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Aguila L, Cabrera P, Arias ME, Silva M, Felmer R. Effect of sperm treatment with lysolecithin on in vitro outcomes of equine intracytoplasmic sperm injection. J Equine Vet Sci 2024; 138:105095. [PMID: 38810588 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2024.105095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in horses is currently employed for clinical and commercial uses, but the protocol could be optimized to improve its efficiency. We have hypothesized that destabilization of plasma and acrosomal membranes prior to injection would positively impact the developmental potential of equine zygotes generated by ICSI. This study evaluated effects of the sperm treatment with lysolecithin on plasma and acrosomal membranes and on oocyte activation ability, initially following heterologous ICSI on bovine oocytes and subsequently employing equine oocytes. The effects of the lysolecithin -treatment on the efficiency of conventional and piezo-assisted equine ICSI were evaluated. To do this, the equine sperm were treated with different concentrations of lysolecithin and the sperm plasma membrane, acrosome and DNA integrity were evaluated by flow cytometry. The results showed that a lysolecithin concentration of 0.08 % destabilized the membranes of all sperm and affected DNA integrity within the range described for the species (8-30 %). In addition, the heterologous ICSI assay showed that lysolecithin treatment was detrimental to the sperm's ability to activate the oocyte, therefore, chemical oocyte activation was used after equine ICSI after injection with lysolecithin -treated sperm. This group showed similar developmental rate to the control group with and without exogenous activation. In conclusion, lysolecithin pre-treatment is not necessary when using ICSI to produce equine embryos in vitro. The results from the current study provide additional insight regarding the factors impacting ICSI in horses.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Aguila
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - P Cabrera
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile; Doctoral Program in Applied Cellular and Molecular Biology, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - M E Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile; Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - M Silva
- Departament of Veterinary Sciences and Public Health, Universidad Católica de Temuco, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - R Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile; Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile.
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Valencia C, Pérez-García F, Aguila L, Felmer R, Arias ME. Combined Exogenous Activation of Bovine Oocytes: Effects on Maturation-Promoting Factor, Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases, and Embryonic Competence. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15794. [PMID: 37958778 PMCID: PMC10649646 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242115794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Oocyte activation via dual inhibition of protein synthesis and phosphorylation has improved in vitro embryo production in different mammalian species. In this study, we evaluated the effects of the combination of cycloheximide (CHX), dimethyl amino purine (DMAP), and anisomycin (ANY) on the activation of bovine oocytes, particularly on dynamics of MPF and MAPKs, embryonic developmental potential, and quality. The results showed that the cleavage and blastocyst rates, as well as levels of CCNB1, CDK1, p-CDK1Thr161, and p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15, were similar among groups; ANY and ANY + CHX reduced the expression of ERK1/2 compared to DMAP-combinations (p < 0.05), whereas ANY + DMAP, CHX + DMAP, and ANY + CHX + DMAP reduced p-ERK1/2 compared to ANY and ANY + CHX treatments (p < 0.05). The quality of blastocysts in terms of cell counts, their allocation, and the numbers of TUNEL-positive cells did not differ among groups. However, transcript levels of POU5F1 were higher in embryos derived from ANY + CHX + DMAP treatment compared to other groups, while expression levels of CDX2 did not show differences. In addition, the BCL2A1/BAX ratio of the ANY + CHX + DMAP treatment was significantly low compared to the ANY treatment (p < 0.05) and did not differ significantly from the other treatments. In conclusion, oocyte activation by dual inhibition of protein synthesis and phosphorylation induces MPF inactivation without degradation of CCNB1, while MAPK inactivation occurs differentially between these inhibitors. Thus, although the combined use of these inhibitors does not affect early developmental competence in vitro, it positively impacts the expression of transcripts associated with embryonic quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Valencia
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile (L.A.); (R.F.)
| | - Felipe Pérez-García
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile (L.A.); (R.F.)
| | - Luis Aguila
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile (L.A.); (R.F.)
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile (L.A.); (R.F.)
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile (L.A.); (R.F.)
