51 SCRIPTAID AND MG132 IMPROVE DEVELOPMENT OF PORCINE EMBRYOS RECONSTRUCTED BY SOMATIC CELL NUCLEAR TRANSFER

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 131
Author(s):  
J. Mao ◽  
L. Tracy ◽  
J. Zhao ◽  
K. M. Whitworth ◽  
L. Spate ◽  
...  

Nuclear transfer efficiency in pigs and other large animal species is low. Previous studies have shown that histone deacetylase inhibitor (Scriptaid) and proteasomal inhibitor (MG132) treatment of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) pig embryos enhances blastocyst formation and pregnancy. The current experiment was carried out to determine the effects of combined MG132 and Scriptaid treatment on early development of cloned pig embryos reconstituted by SCNT. A total of 328 sow oocytes procured from ART (Madison, WI, USA) were reconstructed using α-1,3-Galactosyltransferase knockout hDAF transgenic pig fetal-derived fibroblast cells. Immediately after electrofusion and activation, SCNT oocytes were treated with 0, 1, or 10 μM MG132 for 2 h and then treated with 500 nM Scriptaid for another 16 h. The SCNT embryos were washed and cultured in Porcine Zygote Medium 3 for 7 days. Percent cleavage was determined on Day 2, and blastocyst formation and cell number were determined on Day 7. The experiment was repreated 8 times. There was no difference (P > 0.05) in percent cleavage (57.9 to 66.7%), or cell number (25.5 to 30.6) among the 3 groups. Interestingly, while there was no difference in the percent blastocyst between the 1 μM and 0 μM MG132 treatment groups, more oocytes from the 1 μM MG132 group developed into blastocysts than in the 10 μM MG132 group (25.1 ± 4.6% v. 12.9 ± 3.3%; P = 0.045). Further research will be conducted to transfer these embryos to surrogate gilts to determine the true developmental competence of these embryos. Supported by the National Institutes of Health National Center for Research Resources (RR018877 and RR013438), and Food for the 21st Century.

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 1342 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhao-Bo Luo ◽  
Long Jin ◽  
Qing Guo ◽  
Jun-Xia Wang ◽  
Xiao-Xu Xing ◽  
...  

Accumulating evidence suggests that aberrant epigenetic reprogramming and low pluripotency of donor nuclei lead to abnormal development of cloned embryos and underlie the inefficiency of mammalian somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). The present study demonstrates that treatment with the small molecule RepSox alone upregulates the expression of pluripotency-related genes in porcine SCNT embryos. Treatment with the histone deacetylase inhibitor LBH589 significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate, whereas treatment with RepSox did not. Cotreatment with 12.5 μM RepSox and 50 nM LBH589 (RepSox + LBH589) for 24 h significantly increased the blastocyst formation rate compared with that of untreated embryos (26.9% vs 8.5% respectively; P < 0.05). Furthermore, the expression of pluripotency-related genes octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (NANOG) and SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) were found to significantly increased in the RepSox + LBH589 compared with control group at both the 4-cell and blastocyst stages. In particular, the expression of NANOG was 135-fold higher at the blastocyst stage in the RepSox + LBH589 group. Moreover, RepSox + LBH589 improved epigenetic reprogramming. In summary, RepSox + LBH589 increases the expression of developmentally important genes, optimises epigenetic reprogramming and improves the in vitro development of porcine SCNT embryos.


2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 544 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. S. Pedersen ◽  
Y. Liu ◽  
R. Li ◽  
S. Purup ◽  
P. Løvendahl ◽  
...  

Pig oocytes have been used increasingly for in vitro production techniques in recent years. The slaughterhouse-derived oocytes that are often used are mostly of prepubertal origin. The aims of the present study were to compare the developmental competence between pre- and postpubertal pig oocytes, and to develop a simple and practical method for the selection of prepubertal pig oocytes for parthenogenetic activation (PA) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) based on oocyte morphology after IVM and oocyte inside zona pellucida (ZP) diameter (‘small’ ≤110 µm; ‘medium’ >110 µm; ‘large’ ≥120 µm). Meiotic competence and blastocyst rates after PA and SCNT of prepubertal oocytes increased with oocyte size, with the large prepubertal oocytes reaching a level similar to postpubertal oocytes after SCNT. Blastocyst cell number was not related to oocyte inside ZP diameter and oocyte donor to the same extent as blastocyst rate. Very low blastocyst rates were obtained after PA of morphologically bad pre- and postpubertal oocytes. In conclusion, measurement of inside ZP diameter combined with morphological selection is useful to remove incompetent oocytes. Further studies are needed to clarify the relative importance of cytoplasmic volume and stage in oocyte growth phase.


