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Cajas YN, Cañón-Beltrán K, Mazzarella R, Nuñez-Puente C, González EM, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Rizos D, Martinez-Serrano CA. Nobiletin as a novel agent to enhance porcine in vitro embryo development and quality. Theriogenology 2024; 223:36-46. [PMID: 38669840 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.04.011] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
In vitro embryo production (IVP) is of great importance to the porcine industry, as well as for basic research and biomedical applications. Despite the large efforts made in laboratories worldwide to address suboptimal culture conditions, porcine IVP remains inefficient. Nobiletin (Nob, 5,6,7,8,3',4' hexamethoxyflavone) supplementation to in vitro culture (IVC) medium, enhances in vitro embryo development in various species. However, its impact on the quality and developmental capacity of in vitro-produced pig embryos is yet to be established. This study evaluated the effects of different concentrations (2.5 and 5 μM) of Nob during the early culture of in vitro-produced pig embryos on embryo developmental competence, mitochondrial activity, lipid content, intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and Glutathione (GSH) content, Total Cell Number (TCN) per blastocyst, and expression of genes related to embryo development, quality and oxidative stress. Embryos cultured in medium without Nob supplementation and in medium supplemented with 0.01 % dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO-vehicle for Nob) constituted the Control and DMSO groups, respectively. Embryo development rates were evaluated on Days 2, 6 and 7 of IVC. Additionally, a representative group of embryos was selected to assess mitochondrial activity, lipid, ROS and GSH content (on Days 2 and 6 of IVC), TCN assessment and gene expression analyses (on Day 6 of IVC). No significant differences were observed in any of the parameters evaluated on Day 2 of IVC. In contrast, embryos cultured under the presence of Nob 2.5 showed higher developmental rates on Days 6 and 7 of IVC. In addition, Day 6 embryos showed increased mitochondrial activity, with decreased levels of ROS and GSH in the Nob 2.5 group compared to the other groups. Both Nob 2.5 and Nob 5 embryos showed higher TCN compared to the Control and DMSO groups. Furthermore, Nob 2.5 and Nob 5 upregulated the expression of Superoxide dismutase type 1 (SOD1) and Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) genes, which could help to counteract oxidative stress during IVC. In conclusion, the addition of Nob during the first 48 h of IVC increased porcine embryo development rates and enhanced their quality, including the upregulation of relevant genes that potentially improved the overall efficiency of the IVP system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia N Cajas
- Department of Agrarian Production, Technical University of Madrid (UPM), 28040, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biological Science, Technical University of Loja (UTPL), 1101608, Loja, Ecuador.
| | - Karina Cañón-Beltrán
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Rosane Mazzarella
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Carolina Nuñez-Puente
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Encina M González
- Department of Anatomy and Embryology, Veterinary Faculty, Complutense University of Madrid (UCM), 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez
- Department of Biomedical & Clinical Sciences (BKV), BKH/Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Linköping University, SE-58185, Linköping, Sweden.
| | - Dimitrios Rizos
- Department of Animal Reproduction, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), Avda. Puerta de Hierro, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Cristina A Martinez-Serrano
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute for Agriculture and Food Research and Technology (INIA-CSIC), Cta de La Coruña Km 7,5, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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Pawlak P, Lipinska P, Sell-Kubiak E, Kajdasz A, Derebecka N, Warzych E. Energy metabolism disorders during in vitro maturation of bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes interfere with blastocyst quality and metabolism. Dev Biol 2024; 509:51-58. [PMID: 38342400 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2024.02.004] [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: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Glucose and fatty acids (FA) metabolism disturbances during oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) affect their metabolism and surrounding cumulus cells, but only inhibition of glucose metabolism decreases embryo culture efficiency. Therefore, the present experiment aimed to reveal if glucose or FA metabolism inhibition leads to the disruption of embryo developmental potential, and to characterize the metabolic landscape of embryos reaching the blastocyst stage. Inhibitors of glucose (IO + DHEA) or FA (ETOMOXIR) metabolism were applied during IVM, and the control group was matured under standard conditions. Blastocysts obtained from experimental and control groups were analyzed with regard to lipidome and metabolome (mass spectrometry), transcriptome (RNA-Seq) and fluorescence lipid droplets staining (BODIPY). We showed that inhibition of glucose and fatty acid metabolism leads to cellular stress response compromising the quality of preimplantation embryos. The inhibition of energy metabolism affects membrane fluidity as well as downregulates fatty acids biosynthesis and gene expression of trophectoderm cell line markers. Therefore, we conclude that oocyte maturation environment exerts a substantial effect on preimplantation development programming at cellular and molecular levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Pawlak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Paulina Lipinska
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Ewa Sell-Kubiak
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland
| | - Arkadiusz Kajdasz
- Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Noskowskiego 12/14, 61-704, Poznan, Poland
| | - Natalia Derebecka
- Laboratory of High Throughput Technologies, Institute of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznanskiego 6, 61-614, Poznan, Poland
| | - Ewelina Warzych
- Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding, Poznan University of Life Sciences, Wolynska 33, 60-637, Poznan, Poland.