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
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Arias ME, Vargas T, Gallardo V, Aguila L, Felmer R. Simple and Efficient Chemically Defined In Vitro Maturation and Embryo Culture System for Bovine Embryos. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:3057. [PMID: 36359181 PMCID: PMC9654503 DOI: 10.3390/ani12213057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Supplementation of the culture media for in vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos with fetal bovine serum (FBS) is associated with inconsistent outcomes. The present study sought to replace FBS and BSA by insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and epidermal growth factor (EGF). In Experiment 1, absence of FBS from maturation medium (MM) did not affect the rate of in vitro maturation, as assessed by the extrusion of the first polar body. However, when gonadotropins and FBS were removed from the MM, the maturation rate was significantly reduced even in the presence of growth factors. Therefore, gonadotropin-supplemented MM medium was established as the base medium for the defined maturation condition. In Experiment 2, the addition of growth factors to gonadotropin-supplemented MM medium supported similar maturation (~90%) compared to the undefined condition (FBS-carrying). In Experiment 3, the addition of growth factors to embryo culture medium showed similar in vitro competence compared to the undefined (FBS) control. In Experiment 4, completely defined conditions (absence of FBS and BSA during in vitro maturation and embryo culture) were tested. A higher cleavage was observed with FGF2 (86%) compared to EGF (77%) and the FBS control (77%), but similar blastocyst rates were observed for FGF2 (24%), EGF (19%) and the FBS control (25%). Embryo quality was similar among groups. Finally, post-thawing survival was higher for FGF2 (94%) compared to the FBS control (77%). Thus, we report a simple defined IVP system for bovine species that generates developmental outcomes and embryos of similar quality than those produced under conditions containing FBS.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
- Department of Agricultural Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - Tamara Vargas
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - Victor Gallardo
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - Luis Aguila
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
- Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811322, Chile
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Valencia C, Pérez FA, Matus C, Felmer R, Arias ME. Activation of bovine oocytes by protein synthesis inhibitors: new findings on the role of MPF/MAPKs†. Biol Reprod 2021; 104:1126-1138. [PMID: 33550378 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioab019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study evaluated the mechanism by which protein synthesis inhibitors activate bovine oocytes. The aim was to analyze the dynamics of MPF and MAPKs. MII oocytes were activated with ionomycin (Io), ionomycin+anisomycin (ANY) and ionomycin+cycloheximide (CHX) and by in vitro fertilization (IVF). The expression of cyclin B1, p-CDK1, p-ERK1/2, p-JNK, and p-P38 were evaluated by immunodetection and the kinase activity of ERK1/2 was measured by enzyme assay. Evaluations at 1, 4, and 15 hours postactivation (hpa) showed that the expression of cyclin B1 was not modified by the treatments. ANY inactivated MPF by p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05), CHX increased pre-MPF (p-CDK1Thr161 and p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15) at 1 hpa and IVF increased p-CDK1Thr14-Tyr15 at 17 hours postfertilization (hpf) (P < 0.05). ANY and CHX reduced the levels of p-ERK1/2 at 4 hpa (P < 0.05) and its activity at 4 and 1 hpa, respectively (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, IVF increased p-ERK1/2 at 6 hpf (P < 0.05); however, its kinase activity decreased at 6 hpf (P < 0.05). p-JNK in ANY, CHX, and IVF oocytes decreased at 4 hpa (P < 0.05). p-P38 was only observed at 1 hpa, with no differences between treatments. In conclusion, activation of bovine oocytes by ANY, CHX, and IVF inactivates MPF by CDK1-dependent specific phosphorylation without cyclin B1 degradation. ANY or CHX promoted this inactivation, which seemed to be more delayed in the physiological activation (IVF). Both inhibitors modulated MPF activity via an ERK1/2-independent pathway, whereas IVF activated the bovine oocytes via an ERK1/2-dependent pathway. Finally, ANY does not activate the JNK and P38 kinase pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilia Valencia
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Felipe Alonso Pérez
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Carola Matus
- Center of Molecular Biology and Pharmacogenetics, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Department of Agricultural Production Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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Águila L, Felmer R, Arias ME, Navarrete F, Martin-Hidalgo D, Lee HC, Visconti P, Fissore R. Defective sperm head decondensation undermines the success of ICSI in the bovine. Reproduction 2018; 154:307-318. [PMID: 28751536 DOI: 10.1530/rep-17-0270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2017] [Revised: 06/20/2017] [Accepted: 06/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in the bovine is low compared to other species. It is unknown whether defective oocyte activation and/or sperm head decondensation limit the success of this technique in this species. To elucidate where the main obstacle lies, we used homologous and heterologous ICSI and parthenogenetic activation procedures. We also evaluated whether in vitro maturation