2003 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
Goo Jang ◽  
Byeong Chun Lee ◽  
Sung Keun Kang ◽  
Woo Suk Hwang

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) added to the culture medium on the developmental competence of bovine embryos derived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) and from somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). In vitro-matured oocytes were either inseminated with 1 × 106 spermatozoa mL−1 or enucleated and reconstructed with bovine adult ear fibroblasts by SCNT. The embryos were then cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (mSOF) containing 8 mg mL−1 bovine serum albumin (BSA) (control mSOF) or control mSOF supplemented with various GAGs (hyaluronic acid, heparin or chondroitin sulfate) in a dose-dependent manner (0.1, 0.5 or 1.0 mg mL−1). Developmental competence was evaluated by monitoring the numbers of 2-cell embryos, 8–16-cell embryos and blastocysts. The mean cell number of flattened blastocysts stained with 5 μ M bisbenzimide on Day 8 was counted. The percentage of blastocyst formation (IVF and SCNT embryos) from cleaved embryos was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in control mSOF supplemented with 0.5 mg mL−1 hyaluronic acid (45% and 47%), heparin (40% and 47%) or chondroitin sulfate (38% and 44%) compared with control mSOF (30–31% and 30–33%). When compared with the efficacy of 0.5 mg mL−1 GAGs, no significant differences were observed in the developmental competence of both IVF and SCNT embryos. Supplementing control mSOF with 0.5 mg mL−1 GAGs had no effect on the cell number of IVF embryos. In contrast, supplementing 0.5 mg mL−1 of hyaluronic acid, heparin or chondroitin sulfate to control mSOF significantly (P < 0.05) increased the numbers of total cells (93–98 v. 88 cells) and trophectoderm (TE) cells (64–66 v. 55 cells), and decreased the inner cell mass (ICM) to TE cell ratio (48.2–49.8 v. 61.3) in SCNT blastocysts compared with embryos in control mSOF. In conclusion, supplementation of culture media with GAGs may improve the development of bovine IVM–IVF and SCNT embryos to the blastocyst stage. The GAGs increased the quality of blastocysts by increasing total cell numbers in the SCNT embryos.


Zygote ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao-Chen Li ◽  
Qing Guo ◽  
Hai-Ying Zhu ◽  
Long Jin ◽  
Yu-Chen Zhang ◽  
...  

SummaryWe examined the in vitro developmental competence of parthenogenetic activation (PA) oocytes activated by an electric pulse (EP) and treated with various concentrations of AZD5438 for 4 h. Treatment with 10 µM AZD5438 for 4 h significantly improved the blastocyst formation rate of PA oocytes in comparison with 0, 20, or 50 µM AZD5438 treatment (46.4% vs. 34.5%, 32.3%, and 24.0%, respectively; P < 0.05). The blastocyst formation rate was higher in the group treated with AZD5438 for 4 h than in the groups treated with AZD5438 for 2 or 6 h (42.8% vs. 38.6% and 37.2%, respectively; P > 0.05). Furthermore, 66.67% of blastocysts derived from these AZD5438-treated PA oocytes had a diploid karyotype. The blastocyst formation rate of PA and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos was similar between oocytes activated by an EP and treated with 2 mM 6-dimethylaminopurine for 4 h and those activated by an EP and treated with 10 µM AZD5438 for 4 h (11.11% vs. 13.40%, P > 0.05). In addition, the level of maturation-promoting factor (MPF) was significantly decreased in oocytes activated by an EP and treated with 10 µM AZD5438 for 4 h. Finally, the mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related genes (Bax and Bcl-2) and pluripotency-related genes (Oct4, Nanog, and Sox2) were checked by RT-PCR; however, there were no differences between the AZD5438-treated and non-treated control groups. Our results demonstrate that porcine oocyte activation via an EP in combination with AZD5438 treatment can lead to a high blastocyst formation rate in PA and SCNT experiments.


