211 IN VITRO CULTURE CONDITIONS AFFECT GENE EXPRESSION PATTERN OF BOVINE BLASTOCYST IN A STAGE-SPECIFIC MANNER

2013 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 254 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gad ◽  
U. Besenfelder ◽  
V. Havlicek ◽  
M. Hölker ◽  
M. U. Cinar ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of in vitro culture conditions at specific phases of early embryonic development on the transcriptome profile of bovine blastocysts. Simmental heifers were superovulated and artificially inseminated 2 times with the same frozen–thawed commercial bull semen. Using nonsurgical endoscopic oviductal flushing technology (Besenfelder et al. 2001 Theriogenology 55, 837–845), 6 different blastocyst groups were flushed out at different time points (2-, 4-, 8-, 16-, 32-cell and morula). After flushing, embryos cultured under in vitro conditions until the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts from each group were collected and pooled in groups of 10. Complete in vivo blastocysts were produced and used as control. A unique custom microarray (Agilent) containing 42 242 oligo probes (60-mers) was used over 6 replicates of each group v. the in vivo control group to examine the transcriptome profile of blastocysts. A clear difference in terms of the number of differentially expressed genes (DEG, fold change ≥2, false discovery rate ≤0.05) has been found between groups flushed out at 2-, 4-, and 8-cell (1714, 1918, 1292 DEG, respectively) and those flushed out at 16-, 32-cell and morula stages and cultured in vitro until blastocyst stage (311, 437, 773 DEG, respectively) compared with the complete vivo group. Ontological classification of DEG showed cell death to be the most significant function in all groups. However, the longer time embryos spent under in vitro conditions, the more the percentage of DEG involved in cell death and apoptosis processes are represented in those groups. In addition, genes related to post-translational modification and gene expression processes were significantly dysregulated in all groups. Pathway analysis revealed that protein ubiquitination pathway was the dominant pathway in the groups flushed out at 2-, 4-, and 8-cells but not in the other groups flushed at later stages compared with the in vivo control group. Moreover, retinoic acid receptor activation and apoptosis signalling pathways followed the same pattern. Embryos flushed out before the time of embryonic genome activation and subsequently cultured in vitro were highly affected by culture conditions. Overall, the results of the present study showed that despite the fact that embryos originated from the same source, in vitro culture condition affected embryo quality, measured in terms of gene expression, in a stage-specific manner.

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Gad ◽  
U. Besenfelder ◽  
V. Havlicek ◽  
M. Hölker ◽  
M. U. Cinar ◽  
...  

An understanding of gene expression patterns due to altered environmental conditions during different time points of the pre-implantation period would improve our knowledge on regulation of embryonic development and improve success of embryo culture. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of alternative in vivo and in vitro culture conditions at specific phases of early embryonic development on transcriptome profile of bovine blastocysts. Using nonsurgical endoscopic oviducal transfer technology, 5 different blastocyst groups were produced. The first 2 groups were matured in vitro and then either transferred after maturation or after in vitro fertilization to synchronized recipients. The other 3 groups were matured, fertilized and cultured in vitro until 4-cell, 16-cell and morula stage before transfer. Blastocysts from each group were collected by uterine flushing at Day 7 and pooled in groups of 10. Complete in vitro (IVP) and in vivo blastocysts were produced and used as controls. A unique custom microarray (Agilent) containing 42 242 oligo probes (60-mers) was used over 6 replicates of each group vs the in vivo control group to examine the transcriptome profile of blastocysts. Compared with the in vivo control group, clear dramatic shifts were found in the number of differentially expressed genes (DEG, fold change ≥2) at 2 different time points. The first shift occurred for blastocyst groups that were transferred after in vitro fertilization and before embryonic genome activation (EGA). The second shift occurred for blastocyst groups that were transferred after EGA, as well as for the IVP group. Ontological classification of DEG showed that the more time spent under in vitro conditions, the higher the percentage of DEG involved in cell death and apoptotic processes. Moreover, lipid metabolism was the most significant process affected in the blastocysts transferred after in vitro maturation and blastocysts transferred at 16-cell stage. Most DEG involved in this process were down-regulated. Pathway analysis revealed that signalling pathways were the dominant pathways in all groups except the group that was transferred after in vitro maturation. That group showed significant down-regulation for genes involved in retinoic acid receptors activation pathways. These results showed that fertilization and EGA were the most critical developmental stages influenced by in vitro culture conditions and subsequently affect blastocyst quality, as measured in terms of gene expression patterns. Moreover, we identified molecular mechanisms and pathways that were influenced by altered culture conditions. These findings will enable the examination of strategies for modifying in vitro culture conditions at critical stages that will allow more efficient production of developmentally competent blastocysts.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (3) ◽  
pp. 1222
Author(s):  
Cristina Cuello ◽  
Cristina A. Martinez ◽  
Josep M. Cambra ◽  
Inmaculada Parrilla ◽  
Heriberto Rodriguez-Martinez ◽  
...  

