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Dovolou E, Nanas I, Giannoulis T, Fytsilli A, Ntemka A, Anifandis G, Tsakmakidis I, Amiridis GS. The effects of a glyphosate-based herbicide on the bovine gametes during an in vitro embryo production model. Environ Pollut 2024; 350:123967. [PMID: 38631452 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.123967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Roundup® (R), while it is the most used herbicide globally, and its residues are ubiquitous in urban and suburban areas, its impact on vertebrates' safety remains highly debated. Here, in three in vitro experiments, we investigated the effects of a very low dose (1 ppm) of R on the fertilization capacity and embryo development in cattle. In the first experiment, frozen-thawed bull semen exposed to R for 1 h exhibited reduced motility parameters but unaffected fertilization ability. However, after in vitro fertilization, the rates of embryo formation were significantly lower compared to the untreated controls. In the second experiment, oocytes exposed to R during in vitro maturation showed reduced cleavage rates, and the embryo yield on days 7, 8, and 9 of embryo culture was significantly lower than that of the controls. In the third experiment, oocytes were matured in the presence of R and in a medium containing both R and Zinc, chosen to offer antioxidant protection to the oocytes. Day-7 blastocysts were analyzed for the expression of genes associated with oxidative stress, apoptosis, and epigenetic reprogramming. Exposure to R markedly suppressed embryo formation rates compared to the controls. The combination of R with Zinc restored the blastocyst yield, which on days 8 and 9 was comparable to that of the controls and higher than the groups exposed only to R on all days. The gene expression analysis revealed that R promotes oxidative stress development, triggers apoptosis, and induces epigenetic changes in developing embryos, while zinc presence alleviates these adverse effects of R. These findings imply that even at very low doses, R could be highly toxic, leading to functional abnormalities in both gametes, potentially affecting fertility in both genders.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Dovolou
- Department of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece.
| | - I Nanas
- Department of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - T Giannoulis
- Department of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - A Fytsilli
- Department of Biochemistry & Biotechnology, Laboratory of Genetics, Comparative and Evolutionary Biology, Larissa, Greece
| | - A Ntemka
- Department of Animal Science, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece; Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - G Anifandis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, ART Unit, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - I Tsakmakidis
- Clinic of Farm Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - G S Amiridis
- Department of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
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Arroyo-Salvo C, Cogollo Villarreal MY, Clérico G, Flores Bragulat AP, Niño Vargas A, Castañeira C, Briski O, Alonso C, Plaza J, Zeledon JM, Losinno L, Miragaya M, Sansinena M, Martinez SP, Gambini A. The ability of donkey sperm to induce oocyte activation and mule embryo development after ICSI. Theriogenology 2024; 218:200-207. [PMID: 38335707 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2024.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Members of the Equus genus exhibit a fascinating capacity for hybridization, giving rise to healthy offspring. Mules, resulting from the mating of a mare with a jack, represent the most prevalent equid hybrid, serving diverse roles in our society. While in vitro embryo production, particularly through Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), has rapidly gained significance in domestic horses, the in vitro production in other equids remains largely unexplored. Utilizing donkey sperm for fertilizing horse oocytes not only addresses this gap but also provides an opportunity to investigate donkey sperm's fertilization capability in vitro to further improve donkey ICSI. In this work, we initially studied the localization of donkey sperm Phospholipase C zeta (PLCζ) and assessed the sperm's capacity to induce pronuclear formation and maternal SMARCA4 recruitment upon injection into pig oocytes through ICSI. Subsequently, we investigated the injection of donkey sperm into horse oocytes, evaluating in vitro production up to the blastocyst stage using sperm from different jacks, including frozen and refrigerated samples. Distinct patterns of PLCζ localization were observed for donkey sperm cells compared to their horse counterparts. Additionally, donkey sperm exhibits a reduced ability to induce porcine oocyte activation. However, when injected into horse oocytes, donkey sperm demonstrated sufficient capability to induce oocyte activation as no discernible differences in cleavage or blastocyst rates are observed between in vitro produced mules and horse ICSI embryos. Our study not only delineates PLCζ localization in donkey sperm but also suggests potential differences in the ability to induce oocyte activation in pigs compared to horses while observing no distinctions in pronuclear recruitment of SMARCA4. Interestingly, donkey sperm remains sufficiently capable of inducing horse oocyte activation for in vitro mule blastocyst production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Arroyo-Salvo
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), CONICET-UBA, Paraguay 2155, 1121ABG, Ciudad Autónoma de, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Gabriel Clérico
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Católica Argentina, 1107, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana P Flores Bragulat
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1425FQB, Argentina
| | | | - Catalina Castañeira
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Olinda Briski
- Facultad de Agronomía, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de, Buenos Aires, C1417DSE, Argentina; CONICET-Universidad de Buenos Aires - Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción Animal (INPA), Ciudad Autónoma de, Buenos Aires, C1425FQB, Argentina
| | - Carolina Alonso
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Jessica Plaza
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1425FQB, Argentina; Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jose M Zeledon
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Luis Losinno
- Laboratorio de Producción Equina, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Río Cuarto, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Marcelo Miragaya
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Instituto de Investigación y Tecnología en Reproducción Animal (INITRA), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Marina Sansinena
- Facultad de Ingeniería y Ciencias Agrarias, Universidad Católica Argentina, 1107, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1425FQB, Argentina
| | - Silvina Perez Martinez
- Centro de Estudios Farmacológicos y Botánicos (CEFYBO), CONICET-UBA, Paraguay 2155, 1121ABG, Ciudad Autónoma de, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, C1425FQB, Argentina
| | - Andrés Gambini
- School of Agriculture and Food Sustainability, The University of Queensland, 4343, Gatton, Queensland, Australia; School of Veterinary Sciences, The University of Queensland, 4343, Gatton, Queensland, Australia.