negatively impacted the early stages of activation after ICSI. Here we showed that injected bovine sperm are resistant to nuclear decondensation by bovine oocytes and this is only partly overcome by exogenous activation. Remarkably, when we used heterologous ICSI, in vivo-matured mouse eggs were capable of mounting calcium oscillations and displaying normal PN formation following injection of bovine sperm, although in vitro-matured mouse oocytes were unable to do so. Together, our data demonstrate that bovine sperm are especially resistant to nuclear decondensation by in vitro-matured oocytes and this deficiency cannot be simply overcome by exogenous activation protocols, even by inducing physiological calcium oscillations. Therefore, the inability of a suboptimal ooplasmic environment to induce sperm head decondensation limits the success of ICSI in the bovine. Studies aimed to improve the cytoplasmic milieu of in vitro-matured oocytes and to replicate the molecular changes associated with in vivo capacitation and acrosome reaction will deepen our understanding of the mechanism of fertilization and improve the success of ICSI in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Águila
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Sciences, Universidad Mayor Sede Temuco, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Felipe Navarrete
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Martin-Hidalgo
- Research Group of Intracellular Signaling and Technology of Reproduction, Research Institute INBIO G+C, University of Extremadura, Caceres, Spain.,Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Hoi Chang Lee
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Pablo Visconti
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Rafael Fissore
- Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Integrated Sciences Building, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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6
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Sirard MA. 40 years of bovine IVF in the new genomic selection context. Reproduction 2018; 156:R1-R7. [PMID: 29636405 DOI: 10.1530/rep-18-0008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
The development of a complex technology such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) requires years of experimentation, sometimes comparing several species to learn how to create the right in vitro environment for oocytes, spermatozoa and early embryos. At the same time, individual species characteristics such as gamete physiology and gamete interaction are recently evolved traits and must be analysed within the context of each species. In the last 40 years since the birth of Louise Brown, IVF techniques progressed and are now used in multiple domestic and non-domestic animal species around the world. This does not mean that the technology is completely matured or satisfactory; a number of problems remain to be solved and several procedures still need to be optimized. The development of IVF in cattle is particularly interesting since agriculture practices permitted the commercial development of the procedure and it is now used at a scale comparable to human IVF (millions of newborns). The genomic selection of young animals or even embryos combined with sexing and freezing technologies is driving a new era of IVF in the dairy sector. The time has come for a retrospective analysis of the success and pitfalls of the last 40 years of bovine IVF and for the description of the challenges to overcome in the years to come.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc-André Sirard
- Centre de Recherche en ReproductionDéveloppement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Département des Sciences Animales, Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Canada
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7
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Cheuquemán C, Loren P, Arias M, Risopatrón J, Felmer R, Álvarez J, Mogas T, Sánchez R. Decrease in bovine in vitro embryo production efficiency during winter season in a warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Andrologia 2016; 49. [PMID: 28000967 DOI: 10.1111/and.12758] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Retrospective analysis of monthly embryo production from December 2011 to May 2015 and its correlation with meteorological data in our geographic zone was made. We had observed that in certain time of the year, in vitro blastocyst production decreases. Accordingly, was examined the association between blastocyst production and climatological parameters. Cleavage rates correlate positively with blastocyst rates (p < .05). Significant differences in cleavage rates between autumn and summer (79.8%; 71.5%), and between winter and autumn (71.8%; 79.8%), were found. Blastocyst production had lower efficiency in June (9 ± 12%) and July (4.9 ± 5.7%), which coincides with winter season. In contrast, higher embryo production was obtained in February (22.2 ± 9.7%), March (22.9 ± 14%) and September (25.2 ± 6.6%), which coincides with autumn and spring season. Similarly, embryo production correlates with meteorological parameters: blastocyst production positively correlates with sunshine hours, maximum temperature and average temperature. Similarly, blastocyst production inversely correlates with total precipitation and days >1 mm precipitation (p < .05). There is a significant decrease in bovine in vitro embryo production efficiency during winter season in our warm-summer Mediterranean climate zone. It remains to be investigated the direct effect of environmental factors on oocyte quality and its impact on in vitro production efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Cheuquemán
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - P Loren
