Molecular Reproduction and Development

The process of aging refers to physiological changes that occur to an organism as time progresses and involves changes to DNA, proteins, metabolism, cells, and organs. Like the rest of the cells in the body, gametes age, and it is well established that there is a decline in reproductive capabilities in females and males with aging. One of the major pathways known to be involved in aging is epigenetic changes. The epigenome is the multitude of chemical modifications performed on DNA and chromatin that affect the ability of chromatin to be transcribed...

In mammals, the generation of sperm cells capable of fertilization is a highly complex process including spermatogenesis in the testis and maturation in the epididymis. In our previous study, we have demonstrated that FAM71D (Family with sequence similarity 71, member D), which could interact with calmodulin, was highly expressed in human and mouse testis. To investigate the physiological role of FAM71D in spermatogenesis, we next generate Fam71d loss-of-function mouse model using CRISPR/Cas9 technology...

Controlling ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in the controlled ovarian hyperstimulation treatment is necessary to increase the implantation success rate. This study aimed to explore the effect of naringin on the endometrial receptivity of OHSS rats. Female rats were randomly assigned to six groups: Blank, model, low-dose naringin (100 mg/kg/day), medium-dose naringin (200 mg/kg/day), high-dose naringin (400 mg/kg/day), and positive (0.18 mg/kg/day estradiol valerate) groups...

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated 9 (Cas9) system is the most efficient and widely used technology for genome editing in all sorts of organisms, including livestock animals. Here, we examined the feasibility of CRISPR/Cas9-derived genome editing (GE) in vitrified porcine zygotes, where the flexible planning of experiments in time and space is expected. OCT4 and CD46 genes were targeted, and the Cas9/sgRNA ribonucleoprotein complexes (RNP) were electroporated into zygotes at 2 h after warming...

With the widespread application of embryo cryopreservation in assisted reproductive techniques, it is necessary to assess the safety of long-term cryopreservation of human embryos and it is unclear whether storage time has an impact on the DNA methylation profiles of human embryos. Nine women who received IVF treatment were recruited for this study. The retrieved eight-cell human embryos were classified into three groups including fresh embryos, cryopreserved embryos stored for 3 years, and cryopreserved embryos stored for 8 years...

Although rat preimplantation embryos are necessary for producing genetically modified rats, their in vitro culture remains a challenge. Rat zygotes can develop from the one-cell stage to the blastocyst stage in vitro; however, long-term culture reduces their developmental competence via an unknown mechanism. In this study, we examined how in vitro conditions affect rat preimplantation embryos, which may explain this reduced competence. Comprehensive gene expression analysis showed that genes related to apoptosis and energy metabolism were differentially expressed in rat embryos cultured long-term in vitro compared with those developed in vivo...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Independent cell volume regulation is first acquired by the oocyte in two steps that occur during meiotic maturation: (1) activation of the glycine transporter GLYT1 (Slc6a9) that mediates the intracellular accumulation of glycine to provide osmotic support in the mature egg and early preimplantation embryo, and (2) release of the oocyte from the strong attachment to its rigid extracellular matrix shell, the zona pellucida (ZP). It was recently shown that oocyte-ZP detachment requires metallopeptidase activity that is proposed to cleave transmembrane ZP proteins connecting the oocyte to the ZP...

During pregnancy, it is necessary to create appropriate conditions for the development of the placenta and the fetus. However, during parturition, the placenta must be separated and subsequently removed as soon as possible to not expose the female to the possibility of infection. In this study, the relationship between thrombospondin-1 (THBS1) and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGFβ1) concentrations was described during bovine pregnancy (second, fourth, and sixth months; n = 3/each month), at normal parturition (NR) and parturition with fetal membrane retention (R)...

