scholarly journals Chromatin Modifying Agents in theIn VitroProduction of Bovine Embryos

2011 ◽  
Vol 2011 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fabio Morato Monteiro ◽  
Clara Slade Oliveira ◽  
Letícia Zoccolaro Oliveira ◽  
Naiara Zoccal Saraiva ◽  
Maria Eugênia Zerlotti Mercadante ◽  
...  

The low efficiency observed in cloning by nuclear transfer is related to an aberrant gene expression following errors in epigenetic reprogramming. Recent studies have focused on further understanding of the modifications that take place in the chromatin of embryos during the preimplantation period, through the use of chromatin modifying agents. The goal of these studies is to identify the factors involved in nuclear reprogramming and to adjustin vitromanipulations in order to better mimicin vivoconditions. Therefore, proper knowledge of epigenetic reprogramming is necessary to prevent possible epigenetic errors and to improve efficiency and the use ofin vitrofertilization and cloning technologies in cattle and other species.

2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (5) ◽  
pp. 487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Sergio de A. Camargo ◽  
Anne M. Powell ◽  
Vicente R. do Vale Filho ◽  
Robert J. Wall

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) have been implicated in a variety of developmental abnormalities. Aberrant gene expression is likely to account for much of the diminished viability and developmental abnormalities observed. In the present study, the expression of multiple genes in IVF and SCNT bovine blastocyst-stage embryos were evaluated and compared with in vivo-produced embryos. Eleven genes expressed at and following maternal–zygotic transcription transition were evaluated in individual blastocysts by real-time polymerase chain reaction following RNA amplification. A subset of those genes was also evaluated in individual IVF and SCNT eight-cell embryos. A fibroblast-specific gene, expressed by nuclear donor cells, was also evaluated in IVF and SCNT embryos. The observed gene expression pattern at the eight-cell stage was not different between IVF and SCNT embryos (P > 0.05). In vitro fertilisation and SCNT blastocyst expression was lower (P < 0.01) for all genes compared with their in vivo-produced counterparts, except for lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme A (P < 0.001). The patterns of gene expression of the IVF and SCNT blastocysts were indistinguishable. Neither SCNT eight-cell nor blastocyst-stage embryos expressed the gene used as a fibroblast marker (collagen VIα1). For the genes evaluated, the level of expression was influenced more by the environment than by the method used to produce the embryos. These results support the notion that if developmental differences observed in IVF- and SCNT-produced fetuses and neonates are the result of aberrant gene expression during the preimplantation stage, those differences in expression are subtle.


2011 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 93
Author(s):  
Anna Meiliana ◽  
Andi Wijaya

BACKGROUND: The ability to reprogram mature cells to an embryonic-like state by nuclear transfer or by inducing the expression of key transcription factors has provided us with critical opportunities to linearly map the epigenetic parameters that are essential for attaining pluripotency.CONTENT: Epigenetic reprogramming describes a switch in gene expression of one kind of cell to that of another unrelated cell type. Early studies in frog cloning provided some of the first experimental evidence for reprogramming. Subsequent procedures included mammalian somatic cell nuclear transfer, cell fusion, induction of pluripotency by ectopic gene expression, and direct reprogramming. Through these methods it becomes possible to derive one kind of specialized cell (such as a brain cell) from another, more accessible tissue, such as skin in the same individual. This has potential applications for cell replacement without the immunosuppression treatments commonly required when cells are transferred between genetically different individuals.SUMMARY: Reprogramming with transcription factors offers tremendous promise for the future development of patient-specific pluripotent cells and for studies of human disease. The identification of optimized protocols for the differentiation of iPS cells and ES cells into multiple functional cell types in vitro and their proper engraftment in vivo will be challenged in the coming years. Given that the first small molecule approaches aimed at activating pluripotency genes have already been devised and that murine iPS cells have recently been derived by using non-integrative transient expression strategies of the reprogramming factors, we expect that human iPS cells without permanent genetic alterations will soon be generated.KEYWORDS: epigenetics, reprogramming, pluripotency, stem cells, iPS cells, chromatin, DNA methylation


2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (8) ◽  
pp. 751 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mona E. Pedersen ◽  
Øzen Banu Øzdas ◽  
Wenche Farstad ◽  
Aage Tverdal ◽  
Ingrid Olsaker

In this study the synthetic oviduct fluid (SOF) system with bovine oviduct epithelial cell (BOEC) co-culture is compared with an SOF system with common protein supplements. One thousand six hundred bovine embryos were cultured in SOF media supplemented with BOEC, fetal calf serum (FCS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA). Eight different culture groups were assigned according to the different supplementation factors. Developmental competence and the expression levels of five genes, namely glucose transporter-1 (Glut-1), heat shock protein 70 (HSP), connexin43 (Cx43), β-actin (ACTB) and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), analysed as mRNA by using reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction, were measured on bovine embryos cultured for 9 days. Gene expression of these in vitro-produced embryos was compared with the gene expression of in vivo-produced embryos. There was no significant difference found in embryo developmental competence between the Day 9 embryos in BOEC co-culture, FCS and BSA supplements in SOF media. However, differences in gene expression were observed. With respect to gene expression in in vivo and in vitro embryos, BOEC co-culture affected the same genes as did supplementation with FCS and BSA. HSP was the only gene that differed significantly between in vitro and in vivo embryos. When the different in vitro groups were compared, a significant difference between the BOEC co-culture and the FCS supplementation groups due to Glut-1 expression was observed.


