Genes of cellular components of morphogenesis in porcine oocytes before and after IVM
This study focuses on the genes responsible for the cellular components of morphogenesis within the developing oocyte. Brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) was used to determine the developmental capability of porcine oocytes. The immature oocytes (GV stage) were compared with matured oocytes (MII stage), using microarray and qRT-PCR analysis to track changes in the genetic expression profile of transcriptome genes. The data showed substantial upregulation of genes influencing oocyte’s morphology, cellular migration and adhesion, intracellular communication, as well as plasticity of nervous system. Conversely, downregulation ...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Budna, J., Bryja, A., Celichowski, P., Kahan, R., Kranc, W., Ciesiołka, S., Rybska, M., Borys, S., Jeseta, M., Bukowska, D., Antosik, P., Brussow, K. P., Bruska, M., Nowicki, M., Zabel, M., Kempisty, B. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Molecular forms of ruminant BMP15 and GDF9 and putative interactions with receptors
Bone morphogenetic factor 15 (BMP15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (GDF9) are oocyte-secreted factors with demonstrable effects on ovarian follicular development and ovulation rate. However, the molecular forms of BMP15 and GDF9 produced by oocytes remain unclear. The aims herein, using Western blotting (WB) procedures with specific monoclonal antibodies (mabs), were to identify the molecular forms of BMP15 and GDF9 synthesised and secreted by isolated ovine (o) and bovine (b) oocytes in vitro. The mabs were known to recognise the biological forms of BMP15 or GDF9 since they had previously been shown to inhibit their...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Heath, D. A., Pitman, J. L., McNatty, K. P. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Ultrastructural characteristics and immune profile of equine MSCs from fetal adnexa
Both in human and equine species, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) from amniotic membrane (AM) and Wharton’s jelly (WJ), may be particularly useful for immediate use or in later stages of life, after cryopreservation in cell bank. The aim of this study was to compare equine AM- and WJ-MSCs in vitro features that may be relevant for their clinical employment. MSCs were more easily isolated from WJ, even if MSCs derived from AM exhibited more rapid proliferation (P < 0.05). Osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation were more prominent in MSCs derived from WJ. This is also suggested by the lower adhesion of AM cells, ...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Iacono, E., Pascucci, L., Rossi, B., Bazzucchi, C., Lanci, A., Ceccoli, M., Merlo, B. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Steroid hormones regulate sperm-oviduct interactions in the bovine
After insemination in the cow, a sperm reservoir is formed within the oviducts, allowing the storage and then progressive release of spermatozoa toward the ovulated oocyte. In order to investigate the hormonal regulation of these events in vitro, the ovarian steroids 17β-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) were added at various concentrations to monolayers of bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC) before or during co-incubation with spermatozoa. Main findings demonstrate that (1) a 18-h pretreatment of BOEC with 100 pg/mL and 100 ng/mL of E2 decreased by 25% the ability of BOEC to bind spermatozoa after 10 min, and f...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Lamy, J., Corbin, E., Blache, M.-C., Garanina, A. S., Uzbekov, R., Mermillod, P., Saint-Dizier, M. Tags: Research Source Type: research
miR-15a-5p levels correlate with poor ovarian response in human follicular fluid
In this study, we extracted microRNAs from human follicular fluid and performed miRNA sequencing to investigate a potential posttranscriptional mechanism underlying poor ovarian response. The results showed that many miRNAs were obviously different between the poor ovarian response and non-poor ovarian response groups. We then performed quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot analysis and used an in vitro culture system to verify the sequencing results and to study the mechanism. Notably, we found that miRNA-15a-5p was significantly elevated in the young poor ovarian response group. Furthermore, we demonstrate...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Zhang, K., Zhong, W., Li, W.-P., Chen, Z.-J., Zhang, C. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Steroid hormone receptors and direct effects of steroid hormones on ram spermatozoa
In conclusion, the results of this study demonstrate for the first time that ovine spermatozoa have progesterone and estrogen receptors and that both steroid hormones are related with the induction of the acrosome reaction. (Source: Reproduction)
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Gimeno-Martos, S., Gonzalez-Arto, M., Casao, A., Gallego, M., Cebrian-Perez, J. A., Muino-Blanco, T., Perez-Pe, R. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Probing GATA factor function in mouse Leydig cells via testicular injection of adenoviral vectors
Testicular Leydig cells produce androgens essential for proper male reproductive development and fertility. Here, we describe a new Leydig cell ablation model based on Cre/Lox recombination of mouse Gata4 and Gata6, two genes implicated in the transcriptional regulation of steroidogenesis. The testicular interstitium of adult Gata4flox/flox; Gata6flox/flox mice was injected with adenoviral vectors encoding Cre + GFP (Ad-Cre-IRES-GFP) or GFP alone (Ad-GFP). The vectors efficiently and selectively transduced Leydig cells, as evidenced by GFP reporter expression. Three days after Ad-Cre-IRES-GFP injection, expression of andro...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Penny, G. M., Cochran, R. B., Pihlajoki, M., Kyronlahti, A., Schrade, A., Hakkinen, M., Toppari, J., Heikinheimo, M., Wilson, D. B. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Equine fetal adrenal, gonadal and placental steroidogenesis
