哺乳动物卵母细胞老化机制的研究进展

 哺乳动物卵母细胞的老化,导致胚胎非整倍体的比率和流产率增加。研究卵母细胞老化的机制,探讨延缓卵母细胞老化的措施,对提高卵母细胞体外成熟和受精效率等具有重要的理论意义。论文从卵母细胞老化的生物学特性、影响老化的因素以及延缓老化的措施等几个方面进行综述。     

Oocyte-somatic cell-endocrine interactions in pigs

Oocyte-somatic cell communication is bi-directional and essential for both oocyte and follicular granulosa and theca cell function and development. We have shown that the oocyte secretes factors that stimulate porcine granulosa cell proliferation in serum-free culture, and suppress progesterone production, thereby preventing premature luteinisation. Possible candidates for mediating some of these effects are the bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) that belong to the transforming growth factor beta family. They are emerging as a family of proteins critical for fertility and ovulation rate in several mammals, and they are expressed in various cell types in the ovary. We have evidence for a functional BMP system in the porcine ovary and BMP receptors are present in the egg nests in the fetal ovary and in the granulosa cells, oocytes and occasional theca cells throughout subsequent development. In addition to paracrine interactions in the ovary, the porcine oocyte and its developmental potential can also be influenced by nutritional manipulation in vivo. We have demonstrated that feeding a high plane of nutrition to gilts for 19 days prior to ovulation increased oocyte quality compared to control animals fed a maintenance diet, as determined by oocyte maturation in vitro. This was associated with a number of changes in circulating reproductive and metabolic hormones and also in the follicular fluid in which the oocyte is nurtured. Further studies showed a similar increase in prenatal survival on Day 30 of gestation, demonstrating a direct link between oocyte quality/maturation and embryo survival. Collectively, these studies emphasise the importance of the interactions that occur between the oocyte and somatic cells and also with endocrine hormones for ovarian development, and ultimately for the production of oocytes with optimal developmental potential.     

Current Reproductive Technologies Impacting Equine Embryo Production

Numerous reproductive technologies have been developed in the past several decades, which have dramatically changed the way mares are bred. This review will focus on embryo recovery and transfer, cooled-shipped embryos, embryo freezing, oocyte freezing, oocyte collection and transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and sexed semen. Embryo transfer procedures have been constant for many years and the costs have not changed. The major change has been the ability to store embryos at 5 C for 12–24 hours and transport them to recipient stations. Embryo freezing has become more common using the technique of vitrification of embryos >300 μm or deflating embryos >300 μm before freezing. Oocyte vitrification has resulted in poor pregnancy rates although the technique works well in women. The ability to collect oocytes from mares and fertilize them by sperm injection has revolutionized the veterinarian’s approach to infertility in the mare and/or stallion. A transvaginal approach can be used to collect oocytes from preovulatory follicles and unstimulated follicles 5–25 mm in size. Although traditional in vitro fertilization does not work well in the horse, ICSI can be used to produce blastocysts which, upon nonsurgical transfer into recipients, provide a pregnancy rate similar to fresh embryos collected from donor mares. Sorting sperm by flow cytometry into X- and Y-bearing spermatozoa has been shown to provide about a 50% pregnancy rate with freshly sorted sperm but only 12% with sorted, frozen/thawed stallion sperm. It is likely that more advanced reproductive techniques will be developed in the future. Their acceptance will depend on how well they work, perceived need, cost, and, to some extent, the breed associations.     

