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Costa Gerger RPD, Souza Ribeiro ED, Zago FC, Aguiar LHD, Rodriguez-Villamil P, Ongaratto FL, Ambrósio CE, Miglino MA, Rodrigues JL, Forell F, Bertolini LR, Bertolini M. Effects of fusion-activation interval and embryo aggregation on in vitro and in vivo development of bovine cloned embryos. Res Vet Sci 2019; 123:91-98. [PMID: 30597478 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2018.12.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2018] [Revised: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Nuclear reprogramming in somatic cell cloning is one of the key factors for proper development, with variations in the protocol appearing to improve cloning efficiency. This study aimed to determine the effects of two fusion-activation intervals and the aggregation of bovine cloned embryos on subsequent in vitro and in vivo development. Zygotes produced by handmade cloning were exposed to two fusion-activation intervals (2 h or 4 h), and then cultured in microwells either individually (1 × 100%) or after aggregation of two structures (2 × 100%). Zona-intact oocytes and zona-free oocytes and hemi-oocytes were used as parthenote controls under the same fusion-activation intervals. Day-7 cloned blastocysts were transferred to synchronous recipients. Cleavage (Day 2), blastocyst (Day 7) and pregnancy (Day 30) rates were compared by the χ2 test (P < .05). Extending fusion-activation interval from 2 to 4 h reduced cleavage (91.0 vs. 74.4%) but not blastocyst (34.8 vs. 42.0%) rates. On a microwell basis, cloned embryo aggregation (2 × 100%) increased cleavage (91.5% vs. 74.4%) and blastocyst (46.0% vs. 31.3%) rates compared to controls (1 × 100%), but did not improve the overall embryo production efficiency on Day 7 (23.0% vs. 31.3%), on a per reconstructed embryo basis, respectively. Treatments had no effects on in vitro developmental kinetics, embryo quality, and in vivo development. In summary, the fusion-activation interval and/or the aggregation of cloned bovine embryos did not affect cloning efficiency based on the in vitro development to the blastocyst stage and on pregnancy outcome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Pereira da Costa Gerger
- Center of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Lages, SC, Brazil; School of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Luís Henrique de Aguiar
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Paula Rodriguez-Villamil
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Felipe Ledur Ongaratto
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | | | | | - José Luiz Rodrigues
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Fabiana Forell
- Center of Agronomy and Veterinary Sciences, Santa Catarina State University, Lages, SC, Brazil
| | | | - Marcelo Bertolini
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Qiu X, Xiao X, Martin GB, Li N, Ling W, Wang M, Li Y. Strategies for improvement of cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2019. [DOI: 10.1071/an17621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a powerful tool that is being applied in a variety of fields as diverse as the cloning and production of transgenic animals, rescue of endangered species and regenerative medicine. However, cloning efficiency is still very low and SCNT embryos generally show poor developmental competency and many abnormalities. The low efficiency is probably due to incomplete reprogramming of the donor nucleus and most of the developmental problems are thought to be caused by epigenetic defects. Applications of SCNT will, therefore, depend on improvements in the efficiency of production of healthy clones. This review has summarised the progress and strategies that have been used to make improvements in various animal species, especially over the period 2010–2017, including strategies based on histone modification, embryo aggregation and mitochondrial function. There has been considerable investiagation into the mechanisms that underpin each strategy, helping us better understand the nature of genomic reprogramming and nucleus–cytoplasm interactions.