Reproduction ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 133 (1) ◽  
pp. 231-242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig Smith ◽  
Debbie Berg ◽  
Sue Beaumont ◽  
Neil T Standley ◽  
David N Wells ◽  
...  

During somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT), the transcriptional status of the donor cell has to be reprogrammed to reflect that of an embryo. We analysed the accuracy of this process by comparing transcript levels of four developmentally important genes (Oct4,Otx2,Ifitm3,GATA6), a gene involved in epigenetic regulation (Dnmt3a) and three housekeeping genes (β-actin, β-tubulinandGAPDH) in 21 NT blastocysts with that in genetically half-identicalin vitroproduced (IVP,n=19) andin vivo(n=15) bovine embryos. We have optimised an RNA-isolation and SYBR-green-based real-time RT-PCR procedure allowing the reproducible absolute quantification of multiple genes from a single blastocyst. Our data indicated that transcript levels did not differ significantly between stage and grade-matched zona-free NT and IVP embryos except for Ifitm3/Fragilis, which was expressed at twofold higher levels in NT blastocysts.Ifitm3expression is confined to the inner cell mass at day 7 blastocysts and to the epiblast in day 14 embryos. No ectopic expression in the trophectoderm was seen in NT embryos. Gene expression in NTand IVP embryos increased between two- and threefold for all eight genes from early to late blastocyst stages. This increase exceeded the increase in cell number over this time period indicating an increase in transcript number per cell. Embryo quality (morphological grading) was correlated to cell number for NT and IVP embryos with grade 3 blastocysts containing 30% fewer cells. However, only NT embryos displayed a significant reduction in gene expression (50%) with loss of quality. Variability in gene expression levels was not significantly different in NT, IVP orin vivoembryos but differed among genes, suggesting that the stringency of regulation is intrinsic to a gene and not affected by culture or nuclear transfer.Oct4levels exhibited the lowest variability. Analysing the total variability of all eight genes for individual embryos revealed thatin vivoembryos resembled each other much more than did NT and IVP blastocysts. Furthermore,in vivoembryos, consisting of 1.5-fold more cells, generally contained two- to fourfold more transcripts for the eight genes than did their cultured counterparts. Thus, culture conditions (in vivoversusin vitro) have greater effects on gene expression than does nuclear transfer when minimising genetic heterogeneity.


2006 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 142
Author(s):  
N. Ruddock ◽  
K. Wilson ◽  
M. Cooney ◽  
R. Tecirlioglu ◽  
V. Hall ◽  
...  

Developmental pathways in the mammalian embryo are profoundly influenced by the epigenetic interaction of the environment and the genome. Loss of epigenetic control has been implicated in aberrant gene expression and altered imprinting patterns with consequence to the physiology and viability of the conceptus. Bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is contingent on in vitro culture, and both SCNT and culture conditions are known to induce changes in embryonic gene expression patterns. Using these experimental models, this study compared gene expression of Day 7 cloned blastocysts created from three different SCNT protocols using the same cell line, with Day 7 in vivo blastocysts to elucidate mechanisms responsible for variations in phenotypic outcomes. SCNT methods included: (1) traditional SCNT by subzonal injection (SI); (2) handmade cloning (HMC); and (3) modified serial nuclear transfer (SNT), developed within the group. Four imprinted genes (Grb10, Ndn, Nnat, and Ube3a), four chromatin remodeling genes (Cbx1, Cbx3, Smarca4, and Smarcb1) and two genes implicated in polycystic liver disease (Prkcsh and Sec63) were analyzed in single blastocysts from each treatment (n = 5). All blastocysts expressed Actin, Oct-4 and Ifn-tau. All genes were sequence verified. Several genes were expressed ubiquitously across all groups, including Ndn, Ube3a, Cbx1, Cbx3, and Smarcb1. Interestingly, Grb10 was not expressed in two HMCs and one SNT blastocyst. Nnat was weakly expressed in one in vivo blastocyst and in the majority of cloned blastocysts in all groups. Prkcsh and Sec63 were expressed in all but one HMC blastocyst. While gene expression patterns were mostly maintained following SCNT, the imprinted genes Nnat and Grb10 showed instances of differential or abnormal expression in SCNT embryos. The chromatin remodeling genes were maintained in all SCNT treatments. Prkcsh and Sec63 were both absent in one HMC blastocyst, with implications for liver dysfunction, a condition previously reported in abnormal cloned offspring. The variable mRNA expression following SCNT provides an insight into genetic and environmental factors controlling implantation, placentation, organ formation, and fetal growth.


