Effects of melatonin on maturation,histone acetylation,autophagy of porcine oocytes and subsequent embryonic development

Melatonin (MLT) is an endogenous hormone with roles in animal germ cell development. However, the effect of MLT on porcine oocyte maturation and its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the effects of exogenous MLT on oocyte maturation, histone acetylation, autophagy and subsequent embryonic development. We found that 1 nmol/L MLT supplemented in maturation medium was the optimal concentration to promote porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent developmental competence and quality of parthenogenetic embryos. Interestingly, the beneficial effects of 1 nmol/L MLT treatment on porcine oocyte maturation and embryo development were mainly attributed to the first half period of in vitro maturation. Simultaneously, MLT treatment could also improve maturation of small follicle‐derived oocytes, morphologically poor (cumulus cell layer ≤1) and even artificially denuded oocytes and their subsequent embryo development. Furthermore, MLT treatment not only could decrease the levels of H3K27ac and H4K16ac in metaphase II (MII) oocytes, but also could increase the expression abundances of genes associated with cumulus cell expansion, meiotic maturation, histone acetylation and autophagy in cumulus cells or MII oocytes. These results indicate that MLT treatment can facilitate porcine oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development probably, through improvements in histone acetylation and autophagy in oocytes.     

Effects of polyethylene glycol and a synthetic ice blocker during vitrification of immature porcine oocytes on survival and subsequent embryo development

We evaluated the effects of polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Supercool X‐1000 (SC) as supplements during the vitrification of immature cumulus‐enclosed porcine oocytes in a solution based on 17.5% ethylene glycol + 17.5% propylene glycol. After warming, the oocytes were subjected to in vitro maturation, fertilization and embryo culture. In Experiment 1, equilibration and vitrification solutions were supplemented with or without 2% (w/v) PEG (PEG+ and PEG‐, respectively). The survival rate, cleavage and blastocyst development were similar between PEG+ and PEG‐ groups; however, all values were lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. In Experiment 2, vitrification solution was supplemented with or without 1% (v/v) SC (SC+ and SC‐, respectively). The percentages of survival and blastocyst development were similar between SC+ and SC‐ groups but lower than those in the non‐vitrified control. The percentage of cleavage in the SC‐ group was significantly lower than the control and the SC+ groups, which were in turn similar to one another. In both experiments, the cell numbers in blastocysts were not significantly different among the non‐vitrified and vitrified groups. In conclusion, PEG did not improve oocyte survival and embryo development, whereas SC improved the ability of surviving oocytes to cleave but not to develop into blastocysts.     

Effects of UCHL1 Inhibition on Porcine Oocyte Matuation in vitro,Zona Pellucida Ubiquitination and Polyspermy

This study was aimed to examine the effects of UCHL1 inhibition on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro, zona pellucida (ZP) ubiquitination and polyspermy. DAPI staining, Hoechst staining and SDS-PAGE methods were used to detect the matuation rate of porcine oocytes in vitro, the level of ubiquitination of zona pellucida (ZP) and polyspermy. The results showed that after different concentrations UCHL1 inhibitor (10, 20, 25 and 30 μmol/L, DMSO and control group) were added into maturation medium for culturing 46 h in vitro, the mature rate of control group was 86.22%, while the maturation rate of 30 μmol/L group was 15.30%, and the maturation rate of every treatment group had significant difference (P<0.05). Western blotting result showed that every group generated ubiquitin markers of ZP were about 61, 80 and 106 ku in different degree. According to the analysis of gray value, the result had significant difference (P<0.05). Conducting fertilization in vitro, the number of sperm adhered on oocyte ZP in control group was the most, the number of sperm running into oocyte was fewer, the number of sperm adhered on oocyte ZP with 30 μmol/L UCHL1 inhibitor was the fewest, and there was almost no sperm running into the oocyte. The results showed that UCHL1 inhibitor had an impact on maturation of porcine oocytes in vitro. With the higher concentration of UCHL1, the lower degree of ZP protein ubiquitinated, UCHL1 could regulate sperm attachment and polyspermy.     

小鼠卵巢移植到去势公鼠背部肌肉后的生长发育

将12日龄小鼠卵巢移植到8～10周龄去势雄性小鼠的背部肌肉中,分别于移植后7、26和40d观察移植体周围血管再生状况,分离并观察移植体上的卵泡和卵母细胞发育情况,并观察移植体的组织学结构及变化。结果发现:卵巢移植后7d,卵巢內大量卵泡发生退行性变化,卵泡数量骤减;移植后26d,移植体周围有明显的血管发生,移植体直径增加到1908μm,极显著大于12日龄小鼠卵巢(P<0.01),移植体边缘可见到各阶段的卵泡,卵巢的皮质和髓质界限模糊;移植后40d,移植体直径增加到2739μm,极显著大于12日龄小鼠卵巢(P<0.01),有明显的卵泡,从移植体中分离得到卵丘卵母细胞复合体(COCs)和卵母细胞,形态基本正常。提示:成年去势雄性小鼠背部肌肉组织环境可支持同种异性移植的小鼠卵巢上卵泡和卵母细胞进一步生长发育。     

母源基因Gdf9、Zar1、Mater和Dnmt1mRNA在绵羊卵母细胞和早期胚胎中的表达

为探讨母源基因在绵羊卵母细胞和胚胎发育过程中的表达模式,运用Real-time PCR技术研究4种母源基因:Gdf9(生长分化因子9)、Zar1(合子阻泄因子)、Mater(胚胎必要的母体抗原)及Dnmt1(DNA甲基化转移酶1)的mRNAs在绵羊GV期卵母细胞,24h成熟卵母细胞,2-细胞、4-细胞、8-细胞、16-细胞胚胎以及囊胚中的含量变化情况。结果表明:在GV期卵中Zar1、Mater、Gdf9以及Dnmt1m RNA相对含量最高(P<0.05);从2-细胞胚胎开始,4种基因的mRNA相对含量显著降低(P<0.05),各基因mRNA的含量在不同发育阶段的卵母细胞和胚胎中存在动态变化,这对卵子生长和胚胎发育有重要意义。     