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Moro LN, Jarazo J, Buemo C, Hiriart MI, Sestelo A, Salamone DF. Tiger, Bengal and Domestic Cat Embryos Produced by Homospecific and Interspecific Zona-Free Nuclear Transfer. Reprod Domest Anim 2015; 50:849-57. [DOI: 10.1111/rda.12593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 07/20/2015] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- LN Moro
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology; Agriculture Faculty; University of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - J Jarazo
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology; Agriculture Faculty; University of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - C Buemo
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology; Agriculture Faculty; University of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - MI Hiriart
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology; Agriculture Faculty; University of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - A Sestelo
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biotechnology; Zoological Garden of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
| | - DF Salamone
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology; Agriculture Faculty; University of Buenos Aires; Buenos Aires Argentina
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Akagi S, Matsukawa K, Takahashi S. Factors affecting the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in Cattle. J Reprod Dev 2015; 60:329-35. [PMID: 25341701 PMCID: PMC4219988 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2014-057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Nuclear transfer is a complex multistep procedure that includes oocyte maturation, cell cycle synchronization of donor
cells, enucleation, cell fusion, oocyte activation and embryo culture. Therefore, many factors are believed to contribute to
the success of embryo development following nuclear transfer. Numerous attempts to improve cloning efficiency have been
conducted since the birth of the first sheep by somatic cell nuclear transfer. However, the efficiency of somatic cell
cloning has remained low, and applications have been limited. In this review, we discuss some of the factors that affect the
developmental ability of somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Akagi
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
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Moro LN, Hiriart MI, Buemo C, Jarazo J, Sestelo A, Veraguas D, Rodriguez-Alvarez L, Salamone DF. Cheetah interspecific SCNT followed by embryo aggregation improves in vitro development but not pluripotent gene expression. Reproduction 2015; 150:1-10. [DOI: 10.1530/rep-15-0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of domestic cat (Dc,Felis silvestris) oocytes to reprogram the nucleus of cheetah (Ch,Acinonyx jubatus) cells by interspecies SCNT (iSCNT), by using embryo aggregation. Dc oocytes werein vitromatured and subjected to zona pellucida free (ZP-free) SCNT or iSCNT, depending on whether the nucleus donor cell was of Dc or Ch respectively. ZP-free reconstructed embryos were then cultured in microwells individually (Dc1X and Ch1X groups) or in couples (Dc2X and Ch2X groups). Embryo aggregation improvedin vitrodevelopment obtaining 27.4, 47.7, 16.7 and 28.3% of blastocyst rates in the Dc1X, Dc2X, Ch1X and Ch2X groups, respectively (P<0.05). Moreover, aggregation improved the morphological quality of blastocysts from the Dc2X over the Dc1X group. Gene expression analysis revealed that Ch1X and Ch2X blastocysts had significantly lower relative expression of OCT4, CDX2 and NANOG than the Dc1X, Dc2X and IVF control groups. The OCT4, NANOG, SOX2 and CDX2 genes were overexpressed in Dc1X blastocysts, but the relative expression of these four genes decreased in the Dc2X, reaching similar relative levels to those of Dc IVF blastocysts. In conclusion, Ch blastocysts were produced using Dc oocytes, but with lower relative expression of pluripotent and trophoblastic genes, indicating that nuclear reprogramming could be still incomplete. Despite this, embryo aggregation improved the development of Ch and Dc embryos, and normalized Dc gene expression, which suggests that this strategy could improve full-term developmental efficiency of cat and feline iSCNT embryos.
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Gambini A, De Stefano A, Bevacqua RJ, Karlanian F, Salamone DF. The aggregation of four reconstructed zygotes is the limit to improve the developmental competence of cloned equine embryos. PLoS One 2014; 9:e110998. [PMID: 25396418 PMCID: PMC4232247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0110998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2014] [Accepted: 09/26/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Embryo aggregation has been demonstrated to improve cloning efficiency in mammals. However, since no more than three embryos have been used for aggregation, the effect of using a larger number of cloned zygotes is unknown. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to determine whether increased numbers of cloned aggregated zygotes results in improved in vitro and in vivo embryo development in the equine. Zona-free reconstructed embryos (ZFRE's) were cultured in the well of the well system in four different experimental groups: I. 1x, only one ZFRE per microwell; II. 3x, three per microwell; III. 4x, four per microwell; and IV. 5x, five ZFRE's per microwell. Embryo size was measured on day 7, after which blastocysts from each experimental group were either a) maintained in culture from day 8 until day 16 to follow their growth rates, b) fixed to measure DNA fragmentation using the TUNEL assay, or c) transferred to synchronized mares. A higher blastocyst rate was observed on day 7 in the 4x group than in the 5x group. Non-aggregated embryos were smaller on day 8 compared to those aggregated, but from then on the in vitro growth was not different among experimental groups. Apoptotic cells averaged 10% of total cells of day 8 blastocysts, independently of embryo aggregation. Only pregnancies resulting from the aggregation of up to four embryos per microwell went beyond the fifth month of gestation, and two of these pregnancies, derived from experimental groups 3x and 4x, resulted in live cloned foals. In summary, we showed that the in vitro and in vivo development of cloned zona-free embryos improved until the aggregation of four zygotes and declined when five reconstructed zygotes were aggregated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Gambini
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adrian De Stefano
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Romina Jimena Bevacqua
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Florencia Karlanian
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Felipe Salamone
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- National Institute of Scientific and Technological Research, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Abstract
The effects of cytoplasmic volumes on development and developmental kinetics of in vitro produced porcine embryos were investigated. During hand-made cloning (HMC), selected cytoplasts were separated into two groups according to their size in relation to the initial oocyte: ~75% or ~50%. Following two fusion steps and activation (day 0), reconstructed embryos were cultured in vitro for 6 days. Cleavage rates on day 2 as well as blastocyst rates and cell numbers on day 6 were recorded. Results showed that embryo development was no different for ~50% versus ~75% cytoplasm at first fusion. This result was used in the following experiments, where the effect of varying cytoplasm volume in second fusion to obtain a final cytoplasm volume of ~75% to ~200% was tested. The results showed that the lowest quality was obtained when the final cytoplasm volume was ~75% and the highest quality at ~200% of the original oocyte. Similar results were observed in parthenogenetic (PA) embryos activated with different cytoplasmic volumes. A common pattern for the developmental kinetics of HMC and PA embryos was observed: the smaller group tended to have a longer time for the first two cell cycles, but subsequently a shorter time to form morula and blastocyst. In conclusion, the developmental kinetics of in vitro produced embryos was affected by the cytoplasm volume of the initial oocyte, and this further accounted for the developmental ability of the reconstructed embryos.
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Production of chimeric embryos by aggregation of bovine egfp eight-cell stage blastomeres with two-cell fused and asynchronic embryos. Theriogenology 2013; 80:357-64. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2013.04.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2013] [Revised: 04/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/19/2013] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
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9
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Akagi S, Geshi M, Nagai T. Recent progress in bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer. Anim Sci J 2013; 84:191-9. [PMID: 23480698 DOI: 10.1111/asj.12035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2012] [Accepted: 11/02/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos can develop to the blastocyst stage at a rate similar to that of embryos produced by in vitro fertilization. However, the full-term developmental rate of SCNT embryos is very low, owing to the high embryonic and fetal losses after embryo transfer. In addition, increased birth weight and postnatal mortality are observed at high rates in cloned calves. The low efficiency of SCNT is probably attributed to incomplete reprogramming of the donor nucleus and most of the developmental problems of clones are thought to be caused by epigenetic defects. Applications of SCNT will depend on improvement in the efficiency of production of healthy cloned calves. In this review, we discuss problems and recent progress in bovine SCNT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Akagi
- Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Tsukuba, Japan.
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Gambini A, Jarazo J, Olivera R, Salamone DF. Equine cloning: in vitro and in vivo development of aggregated embryos. Biol Reprod 2012; 87:15, 1-9. [PMID: 22553223 DOI: 10.1095/biolreprod.112.098855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The production of cloned equine embryos remains highly inefficient. Embryo aggregation has not yet been tested in the equine, and it might represent an interesting strategy to improve embryo development. This study evaluated the effect of cloned embryo aggregation on in vitro and in vivo equine embryo development. Zona-free reconstructed embryos were individually cultured in microwells (nonaggregated group) or as 2- or 3-embryo aggregates (aggregated groups). For in vitro development, they were cultured until blastocyst stage and then either fixed for Oct-4 immunocytochemical staining or maintained in in vitro culture where blastocyst expansion was measured