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Song Y, Zhang N, Yue Y, Chen D, Chou C, An L, Cheng L, Zhang J, Tian J. Field outcomes of laparoscopic ovum pick-up combined with in vitro embryo production in sheep: Effects of long-acting recombinant ovine FSH pre-stimulation, collection frequency, and donor breed. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2024; 87:106826. [PMID: 38043389 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2023.106826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Laparoscopic ovum pick-up (LOPU) combined with in vitro embryo production (IVEP) is a technology platform that improves the utilization rate of the elite ewe's ovarian oocytes and increases the number of obtained offspring. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of FSH pre-stimulation, serial oocyte collection, and breed on LOPU-IVEP under field conditions. Donors were randomly assigned to five groups (group A: decreasing doses of pituitary FSH (p-FSH); group B: constant doses of p-FSH; group C: two doses of long-acting recombinant ovine FSH (ro-FSH); group D: single administration of a long-acting ro-FSH in; group E: no FSH stimulation). Oocyte yield following LOPU (average recovered oocytes: 20.9 ± 0.5; average viable oocytes: 17.2 ± 0.4) and oocyte developmental competence (average blastocysts: 7.0 ± 0.2) in group C were significantly better than these of group D and group E, and similar to these of groups A and B. Meanwhile, there were no differences in oocyte yield and developmental capacity using repeated LOPU session at 1-, 2-, and 3-month intervals (p > 0.05). Finally, we compared LOPU-IVEP outcomes among five sheep breeds. The results indicated that East Friesian × Chinese Mongolian crossbred sheep and purebred East Friesian sheep had the more recovered oocytes and viable oocytes compared with the Suffolk, Dorper, and Texel breeds, and average number of blastocysts in East Friesian × Chinese Mongolian sheep group was also highest among the groups (8.1 ±0.3, p < 0.05). In summary, the results of this study indicate long-acting ro-FSH pre-stimulation combined with 12 times LOPU sessions over one year maximizes embryo production of elite donor ewes under field conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukun Song
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Sheep & Goat Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010018, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Sheep & Goat Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010018, China
| | - Yuan Yue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Dayong Chen
- Inner Mongolia Sino Sheep Technology Co. Ltd., Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia 011800, China
| | - Chunjuan Chou
- Inner Mongolia Sino Sheep Technology Co. Ltd., Ulanqab, Inner Mongolia 011800, China
| | - Lei An
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Lei Cheng
- Xilingol Vocational College, Xilinhot, Inner Mongolia 026000, China
| | - Jiaxin Zhang
- Inner Mongolia Key Laboratory of Sheep & Goat Genetics Breeding and Reproduction, College of Animal Science, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, Inner Mongolia 010018, China.
| | - Jianhui Tian
- College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
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Raes A, Athanasiou G, Azari-Dolatabad N, Sadeghi H, Gonzalez Andueza S, Arcos JL, Cerquides J, Chaitanya Pavani K, Opsomer G, Bogado Pascottini O, Smits K, Angel-Velez D, Van Soom A. Manual versus deep learning measurements to evaluate cumulus expansion of bovine oocytes and its relationship with embryo development in vitro. Comput Biol Med 2024; 168:107785. [PMID: 38056209 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Cumulus expansion is an important indicator of oocyte maturation and has been suggested to be indicative of greater oocyte developmental capacity. Although multiple methods have been described to assess cumulus expansion, none of them is considered a gold standard. Additionally, these methods are subjective and time-consuming. In this manuscript, the reliability of three cumulus expansion measurement methods was assessed, and a deep learning model was created to automatically perform the measurement. Cumulus expansion of 232 cumulus-oocyte complexes was evaluated by three independent observers using three methods: (1) measurement of the cumulus area, (2) measurement of three distances between the zona pellucida and outer cumulus, and (3) scoring cumulus expansion on a 5-point Likert scale. The reliability of the methods was calculated in terms of intraclass-correlation coefficients (ICC) for both inter- and intra-observer agreements. The area method resulted in the best overall inter-observer agreement with an ICC of 0.89 versus 0.54 and 0.30 for the 3-distance and scoring methods, respectively. Therefore, the area method served as the base to create a deep learning model, AI-xpansion, which reaches a human-level performance in terms of average rank, bias and variance. To evaluate the accuracy of the methods, the results of cumulus expansion calculations were linked to embryonic development. Cumulus expansion had increased significantly in oocytes that achieved successful embryo development when measured by AI-xpansion, the area- or 3-distance method, while this was not the case for the scoring method. Measuring the area is the most reliable method to manually evaluate cumulus expansion, whilst deep learning automatically performs the calculation with human-level precision and high accuracy and could therefore be a valuable prospective tool for embryologists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annelies Raes
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium.
| | - Georgios Athanasiou
- Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA-CSIC), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain; Department of Computer Science, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Nima Azari-Dolatabad
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Hafez Sadeghi
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Sebastian Gonzalez Andueza
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Josep Lluis Arcos
- Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA-CSIC), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Jesus Cerquides
- Artificial Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA-CSIC), 08193, Bellaterra, Spain.