马卵母细胞体外成熟的研究进展

随着全球马产业的发展,马发挥的经济价值越来越大。辅助生殖技术有利于发挥优良马匹的潜在价值。马卵母细胞体外成熟(IVM)是辅助生殖技术重要的组成部分,卵母细胞的获取是体外成熟的前提,切刮法能从离体卵巢中获得较多的马卵母细胞,而活体采卵技术(OPU)则能持续地获得卵母细胞,并能较好的保存马卵母细胞的发育能力。扩张型卵母细胞的成熟率高于紧密型卵母细胞,母马的年龄会影响到其卵母细胞的质量。马卵母细胞体外存放较长时间不会影响其发育能力,现在已有较为成熟的体系能使马卵母细胞在体外保存24 h以上而不影响其成熟率。在马卵母细胞成熟体系中常用的基础培养液是M199,添加胎牛血清(FBS)、促卵泡素(FSH)、促黄体生成素(LH)、胰岛素样生长因子-1(IGF-1)等物质能显著提高成熟率,常用培养环境为38~39℃,5%CO2饱和湿度下培养,培养时间30 h。成熟的卵母细胞有扩张的卵丘细胞和极体,且成熟的卵母细胞的细胞骨架及微管结构也会发生变化。本文针对马卵母细胞的采集和体外成熟培养的相关研究进行总结,重点阐述了不同采集技术的回收率以及影响马卵母细胞体外成熟率的关键因素,以期对今后马卵母细胞体外成熟的进一步研究及后期体外受精技术的发展提供借鉴与参考。     

NAD+/SIRT2途径调节衰老卵母细胞成熟质量的分子机制

卵母细胞成熟质量不仅是哺乳动物繁殖能力的基础，更能直接决定后代的优劣。卵巢早衰通常引起卵子数量和质量下降，如何提高其成熟质量成为生殖衰老领域的研究热点。近年来，烟酰胺腺嘌呤二核苷酸(NAD+)依赖性去乙酰化酶家族Sirtuins(SIRT1-7)在生殖衰老中的功能愈发受到关注，尤其抗衰老因子SIRT2的乙酰化底物直接与卵母细胞成熟事件相关。本文从乙酰化修饰调控卵母细胞衰老与成熟的全新视角，重点综述了NAD+/SIRT2通过减数分裂、能量代谢、线粒体氧化应激、线粒体质量控制等重要生理环节改善衰老卵母细胞成熟质量的最新研究进展，以期为提高老龄母畜的卵母细胞质量及延长繁殖利用年限提供新思路。     

Breeding or assisted reproduction? Relevance of the horse model applied to the conservation of endangered equids

Many wild equids are at present endangered in the wild. Concurrently, increased mechanization has pushed back the numbers of some old native horse breeds to levels that are no longer compatible with survival of the breed. Strong concerns arose in the last decade to preserve animal biodiversity, including that of rare horse breeds. Genome Resource Banking refers to the cryostorage of genetic material and is an approach for ex situ conservation, which should be applied in combination with in situ conservation programmes. In this review, we propose that, owing to the great reproductive similarity among the different members of the genus Equus, the domestic horse can be used to optimize cryopreservation and embryo production protocols for future application in wild equids. We will give this hypothesis a scientific underpinning by listing successful applications of epididymal sperm freezing, embryo freezing, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, oocyte vitrification and somatic cell nuclear transfer in domestic horses. Some ART fertilization methods may be performed with semen of very low quality or with oocytes obtained after the death of the mare.     

Reproductive considerations: mare and stallion.

Functional alterations within the reproductive system and in other supporting systems may limit the reproductive capacity of geriatric patients; however, the age of onset and degree of compromise show wide individual variation. Aging of the hypothalamopituitary-ovarian axis in the mare manifests as delayed entry to the breeding season, prolonged follicular phases, reduced response to ovulation induction, irregular cycles, oocyte defects, increased early embryonic death, and, eventually, persistent anestrus. Aging of the reproductive tract may increase her susceptibility to endometritis, compromise placental formation with long-term effects on the fetus and viability of the resulting foal, increase her risk of ascending placentitis, alter gestation length, and make her more prone to catastrophic rupture of the uterine arteries at the time of parturition. Effects on the stallion are less well documented but include a reduction in sperm output associated with progressive testicular degeneration and potential compromise of libido and mating ability that is often associated with degenerative conditions of the musculoskeletal system.     