Zygote ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 23 (4) ◽  
pp. 494-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hironobu Sugimoto ◽  
Yuta Kida ◽  
Noriyoshi Oh ◽  
Kensaku Kitada ◽  
Kazuya Matsumoto ◽  
...  

SummaryWe examined growing oocytes collected from follicles remaining in superovulated rabbit ovaries, that were grown (in vitro growth, IVG) and matured (in vitro maturation, IVM) in vitro. We produced somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos using the mature oocytes and examined whether these embryos have the ability to develop to the blastocyst stage. In addition, we examined the effects of trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), on the developmental competence of SCNT embryos derived from IVG–IVM oocytes. After growth for 7 days and maturation for 14–16 h in vitro, the growing oocytes reached the metaphase II stage (51.4%). After SCNT, these reconstructed embryos reached the blastocyst stage (20%). Furthermore, the rate of development to the blastocyst stage and the number of cells in the blastocysts in SCNT embryos derived from IVG–IVM oocytes were significantly higher for TSA-treated embryos compared with TSA-untreated embryos (40.6 versus 21.4% and 353.1 ± 59.1 versus 202.5 ± 54.6, P < 0.05). These results indicate that rabbit SCNT embryos using IVG–IVM oocytes have the developmental competence to reach the blastocyst stage.


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 508
Author(s):  
S. Sah ◽  
A. K. Sharma ◽  
S. K. Singla ◽  
M. K. Singh ◽  
M. S. Chauhan ◽  
...  

Expression levels of 13 microRNAs (miRNAs) were compared between buffalo blastocysts produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer through hand-made cloning and IVF to improve cloning efficiency. Expression of miR-22, miR-145, miR-374a and miR-30c was higher, whereas that of miR-29b, miR-101, miR-302b, miR-34a, miR-21 and miR-25 was lower, in nuclear transferred (NT) than IVF embryos; the expression of miR-200b, miR-26a and miR-128 was similar between the two groups. Based on these, miR-145, which is involved in the regulation of pluripotency, was selected for further investigation of NT embryos. miR-145 expression was lowest at the 2-cell stage, increased through the 4-cell stage and was highest at the 8-cell or morula stage in a pattern that was similar between NT and IVF embryos. miR-145 expression was higher in NT than IVF embryos at all stages examined. Treatment of reconstructed embryos 1h after electrofusion with an inhibitor of miR-145 for 1h decreased the apoptotic index and increased the blastocyst rate, total cell number, ratio of cells in the inner cell mass to trophectoderm, global levels of acetylation of histone 3 at lysine 18 and expression of Krueppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) and SRY (sex determining region Y)-box 2 (SOX2) in blastocysts. Treatment with an miR-145 mimic had the opposite effects. In conclusion, treatment of NT embryos with an miR-145 inhibitor improves the developmental competence and quality, and increases histone acetylation and expression of pluripotency-related genes.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 273
Author(s):  
S. W. Kim ◽  
D. H. Kim ◽  
J. S. Seo ◽  
G. S. Im ◽  
B. C. Yang ◽  
...  