| | - Krishna Chaitanya Pavani
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Geert Opsomer
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Osvaldo Bogado Pascottini
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Katrien Smits
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Daniel Angel-Velez
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium; Research Group in Animal Sciences-INCA-CES, Universidad CES, Medellin, 050021, Colombia
| | - Ann Van Soom
- Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
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Morais ANP, Lima LF, Silva AFB, Lienou LL, Ferreira ACA, Watanabe YF, Joaquim DC, Alves BG, Pereira AF, Alves DR, Oliveira AC, Morais SM, Magalhães-Padilha DM, Figueiredo JR, Gastal EL. Effect of carvacrol antioxidant capacity on oocyte maturation and embryo production in cattle. ZYGOTE 2023; 31:173-9. [PMID: 36804925 DOI: 10.1017/S0967199422000673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [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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Dode MAN, Caixeta FMC, Vargas LN, Leme LO, Kawamoto TS, Fidelis AAG, Franco MM. Genome transfer technique for bovine embryo production using the metaphase plate and polar body. J Assist Reprod Genet 2023; 40:943-951. [PMID: 36864182 PMCID: PMC10224876 DOI: 10.1007/s10815-023-02758-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite many studies in humans and mice using genome transfer (GT), there are few reports using this technique in oocytes of wild or domestic animals. Therefore, we aimed to establish a GT technique in bovine oocytes using the metaphase plate (MP) and polar body (PB) as the sources of genetic material. In the first experiment, GT was established using MP (GT-MP), and a sperm concentration of 1 × 106 or 0.5 × 106 spermatozoa/ml gave similar fertilization rates. The cleavage rate (50%) and blastocyst rate (13.6%) in the GT-MP group was lower than that of the in vitro production control group (80.2% and 32.6%, respectively). The second experiment evaluated the same parameters using PB instead of MP; the GT-PB group had lower fertilization (82.3% vs. 96.2%) and blastocyst (7.7% vs. 36.8%) rates than the control group. No differences in the amount of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were observed between groups. Finally, GT-MP was performed using vitrified oocytes (GT-MPV) as a source of genetic material. The cleavage rate of the GT-MPV group (68.4%) was similar to that of the vitrified oocytes (VIT) control group (70.0%) and to that of the control IVP group (81.25%, P < 0.05). The blastocyst rate of GT-MPV (15.7) did not differ neither from the VIT control group (5.0%) nor from the IVP control group (35.7%). The results suggested that the structures reconstructed by the GT-MPV and GT-PB technique develop in embryos even if vitrified oocytes are used.
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Affiliation(s)
- M A N Dode
- University of Brasilia, DF, Brasília, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil.
| | | | - L N Vargas
- Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | - L O Leme
- Federal University of Espírito Santo, Alegre, ES, Brazil
| | - T S Kawamoto
- Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
| | | | - M M Franco
- Federal University of Uberlândia, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil
- Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, Embrapa Genetic Resources and Biotechnology, Brasília, DF, Brazil
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París-Oller E, Navarro-Serna S, Soriano-Úbeda C, Lopes JS, Matás C, Ruiz S, Latorre R, López-Albors O, Romar R, Cánovas S, Coy P. Reproductive fluids, used for the in vitro production of pig embryos, result in healthy offspring and avoid aberrant placental expression of PEG3 and LUM. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2021; 12:32. [PMID: 33583428 PMCID: PMC7883450 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-020-00544-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In vitro embryo production (IVP) and embryo transfer (ET) are two very common assisted reproductive technologies (ART) in human and cattle. However, in pig, the combination of either procedures, or even their use separately, is still considered suboptimal due to the low efficiency of IVP plus the difficulty of performing ET in the long and contorted uterus of the sow. In addition, the potential impact of these two ART on the health of the offspring is unknown. We investigated here if the use of a modified IVP system, with natural reproductive fluids (RF) as supplements to the culture media, combined with a minimally invasive surgery to perform ET, affects the output of the own IVP system as well as the reproductive performance of the mother and placental molecular traits. Results The blastocyst rates obtained by both in vitro systems, conventional (C-IVP) and modified (RF-IVP), were similar. Pregnancy and farrowing rates were also similar. However, when compared to in vivo control (artificial insemination, AI), litter sizes of both IVP groups were lower, while placental efficiency was higher in AI than in RF-IVP. Gene expression studies revealed aberrant expression levels for PEG3 and LUM in placental tissue for C-IVP group when compared to AI, but not for RF-IVP group. Conclusions The use of reproductive fluids as additives for the culture media in pig IVP does not improve reproductive performance of recipient mothers but could mitigate the impact of artificial procedures in the offspring. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-020-00544-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- E París-Oller
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Navarro-Serna
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - C Soriano-Úbeda
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - J S Lopes
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - C Matás
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Ruiz
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - R Latorre
- Department of Anatomy and Comparartive Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - O López-Albors
- Department of Anatomy and Comparartive Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - R Romar
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain.,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain
| | - S Cánovas
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain. .,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
| | - P Coy
- Department of Physiology- Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia - Campus Mare Nostrum, 30100, Murcia, Spain. .,Institute for Biomedical Research of Murcia, IMIB-Arrixaca, Murcia, Spain.
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8
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Silva TVG, Santana PDPB, Souza EB, Lima AJM, Santos CA, Almeida NNDC, Brito VC, Gonçalves AA, Rolim Filho ST, Cordeiro MDS, Santos SDSD, Miranda MDS, Ohashi OM. Sperm chromatin protamination influences embryo development in unsexed and sexed bull semen. ZYGOTE 2021; 29:264-9. [PMID: 33448260 DOI: 10.1017/S0967199420000775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Sex selection through sperm sorting offers advantages in regards selection pressure in high-producing livestock. However, the sex-sorting process results in sperm membrane and DNA damage that ultimately decrease fertility. We hypothesized that given the role of protamines in DNA packaging, protamine deficiency could account, at least partially, for the DNA damage observed following sperm sex sorting. To test this, we compared protamine status between unsexed and sexed spermatozoa from two bulls using the fluorochrome chromomycin A3 (CMA3) and flow cytometry. Then, we assessed embryo development following in vitro fertilization (IVF) using the same sperm treatments. Overall, sperm protamination was not different between sexed and unsexed semen. However, one of the two bulls displayed higher rates of protamine deficiency for both unsexed and sexed semen (P < 0.05). Moreover, unsexed semen from this bull yielded lower blastocyst (P < 0.05) and blastocyst hatching rates than unsexed sperm from the other bull. CMA3-positive staining was negatively correlated with cleavage (R2 85.1, P = 0.003) and blastocyst hatching (R2 87.6, P = 0.006) rates in unsexed semen. In conclusion, while the sex-sorting process had no effect on sperm protamine content, we observed a bull effect for sperm protamination, which correlated to embryo development rates following IVF.