Reduced Fertility in High‐yielding Dairy Cows: Are the Oocyte and Embryo in Danger? Part I The Importance of Negative Energy Balance and Altered Corpus Luteum Function to the Reduction of Oocyte and Embryo Quality in High‐yielding Dairy Cows*

Fertility in high yielding dairy cows is declining, and there is increasing evidence to presume that oocyte and embryo quality are major factors in the complex pathogenesis of reproductive failure. In this report we present an overview of possible mechanisms linking negative energy balance (NEB) and deficiencies in oocyte and embryo developmental competence; specifically, in the high producing dairy cow. Changes in follicular growth patterns during a period of NEB can indirectly affect oocyte quality. The endocrine and biochemical changes, which are associated with NEB, are reflected in the microenvironment of the growing and maturing female gamete, and likely result in the ovulation of a developmentally incompetent oocyte. Even after an oocyte is successfully ovulated and fertilized, a full‐term pregnancy is still not guaranteed. Inadequate corpus luteum function, associated with reduced progesterone, and probably also low insulin‐like growth factor concentrations, can cause a suboptimal microenvironment in the uterus that is incapable of sustaining early embryonic life. This may partly account for the low conception rates and the high incidence of early embryonic mortality in high yielding dairy cows.     

Supplementing media with NAD+ precursors enhances the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes

In vitro maturation (IVM) is an important reproductive technology used to produce embryos in vitro. However, the developmental potential of oocytes sourced for IVM is markedly lower than those matured in vivo. Previously, NAD⁺-elevating treatments have improved oocyte quality and embryo development in cattle and mice, suggesting that NAD⁺ is important during oocyte maturation. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of nicotinic acid (NA), nicotinamide (NAM) and nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on oocyte maturation and subsequent embryo development. Porcine oocytes from small antral follicles were matured for 44 h in a defined maturation medium supplemented with NA, NAM and resveratrol or NMN. Mature oocytes were artificially activated and presumptive zygotes cultured for 7 days. Additionally, oocytes were matured without treatment then cultured for 7 days with NMN. Supplementing the IVM medium with NA improved maturation and blastocyst formation while NAM supplementation improved cleavage rates compared with untreated controls. Supplementing the IVM or embryo culture media with NMN had no effect on maturation or embryo development. The results show that supplementing the maturation medium with NA and NAM improved maturation and developmental potential of porcine oocytes.     

Molecular mechanism of fertilization in the pig

At fertilization, the sperm triggers resumption from the arrest, extrusion of the second polar body and pronuclear formation, the events of which are collectively acknowledged as ‘oocyte activation’. In all species up to date, oocyte activation requires a fertilization‐associated increase in the intracellular concentration of calcium. Especially in mammals, the signal of intracellular calcium rise at fertilization consists of periodical rises, which are also referred to as calcium oscillations. Our recent results suggest that these calcium oscillations have an important role in not only oocyte activation but also development of mammals. Pigs are animals of great agricultural value and ones in which assisted reproductive techniques, including somatic cell nuclear transfer, to produce gene‐modified pigs. Although reconstructed embryos require artificial activation stimuli which mimic fertilization‐associated increase of intracellular calcium in the oocytes, it has been known that the developmental ability of the oocytes after artificial activation is low and the regimen seems to be required for improvement. Recently we focused on two molecules, phospholipase C zeta and inositol 1,4,5‐triphosphate receptor which have important roles in regulation of calcium oscillations during fertilization in mammals, including pigs. In this review, we will discuss the present status and future perspective of molecular mechanisms during fertilization in pigs.     

Diagnosis and treatment of vesicovaginal reflux in the mare

Infertility in the mare associated with VVR must be managed as a complex problem. A complete reproductive evaluation of the mare is required to establish the cause of VVR in order for proper therapy to be recommended. Establishing a prognosis for the mare's future breeding soundness is important to the horse owner and breeding manager. VVR is almost always associated with other reproductive problems and must be dealt with in view of this.     