Numerous factors affect on the developmental competence of cloned embryos, and one of the factors might be the disturbed synchronization of nuclear and cytoplasm maturation. Roscovitine, a purine known to specifically inhibit M-phase promoting factor (MPF) kinase activity by blocking the ATP in numerous cell systems, has been successfully used in maintaining porcine oocytes at GV stage without affecting their developmental potential. However, developmental ability of roscovitine treated porcine oocytes after nuclear transfer has not been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to examine the development of nuclear transferred porcine embryos after meiotic inhibition with roscovitine (ROS). Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from antral follicles of slaughtered prepubertal gilts. COCs were cultured in pre-maturation medium (TCM-199 containing 50 �M Roscovitine) for 24 h, and then further cultured in conventional maturation medium for 44 h. A control group was cultured in the maturation medium for 44 h. Matured oocytes were enucleated and a porcine fetus cell was inserted into each enucleated oocyte. Couplets were simultaneously fused and activated with electric pulse of two 1.2 kV/cm for 30 �s. Nuclear transferred (NT) embryos were cultured in PZM-1 medium for 6 days (five replicates). Apoptotic cell death was analyzed by using a TUNEL assay and total cell number was examined by Hoechest 33342 counterstaining. At 3 h after fusion, NT embryos were fixed for microfilament staining. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and Student's t-test. The rates of fusion, cleavage, and blastocyst formation of the ROS-treated group (85, 68, and 18%, respectively) after nuclear transfer did not differ from control (78, 76, and 16%, respectively). The cell number in blastocysts of the ROS-treated group (30.8 � 10.6) was significantly lower than that of the control (42.3 � 13.7) (P < 0.01), but the mean proportion of apoptotic cells was not different between the two groups (6.9 � 7.1 and 4.8 � 4.9% for control and ROS group, respectively). Recovery of microfilaments after fusion was delayed in NT embryos derived from ROS-treated oocytes. This study demonstrated that porcine oocytes pre-cultured for 24 h in presence of roscovitine can be developed to blastocysts after somatic cell nuclear transfer. This could provide flexibility for studying porcine oocyte development and embryo cloning.


2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 99 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. E. Iager ◽  
Z. Beyhan ◽  
P. J. Ross ◽  
N. P. Ragina ◽  
K. Cunniff ◽  
...  

Faulty epigenetic reprogramming is a likely major cause of the low success rate observed in all mammals produced through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). It has been reported that treatment of reconstructed mouse embryos with the potent histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A (TSA), results in significantly increased developmental capacity of SCNT preimplantation embryos and live offspring (Kishigami et al. 2006 Biochem. Biophys. Res. Commun. 240, 183–189; Rybouchkin et al. 2006 Biol. Reprod. 74, 1083–1089; Kishigami et al. 2006 J. Reprod. Dev. 53, 165–170). Studies investigating similar reprogramming capabilities of TSA in bovine SCNT embryos report conflicting results (Akagi et al. 2007 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 19, 24 abst; Iwamoto et al. 2007 Reprod. Fertil. Dev. 19, 48 abst). In this study, the effects of TSA treatment on in vitro development of bovine SCNT embryos were examined. Bovine fetal fibroblasts were cultured under contact inhibition for 2 to 5 days and used as donor cells for SCNT. Oocytes were aspirated from abattoir-derived ovaries, and matured in vitro for 18 h prior to enucleation. Reconstructed SCNT couplets were electrofused, and then activated 24 h post-maturation using 5 µm ionomycin followed by 2 mm dimethylaminopurine (DMAP) for 4 h. SCNT embryos were subjected to 0 (control; C-NT) or 50 nm TSA for 13 h post-ionomycin (hpi) TSAa-NT) or 13 hpi + 6 h starting from 40 hpi (TSAb-NT). IVF embryos were produced as an additional control. All embryos were cultured in KSOM supplemented with 3 mg mL–1 BSA for 7.5 days, with 5% FBS added on Day 3. Experiments were repeated 3 or 7 times, and data were analyzed a -way ANOVA procedure. Developmental rates to the blastocyst stage and total cell number of blastocysts were determined. Total cell numbers were determined by fixing blastocysts in 4% paraformaldehyde, and staining with bisbenzimide 33342, followed by microslide mounting and visualization using an epifluorescence microscope. No difference was observed in cleavage rates among the four treatment groups, C-NT, TSAa-NT, TSAb-NT, and IVF, with the rates being 66%, 75%, 73.1%, and 82.3%, respectively (P = 0.33); nor was any improvement seen in the rate of blastocyst development of TSAa-NT or TSAb-NT over C-NT embryos: 36%, 40.2%, and 30.2%, respectively (P = 0.22). Furthermore, there was no significant difference in mean total cell number of blastocysts among treatment groups: C-NT, 120.2; TSAa-NT, 124.2; TSAb-NT, 129.3; and IVF, 141.1 (P = 0.29). These results suggest that 50 nm TSA treatment immediately following activation does not affect the development of bovine SCNT preimplantation embryos.


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