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - M Arias
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - J Risopatrón
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - R Felmer
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Agronómicas y Recursos Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Agropecuarias y Forestales, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | | | - T Mogas
- Departament de Medicina i Cirurgia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - R Sánchez
- Facultad de Medicina, Centro de Biotecnología de la Reproducción (BIOREN-CEBIOR), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.,Departamento de Ciencias Preclínicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
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Koustas G, Sjoblom C. Minute changes to the culture environment of mouse pre-implantation embryos affect the health of the conceptus. ASIAN PACIFIC JOURNAL OF REPRODUCTION 2016. [DOI: 10.1016/j.apjr.2016.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
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Zambrano F, Aguila L, Arias ME, Sánchez R, Felmer R. Improved preimplantation development of bovine ICSI embryos generated with spermatozoa pretreated with membrane-destabilizing agents lysolecithin and Triton X-100. Theriogenology 2016; 86:1489-1497. [PMID: 27325573 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2016.05.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 05/11/2016] [Accepted: 05/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
In cattle, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has a low efficiency. The acrosome content may be responsible for this effect because of the large amount of hydrolytic enzymes that are released within the oocyte. With the aim of removing the acrosome and destabilize the membranes, cryopreserved bovine spermatozoa were treated with lysolecithin (LL) and Triton X-100 (TX) at different concentrations. We evaluated the membrane integrity, the acrosome integrity, DNA integrity, and the variation of phospholipase C zeta. The rates of development (cleavage and blastocysts) were also evaluated along with pronuclear formation and the embryo quality. Spermatozoa incubated with LL and TX (0.01%, 0.02%, 0.03%, and 0.04%) decreased (P < 0.0001) sperm viability in a dose-dependent manner. The acrosome reaction was also increased (P < 0.0001) in all tested concentrations of LL and TX achieving 100% at 0.05% concentration in both treatments. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling assay reported an increase (P < 0.05) in DNA fragmentation only with the highest concentration of LL (0.06%), whereas all concentrations assessed of TX reported an increased respect to the control. Phospholipase C zeta expression decreased (P < 0.05) in spermatozoa treated with LL and TX at all concentrations tested. A higher cleavage rate was observed in ICSI-TX (66%) and ICSI-LL (65%) groups compared with the untreated control group (51%) and the blastocyst formation rate significantly increased in the ICSI-LL group (29%) compared with the control (21%). No differences were observed in the pronuclear formation and quality of the embryos. In conclusion, the destabilization of the plasma membrane and the release of the acrosomal content with LL and TX before ICSI improve the rate of embryonic development, without affecting the quality of the embryos produced by this technique.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabiola Zambrano
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Luis Aguila
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - María E Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Raúl Sánchez
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
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Effect of anisomycin, a protein synthesis inhibitor, on the in vitro developmental potential, ploidy and embryo quality of bovine ICSI embryos. ZYGOTE 2016; 24:724-32. [PMID: 27140503 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199416000034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Increasing the efficiency of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) in domestic animals has been attempted by many researchers, however embryonic development to the blastocyst stage remains low compared with that of in vitro fertilization (IVF) embryos. One of the main problems observed in cattle is inadequate oocyte activation after ICSI. The present study compared the effect of cycloheximide (CHX), 6-dimethylaminopurine (DMAP), and anisomycin (ANY) on the fertilization rate, development, ploidy and quality of bovine embryos generated by ICSI. Although no differences were observed between treatments in terms of cleavage, higher blastocyst rates were observed for ANY (37.3%) compared with CHX (21.8%, P 0.05) treatments. No differences were observed in the quality of embryos as assessed by the total number of cells, their distribution to the different embryo compartments [inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE)], the proportion of ICM cells to the total cell numbers and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL)-positive cells. Similarly, no differences were observed in the normal ploidy of embryos (56, 67, and 55%) for ANY, CHX and DMAP, respectively. However, higher fertilization rates were observed for ANY (75%) and CHX (87%) treatments compared with DMAP (35%). In conclusion, ANY showed a superior developmental rate compared with CHX treatment. Although no significant differences were observed compared with an improved protocol of DMAP (2Io-DMAP), the lower fertilization rate recorded with DMAP strongly suggests that ANY could be a better alternative for oocyte activation than traditional chemical compounds used currently in ICSI.