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Abstract
Oocyte cryopreservation is a potent approach to keep female germplasm safe from epidemic diseases. In the last decade, we developed simple, cheap, and robust vitrification protocols which enable quick cryopreservation of immature porcine oocytes and zygotes in large numbers. In this chapter, we describe vitrification procedures for porcine oocytes and zygotes where they are vitrified in 1-2 μL aliquots of a defined (protein-free) vitrification medium and dropped either on a metal surface pre-cooled from the bottom with liquid nitrogen (solid surface vitrification) or directly into liquid nitrogen. Vitrified microdrops can be stored in cryo-vials in liquid nitrogen. Low concentrations of permeating cryoprotectants during equilibration and proper temperatures during equilibration and warming are crucial for achieving high survival rates. The device used for cooling does not seem to affect system efficacy as vitrification of oocytes or zygotes either on Cryotop® sheets or in microdrops were equally effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamas Somfai
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
| | - Kazuhiro Kikuchi
- Division of Animal Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, NARO, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan
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10
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Wani NA. In vitro embryo production (IVEP) in camelids: Present status and future perspectives. Reprod Biol 2020; 21:100471. [PMID: 33307379 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2020.100471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 09/24/2020] [Revised: 11/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Camels are a fundamental livestock resource with a significant role in the agricultural economy of dry regions of Asia and Africa. Similarly, llamas and alpacas are an indigenous resource considered as beasts of burden in South America because of their surefootedness and ability to adapt. Camel racing, a highly lucrative and well-organized sport, camel beauty contests, and high demand for camel milk lead to a steady interest in the multiplication of elite animals by in vitro embryo production (IVEP) in this species during the last few decades. Although offspring have been produced from in vitro produced embryos, the technique is still not that well developed compared with other domestic animal species such as cattle. IVEP involves many steps, including the collection of oocytes from either slaughterhouse ovaries or live animals through ultrasound-guided transvaginal aspiration; in vitro maturation of these collected oocytes; collection and preparation of semen for fertilization; culture and passaging of cells for nuclear transfer, chemical activation of the reconstructed embryos, and in vitro culture of embryos up to the blastocyst stage for transfer into synchronized recipients to carry them to term. This review discusses the present status of all these steps involved in the IVEP of camelids and their future perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisar Ahmad Wani
- Reproductive Biotechnology Centre, Post Box 299003, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
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Yang Z, Liu X, Szymanowicz J, Fryc K, Schwarz T, Murawski M, Bartlewski PM. Bovine in vitro embryo production using media prepared with Milli-Q® Water or nanowater. Reprod Biol 2020; 20:580-583. [PMID: 33191143 DOI: 10.1016/j.repbio.2020.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [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: 08/27/2020] [Revised: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/24/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of in vitro embryo production (IVP) following the collection of bovine ovaries and 22-h in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes in media prepared with Milli-Q® Water (n = 509 oocytes) or nanowater (NW; n = 304 oocytes). The mean cleavage (63.8 ± 4.6 % vs. 63.6 ± 6.1 %, respectively; mean ± SEM) and blastocyst formation rate (16.3 ± 3.4 % vs. 16.7 ± 6.7 % of presumptive zygotes, respectively) did not vary (P > 0.05; Student t-test) between the two types of media diluents. NW is a safe substitute for Milli-Q® Water for IVM of bovine oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zihui Yang
- Shenyang 204 Hospital, Hemu Bei 2 Lu, 2 Hao, Dadong District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110043, PR China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- Shenyang 204 Hospital, Hemu Bei 2 Lu, 2 Hao, Dadong District, Shenyang, Liaoning, 110043, PR China
| | - Joanna Szymanowicz
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Biotechnology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 1B Rędzina St., 30-248, Cracow, Poland
| | - Karolina Fryc
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Biotechnology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 1B Rędzina St., 30-248, Cracow, Poland
| | - Tomasz Schwarz
- Department of Animal Genetics, Husbandry and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 24-28 Mickiewicza Ave., 30-059, Cracow, Poland
| | - Maciej Murawski
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Biotechnology and Fisheries, University of Agriculture in Kraków, 1B Rędzina St., 30-248, Cracow, Poland
| | - Pawel Mieczyslaw Bartlewski
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd., Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada.