daily until Day 17 or the day on which they collapsed. For in vivo assays, Day 7-8 blastocysts were transferred to synchronized mares and resultant vesicles, and cloned embryos were measured by ultrasonography. Embryo aggregation improved blastocyst rates on a per well basis, and aggregation did not imply additional oocytes to obtain blastocysts. Embryo aggregation improved embryo quality, nevertheless it did not affect Day 8 and Day 16 blastocyst Oct-4 expression patterns. Equine cloned blastocysts expanded and increased their cell numbers when they were maintained in in vitro culture, describing a particular pattern of embryo growth that was unexpectedly independent of embryo aggregation, as all embryos reached similar size after Day 7. Early pregnancy rates were higher using blastocysts derived from aggregated embryos, and advanced pregnancies as live healthy foals also resulted from aggregated embryos. These results indicate that the strategy of aggregating embryos can improve their development, supporting the establishment of equine cloned pregnancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrés Gambini
- Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Agriculture Faculty, University of Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Schmidt M, Winter KD, Dantzer V, Li J, Kragh PM, Du Y, Lin L, Liu Y, Vajta G, Sangild PT, Callesen H, Agerholm JS. Maternal endometrial oedema may increase perinatal mortality of cloned and transgenic piglets. Reprod Fertil Dev 2011; 23:645-53. [PMID: 21635813 DOI: 10.1071/rd10220] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2010] [Accepted: 02/02/2011] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The perinatal mortality of cloned animals is a well-known problem. In the present retrospective study, we report on mortality of cloned transgenic or non-transgenic piglets produced as part of several investigations. Large White (LW) sows (n = 105) received hand-made cloned LW or minipig blastocysts and delivered either spontaneously or after prostaglandin induction followed by either Caesarean section or vaginal birth. The overall pregnancy rate was 62%, with 26% of pregnancies terminating before term. This resulted in 48 deliveries. The terminated pregnancies consisted of 12 abortions that occurred at 35 ± 2 days gestation and five sows that went to term without returning to heat and then by surgery showed the uterus without fetal content. The gestation length was for sows with LW piglets that delivered by Caesarean section or vaginally was 115.7 ± 0.3 and 117.6 ± 0.4 days, respectively. In sows with minipiglets, the gestation length for those delivered by Caesarean section or vaginally 114.4 ± 0.2 and 115.5 ± 0.3 days, respectively. Of the 34 sows that delivered vaginally, 28 gave birth after induction, whereas 6 farrowed spontaneously. Of the 14 sows that delivered after Caesarean section and in the five empty sows, the endometrium and placenta showed severe oedema. Piglet mortality following vaginal delivery was higher than after Caesarean section (31% v. 10%, respectively; P < 0.001). When vaginal delivery occurred spontaneously, the stillborn rate was greater than after induced delivery (56% v. 24%, respectively; P < 0.0001). Internal organ weights were recorded for seven cloned LW piglets and six normal piglets. The relative weight of the heart, liver, kidneys and small intestine was found to be reduced in the cloned piglets (P < 0.05). The present study demonstrates extensive endometrial oedema in sows pregnant with cloned and transgenic piglets, as well as in empty recipients, at term. The growth of certain organs in some of the cloned piglets was reduced and the rate of stillborn piglets was greater in cloned and transgenic piglets delivered vaginally, possibly because of oedema of the fetal-maternal interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Schmidt
- Department of Large Animal Sciences, Section for Veterinary Reproduction and Obstetrics, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg, Denmark.
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AKAGI S, YAMAGUCHI D, MATSUKAWA K, MIZUTANI E, HOSOE M, ADACHI N, KUBO M, TAKAHASHI S. Developmental Ability of Somatic Cell Nuclear Transferred Embryos Aggregated at the 8-cell Stage or 16- to 32-cell Stage in Cattle. J Reprod Dev 2011; 57:500-6. [DOI: 10.1262/jrd.10-140a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi AKAGI
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Daisuke YAMAGUCHI
- Ibaraki Prefectural North Livestock Hygiene Service Center, Ibaraki 310-0002, Japan
| | | | - Eiji MIZUTANI
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Division, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Misa HOSOE
- National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan
| | - Noritaka ADACHI
- Ibaraki Prefectural Livestock Research Center, Ibaraki 315-0132, Japan
| | - Masanori KUBO
- National Institute of Animal Health, NARO, Ibaraki 305-0856, Japan
| | - Seiya TAKAHASHI
- Headquarters, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization, Ibaraki 305-8517, Japan
