all responded to in vitro stimulation of rhBMP-2 by producing higher levels of alkaline phosphatase when compared with non-stimulated cells. In the second, the five different cell populations were all successfully transduced by an adenovirus to express and secrete BMP-2. The cells secreted between 444 and 2551 ng of BMP-2 over three days. In the in vivo experiment, injection of the transduced cells into the hind-limb musculature of SCID mice resulted in the formation of ectopic bone at 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks after injection. Retroviral labelling of the cell nuclei showed labelled human muscle-derived cells occupying locations of osteoblasts in the ectopic bone, further supporting their osteocompetence.

Cells from human skeletal muscle, because of their availability to orthopaedic surgeons, their osteocompetence, and their ability to express BMP-2 after genetic engineering, are an attractive cell population for use in BMP-2 gene therapy approaches.

Heparin and Ca2+-free medium can enhance release of bull sperm attached to oviductal epithelial cell monolayers

The success of assisted reproductive techniques, such as IVF, could be enhanced by being able to select the most competent spermatozoa in a sample. Attachment and subsequent release of spermatozoa from oviductal epithelial cells (OEC) could provide populations of functionally superior spermatozoa for use in these protocols. The objective of the present study was to investigate the ability of heparin and Ca2+-free medium to induce spermatozoa release from bovine OEC. Epithelial cells were grown to confluence in 24-well plates and pooled frozen bull semen was added to a final concentration of 1 x 10(6) spermatozoa/well. Spermatozoa were allowed to bind to OEC for 2 h. Medium with unbound spermatozoa was removed and replaced by Sperm-TALP, only (control), with heparin (5, 10, or 15 IU/mL), or Ca2+-free with 2 mM EGTA. Treatments were left on sperm-OEC co-cultures for 0.5, 1, 2, 3, or 5 h. At each time, the media were recovered and spermatozoa from each treatment were counted and evaluated for acrosome integrity and motility. The total number of spermatozoa attached to OEC after 2 h of co-culture was considered 100%. Spermatozoa release is expressed as percentage of the total number of sperm cells bound to OEC after 2 h of co-culture. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and results are expressed as mean +/- SEM from three independent replicates. Beginning at 0.5 h, more sperm cells (P < 0.05) were released from OEC in the heparin groups (10 and 15 IU/mL, 77.3 +/- 6.2% and 84.0 +/- 6.2%, respectively) as compared to the control (46.4 +/- 6.2%). The Ca2+-free medium also induced spermatozoa release when compared with the control, but the effect was not significant until 3 h (38.2 +/- 1.9% vs 59.5 +/- 6.9%; P < 0.05). The percentage of acrosome reacted spermatozoa was not affected by heparin treatment. Heparin at 10 IU/mL increased (P < 0.05) the percentage of motile spermatozoa, whereas Ca2+-free medium caused the opposite effect at 0.5 h after addition of treatments. We conclude that both heparin and Ca2+-free medium are able to promote spermatozoa displacement from OEC attachment. Based on motility and acrosome status data, we predict that released sperm cells may be used for IVF and other assisted reproductive techniques.

The effect of bone morphogenetic protein-2 expression on the early fate of skeletal muscle-derived cells

The identification of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) has stimulated intense interest in BMP delivery approaches. Ex vivo BMP-2 gene delivery has recently been described using skeletal muscle-derived cells. Skeletal muscle-derived cells, because of proven efficient transgene delivery and osteocompetence, represent an attractive cell population on which to base ex vivo BMP-2 gene delivery. However, the early in vivo fate of BMP-2-expressing muscle-derived cells is unknown. This study investigates the in vivo effects of BMP-2 secretion on skeletal muscle-derived cells in terms of cell survival and cell differentiation. The first experiment compared survival of BMP-2-expressing cells with control cells during the first 48 h after in vivo implantation. The results demonstrate that BMP-2 secretion did not adversely affect cell survival 8, 24, or 48 h after intramuscular implantation. The second experiment histologically compared the fate of BMP-2-expressing muscle-derived cells to the same cells not expressing BMP-2. The results show that BMP-2 expression prevented in vivo myogenic differentiation and promoted osteogenic differentiation of the transduced cells. This study further supports the existence of osteoprogenitor cells residing within skeletal muscle. Moreover, it is demonstrated that BMP-2 secretion does not adversely affect early cell survival of muscle-derived cells. These data are important for future investigations into BMP-2 gene delivery approaches to the musculoskeletal system.

Phase III randomized trial of gabapentin in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

BACKGROUND

Preclinical and clinical studies of gabapentin in patients with ALS led the authors to undertake a phase III randomized clinical trial.

METHODS

Patients were randomly assigned, in a double-blinded fashion, to receive oral gabapentin 3,600 mg or placebo daily for 9 months. The primary outcome measure was the average rate of decline in isometric arm muscle strength for those with two or more evaluations.

RESULTS

Two hundred four patients enrolled, 196 had two or more evaluations, and 128 patients completed the study. The mean rate of decline of the arm muscle strength was not significantly different between the groups. Moreover, there was no beneficial effect upon the rate of decline of other secondary measures (vital capacity, survival, ALS functional rating scale, timed walking) nor was there any symptomatic benefit. In fact, analysis of the combined data from the phase II and III trials revealed a significantly more rapid decline of forced vital capacity in patients treated with gabapentin.

CONCLUSION

These data provide no evidence of a beneficial effect of gabapentin on disease progression or symptoms in patients with ALS.