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Cheuquemán C, Loren P, Arias M, Risopatrón J, Felmer R, Álvarez J, Mogas T, Sánchez R. Effects of short-term exposure of mature oocytes to sodium nitroprusside on in vitro embryo production and gene expression in bovine. Theriogenology 2015; 84:1431-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2015.07.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2014] [Revised: 07/25/2015] [Accepted: 07/26/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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Felmer R, Arias ME. Activation treatment of recipient oocytes affects the subsequent development and ploidy of bovine parthenogenetic and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Mol Reprod Dev 2015; 82:441-9. [DOI: 10.1002/mrd.22492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/13/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- R. Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction; Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera; Temuco Chile
- Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry; Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Universidad de La Frontera; Temuco Chile
| | - M. E. Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction; Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Universidad de La Frontera; Temuco Chile
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Arias ME, Risopatrón J, Sánchez R, Felmer R. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection affects embryo developmental potential and gene expression in cattle. Reprod Biol 2014; 15:34-41. [PMID: 25726375 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2014.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2013] [Revised: 10/06/2014] [Accepted: 11/02/2014] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Some reports have linked intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with chromosomal abnormalities, low developmental potential and altered gene expression in embryos. ICSI has also been linked with obesity, early aging and increased incidence of tumors in offspring. Other reports have demonstrated that some of these complications disappeared within a few weeks of life or even showed a lack of such associations. The aim of this study was to evaluate and compare embryo development, quality and gene expression in bovine embryos generated by ICSI and by conventional in vitro fertilization (IVF) insemination. The results showed differences in cleavage (88.5% in IVF and 64.1% in ICSI) and blastocyst formation rates (36.1% in IVF and 22.3% in ICSI). The proportion of ICM cells to total cell count was higher in ICSI (39.2%) than in IVF embryos (29.5%). However, no differences were observed in the total embryonic cell numbers (159.3±28.5 and 161.2±56.2 for IVF and ICSI, respectively) or in the proportion of apoptotic nuclei to the total embryonic cell numbers (2.12 and 2.64% for IVF and ICSI, respectively). Gene expression analysis showed a down-regulation of insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and overexpression of bcl-2-like protein 4 (BAX), octamer-binding transcription factor four (OCT4), interferon-tau (IFNt), Mn-superoxide dismutase in the mitochondria (SOD2), and catalase (CAT) in embryos generated by ICSI. In conclusion, our study demonstrated differences in the morphological development of bovine embryos as well as in the expression of genes involved in early development between ICSI and IVF embryos. The results may indicate lower developmental potential of ICSI embryos compared with that of IVF.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Arias
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Jennie Risopatrón
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Raúl Sánchez
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile
| | - Ricardo Felmer
- Laboratory of Reproduction, Centre of Reproductive Biotechnology (CEBIOR-BIOREN), Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile; Department of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile.
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Absalón-Medina VA, Butler WR, Gilbert RO. Preimplantation embryo metabolism and culture systems: experience from domestic animals and clinical implications. J Assist Reprod Genet 2014; 31:393-409. [PMID: 24682781 PMCID: PMC3969471 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-014-0179-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2013] [Accepted: 01/17/2014] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite advantages of in vitro embryo production in many species, widespread use of this technology is limited by generally lower developmental competence of in vitro derived embryos compared to in vivo counterparts. Regardless, in vivo or in vitro gametes and embryos face and must adjust to multiple microenvironments especially at preimplantation stages. Moreover, the embryo has to be able to further adapt to environmental cues in utero to result in the birth of live and healthy offspring. Enormous strides have been made in understanding and meeting stage-specific requirements of preimplantation embryos, but interpretation of the data is made difficult due to the complexity of the wide array of culture systems and the remarkable plasticity of developing embryos that seem able to develop under a variety of conditions. Nevertheless, a primary objective remains meeting, as closely as possible, the preimplantation embryo requirements as provided in vivo. In general, oocytes and embryos develop more satisfactorily when cultured in groups. However, optimization of individual culture of oocytes and embryos is an important goal and area of intensive current research for both animal and human clinical application. Successful culture of individual embryos is of primary importance in order to avoid ovarian superstimulation and the associated physiological and psychological disadvantages for patients. This review emphasizes stage specific shifts in embryo metabolism and requirements and research to optimize in vitro embryo culture conditions and supplementation, with a view to optimizing embryo culture in general, and culture of single embryos in particular.
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Affiliation(s)
- V. A. Absalón-Medina
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - W. R. Butler
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agricultural Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
| | - R. O. Gilbert
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 USA
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Stability of reference genes for normalization of reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) data in bovine blastocysts produced by IVF, ICSI and SCNT. ZYGOTE 2013; 22:505-12. [DOI: 10.1017/s0967199413000099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SummaryReverse transcription quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) is a sensitive and accurate tool for quantitative estimation of gene transcription levels in preimplantation embryos. To control for possible experimental variations, gene expression data must be normalized using internal control genes commonly known as reference genes. However, the stability of reference genes can vary depending on the state of development and/or experimental conditions; hence the assessment of their stability is essential before initiating a gene expression analysis. In the present study, we used RT-qPCR to measure the transcript levels of 10 commonly used reference genes and analyzed their expression stability in bovine blastocysts produced by in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Using the geNorm program, we found the best combination of genes to normalize gene expression data in bovine embryos at the blastocyst stage produced by IVF (HMBS, SF3A1, and HPRT1), ICSI (H2A, HMBS, and GAPDH), SCNT (ACTB, SF3A1, and SDHA) and/or between blastocysts produced by these methods (GAPDH, HMBS and EEF1A2). We also demonstrated that not only the culture conditions may affect the expression patterns in bovine blastocysts but also the choice of embryo production method may have an important effect.
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