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Ribeiro EDS, Gerger RPDC, Ohlweiler LU, Ortigari I, Mezzalira JC, Forell F, Bertolini LR, Rodrigues JL, Ambrósio CE, Miglino MA, Mezzalira A, Bertolini M. Developmental potential of bovine hand-made clone embryos reconstructed by aggregation or fusion with distinct cytoplasmic volumes. CLONING AND STEM CELLS 2009; 11:377-86. [PMID: 19751109 DOI: 10.1089/clo.2009.0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Animal cloning has been associated with developmental abnormalities, with the level of heteroplasmy caused by the procedure being one of its potential limiting factors. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of the fusion of hemicytoplasts or aggregation of hemiembryos, varying the final cytoplasmic volume, on development and cell density of embryos produced by hand-made cloning (HMC), parthenogenesis or by in vitro fertilization (IVF). One or two enucleated hemicytoplasts were paired and fused with one skin somatic cell. Activated clone and zona-free parthenote embryos and hemiembryos were in vitro cultured in the well-of-the-well (WOW) system, being allocated to one of six experimental groups, on a per WOW basis: single clone or parthenote hemiembryos (1 x 50%); aggregation of two (2 x 50%), three (3 x 50%), or four (4 x 50%) clone or parthenote hemiembryos; single clone or parthenote embryos (1 x 100%); or aggregation of two clone or parthenote embryos (2 x 100%). Control zona-intact parthenote or IVF embryos were in vitro cultured in four-well dishes. Results indicated that the increase in the number of aggregated structures within each WOW was followed by a linear increase in cleavage, blastocyst rate, and cell density. The increase in cytoplasmic volume, either by fusion or by aggregation, had a positive effect on embryo development, supporting the establishment of pregnancies and the birth of a viable clone calf after transfer to recipients. However, embryo aggregation did not improve development on a hemicytoplast basis, except for the aggregation of two clone embryos.
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Suzuki J, Therrien J, Filion F, Lefebvre R, Goff AK, Smith LC. In vitro culture and somatic cell nuclear transfer affect imprinting of SNRPN gene in pre- and post-implantation stages of development in cattle. BMC DEVELOPMENTAL BIOLOGY 2009; 9:9. [PMID: 19200381 PMCID: PMC2645379 DOI: 10.1186/1471-213x-9-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2008] [Accepted: 02/06/2009] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Background Embryo in vitro manipulations during early development are thought to increase mortality by altering the epigenetic regulation of some imprinted genes. Using a bovine interspecies model with a single nucleotide polymorphism, we assessed the imprinting status of the small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN) gene in bovine embryos produced by artificial insemination (AI), in vitro culture (IVF) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) and correlated allelic expression with the DNA methylation patterns of a differentially methylated region (DMR) located on the SNRPN promoter. Results In the AI group, SNRPN maternal expression is silenced at day 17 and 40 of development and a third of the alleles analyzed are methylated in the DMR. In the IVF group, maternal transcripts were identified at day 17 but methylation levels were similar to the AI group. However, day-40 fetuses in the IVF group showed significantly less methylation when compared to the AI group and SNRPN expression was mostly paternal in all fetal tissues studied, except in placenta. Finally, the SCNT group presented severe loss of DMR methylation in both day-17 embryos and 40 fetuses and biallelic expression was observed in all stages and tissues analyzed. Conclusion Together these results suggest that artificial reproductive techniques, such as prolonged in vitro culture and SCNT, lead to abnormal reprogramming of imprinting of SNRPN gene by altering methylation levels at this locus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joao Suzuki
- Centre de recherche en reproduction animale, Faculty of veterinary medicine, University of Montreal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
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15
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Zhou W, Xiang T, Walker S, Abruzzese RV, Hwang E, Farrar V, Findeisen B, Sadeghieh S, Arenivas F, Chen SH, Polejaeva I. Aggregation of bovine cloned embryos at the four-cell stage stimulated gene expression and in vitro embryo development. Mol Reprod Dev 2008; 75:1281-9. [PMID: 18196553 DOI: 10.1002/mrd.20875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Pre-implantation embryos produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have varied developmental potentials. The majority of SCNT blastocysts do not develop to term, and the mechanisms inhibiting development are still largely unknown. Aggregation of cloned embryos has been attempted to compensate for the developmental deficiency of individual cloned embryos. In this report, we investigated the impact of aggregation of bovine cloned embryos at the four-cell stage on in vitro development and gene expression of the embryos. Cell numbers and development rate of aggregated (NTagg) and non-aggregated (NT) blastocysts were characterized and compared. The blastocyst formation after aggregation was modeled using the binominal distribution. The results indicate that aggregation enhances the blastocyst formation but does not increase the overall blastocyst rate. Additionally, utilizing microarray gene chip analysis 8.8% of 8,059 genes analyzed were differentially expressed between NTagg and NT blastocysts, with more than 80% of the differentially expressed genes up-regulated in the NTagg blastocysts. Up-regulated genes include those involved in transcription, biosynthesis and signaling such as TDGF1, HNFA, CAV1, GLU5, and CD81. Our results indicate that aggregation of bovine cloned embryos at an early stage promotes the in vitro development of the resulting pre-implantation embryos.
