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Santos ÉCD, Fonseca Junior AMD, Lima CBD, Ispada J, Silva JVAD, Milazzotto MP. Less is more: Reduced nutrient concentration during in vitro culture improves embryo production rates and morphophysiology of bovine embryos. Theriogenology 2021; 173:37-47. [PMID: 34329894 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.07.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 07/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Reproducing the environment to which the embryo is naturally exposed may be an alternative to improve viability of embryos produced in vitro. In the first part of this work, we describe a novel culture media, namely Embryonic Culture Supplementation (ECS100). The composition of this media was based on the contents of carbohydrates and amino acids found in oviductal and uterine fluids. Because it was a new formulation, we investigated the performance of ECS100 in comparison with conventionally used SOFaa, and possible benefits to embryo development. Embryo production rates (cleavage, morula and blastocyst conversion, blastocyst and hatching rates) and morphophysiological parameters (total cell number, cell allocation, Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), NADH, FAD+ and ATP content) were similar between ECS100 and SOFaa. Next, we tested if a reduction of ECS100 concentration could positively contribute to embryo viability by resembling the more dynamic availability of nutrients that reach the embryos in vivo. Therefore, embryos were cultured in ECS100 or in its serial dilution (ECS75, 50 and 25). Despite the fact that the lowest concentration (ECS25) still supported blastocyst formation, halving the concentration of metabolites (ECS50) actually improved embryo production rates. Thus, embryos produced in ECS100 or ECS50 were submitted to further analyses on Days 4 and 7. Embryos cultured in ECS50 presented better developmental rates and morphophysiological profile than embryos cultured in ECS100. Additionally, physiological traits (MMP, ROS and NADH levels) of embryos cultured in ECS50 presented the expected pattern for embryos produced in vivo. In conclusion, we presented a novel, more personalized and effective culture media for bovine IVP embryos. And although the ECS media formulation was based on the contents of female reproductive fluids, it is worth mentioning that adaptations must be specifically directed for in vitro conditions rather than reproduced exactly from in vivo state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Érika Cristina Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.
| | - Aldcejam Martins da Fonseca Junior
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.
| | - Camila Bruna de Lima
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil; Centre de Recherche en Reproduction, Développement et Santé Intergénérationnelle (CRDSI), Département des Sciences Animales, Faculté des Sciences de l'Agriculture et de l'Alimentation, Université Laval, Quebec, Canada.
| | - Jessica Ispada
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.
| | - João Vitor Alcantara da Silva
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil.
| | - Marcella Pecora Milazzotto
- Laboratory of Embryonic Metabolism and Epigenetic, Center of Natural and Human Science, Federal University of ABC, Santo Andre, SP, Brazil; Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
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Alves GP, Cordeiro FB, Bruna de Lima C, Annes K, Cristina Dos Santos É, Ispada J, Fontes PK, Nogueira MFG, Nichi M, Milazzotto MP. Follicular environment as a predictive tool for embryo development and kinetics in cattle. Reprod Fertil Dev 2019; 31:451-461. [PMID: 30301510 DOI: 10.1071/rd18143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2018] [Accepted: 08/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Follicular fluid composition and the transcription pattern of granulosa cells were analysed to better comprehend associations between embryo development and morphokinetics. Bovine follicles were punctured and their respective follicular fluid and granulosa cells were collected. Cumulus-oocyte complexes derived from these follicles were matured and fertilised invitro. Embryo morphology and kinetics were evaluated at 40h after insemination, when embryos were classified as fast (FCL, four or more cells), slow (SCL, 2-3 cells) or non-cleaved (NCL). Their development was followed until the blastocyst stage. Glucose, pyruvate, cholesterol and oestradiol were quantified in the follicular fluid and the transcription pattern of 96 target genes was evaluated in granulosa cells by large-scale quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Follicular fluid from the blastocyst group had increased levels of glucose, total cholesterol and pyruvate compared to the non-blastocyst group, whereas higher levels of oestradiol were observed in the follicular fluid of embryos and blastocysts with fast cleavage. The transcriptional pattern revealed altered metabolic pathways between groups, such as lipid metabolism, cellular stress and cell signalling. In conclusion, both follicular fluid and granulosa cells are associated with the possibility of identifying follicles that may generate embryos with high potential to properly develop to the blastocyst stage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gláucia Pereira Alves
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Bertuccez Cordeiro
- Laboratorio para Investigaciones Biomédicas, Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral, ESPOL, Guayaquil, Ecuador
| | - Camila Bruna de Lima
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Kelly Annes
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Érika Cristina Dos Santos
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Jéssica Ispada
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
| | - Patrícia Kubo Fontes
- Institute of Biosciences, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Fabio Gouveia Nogueira
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Sciences and Languages, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Campus Assis, Assis, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marcílio Nichi
- Department of Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Marcella Pecora Milazzotto
- Laboratory of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Centre of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, Av dos Estados, 5005, CEP 09210190, Santo André, SP, Brazil
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Dos Santos ÉC, Martinho H, Annes K, da Silva T, Soares CA, Leite RF, Milazzotto MP. Raman-based noninvasive metabolic profile evaluation of in vitro bovine embryos. J Biomed Opt 2016; 21:75002. [PMID: 27385403 DOI: 10.1117/1.jbo.21.7.075002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2016] [Accepted: 06/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The timing of the first embryonic cell divisions may predict the ability of an embryo to establish pregnancy. Similarly, metabolic profiles may be markers of embryonic viability. However, in bovine, data about the metabolomics profile of these embryos are still not available. In the present work, we describe Raman-based metabolomic profiles of culture media of bovine embryos with different developmental kinetics (fast x slow) throughout the in vitro culture. The principal component analysis enabled us to classify embryos with different developmental kinetics since they presented specific spectroscopic profiles for each evaluated time point. We noticed that bands at 1076 cm(−1) (lipids), 1300 cm(−1) (Amide III), and 2719 cm(−1) (DNA nitrogen bases) gave the most relevant spectral features, enabling the separation between fast and slow groups. Bands at 1001 cm(−1) (phenylalanine) and 2892 cm(−1) (methylene group of the polymethylene chain) presented specific patterns related to embryonic stage and can be considered as biomarkers of embryonic development by Raman spectroscopy. The culture media analysis by Raman spectroscopy proved to be a simple and sensitive technique that can be applied with high efficiency to characterize the profiles of in vitro produced bovine embryos with different development kinetics and different stages of development.
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