Early metaphase II oocytes treated with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate provide suitable recipient cytoplasm for the production of miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos

We investigated the effects of in vitro maturation duration and treatment with dibutyryl cyclic adenosine monophosphate (dbcAMP) on the blind enucleation efficiency and developmental competence of miniature pig somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. Oocytes were cultured for 22 h in NCSU-23 medium with or without 1 mM dbcAMP and then additionally cultured in dbcAMP-free NCSU-23 for 14, 18, or 22 h. Regardless of dbcAMP treatment, the rate of nuclear maturation reached a plateau at 36 and 40 h. However, mitochondrial distribution, a marker for cytoplasmic maturation, differed between the dbcAMP-untreated oocytes at 36 h and dbcAMP-treated oocytes at 40 h. The metaphase II chromosomes were adjacent to the first polar body in 68.8% and 63.5% of the dbcAMP-untreated oocytes at 36 h and dbcAMP-treated oocytes at 40 h, respectively. Furthermore, the blind enucleation efficiency by removing a small volume of cytoplasm was significantly higher in the dbcAMP-untreated oocytes at 36 h (82.9%) and dbcAMP-treated oocytes at 40 h (89.9%) than other groups. The rate of blastocyst formation was highest in the dbcAMP-treated oocytes at 40 h. Hence, this study demonstrated that dbcAMP-treated early metaphase II oocytes are suitable for the production of miniature pig SCNT embryos.     

猪体外成熟卵母细胞孤雌激活和胚胎培养的研究

以猪体外成熟卵母细胞为实验材料,研究了不同激活方法、激活时间以及是否添加滋养层细胞的条件对猪成熟卵母细胞体外培养的影响。结果表明,Ionomycin+6-DAMP+CB法卵裂率高,且差异显著;使用6-DMAP激活3h的卵裂率要低于4h和5h组,且差异显著;在卵裂率、8细胞率和囊胚率上,添加滋养层细胞组与未添加滋养层细胞组之间无显著差异,但添加vero细胞后效果略好。     

条石鲷卵巢发育的组织学研究

采用常规的生物学调查和石蜡组织切片法,对条石鲷Oplegnathus fasciatus卵巢发育周期和卵巢发育中各个时期卵母细胞的形态特征以及产卵类型等进行了组织学研究。结果表明,条石鲷卵母细胞的发育过程在年周期中可分为6个时相：Ⅰ时相的卵母细胞呈原始分化状态,Ⅱ时相卵母细胞出现明显的卵黄核,Ⅲ时相卵母细胞出现皮质液泡,Ⅳ时相的卵母细胞分化明显,卵黄颗粒部分融合,Ⅴ时相和Ⅵ时相分别为卵子形成和退化吸收时相。卵巢发育可分为6个时期：繁殖期主要在5—7月,其卵巢有Ⅳ期、V期;8月卵巢开始退化,9月进入重新发育的Ⅱ期,直到翌年3月都为越冬Ⅱ期卵巢;3月下旬条石鲷卵巢开始重新发育为Ⅲ期卵巢。条石鲷卵巢的平均成熟系数为0.70%~12.57%。组织学观察结果表明,各时相卵母细胞发育不同步,因此条石鲷属多次产卵。     

采用卵子-胚胎移植技术分析研究家畜受精和早期发育

为了阐明家畜受精及早期发育或者输卵管内未受精卵的变化过程,记述了4种卵-胚胎移植方面的研究：①将来自发情黄体期的猪卵母细胞移植到授精动物的输卵管内,可获得受精结果,但将卵移植到已经交配的猪输卵管内会导致多精受精。②把第7~8 d的猪孵化囊胚移植到同期处理的受体内,可以观察到胚胎成功发育到19~23 d。证明失去滋养外胚层的扩张囊胚可以承受移植的物理操作并保持发育能力,而且未交配受体的黄体寿命可以在第7 d和第8 d支持移植胚胎发育。③取2~6 mm直径发育卵泡的牛卵母细胞经体外成熟可以在授精小母牛的输卵管内正常受精,表明其具有受精和胚胎发育能力。④将马的卵母细胞移植到猪的输卵管内,卵母细胞到达子宫的时间仅需46~48 h,在此过程中没有发现未受精马卵的退化现象,暗示了输卵管中存在维持卵子生理机能的因子。综上所述,卵移植是研究家畜早期发育的有效分析技术。     

不同培养条件和卵母细胞来源对黄牛卵母细胞 第一极体排出的影响

研究了培养液组分浓度、培养方法和卵母细胞来源对黄牛卵母细胞第一极体（PB1）排出的影响。从屠宰场收集黄牛卵巢,使用抽吸法获取卵丘卵母细胞复合物（COCs）进行体外培养。结果表明,采用以下培养条件能够显著促进黄牛卵母细胞PB1排出：在培养液中添加10 μg·mL^-1 FSH和LH、1.0 μg·mL^-1 17-β E₂、33.0 μg·mL^-1丙酮酸钠;培养时间24 h,培养密度每50 μL培养液培养10~20枚COCs;卵巢储运温度25～37 ℃,储运时间<3 h,卵泡直径3～6 mm,卵丘细胞包裹2层以上。选择最佳的培养液组分浓度、培养方法和卵母细胞来源可获得最大PB1排出量,为下一步利用PB1进行保护物种、扩大优良母畜遗传资源的来源和植入前遗传学诊断等研究提供参考。