Heparin effect on in vitro nuclear maturation of bovine oocytes

Characteristics and Possible Role of Bovine Sperm Head-to-Head Agglutination

Although sperm head-to-head agglutination has been reported in many mammalian species, the biological significance of this unique sperm–sperm interaction remains largely unknown. Here, we aimed to examine the functional characteristics of agglutinated bovine sperm to determine the possible role of sperm agglutination in the fertilization process. We initially examined temporal changes to the degree of head-to-head agglutination in culture, and found that bovine sperm agglutinated despite the lack of sperm agglutination inducers in medium. Sperm viability and motility were evaluated by SYBR14/PI and JC-1 staining, respectively, to identify the relationship between sperm agglutination and fertilizing ability. Agglutinated sperm had increased motility, viability, and intact mitochondrial function compared with unagglutinated sperm. Furthermore, we found that heparin significantly increased the percentage of unagglutinated sperm, but did not affect viability of both agglutinated and unagglutinated sperm, suggesting that sperm agglutination dictated the viability. In conclusion, agglutinated bovine sperm maintained viability and motility for a longer time than unagglutinated sperm. Thus, we propose that the head-to-head agglutination is a crucial sperm–sperm interaction to ensure the fertilizing ability of sperm.

Relationship between cumulus cell apoptosis, progesterone production and porcine oocyte developmental competence: temporal effects of follicular fluid during IVM

The objective of the present study was to determine the temporal effects of sow follicular fluid (FF) in vitro on cumulus cell viability and function, as well as oocyte nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation. Cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) recovered from the ovaries of prepubertal pigs were matured in medium with (+FF) or without (–FF) follicular fluid for the first 22 h of IVM. At 22 h of IVM, each group of COCs was then transferred to medium with or without FF and matured for another 22 h, forming four treatment groups (–FF/–FF, –FF/+FF, +FF/–FF and +FF/+FF). The concentration of progesterone in spent IVM medium and the incidence of cumulus cell apoptosis in individual COCs were determined at 22 and 44 h of IVM. Cumulus expansion was also recorded at 44 h of IVM. Finally, the ability of oocytes to complete meiosis to the MII stage and form blastocysts after IVF and embryo culture was assessed. Maturation with FF for part or the whole of IVM increased cumulus expansion and progesterone production and decreased the incidence of cumulus cell apoptosis compared with the –FF/–FF group (P < 0.05). The changes were greatest for the +FF/+FF group and intermediate for the –FF/+FF and +FF/–FF groups. Regression analysis revealed a negative association between cumulus cell progesterone production and the incidence of cumulus cell apoptosis (P < 0.001). Meiotic maturation was enhanced when FF was present during the first half of IVM. Oocytes matured in the presence of FF during the first and/or second half of IVM displayed an increased ability to form blastocysts compared with the –FF/–FF group (P < 0.05). The extent of the increase was similar for all FF-supplemented groups. The results show that FF exerts several beneficial effects at different times during IVM and suggest that a major role of FF is to provide protection from oxidative stress. We propose that the incidence of cumulus cell apoptosis in COCs must be kept below a certain threshold to ensure adequate functionality, including steroidogenic activity, is maintained for the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence.

Presence and release of bovine sperm histone H1 during chromatin decondensation by heparin-glutathione

During spermatogenesis, changes in sperm nuclear morphology are associated with the replacement of core somatic histones by protamines. Although protamines are the major nucleoproteins of mature sperm, not all species totally replace the histones. Histone H1, along with protamines, mediates chromatin condensation into an insoluble complex that is transcriptionally inactive. In vitro, heparin-reduced glutathione causes sperm decondensation, and the structures formed are morphologically similar to the in vivo male pronucleus. To study the participation of histone H1 in bovine sperm chromatin remodelling, we measured the presence and release of histone H1 by immunofluorescence, acetic acid-urea-triton-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, and immunoblotting. Nuclear decondensation was induced by 80 microM heparin and 15.0 mM reduced glutathione (GSH) for 7, 14, and 21 h at 37 degrees C. Additionally, nucleons, composed of nuclei isolated from the sperm, were decondensed with 20.0 microM heparin and 5.0 mM GSH for 4.0 h at 37 degrees C. Controls were incubated in buffer for similar periods of time. Immunofluorescent localization of histone H1 was carried out with mouse monoclonal antibody, and DNA localization was visualized by 0.001% quinacrine staining. Chromatin decondensation was accompanied by increased sperm nuclei and nucleon surface area. We observed that histone H1 was localized exclusively in the nuclei of intact sperm and nucleons. Histone H1 immunofluorescent intensity did not change in control samples but decreased over time in samples treated with heparin-GSH. There was a negative correlation between the surface area of sperm nuclei and immunohistochemical intensity of histone H1 (P < 0.05). Nucleon decondensation showed a similar relationship. By electrophoresis and immunoblotting, we verified the loss of histone H1 from the sperm and nucleons and its release into the incubation media. Based on these results, we propose that histone H1 is present in the bovine sperm nuclei. H1 depletion may participate in chromatin decondensation and nuclear swelling induced by heparin-GSH.