Equine fetuses have substantial circulating pregnenolone concentrations and thus have been postulated to provide significant substrate for placental 5α-reduced pregnane production, but the fetal site of pregnenolone synthesis remains unclear. The current studies investigated steroid concentrations in blood, adrenal glands, gonads and placenta from fetuses (4, 6, 9 and 10 months of gestational age (GA)), as well as tissue steroidogenic enzyme transcript levels. Pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) were the most abundant steroids in fetal blood, pregnenolone was consistently higher but decreased progressively...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Legacki, E. L., Ball, B. A., Corbin, C. J., Loux, S. C., Scoggin, K. E., Stanley, S. D., Conley, A. J. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Effect of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation on puberty and estrus in mice offspring
Controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH) is widely used for the treatment of infertility, while the long-term effects of COH on the reproductive function in female offspring are currently unknown. Based on the fact that COH could cause high E2 levels in women throughout pregnancy and excess estrogenic exposure during fetal development is harmful to subsequent adult ovarian function, we assumed the hypothesis that COH disrupts reproductive function in female offspring. To test this hypothesis, COH was induced in mice to obtain female offspring by pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and HCG, and then we evaluated pubert...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Ding, J., Tan, X., Song, K., Ma, W., Xiao, J., Zhang, M. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Functional implications of the utero-placental relaxin (RLN) system in the dog throughout pregnancy and at term
Relaxin (RLN) is a key hormone of pregnancy in mammals best known for its involvement in connective tissue remodeling. In the domestic dog, placental RLN is the only known endocrine marker of pregnancy. However, knowledge is sparse regarding the spatio-temporal expression of RLN and its receptors (RXFP1 and RXFP2) in the canine uterus and placenta. Here, their expression was investigated in the pre-implantation uterus and utero-placental compartments (UtPl) at selected time points during gestation: post-implantation, mid-gestation, and at normal and antigestagen-induced luteolysis/abortion. Immunohistochemistry with newly ...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Nowak, M., Gram, A., Boos, A., Aslan, S., Ay, S. S., Onyay, F., Kowalewski, M. P. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Kisspeptin regulates steroidogenesis and spermiation in anuran amphibian
In conclusion, we demonstrate Kp-10 effects on steroidogenesis with possible involvement in the balance between testosterone and estradiol levels, and report new Kp-10 activities on spermatozoa–Sertoli cell interaction. (Source: Reproduction)
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Chianese, R., Ciaramella, V., Fasano, S., Pierantoni, R., Meccariello, R. Tags: Research Source Type: research
LEM-domain proteins are lost during human spermiogenesis but BAF and BAF-L persist
During spermiogenesis the spermatid nucleus is elongated, and dramatically reduced in size with protamines replacing histones to produce a highly compacted chromatin. After fertilisation, this process is reversed in the oocyte to form the male pronucleus. Emerging evidence, including the coordinated loss of the nuclear lamina (NL) and the histones, supports the involvement of the NL in spermatid nuclear remodelling, but how the NL links to the chromatin is not known. In somatic cells, interactions between the NL and the chromatin have been demonstrated: LEM-domain proteins and LBR interact with the NL and respectively, the...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Elkhatib, R. A., Paci, M., Boissier, R., Longepied, G., Auguste, Y., Achard, V., Bourgeois, P., Levy, N., Branger, N., Mitchell, M. J., Metzler-Guillemain, C. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation is a biomarker of the effects of culture on zygotes
In this study we confirm that fertilisation leads to a marked progressive increase in the level of histone 3 lysine 9 acetylation in both the paternally and maternally derived genomes. The culture of zygotes in simple defined media caused a marked increase in the global level of acetylation and this affected the male pronucleus more than the female. The culture created a marked asymmetry in staining between the two pronuclei that was not readily detected in zygotes collected directly from the reproductive tract and was ameliorated to some extent by optimized culture media. The increased acetylation caused by culture result...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Rollo, C., Li, Y., Jin, X. L., ONeill, C. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Expression patterns of HENMT1 and PIWIL1 in human testis: implications for transposon expression
This study aimed to define the expression patterns of HENMT1 and PIWI proteins in human testis and investigate their association with transposon expression, infertility sub-type or development of testicular germ cell tumours (TGCTs). Testis biopsies showing normal spermatogenesis were used to identify normal localisation patterns of HENMT1 and PIWIL1 by immunolocalisation and RT-PCR after laser microdissection. 222 testis biopsies representing normal spermatogenesis, hypospermatogenesis, spermatogenic arrests, Sertoli cell-only (SCO) tumours and TGCTs were analysed by RT-qPCR for expression of HENMT1/PIWIL1/PIWIL2/PIWIL3/P...
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Hempfling, A. L., Lim, S. L., Adelson, D. L., Evans, J., OConnor, A. E., Qu, Z. P., Kliesch, S., Weidner, W., OBryan, M. K., Bergmann, M. Tags: Research Source Type: research
Kisspeptin-10 inhibits OHSS by suppressing VEGF secretion
In conclusion, Kp-10 prevents the increased VP of OHSS by the activation of KISS1R and the inhibition of VEGF. (Source: Reproduction)
Source: Reproduction - September 6, 2017 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Zhai, J., Liu, J., Zhao, S., Zhao, H., Chen, Z.-J., Du, Y., Li, W. Tags: Research Source Type: research