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Wang Y, Qi JJ, Yin YJ, Jiang H, Zhang JB, Liang S, Yuan B. Ferulic Acid Enhances Oocyte Maturation and the Subsequent Development of Bovine Oocytes. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:14804. [PMID: 37834252 PMCID: PMC10573426 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241914804] [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: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Improving the quality of oocytes matured in vitro is integral to enhancing the efficacy of in vitro embryo production. Oxidative stress is one of the primary causes of quality decline in oocytes matured in vitro. In this study, ferulic acid (FA), a natural antioxidant found in plant cell walls, was investigated to evaluate its impact on bovine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development. Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were treated with different concentrations of FA (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 μM) during in vitro maturation (IVM). Compared to the control group, supplementation with 5 μM FA significantly enhanced the maturation rates of bovine oocytes and the expansion of the cumulus cells area, as well as the subsequent cleavage and blastocyst formation rates after in vitro fertilization (IVF) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Furthermore, FA supplementation was observed to effectively decrease the levels of ROS in bovine oocytes and improve their mitochondrial function. Our experiments demonstrate that FA can maintain the levels of antioxidants (GSH, SOD, CAT) in oocytes, thereby alleviating the oxidative stress induced by H2O2. RT-qPCR results revealed that, after FA treatment, the relative mRNA expression levels of genes related to oocyte maturation (GDF-9 and BMP-15), cumulus cell expansion (HAS2, PTX3, CX37, and CX43), and embryo pluripotency (OCT4, SOX2, and CDX2) were significantly increased. In conclusion, these findings demonstrate that FA supplementation during bovine oocyte IVM can enhance oocyte quality and the developmental potential of subsequent embryos.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Shuang Liang
- Department of Animals Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.W.); (J.-J.Q.); (Y.-J.Y.); (H.J.); (J.-B.Z.)
| | - Bao Yuan
- Department of Animals Sciences, College of Animal Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130062, China; (Y.W.); (J.-J.Q.); (Y.-J.Y.); (H.J.); (J.-B.Z.)
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Kim M, Lee J, Cai L, Choi H, Oh D, Jawad A, Hyun SH. Neurotrophin-4 promotes the specification of trophectoderm lineage after parthenogenetic activation and enhances porcine early embryonic development. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1194596. [PMID: 37519302 PMCID: PMC10373506 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1194596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neurotrophin-4 (NT-4), a neurotrophic factor, appears to affect early embryonic development because it is secreted not only by neurons but also by oviductal and uterine epithelial cells. However, no studies have characterized the effects of NT-4 on early embryonic development in pigs. In this study, we applied the experimental model of parthenogenetic-activation (PA)-derived embryos. Herein, we investigated the effect of NT-4 supplementation during the in vitro culture (IVC) of embryos, analyzed the transcription levels of specific genes, and outlined the first cell lineage specification for porcine PA-derived blastocysts. We confirmed that NT-4 and its receptor proteins were localized in both the inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) in porcine blastocysts. Across different concentrations (0, 1, 10, and 100 ng/mL) of NT-4 supplementation, the optimal concentration of NT-4 to improve the developmental competence of porcine parthenotes was 10 ng/mL. NT-4 supplementation during porcine IVC significantly (p < 0.05) increased the proportion of TE cells by inducing the transcription of TE lineage markers (CDX2, PPAG3, and GATA3 transcripts). NT-4 also reduced blastocyst apoptosis by regulating the transcription of apoptosis-related genes (BAX and BCL2L1 transcripts) and improved blastocyst quality via the interaction of neurotrophin-, Hippo-yes-associated protein (Hippo-YAP) and mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) pathway. Additionally, NT-4 supplementation during IVC significantly (p < 0.05) increased YAP1 transcript levels and significantly (p < 0.01) decreased LATS2 transcript levels, respectively, in the porcine PA-derived blastocysts. We also confirmed through fluorescence intensity that the YAP1 protein was significantly (p < 0.001) increased in the NT-4-treated blastocysts compared with that in the control. NT-4 also promoted differentiation into the TE lineage rather than into the ICM lineage during porcine early embryonic development. In conclusion, 10 ng/mL NT-4 supplementation enhanced blastocyst quality by regulating the apoptosis- and TE lineage specification-related genes and interacting with neurotrophin-, Hippo-YAP-, and MAPK/ERK signaling pathway during porcine in vitro embryo development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mirae Kim
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Joohyeong Lee
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Lian Cai
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Veterinary Biosecurity and Protection, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Hyerin Choi
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Dongjin Oh
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Ali Jawad
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Sang-Hwan Hyun
