Gene and protein expression of connexins 37 and 43 in cumulus–oocytes complexes throughout the canine oestrous cycle

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (11) ◽  
pp. 976
Author(s):  
Monica De los Reyes ◽  
Jaime Palomino ◽  
Carola Gallegos ◽  
Roberto Espinoza ◽  
Phillipe Dettleff ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to evaluate the expression of connexin (Cx) 37 and Cx43 in canine cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) during the oestrous cycle. Cx localisation was analysed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence, whereas protein and gene expression was evaluated by western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction respectively; comparisons were made using analysis of variance. Both Cx37 and Cx43 were expressed in all follicular stages; Cx43 was identified in cumulus cells and Cx37 was identified in cumulus cells, zonae pellucida and oocytes. Immunofluorescence analyses showed that Cx37 remained unchanged during the preovulatory stage but decreased after ovulation, whereas Cx43 remained unchanged before and after ovulation. Cx43 transcripts increased (P<0.05) during anoestrus and dioestrus in medium-sized follicles but remained unaltered during the pro-oestrus and antral stages during oestrus, before and after ovulation. Cx37 mRNA levels decreased in ovulated COCs (P<0.05). The highest levels of Cx37 protein (P<0.05) were detected in the preantral stage during anoestrus. In contrast, strong Cx43 signals were detected in oestrus and in medium-sized antral follicles in dioestrus (P<0.05). Overall, we demonstrated that Cx37 and Cx43 exhibit different expression patterns, suggesting specific roles throughout growth. Maintenance of Cx expression before ovulation indicates the involvement of Cx37 and Cx43 in the prolonged meiotic arrest.

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-93
Author(s):  
Abdullah Karaer ◽  
Gorkem Tuncay ◽  
Berat Dogan ◽  
Nihan Tecellioglu ◽  
Yilmaz Cigremis

Objective: The aim of this study was to find the significantly altered genes in cumulus cells of women with ovarian endometriosis by using microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis. Methods: Thirty women with ovarian endometriosis and 30 age–body mass index matched controls (women with infertility as a result of pure male factor) were enrolled in this study. Cumulus cells from study participants who underwent controlled ovarian hyperstimulation were isolated mechanically. Microarray comparative genomic hybridization was used to compare the transcriptome of cumulus cells from women with ovarian endometriosis and controls. According to the different expression levels in the microarrays and their putative functions, KRAS, ZNF322, and SDHA were selected and analyzed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Results: There was no significant difference in the basal conditions between patients with endometriosis and controls, such as age, body mass index, basal follicle stimulating hormone and estradiol levels, and total gonadotrophin dosage. The gene expression profile of cumulus cells from patients with endometriosis was significantly different from that of controls. A total of 295 genes were significantly up- or down-regulated (p-value < 0.05 and absolute fold change > 1.5). For all of the genes adjusted p-value was found to be 0.999. Polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that KRAS and ZNF322 mRNA levels in the cumulus cells of patients with ovarian endometriosis were significantly up-regulated compared to controls (fold changes: 3.05 and 3.22, respectively). Conclusion: KRAS and ZNF322 mRNA levels in the cumulus cells of patients with ovarian endometriosis were significantly up-regulated.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 462 ◽  
Author(s):  
George Ramirez ◽  
Jaime Palomino ◽  
Karla Aspee ◽  
Monica De los Reyes

The competence to undergo expansion is a characteristic of cumulus cells (CCs). The aim was to investigate the expression of GDF-9 and BMP-15 mRNA in canine cumulus cells in relation to cumulus expansion and meiotic development over the estrous cycle. CCs were recovered from nonmatured and in vitro-matured (IVM) dog cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs), which were obtained from antral follicles at different phases of the estrous cycle. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) was used to evaluate the relative abundance of GDF-9 and BMP-15 transcripts from the CCs with or without signs of expansion. The results were evaluated by ANOVA and logistic regression. The maturity of the oocyte and the expansion process affected the mRNA levels in CCs. There were differences (p < 0.05) in GDF-9 and BMP-15 gene expression in CCs isolated from nonmatured COCs when comparing the reproductive phases. Lower mRNA levels (p < 0.05) were observed in anestrus and proestrus in comparison to those in estrus and diestrus. In contrast, when comparing GDF-9 mRNA levels in IVM COCs, no differences were found among the phases of the estrous cycle in expanded and nonexpanded CCs (p < 0.05). However, the highest (p < 0.05) BMP-15 gene expression in CCs that did not undergo expansion was exhibited in anestrus and the lowest (p < 0.05) expression was observed in estrus in expanded CCs. Although the stage of the estrous cycle did not affect the second metaphase (MII )rates, the expanded CCs obtained at estrus coexisted with higher percentages of MII (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the differential expression patterns of GDF-9 and BMP-15 mRNA transcripts might be related to cumulus expansion and maturation processes, suggesting specific regulation and temporal changes in their expression.