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Elkhawagah AR, Martino NA, Ricci A, Storti V, Rumbolo F, Lange-Consiglio A, Vincenti L. Effect of relaxin on cryopreserved beef bull semen characteristics. Cryobiology 2020; 95:51-59. [PMID: 32561273 DOI: 10.1016/j.cryobiol.2020.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 06/04/2020] [Accepted: 06/04/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to improve the quality of cryopreserved beef bull (Piedmontese) semen by incorporation of relaxin in diluted semen before cryopreservation procedures. Semen samples were collected from 4 proven fertile bulls, using artificial vagina, once per week for 8 consecutive weeks and pooled together then diluted with Bullxcell® extender, and supplemented with different concentrations of relaxin (0 (control), 25, 50 and 100 ng/ml) before cooling, equilibration and freezing procedures. Frozen semen was thawed and assessed for motility by Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis and vitality parameters such as acrosome, plasma membrane and DNA integrities, apoptosis, mitochondrial membrane potential, mucus penetration and SOD activity. The developmental potential of bovine embryos produced in vitro by using relaxin-treated was also investigated. In the present study, 50 and 100 ng/ml relaxin incorporation in extended bull semen before cryopreservation induced a reduction of sperm motility immediately after thawing (0h), whereas, during long incubation periods (1-2 h), relaxin showed a significant positive effect on sperm quality by improving the sperm motility and velocity parameters. Interestingly, sperm vitality was improved by 25 and 100 ng/ml relaxin and the blastocyst developmental rate was significantly increased in the 25 ng/ml relaxin group compared with controls (52/118, 44.0% vs. 32/116, 27.6%, respectively). These findings suggest a potential use of relaxin at the doses tested in the present study as an additive in the cryopreservation media of bull semen to improve sperm quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed R Elkhawagah
- Theriogenology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Benha University, Egypt
| | - Nicola A Martino
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy.
| | - Alessandro Ricci
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Valentina Storti
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
| | - Francesca Rumbolo
- Laboratory of Endocrinology, Diabetology and Metabolism. Division of Endocrinology Diabetology and Metabolism, Department of Medical Sciences, University of Torino, Torino, Italy
| | | | - Leila Vincenti
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Torino, Grugliasco, Italy
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Abstract
The recent advances in biotechnological research have led to development of many advanced reproductive techniques and biological tools which are set to revolutionize the productive efficiency of livestock species. The development of technology for sequencing of whole genomes and mass screening of gene regulation has widened our approach to genetic profiling and mapping, as well as furthering our understanding of underlying physiological mechanisms. The newer biotechnologies of gene transfer, in vitro fertilization and embryo production, cloning, and stem cell technology have been developed and are being refined with efficiencies suitable for use in animal farming. Efficient in vitro systems for maturing oocytes, fertilizing, and developing embryos have resulted in commercial in vitro production of embryos. Here we describe in vitro maturation, in vitro fertilization, embryo production, embryo culture, and quantitation of gene expression in sheep embryos.
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Anjos JC, Aguiar FLN, Sá NAR, Souza JF, Cibin FWS, Alves BG, Santos RR, Figueiredo JR. Anethole improves blastocysts rates together with antioxidant capacity when added during bovine embryo culture rather than in the in vitro maturation medium. ZYGOTE 2019; 27:382-5. [PMID: 31451120 DOI: 10.1017/S0967199419000443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
We performed the exposure of bovine oocytes to anethole during in vitro maturation (0 or 300 µg/ml), during in vitro embryo production (0, 30, 300 or 2000 µg/ml), or during both periods to determine the rates of 2-4 cells embryos, blastocysts rates and cells numbers, as well as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Bovine ovaries (n = 240) were collected from a local abattoir after slaughter and cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with homogeneous and non-dark cytoplasm, surrounded by two or more compact layers of cumulus cells, and an intact zona pellucida were selected for in vitro maturatuion (IVM). Mature oocytes were then submitted to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro embryo production (IVP) in culture medium supplemented or not with different concentrations of anethole, as described above. Although IVM medium supplementation with 300 µg/ml anethole improved the rates of bovine blastocysts formation, we demonstrated that IVP medium supplementation with 30 µg/ml anethole, regardless of IVM medium enrichment, considerably enhanced blastocysts rates. Furthermore, ROS levels were decreased only when anethole was added to the IVP medium without previous IVM medium supplementation.
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Obuchi T, Osada M, Ozawa T, Nakagawa H, Hayashi M, Akiyama K, Sakagami N, Miura R, Geshi M, Ushijima H. Comparative evaluation of the cost and efficiency of four types of sexing methods for the production of dairy female calves. J Reprod Dev 2019; 65:345-352. [PMID: 31178552 PMCID: PMC6708860 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2019-028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
This study was conducted to evaluate and compare the economic benefits of different embryo sexing methods, based on the cost per female dairy calf produced. Female calves were produced from
four kinds of female embryos: (1) those collected from superstimulated donors at 7–8 days after artificial insemination (AI) with X-sorted semen; (2) those sex-determined by loop-mediated
isothermal amplification assay of a biopsy sample of embryos collected from superstimulated donors after AI with conventional unsorted semen; (3) those obtained by
invitro embryo production (IVEP), using X-sorted semen and in vitro-matured oocytes collected from donors by ovum pick-up (OPU); and (4)
those obtained by IVEP, using X-sorted semen and oocytes collected by OPU after dominant follicle ablation and follicle growth stimulation of the donors. The respective productivities of
female calves per technical service and the total production cost per female calf of each sexing method were compared. The production cost per female calf (66,537 JPY), as calculated from
the number of female calves per service (1.30), pregnancy rate of transfer (42.9%), rate of female calves obtained (92.9%), and total cost of the method (56,643 JPY plus embryo transfer