Epigenetics, including histone modifications and noncoding RNAs, affects abnormal placental function in pre-eclampsia (PE). This study was conducted to explore the role of histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) in trophoblast invasion and migration. The expression levels of HDAC4, microRNA (miR)-134-5p, and forkhead box protein M1 (FOXM1) in placentas from PE patients and healthy controls and their correlations were examined. HTR8/SVneo cells were cultured and underwent gene intervention. Then, trophoblast proliferation, invasion, and migration were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-2'deoxyuridine, Transwell, and scratch assays...

Male fertility declines with age. The mevalonate pathway, through which cholesterol and nonsteroidal isoprenoids are synthesized, plays key role in metabolic processes and is an essential pathway for cholesterol production and protein prenylation. Male reproductive aging is accompanied by dramatic changes in the metabolic microenvironment of the testis. Since the mevalonate pathway has an important role in spermatogenesis, we attempted to explore the association between male reproductive aging and the mevalonate pathway to explain the mechanism of male reproductive aging...

This study assessed the histones methylation profile (H3K4me3 and H3K9me3) in late preantral (PA) and early antral (EA) caprine follicles grown in vivo and in vitro, and the anethole effect during in vitro culture of PA follicles. Uncultured in vivo-grown follicles (PA, n = 64; EA, n = 73) were used as controls to assess the methylation profile and genes' expression related to apoptosis cascade (BAX, proapoptotic; BCL2, antiapoptotic), steroidogenesis (CYP17, CYP19A1), and demethylation (KDM1AX1, KDM1AX2, KDM3A)...

High rates of early pregnancy loss are a critical issue in dairy herds, particularly in seasonal, grazing systems. Components of the uterine luminal fluid (ULF), on which the early embryo depends for sustenance and growth, partly determine early pregnancy losses. Here, changes in ULF from early to mid-postpartum in crossbred dairy cows were explored, linking them with divergent embryo development. For this, the uteri of 87 cows at Day 7 of pregnancy at first and third estrus postpartum were flushed to collect ULF...

The Corynorhinus mexicanus bat is characterized by a specific form of reproductive asynchrony between males and females. After mating, some sperm remain in the male's epididymis, the organ where the sperm had matured. It has not yet been determined if apoptotic markers participate in the process of the maturation and/or elimination of these cells, so studying this topic is essential for our understanding of this species. Male bats were collected during three stages: Before mating; during the Mating phase; After mating and the final phase, which we call, Storage...

Pre-eclampsia (PE) is usually defined as new-onset hypertension with albuminuria or other organ damage. Herein, the role and mechanism of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) gastric carcinoma high expressed transcript 1 (GHET1) during PE are investigated. Expression of GHET1 in PE pregnancies was evaluated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Proliferation and cell cycle of extravillous trophoblasts were assessed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays, and flow cytometry, respectively...

In the ovaries, cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) is a second messenger supporting the generation of steroids. Phosphodiesterases (PDEs) are regulators of intracellular cAMP, and therefore, potential regulators of ovarian function. Interestingly, the family of PDE genes are differentially expressed in human oocytes and granulosa cells from primordial and primary follicles, suggesting diverse roles. In this study, we addressed the functions of PDE3B and PDE8B in primordial follicle regulation using inhibitors of PDE3B and PDE8B in murine ovary primary in vitro cultures...

Throughout the reproductive life of women, cumulus cells (CC) protect the dormant oocyte from damage, act as sensors of the follicular microenvironment, and act as a gatekeeper for oocyte developmental potential. One such mechanism relies on the hypoxia-tolerance response, which, with age, decreases systematically, including in the ovary. We aimed to evaluate the association between gene expression related to hypoxia and aging in CC and reproductive results in in vitro fertilization cycles. We recruited 94 women undergoing controlled ovarian stimulation...

Preeclampsia is an obstetric disorder and remains the leading contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality. This study was designed to explore the role of hsa_circ_0001740 in preeclampsia as well as its underlying mechanism. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to examine hsa_circ_0001740 and miR-188-3p levels in trophoblast cell line HTR-8/SVneo. The proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of HTR-8/SVneo cells were detected using cell counting kit-8, colony formation, wound healing, transwell, and terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling assays, respectively...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.