1999 ◽  
Vol 55 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 151-162 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Stojkovic ◽  
M Büttner ◽  
V Zakhartchenko ◽  
J Riedl ◽  
H.-D Reichenbach ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 190
Author(s):  
D. Aktoprakligil Aksu ◽  
C. Agca ◽  
S. Aksu ◽  
T. Akkoc ◽  
A. Tas Caputcu ◽  
...  

Microarray technology is one of the most powerful tools for gene expression profiling in animal sciences. The objectives of this study were to determine the effect of vitrification on gene expression in in vitro- and in vivo-derived bovine embryos, and to identify differential mRNA expression patterns between embryos produced by in vivo v. in vitro conditions. Three pools of in vivo- and in vitro-derived blastocyst-stage embryos were used for microarray analysis. Total RNA was isolated using the PicoPure RNA Isolation Kit (Arcturus Bioscience, Mountain View, CA). Bovine ovarian tissue total RNA was used as the reference. Total RNA samples were amplified using an Ovation® Pico WTA System (NuGEN Technologies, San Carlos, CA). The bovine 16 846-member microarrays spotted with 70-mer oligonucleotides were purchased from the Bovine Genomics Laboratory, University of Missouri. Amplified cDNA samples were labeled with Alexa Fluor 647 and 546 dyes (Molecular Probes, Eugene, OR), respectively. Combined, labeled samples were dried and resuspended in hybridization buffer containing 50% formamide (vol/vol), 5× SSC, and 0.1% sodium dodecyl sulfate (wt/vol). After denaturation and cooling, cDNA was applied onto a microarray slide. Microarrays were hybridized overnight at 42°C. Following hybridization, the slides were washed with different stringency buffers and water. After drying by centrifugation, the arrays were scanned on a GenePix 4000B scanner (Axon Instruments, Union City, CA). GenePix Pro4.1 software was used for griding and analysis of spot intensities. Good-quality spots were analyzed using the GeneSpring 7.3 software (Agilent Technologies, Inc., CA, Santa Clara, CA). The data were normalized per spot and per array by Lowess normalization. When comparing two treatments, the Welch t-test with Benjamini and Hochberg multiple testing correction was performed to determine the differentially expressed genes between embryo groups. Microarray experiments were performed in 3 biological and 2 technical replicates for all embryo samples. Differentially expressed genes between all embryo groups were identified. The DAVID Functional Annotation Tool was used to analyze the genes that were differentially expressed. The DAVID Functional Annotation Tool determined the co-occurrence probability and provided gene-GO term enrichment analysis to highlight the most relevant GO terms associated with a given gene list. Differentially expressed Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways are as follows: Ribosome, oxidative phosphorylation, spliceosome, and oocyte meiosis were significantly upregulated in the fresh embryos, whereas sphingolipid and purine metabolism was the upregulated in the vitrified in vitro-derived embryos. Gene expression was very similar between fresh and vitrified in vivo-derived, as opposed to in vitro-derived, embryos. This study was funded by the TUBITAK (Project no. KAMAG107G027) and startup funds to Yuksel Agca at the University of Missouri.


Zygote ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 198-204 ◽  
Author(s):  
Renu Singh ◽  
Kuldeep Kumar ◽  
R. Ranjan ◽  
Manish Kumar ◽  
T. Yasotha ◽  
...  

SummaryAberrant gene expression occurs in parthenogenetic embryos due to abnormal epigenetic modifications in the genome that probably diminish viability and enhance developmental abnormalities in these embryos. In the present study, five developmentally important genes (HPRT1, Cx43, Sox2, Mest and IGF2R) were analysed at different stages in parthenotes (haploid and diploid) and compared with similar stages in in vitro fertilized (IVF) embryos. The results indicated that in haploid parthenotes expression of HPRT1 was upregulated (P < 0.05) only at the 2–4-cell stage whereas Cx43 expression was significantly (P < 0.05) downregulated in all stages as compared with the control. However, expression of this gene was upregulated (P < 0.05) in 2–4-cell and morula stages of diploid parthenotes. Expression of Sox2 was significantly (P < 0.05) downregulated in morula stage haploid parthenotes, whereas it was upregulated (P < 0.05) in 8–16-cell stage diploid embryos. The expression of Mest was upregulated (P < 0.05) at the 2–4-cell stage of both haploid and diploid parthenotes, whereas it was downregulated in 8–16-cell stage diploid embryos as compared with control. IGF2R expression was upregulated (P < 0.05) only in morula stage haploid and diploid parthenote as compared with control. These results indicate that parthenogenetic embryos showed aberrant gene expression of developmentally important genes such as HPRT1, Cx43, Sox2, Mest and IGF2R in comparison with IVF embryos, this finding may be one of the major reasons for the poor developmental competence of parthenogenetic embryos.


Toxicology ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 147 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming-Yie Liu ◽  
Wen-Chuan Hsieh ◽  
Bei-Chang Yang

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