fee), was less for IVEP with X-sorted semen and follicular growth-stimulated (FGS) oocytes than for the other groups (P < 0.05). The results demonstrate that embryo production with
X-sorted semen and FGS oocytes provides a more efficient method for producing female calves than the other embryo sexing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomoko Obuchi
- Department of Applied Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan.,Present: Division of Animal Reproduction, Maebashi Institute of Animal Science, Livestock Improvement Association of Japan (LIAJ), Gunma 371-0121, Japan
| | - Masahiro Osada
- Department of Applied Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
| | - Takeyuki Ozawa
- Department of Applied Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Nakagawa
- Niigata Agricultural Research Institute, Niigata 955-0143, Japan
| | - Michiko Hayashi
- Ishikawa Livestock Research Center, Ishikawa 929-1325, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Akiyama
- Kanagawa Prefectural Livestock Industry Technology Center, Kanagawa 243-0417, Japan
| | - Nobutada Sakagami
- Kanagawa Prefectural Livestock Industry Technology Center, Kanagawa 243-0417, Japan
| | - Ryotaro Miura
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
| | - Masaya Geshi
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, NARO Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Ushijima
- Department of Applied Life Science, Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo 180-8602, Japan
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Abstract
Background Work in other species suggests that interleukin-6 (IL6) promotes early embryo development. It was unclear whether IL6 serves as an embryokine in cultured bovine embryos. This work was undertaken to elucidate the role of IL6 during in vitro bovine embryo production. Results Transcripts for IL6 and its two cognate receptor subunits (IL6R, IL6ST) were confirmed in bovine embryos from the 1-cell to blastocyst stages. Supplementing 100 ng/ml recombinant bovine IL6 to in vitro-produced bovine embryos at day 1, 3 or 5 increased (P < 0.05) inner cell mass (ICM) cell number and the ICM:trophectoderm (TE) ratio but not TE cell number. No increase in ICM or TE cell number was observed after supplementation of 1 or 10 ng/ml IL6 beginning at either day 1 or 5. Sequential supplementation with 100 ng/ml IL6 at both day 1 and 5 (for a total of 200 ng/ml IL6) increased (P < 0.05) ICM cell number to a greater extent than supplementing IL6 at a single time period in one study but not a second study. Additionally, providing 200 ng/ml IL6 beginning at day 1 or 5 yielded no further increase on ICM cell numbers when compared to supplementing with 100 ng/ml IL6. IL6 treatment had no effect on cleavage or blastocyst formation in group culture. However, IL6 supplementation increased cleavage and day 8 blastocyst formation when bovine embryos were cultured individually. Conclusions These results implicate IL6 as an embryokine that specifically increases ICM cell numbers in bovine embryos and facilitates bovine blastocyst development in embryos cultured individually.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia K Wooldridge
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 3430 Litton-Reaves Hall (0306), Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA
| | - Alan D Ealy
- Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 3430 Litton-Reaves Hall (0306), Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA.
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Pedersen HS, Liu Y, Foldager L, Callesen H, Larsen K, Sørensen MT. Calibration of sperm concentration for in vitro fertilization in a mouse reprotoxicity model. Toxicol In Vitro 2018; 55:58-61. [PMID: 30476541 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2018.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2018] [Revised: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Xenobiotics, such as chemicals and pesticides, may result in adverse effects on reproduction in human and animals. Using in-vitro embryo production as a testing system reveals details of fertilization (IVF) and early embryonic development (IVC). The aim of our study was to perform a systematical calibration of sperm concentration in an IVF/IVC system, using an outbred mouse strain, and further determine the sperm concentration that furnishes a sensitive assessment of sperm fertilizing capacity in relation to reprotoxic evaluations. By performing breakpoint analysis, the results revealed a maximum two-cell percentage (51%, 95% CI: 38 to 69%) at 3.6 × 104 sperm/ml (95% CI: 2.1 × 104 to 6.1 × 104). For future application of the IVF/IVC system, a sperm concentration lower than this breakpoint concentration is required to be within the responsive range for determining sperm fertilizing capacity. We conclude that a relatively low sperm concentration (2.5 × 104 sperm/ml) is a precondition in a mouse IVF/IVC system in order to detect potential reprotoxic effects on sperm fertilizing capacity. Our study illustrates that a systematic approach is necessary for validation and appropriate use of such in-vitro system used for reproductive toxicity testing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ying Liu
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University Foulum, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark.
| | - Leslie Foldager
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University Foulum, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark; Bioinformatics Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - Henrik Callesen
- Department of Animal Science, Aarhus University Foulum, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
| | - Knud Larsen
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University Foulum, DK-8830 Tjele, Denmark
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Nguyen VK, Vu HTT, Nguyen HT, Quan HX, Pham LD, Kikuchi K, Nguyen ST, Somfai T. Comparison of the microdrop and minimum volume cooling methods for vitrification of porcine in vitro-produced zygotes and blastocysts after equilibration in low concentrations of cryoprotectant agents. J Reprod Dev 2018; 64:457-462. [PMID: 30101829 PMCID: PMC6189571 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2018-047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
We compared the efficacy of the microdrop and minimum volume cooling (MVC) methods for the vitrification of in vitro-produced porcine zygotes and blastocysts after
equilibration in low concentrations of cryoprotectant agents. Zygotes and blastocysts were equilibrated in 2% (v/v) ethylene glycol and 2% (v/v) propylene glycol for 13–15 min. Then, they
were vitrified in a medium comprised of 17.5% ethylene glycol, 17.5% propylene glycol, 0.3 M sucrose, and 50 mg/ml polyvinylpyrrolidone either by either dropping them directly into liquid