Aging of recipient oocytes reduces the development of cloned embryos receiving cumulus cells

Parthenogenetic activation is an important factor in successful production of cloned mammals. Because it has been reported that aged oocytes are more sensitive to parthenogenetic activation than young oocytes, the present study examined the effects of oocyte aging on the in vitro and in vivo developmental potential of nuclear-transferred (NT) mouse oocytes receiving cumulus cells. The potentials of young NT oocytes (14 h after human chorionic gonadotrophin [hCG] injection) to develop into blastocysts was, however, significantly higher than that of aged oocytes (20 h after hCG injection; 16% vs 6%). When the nuclei of NT oocytes at the 2-cell stage were fused with enucleated fertilized 2-cell embryos, the potentials of the serial NT embryos to develop into blastocysts were no different for both young and aged oocytes (74% vs 74%). Live young, however, were obtained only after transfer of serial NT blastocysts developed from young NT oocytes (2%). In contrast to a report using embryonic nuclei as the nuclear donors, the results of the present study indicate that young oocytes are superior to aged oocytes as a source of recipient cytoplasm for mouse somatic cell cloning.     

Sirt1 protects pig oocyte against in vitro aging

Sirtuins have been widely reported to be involved in multiple biological processes. However, their function during pig oocyte aging has not been reported yet. Here, we first identify that sirt1 expression is dramatically reduced in pig in vitro‐aged oocytes. Furthermore, by confocal scanning and quantitative analysis, we find the increased frequency of spindle defects and chromosome misalignment, disturbed redistribution of cortical granules and mitochondria during oocyte in vitro‐aging. Importantly, these aging‐associated defective phenotypes can be ameliorated through resveratrol (sirt1 activator) treatment during pig oocyte maturation, providing the evidence for the hypothesis that decreased sirt1 is one of a number of factors contributing to oocyte in vitro‐aging. In summary, our data indicate a role for sirt1 in pig oocytes and uncover a striking beneficial effect of sirt1 expression on aged oocytes.     

Embryo transfer in competition horses: Managing mares and expectations

Embryo transfer (ET) is an accepted and successful technique for obtaining foals from mares without interrupting their competition careers. Recent research, however, suggests that the potential of factors including heat, exercise, repeated embryo flushing and repeated manipulation of the reproductive cycle using exogenous hormones to have a negative impact on fertility may have been underestimated. This paper reviews the evidence base for involvement of these factors in repeated failures to recover embryos from nongeriatric competition mares without obvious clinical or pathological indications of reproductive abnormalities. It concludes that, for some mares at least, a cessation of exercise for the periovulatory period and the period between ovulation and embryo flushing, combined with careful management of flushing‐induced endometritis, and minimal hormonal manipulation of the reproductive cycle, may be necessary to optimise embryo recovery rates. Mare owners may have been encouraged to request ET for their mares following high‐profile examples in the media of elite mares that have produced foals by ET whilst competing. The veterinarian should educate mare owners about the multiple factors that may affect the chances of recovering an embryo from their mares, and should manage the expectations of mare owners so that they do not approach ET programmes in the expectation that there will be no disruption to their training and competition plans.     

Changes in Equine Reproduction: Have They Been Good or Bad for the Horse Industry?

In the past four decades there have been tremendous changes in equine reproduction. Most breeds now allow the use of artificial insemination with fresh, cooled and frozen semen. Artificial insemination has many advantages for the breeder, in particular the control of bacteria through the use of semen extenders containing antibiotics. Deposition of sperm in small volumes onto the uterotubal junction has allowed the use of relatively low numbers of sperm. Intracytoplasmic injection of sperm into oocytes allows older, subfertile stallions to be used as breeding stallions. Advances in mare reproduction have included developing tools for hastening the onset of the breeding season. Other advances include embryo transfer, oocyte collection and transfer, and cloning. The acceptance of reproductive technology depends on the success of the technology, the attitude of the breeders/veterinarians, and the cost/benefit ratio to the industry and breed registry.     