- Veterinary Medical Center and College of Veterinary Medicine, Laboratory of Veterinary Embryology and Biotechnology (VETEMBIO), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (ISCRM), Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of Veterinary Biosecurity and Protection, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
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Effect of carvacrol antioxidant capacity on oocyte maturation and embryo production in cattle. ZYGOTE 2023; 31:173-179. [PMID: 36804925 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199422000673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Carvacrol (C10H14O), an efficient phenolic antioxidant substance for several cell types, may become a useful antioxidant for female germ cells and embryo culture. This study investigates the effects of carvacrol supplementation on bovine oocytes in in vitro maturation (IVM) and embryo production. In total, 1222 cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in TCM-199+ alone (control treatment) or supplemented with carvacrol at the concentrations of 3 µM (Carv-3), 12.5 µM (Carv-12.5), or 25 µM (Carv-25). After IVM, the oocytes were subjected to in vitro fertilization and embryo production, and the spent medium post-IVM was used for evaluating the levels of reactive oxygen species and the antioxidant capacity (2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate and 2,2'-azinobis-3-ethyl-benzothiozoline-6-sulphonic acid quantification). A greater (P < 0.05) antioxidant potential was observed in the spent medium of all carvacrol-treated groups compared with the control medium. Moreover, the addition of carvacrol to the maturation medium did not affect (P > 0.05) blastocyst production on days 7 and 10 of culture; however, the total number of cells per blastocyst was reduced (P < 0.05) in two carvacrol-treated groups (Carv-3 and Carv-25). In conclusion, carvacrol demonstrated a high antioxidant capacity in the spent medium after oocyte maturation; however, although embryo production was not affected, in general, carvacrol addition to IVM medium reduced the total number of cells per blastocyst. Therefore, due to the high antioxidant capacity of carvacrol, new experiments are warranted to investigate the beneficial effects of lower concentrations of carvacrol on embryo production in cattle and other species.
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Luchetti CG, Lorenzo MS, Elia EM, Teplitz GM, Cruzans PR, Carou MC, Lombardo DM. Effects of the addition of insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS) and/or metformin to the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes on cytoplasmic maturation and embryo development. Reprod Fertil Dev 2023; 35:363-374. [PMID: 36780707 DOI: 10.1071/rd22254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023] Open
Abstract
CONTEXT One of the main problems of porcine in vitro maturation (IVM) is incomplete cytoplasmatic maturation. Nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation will determine the future success of fertilisation and embryo development. Insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS) has insulin-like and antioxidant effects, and metformin (M) is an insulin-sensitiser and antioxidant drug. AIMS To assess the effects of adding ITS and/or M in porcine IVM media on cytoplasmic maturation and early embryo development. METHODS Cumulus -oocyte complexes (COC) were IVM with M (10-4 M), ITS (0.1% v/v), M+ITS or no adding (Control). KEY RESULTS ITS increased glucose consumption compared to Control and M (P <0.01), and M+ITS did not differ from ITS or Control. Redox balance: M, ITS and M+ITS increased glutathione (P <0.01) and decreased lipid peroxidation (P <0.005). The viability of cumulus cells by flow cytometry increased with M (P <0.005) and decreased with ITS (P <0.001); M+ITS did not differ from Control. After IVF, M increased penetration and decreased male pronucleus (P <0.05). Embryo development: cleavage increased with M (P <0.05), and blastocysts increased with ITS and M+ITS (P <0.05). The number of blastocyst cells increased with ITS (P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS Adding ITS and M+ITS to porcine IVM media benefits embryo development to blastocysts, but ITS alone has better effects than M+ITS. IMPLICATIONS ITS is an excellent tool to improve IVM and embryo development after IVF in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Griselda Luchetti
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - María Soledad Lorenzo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Evelin Mariel Elia
- Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEN), Intendente Güiraldes 2160, Ciudad Universitaria, Buenos Aires C1428EGA, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA- Instituto de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Neurociencias (IFIBYNE), Buenos Aires, Argentina; and UBA, FCEN, Departamento de Biodiversidad y Biología Experimental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Maia Teplitz
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - Paula Romina Cruzans
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
| | - María Clara Carou
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina
| | - Daniel Marcelo Lombardo
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal, Cátedra de Histología y Embriología, Chorroarín 280, Buenos Aires C1427CWO, Argentina; and Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Godoy Cruz 2290, Buenos Aires C1425FQD, Argentina
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de Oliveira LRM, de Aquino LVC, Santos MVDO, Freitas VJDF, Bertini LM, Pereira AF. Antioxidant effect of bioactive compounds isolated from Syzygium aromaticum essential oil on the in vitro developmental potential of bovine oocytes. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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8