nitrogen (microdrop method) or placing them on Cryotop sheets in a minimum volume of medium and plunging into liquid nitrogen (MVC method). Both zygotes and blastocysts were successfully
vitrified. For the vitrification of zygotes, the MVC and microdrop methods were equally effective; however, for blastocyst vitrification, MVC was superior. For both methods, the
vitrification of zygotes produced higher-quality embryos than the vitrification of blastocysts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Van Khanh Nguyen
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Huong Thi Thu Vu
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Huong Thi Nguyen
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Huu Xuan Quan
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Lan Doan Pham
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Kazuhiro Kikuchi
- Division of Animal Sciences, Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, National Agriculture and Food Research Organization (NARO), Ibaraki 305-8602, Japan.,The United Graduate School of Veterinary Science, Yamaguchi University, Yamaguchi 753-8515, Japan
| | - Son Thanh Nguyen
- Key Lab of Animal Cell Biotechnology, National Institute of Animal Science, Hanoi, Vietnam
| | - Tamas Somfai
- Animal Breeding and Reproduction Research Division, Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, NARO, Ibaraki 305-0901, Japan
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Hidaka T, Fukumoto Y, Yamamoto Y, Ogata Y, Horiuchi T. Estradiol benzoate treatment before ovum pick-up increases the number of good quality oocytes retrieved and improves the production of transferable embryos in Japanese Black cattle. Vet Anim Sci 2018; 5:1-6. [PMID: 32734038 PMCID: PMC7386652 DOI: 10.1016/j.vas.2018.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of treatment with estradiol benzoate (EB) at luteal phase prior to the ovum pick-up (OPU) during in vitro production of transferable embryos in Japanese Black cattle. A total of 15 cows were used as oocyte donors for OPU. Of those, four donors were randomly allocated (three times) into each of two treatment groups as a crossover study, and OPU session was carried out six times per one donor. Another eleven donors were used in a paired difference test by one crossover trial. Donors in the control group received no hormonal treatment; whereas, donors in the EB group received 1 mg of EB as a single injection. First, we observed dynamics of ovarian follicles and emergence of follicular wave after EB injection using transrectal ultrasonography. The number and proportion of medium-sized follicles with 4 to 6 mm in diameter increased gradually and achieved a peak at 72 and 96 hours after EB injection. The OPU was performed 88 hours after EB injection. The EB-treated donors had a higher proportion of follicles with 4 to 6 mm in diameters at the time of OPU. The stimulation with EB significantly increased the numbers of follicles aspirated, and the good quality cumulus-oocyte complexes per OPU. Furthermore, in the EB group, the percentage of transferable blastocysts was significantly greater than that in the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, a single EB injection before OPU increases the number of medium-sized follicles and can produce more transferable embryos. Efficacy of one-shot treatment with 1 mg of estradiol benzoate (EB) at luteal phase prior to the ovum pick-up (OPU) for in vitro production of transferable embryos in Japanese Black cattle was investigated. The donors had a higher proportion of follicles with 4 to 6 mm in diameter at 72 and 96 hours after EB i.m. injection. The stimulation with EB before OPU increased significantly the number of good quality cumulus-oocyte complexes, and the percentage of blastocysts or transferable embryos after in vitro fertilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takemasa Hidaka
- Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute Livestock Technology Research Center, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
- Department of Life Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
| | - Yutaka Fukumoto
- Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute Livestock Technology Research Center, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
| | - Yuusuke Yamamoto
- Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute Livestock Technology Research Center, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Ogata
- Hiroshima Prefectural Technology Research Institute Livestock Technology Research Center, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
| | - Toshitaka Horiuchi
- Department of Life Sciences, Prefectural University of Hiroshima, Shobara, Hiroshima 727-0023, Japan
- Corresponding author. Tel./fax: +81 824 74 1750.
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van der Weijden VA, Chen S, Bauersachs S, Ulbrich SE, Schoen J. Gene expression of bovine embryos developing at the air-liquid interface on oviductal epithelial cells (ALI-BOEC). Reprod Biol Endocrinol 2017; 15:91. [PMID: 29178958 PMCID: PMC5702211 DOI: 10.1186/s12958-017-0310-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We recently developed an air-liquid interface long-term culture of differentiated bovine oviductal epithelial cells (ALI-BOEC). This ex vivo oviduct epithelium is capable of supporting embryo development in co-culture up to the blastocyst stage without addition of embryo culture medium. However, blastocyst rates in co-culture were markedly lower than in conventional in vitro embryo production procedures. In the present study, we assessed target gene expression of ALI-BOEC derived embryos to test their similarity to embryos from conventional in vitro embryo culture. We screened previously published data from developing bovine embryos and selected 41 genes which are either differentially expressed during embryo development, or reflect differences between various in vitro culture conditions or in vitro and in vivo embryos. Target gene expression was measured in 8-cell embryos and blastocysts using a 48.48 Dynamic Array™ on a Biomark HD instrument. For comparison with the ALI-BOEC system, we generated embryos by two different standard IVP protocols. The culture conditions lead to differential gene expression in both 8-cell embryos and blastocysts. Across the expression of all target genes the embryos developing on ALI-BOEC did not depart from conventional IVP embryos. These first results prove that gene expression in ALI-BOEC embryos is not largely aberrant. However, there was no clear indication for a more in vivo-like target gene expression of these embryos. This calls for further optimization of the ALI-BOEC system to increase its efficiency both quantitatively and qualitatively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera A. van der Weijden
- 0000 0001 2156 2780grid.5801.cETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Shuai Chen
- 0000 0000 9049 5051grid.418188.cInstitute of Reproductive Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
| | - Stefan Bauersachs