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Kurosaka S, Eckardt S, Ealy AD, McLaughlin KJ. Regulation of blastocyst stage gene expression and outgrowth interferon tau activity of somatic cell clone aggregates. CLONING AND STEM CELLS 2008; 9:630-41. [PMID: 18154522 DOI: 10.1089/clo.2007.0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
The inefficiency of mammalian somatic cell cloning is associated with abnormal gene expression presumably caused by errors in reprogramming of the transplanted genome. In the mouse, aggregation of four-cell stage clones leads to an improvement of both gene expression and development. To determine whether clone-clone aggregation at postgenomic activation stages influences gene expression in bovine clones, we profiled, in single and aggregated embryos at the blastocyst stage, expression of developmentally relevant genes namely Oct4, Dnmt1, Dnmt3, Glut1, Glut3, and a housekeeping gene, Poly(A) polymerase (PolyA) by real-time RT-PCR. Compared to embryos generated by in vitro fertilization (IVF), individual clones more frequently exhibited transcript levels that were more than twofold higher or lower than the average value of IVF embryos. This was observed less often in clone aggregates for Oct4, Dnmt1, Dnmt3, and PolyA, but not for Glut1 and Glut3. The analysis of interferon tau bioactivity as a marker of trophectoderm function in blastocyst outgrowths showed that both single clones and clone aggregates have less extraembryonic potential in vitro compared to IVF embryos, with no apparent consequence of aggregation. These findings indicate that aggregation of bovine clones with each other at later cleavage stages can change gene expression patterns at preimplantation stages, but does not rescue trophectoderm function in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satoshi Kurosaka
- Center for Animal Transgenesis and Germ Cell Research, University of Pennsylvania, Kennett Square, Pennsylvania 19348, USA
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Fahrudin M, Kikuchi K, Kurniani Karja NW, Ozawa M, Maedomari N, Somfai T, Ohnuma K, Noguchi J, Kaneko H, Nagai T. Development to the Blastocyst Stage of Porcine Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Embryos Reconstructed by the Fusion of Cumulus Cells and Cytoplasts Prepared by Gradient Centrifugation. CLONING AND STEM CELLS 2007; 9:216-28. [PMID: 17579554 DOI: 10.1089/clo.2006.0048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
The present study was designated to examine the possibility of producing somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos in pigs using oocyte cytoplasm fragments (OCFs), prepared by centrifugations, as recipient cytoplasts. In Experiment 1, in vitro matured oocytes were centrifuged at 13,000 x g for 3, 6, and 9 min to stratify the cytoplasm, and then the oocytes were freed from zona pellucida and recentrifuged at 5,000 x g for 4 sec in Percoll gradient solution to produce OCFs as the source of recipient cytoplasts. It was found that a long duration of the first centrifugation tends to produce large-sized OCFs after the second centrifugation. In Experiment 2, two or three cytoplasts without chromosomes were aggregated, and then they were fused with a cumulus cell to produce SCNT embryos. The results showed that 66.4 +/- 9.4% of the reconstructed embryos underwent premature chromosome condensation at 1 h after activation, and 85.2 +/- 7.1% and 61.6 +/- 7.0% of them had pseudopronuclei at 10 and 24 h after activation, respectively. In Experiment 3, when SCNT embryos reconstructed by the fusion of three cytoplasts and one cumulus cell, a significantly higher (p < 0.05) rate of reconstructed embryos developed to the blastocyst stage (10.6 +/- 1.8%) than that of reconstructed with two cytoplasts and one cumulus cell (5.2 +/- 1.5%). These results indicate that cytoplasts obtained by two centrifugations can support the remodeling of a transferred somatic nucleus, resulting in the development of the reconstructed porcine embryos to the blastocyst stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mokhamad Fahrudin
- Department of Animal Sciences, Reproductive Biology Research Unit, National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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