1992 ◽  
Vol 22 (5) ◽  
pp. 1179-1184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cornelia Platzer ◽  
Günther Richter ◽  
Klaus Überla ◽  
Werner Müller ◽  
Helmut Blöcker ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristin N Nelson ◽  
Carlos G Grijalva ◽  
Sopio Chochua ◽  
Paulina A Hawkins ◽  
Ana I Gil ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Although asymptomatic carriage of Streptococcus pneumoniae (Spn) is common, acquisition of the bacteria is the first step in disease pathogenesis. We examined the effect of introduction of the 7-valent pneumococcal vaccine on Spn carriage patterns in a cohort of Peruvian children. Methods We used data from a prospective cohort study that collected monthly nasopharyngeal samples from children under 3 years of age. Spn isolates were serotyped using Quellung reactions, and bacterial density was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Changes in Spn carriage patterns, including the rate of carriage and number and density of serotypes carried over time, were evaluated before (2009) and after widespread vaccination with PCV7 (2011). Using all pneumococcal detections from each child and year, we identified serotypes that were present both at first and last detection as “persisters” and serotypes that replaced a different earlier type and were detected last as “recolonizers.” Results Ninety-two percent (467/506) of children in 2009 and 89% (451/509) in 2011 carried Spn at least once. In 2009 and 2011, rates of carriage were 9.03 and 9.04 Spn detections per person-year, respectively. In 2009, 23F, a serotype included in PCV7, was the only type identified as a persister and 6A, 15B, and 19A were identified as recolonizer serotypes. In 2011, 6B and 7C were persister serotypes and 13 was a frequent recolonizer serotype. Conclusions Overall Spn carriage among children under 3 in Peru was similar before and after introduction of PCV7; however, serotype-specific rates and longitudinal carriage patterns have shifted.


2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Huanhuan Su ◽  
Jiajia Fan ◽  
Dongmei Ma ◽  
Huaping Zhu

Researchers have increasingly suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression and protein translation in organs and respond to abiotic and biotic stressors. To understand the function of miRNAs in osmotic stress regulation of the gills of hybrid tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus ♀ × Oreochromis urolepis hornorum ♂), high-throughput Illumina deep sequencing technology was used to investigate the expression profiles of miRNAs under salinity stress (S, 25‰), alkalinity stress (A, 4‰) and salinity–alkalinity stress (SA, S: 15‰, A: 4‰) challenges. The results showed that 31, 41, and 27 upregulated and 33, 42, and 40 downregulated miRNAs (P &lt; 0.05) were identified in the salt stress, alkali stress, and saline–alkali stress group, respectively, which were compared with those in the control group (C). Fourteen significantly differently expressed miRNAs were selected randomly and then validated by a quantitative polymerase chain reaction. On the basis of Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, genes related to osmoregulation and biosynthesis were enriched in the three types of osmotic stress. In addition, three miRNAs and three predicted target genes were chosen to conduct a quantitative polymerase chain reaction in the hybrid tilapia and its parents during 96-h osmotic stress. Differential expression patterns of miRNAs provided the basis for research data to further investigate the miRNA-modulating networks in osmoregulation of teleost.


Zygote ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 270-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isana M.A. Frota ◽  
Cintia C.F. Leitão ◽  
José J.N. Costa ◽  
Robert van den Hurk ◽  
Márcia V.A. Saraiva ◽  
...  

SummaryExpression of BMP-6 mRNA was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the BMP-6 protein was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry in the primordial, primary, secondary, small and large antral follicles of goat. Furthermore, the influence of BMP-6 on increase in diameter, antrum formation and expression of BMP-6 and FSH-R in in vitro cultured secondary follicles was studied. Therefore, goat primordial, primary and secondary follicles, as well as small and large antral follicles were obtained and the mRNA levels of BMP-6 were quantified by PCR in real time. Expression of BMP-6 protein in goat follicles was demonstrated by immunohistochemistry. The influence of BMP-6 in the presence or absence of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) on both the development of secondary follicles and the expression of mRNA for BMP-6 and FSH-R was evaluated after 6 days of culture. Furthermore, the follicular diameter and the formation of the antrum were evaluated before and after 6 days of culture and compared by Kruskal–Wallis and chi-squared tests (P < 0.05), respectively. The results show that the level of mRNA for BMP-6 in primary and secondary follicles was significantly higher than in the primordial follicles (P < 0.05). Similar levels of BMP-6 mRNA were observed in cumulus–oocyte complexes and mural granulosa/theca cells from small and large antral follicles, respectively. BMP-6 protein was expressed in oocytes of all categories of follicles and in granulosa cells from secondary follicles onwards. Addition of BMP-6 to the culture medium increased the diameter of secondary follicles mainly by antrum formation after 6 days’ culture, in the presence or absence of FSH (P < 0.05). Furthermore, addition of FSH resulted in increased levels of BMP-6 mRNA in these follicles (P < 0.05). Simultaneous administration of FSH and BMP-6 enhanced the levels of FSH receptor (FSH-R) mRNA (P < 0.05). It is concluded that BMP-6 mRNA is increased during transition from primordial to primary/secondary follicles in the goat ovaries and that BMP-6 enhances the growth of cultured secondary follicles.


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