- 0000 0001 2156 2780grid.5801.cETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Susanne E. Ulbrich
- 0000 0001 2156 2780grid.5801.cETH Zurich, Animal Physiology, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universitätstrasse 2, CH-8092 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Schoen
- 0000 0000 9049 5051grid.418188.cInstitute of Reproductive Biology, Leibniz Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
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Catteeuw M, Wydooghe E, Mullaart E, Knijn HM, Van Soom A. In vitro production of bovine embryos derived from individual donors in the Corral ® dish. Acta Vet Scand 2017; 59:41. [PMID: 28619101 PMCID: PMC5472863 DOI: 10.1186/s13028-017-0309-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2016] [Accepted: 06/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Since the identity of the embryo is of outmost importance during commercial in vitro embryo production, bovine oocytes and embryos have to be cultured strictly per donor. Due to the rather low yield of oocytes collected after ovum pick-up (OPU) per individual cow, oocyte maturation and embryo culture take place in small groups, which is often associated with inferior embryo development. The objective of this study was to improve embryonic development in small donor groups by using the Corral® dish. This commercial dish is designed for human embryo production. It contains two central wells that are divided into quadrants by a semi-permeable wall. In human embryo culture, one embryo is placed per quadrant, allowing individual follow-up while embryos are exposed to a common medium. In our study, small groups of oocytes and subsequently embryos of different bovine donors were placed in the Corral® dish, each donor group in a separate quadrant. Results In two experiments, the Corral® dish was evaluated during in vitro maturation (IVM) and/or in vitro culture (IVC) by grouping oocytes and embryos of individual bovine donors per quadrant. At day 7, a significantly higher blastocyst rate was noted in the Corral® dish used during IVM and IVC than when only used during IVM (12.9% ± 2.10 versus 22.8% ± 2.67) (P < 0.05). However, no significant differences in blastocyst yield were observed anymore between treatment groups at day 8 post insemination. Conclusions In the present study, the Corral® dish was used for in vitro embryo production (IVP) in cattle; allowing to allocate oocytes and/or embryos per donor. As fresh embryo transfers on day 7 have higher pregnancy outcomes, the Corral® dish offers an added value for commercial OPU/IVP, since a higher blastocyst development at day 7 is obtained when the Corral® dish is used during IVM and IVC.
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Sadeesh EM, Sikka P, Balhara AK, Balhara S. Developmental competence and expression profile of genes in buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes and embryos collected under different environmental stress. Cytotechnology 2016; 68:2271-85. [PMID: 27650183 DOI: 10.1007/s10616-016-0022-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2016] [Accepted: 08/23/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The study examined the effects of different environmental stress on developmental competence and the relative abundance (RA) of various gene transcripts in oocytes and embryos of buffalo. Oocytes collected during cold period (CP) and hot period (HP) were matured, fertilized and cultured in vitro to blastocyst hatching stage. The mRNA expression patterns of genes implicated in developmental competence (OCT-4, IGF-2R and GDF-9), heat shock (HSP-70.1), oxidative stress (MnSOD), metabolism (GLUT-1), pro-apoptosis (BAX) and anti-apoptosis (BCL-2) were evaluated in immature and matured oocytes as well as in pre-implantation stage embryos. Oocytes reaching MII stage, cleavage rates, blastocyst yield and hatching rates increased (P < 0.05) during the CP. In MII oocytes and 2-cell embryos, the RA of OCT-4, IGF-2R, GDF-9, MnSOD and GLUT-1 decreased (P < 0.05) during the HP. In 4-cell embryos, the RA of OCT-4, IGF-2R and BCL-2 decreased (P < 0.05) in the HP, whereas GDF-9 increased (P < 0.05). In 8-to 16-cell embryos, the RA of OCT-4 and BCL-2 decreased (P < 0. 05) in the HP, whereas HSP-70.1 and BAX expression increased (P < 0.05). In morula and blastocyst, the RA of OCT-4, IGF-2R and MnSOD decreased (P < 0.05) during the HP, whereas HSP-70.1 was increased (P < 0.05). In conclusion, deleterious seasonal effects induced at the GV-stage carry-over to subsequent embryonic developmental stages and compromise oocyte developmental competence and quality of developed blastocysts.
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Krania F, Dovolou E, Rekkas CA, Heras S, Pappas I, Soom AV, Amiridis GS. Urokinase-type plasminogen activator does not affect in vitro bovine embryo development and quality. Acta Vet Hung 2015; 63:243-54. [PMID: 26051263 DOI: 10.1556/004.2015.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
The effects of modification of the in vitro embryo culture media (IVC) with the addition of urokinase-type plasminogen activator (u-PA) on the yield and/or quality of bovine embryos were examined in two experiments. In Experiment 1, denuded embryos were cultured in semi-defined synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF) for seven days, while in Experiment 2 embryos were co-cultured with cumulus cell monolayer in a serum-containing SOF medium. Plasminogen activator activity (PAA) and plasminogen activator inhibition (PAI) were determined in all spent IVC media. At the activity used (5 IU/ml), u-PA had no effect either on in vitro embryo production rates or on embryo quality as revealed by gene expression analysis of 10 important mRNA transcripts related to apoptosis, oxidation, implantation and metabolism. PAA and PAI analysis indicated the need for wellbalanced plasminogen activators and inhibitors as a culture environment for embryo development. However, more research is needed to unveil the mechanism by which u-PA is involved in in vitro embryo production systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fotini Krania
- 1Clinic of Obstetrics and Reproduction University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Eleni Dovolou
- 1Clinic of Obstetrics and Reproduction University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Constantinos A. Rekkas
- 2Veterinary Research Institute, HAO — ‘DEMETER’ (former NAGREF), Thermi, Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Sonia Heras
- 3Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics, and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Ioannis Pappas
- 4Department of Pharmacology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
| | - Ann Van Soom
- 3Department of Reproduction, Obstetrics, and Herd Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
| | - Georgios S. Amiridis
- 1Clinic of Obstetrics and Reproduction University of Thessaly, 224 Trikalon Street, 43100 Karditsa, Greece
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