DTT延缓绵羊卵母细胞老化的研究

探讨在培养基中添加二流苏糖醇(DTT)能否延缓卵母细胞的老化进程。采用孤雌激活、单精子注射、体细胞核移植、Real-time-PCR方法研究了DTT对绵羊老化卵母细胞后续发育效率以及母源基因表达水平的影响。结果表明:DTT处理后的老化卵母细胞其核移植重构胚的受精率显著升高(P<0.05),囊胚率差异不显著(P>0.05);DTT显著增加了老化卵母细胞其单精子注射胚的囊胚率(P<0.05);DTT处理后的老化卵母细胞除Zar1水平稍低于老化卵母细胞外(P<0.05),其他3个母源基因(Mater、Dnmt1和GDF9)表达水平显著降低(P<0.05)。结果显示,DTT能在一定程度上延缓卵母细胞老化进程,改善老化卵母细胞的质量。     

A review of oestrus suppression techniques in mares

Many fillies and mares are accused of behaving badly by their owners or trainers, and their reproductive hormones and ovaries are commonly blamed for this. Overt oestrus behaviour, however natural, is undesirable when a horse is being ridden, trained and competed. More subtle behaviours may be attributed to the reproductive cycle and presented as the cause of poor performance in the elite competition mare. Sometimes behaviours are complex, perhaps at odds with what one expects for normal reproductive behaviour and in many cases may not be associated with the reproductive cycle at all, rather associated with pain of musculoskeletal or soft tissue origin. The situation represents a diagnostic dilemma to positively associate undesirable behaviours with the ovarian hormones or ovarian pain, before an attempt can be made to modify the behaviour through the suppression of oestrus. This article will review the reasons for presentation, the behavioural patterns of the reproductive cycle and the diagnosis of reproductive behavioural problems. The range of techniques for oestrus suppression will be reviewed along with their clinical application and any known current regulatory issues associated with their use.     

Cloned foal derived from in vivo matured horse oocytes aspirated by the short disposable needle system

Transvaginal ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration is one method of obtaining recipient oocytes for equine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). This study was conducted: (1) to evaluate the possibility of oocyte aspiration from pre-ovulatory follicles using a short disposable needle system (14-G) by comparing the oocyte recovery rate with that of a long double lumen needle (12-G); (2) to investigate the developmental competence of recovered oocytes after SCNT and embryo transfer. The recovery rates with the short disposable needle vs. the long needle were not significantly different (47.5% and 35.0%, respectively). Twenty-six SCNT embryos were transferred to 13 mares, and one mare delivered a live offspring at Day 342. There was a perfect identity match between the cloned foal and the cell donor after analysis of microsatellite DNA, and the mitochondrial DNA of the cloned foal was identical with that of the oocyte donor. These results demonstrated that the short disposable needle system can be used to recover oocytes to use as cytoplasts for SCNT, in the production of cloned foals and for other applications in equine embryology     

Oocyte and Embryo Quality: Effect of Origin, Culture Conditions and Gene Expression Patterns

In general, the majority of immature bovine oocytes fail to develop to the blastocyst stage following maturation, fertilization and culture in vitro. The evidence suggests that while culture conditions during in vitro embryo production can impact on the developmental potential of the early embryo, the intrinsic quality of the oocyte is the key factor determining the proportion of oocytes developing to the blastocyst stage. In addition, evidence suggests that the period of post‐fertilization embryo culture is the most critical in determining blastocyst quality. This paper reviews the current literature, with emphasis on the bovine model, demonstrating evidence for an effect of oocyte origin and/or in vitro maturation conditions on the developmental capacity and gene expression patterns in the oocyte. Furthermore, the well‐documented effects of post‐fertilization culture environment on embryo gene expression and quality are highlighted.