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Effect of DHA on the quality of In vitro produced bovine embryos. Theriogenology 2022; 187:102-111. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.04.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Soto-Moreno EJ, Balboula A, Spinka C, Rivera RM. Serum supplementation during bovine embryo culture affects their development and proliferation through macroautophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress regulation. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0260123. [PMID: 34882691 PMCID: PMC8659681 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0260123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Serum supplementation during bovine embryo culture has been demonstrated to promote cell proliferation and preimplantation embryo development. However, these desirable outcomes, have been associated with gene expression alterations of pathways involved in macroautophagy, growth, and development at the blastocyst stage, as well as with developmental anomalies such as fetal overgrowth and placental malformations. In order to start dissecting the molecular pathways by which serum supplementation of the culture medium during the preimplantation stage promotes developmental abnormalities, we examined blastocyst morphometry, inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell allocations, macroautophagy, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. On day 5 post-insemination, > 16 cells embryos were selected and cultured in medium containing 10% serum or left as controls. Embryo diameter, inner cell mass and trophectoderm cell number, and macroautophagy were measured on day 8 blastocysts (BL) and expanded blastocysts (XBL). On day 5 and day 8, we assessed transcript level of the ER stress markers HSPA5, ATF4, MTHFD2, and SHMT2 as well as XBP1 splicing (a marker of the unfolded protein response). Serum increased diameter and proliferation of embryos when compared to the no-serum group. In addition, serum increased macroautophagy of BL when compared to controls, while the opposite was true for XBL. None of the genes analyzed was differentially expressed at any stage, except that serum decreased HSPA5 in day 5 > 16 cells stage embryos. XBP1 splicing was decreased in BL when compared to XBL, but only in the serum group. Our data suggest that serum rescues delayed embryos by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress and promotes development of advanced embryos by decreasing macroautophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Joel Soto-Moreno
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Ahmed Balboula
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Christine Spinka
- College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States of America
| | - Rocío Melissa Rivera
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Lucas CG, Redel BK, Chen PR, Spate LD, Prather RS, Wells KD. Effects of RAD51-stimulatory compound 1 (RS-1) and its vehicle, DMSO, on pig embryo culture. Reprod Toxicol 2021; 105:44-52. [PMID: 34407461 DOI: 10.1016/j.reprotox.2021.08.002] [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: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 08/01/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Pigs have become an important model for agricultural and biomedical purposes. The advent of genomic engineering tools, such as the CRISPR/Cas9 system, has facilitated the production of livestock models with desired modifications. However, precise site-specific modifications in pigs through the homology-directed repair (HDR) pathway remains a challenge. In mammalian embryos, the use of small molecules to inhibit non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) or to improve HDR have been tested, but little is known about their toxicity. The compound RS-1 stimulates the activity of the RAD51 protein, which plays a key role in the HDR mechanism, demonstrating enhancement of HDR events in rabbit and bovine zygotes. Thus, in this study, we evaluated the dosage and temporal effects of RS-1 on porcine embryo development and viability. Additionally, we assessed the effects of its vehicle, DMSO, during embryo in vitro culture. Transient exposure to 7.5 μM of RS-1 did not adversely affect early embryo development and was compatible with subsequent development to term. Additionally, low concentrations of its vehicle, DMSO, did not show any toxicity to in vitro produced embryos. The transient use of RS-1 at 7.5 μM during in vitro culture seems to be the best protocol of choice to reduce the potentially toxic effects of RS-1 while attempting to improve HDR in the pig. Direct injection of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, combined with strategies to increase the frequency of targeted modifications via HDR, have become an important tool to simplify and accelerate the production of genetically modified livestock models.
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Affiliation(s)
- C G Lucas
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA.
| | - B K Redel
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; USDA-ARS, Plant Genetics Unit, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - P R Chen
- Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - L D Spate
- Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - R S Prather
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - K D Wells
- National Swine Resource and Research Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; Division of Animal Science, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
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