This study was designed to investigate the impact of vitrification on the transcriptome profile of blastocysts using a porcine (Sus scrofa) model and a microarray approach. Blastocysts were collected from weaned sows (n = 13). A total of 60 blastocysts were vitrified (treatment group). After warming, vitrified embryos were cultured in vitro for 24 h. Non-vitrified blastocysts (n = 40) were used as controls. After the in vitro culture period, the embryo viability was morphologically assessed. A total of 30 viable embryos per group (three pools of 10 from 4 different donors each) were subjected to gene expression analysis. A fold change cut-off of ±1.5 and a restrictive threshold at p-value < 0.05 were used to distinguish differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The survival rates of vitrified/warmed blastocysts were similar to those of the control (nearly 100%, n.s.). A total of 205 (112 upregulated and 93 downregulated) were identified in the vitrified blastocysts compared to the control group. The vitrification/warming impact was moderate, and it was mainly related to the pathways of cell cycle, cellular senescence, gap junction, and signaling for TFGβ, p53, Fox, and MAPK. In conclusion, vitrification modified the transcriptome of in vivo-derived porcine blastocysts, resulting in minor gene expression changes.


Reproduction ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 131 (5) ◽  
pp. 895-904 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hakan Sagirkaya ◽  
Muge Misirlioglu ◽  
Abdullah Kaya ◽  
Neal L First ◽  
John J Parrish ◽  
...  

Expression of embryonic genes is altered in different culture conditions, which influence developmental potential both during preimplantation and fetal development. The objective of this study was to define the effects of culture conditions on: bovine embryonic development to blastocyst stage, blastocyst cell number, apoptosis and expression patterns of a panel of developmentally important genes. Bovine embryos were culturedin vitroin three culture media containing amino acids, namely potassium simplex optimization medium (KSOMaa), Charles Rosenkrans 1 (CR1aa) and synthetic oviductal fluid (SOFaa). Apoptosis in blastocysts was determined by TUNEL assay and expression profiles of developmentally important genes were assayed by real-time PCR.In vivo-produced bovine blastocysts were used as controls for experiments determining gene expression patterns. While the cleavage rates did not differ, embryos cultured in SOFaa had higher rates of development to blastocyst stage (P< 0.05). Mean cell numbers and percentages of apoptotic cells per blastocyst did not differ among the groups. Expression of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) gene was significantly up-regulated in both CR1aa and KSOMaa when compared with SOFaa (P< 0.001). DNA methyltransferase 3a (Dnmt3a) expression was higher in embryos cultured in CR1aa than in those cultured in SOFaa (P< 0.001). Expression of interferon tau (IF-τ) and insulin-like growth factor II receptor (Igf-2r) genes was significantly up-regulated in KSOMaa when compared with CR1aa (P< 0.001). Gene expression did not differ betweenin vivo-derived blastocysts and theirin vitro-derived counterparts. In conclusion, SOFaa supports higher development to blastocyst stage than KSOMaa and CR1aa, and the culture conditions influence gene expression.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 128
Author(s):  
C. P. Buemo ◽  
A. Gambini ◽  
I. Hiriart ◽  
D. Salamone

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) derived blastocysts have lower cell number than IVF-derived blastocysts and their in vivo counterparts. The aim of this study was to improve the blastocyst rates and quality of SCNT blastocysts by the aggregation of genetically identical free zona pellucida (ZP) porcine clones. Cumulus–oocyte complexes were recovered from slaughterhouse ovaries by follicular aspiration. Maturation was performed in TCM for 42 to 48 h at 39°C and 5% CO2. After denudation by treatment with hyaluronidase, mature oocytes were stripped of the ZP using a protease and then enucleated by micromanipulation; staining was performed with Hoechst 33342 to observe metaphase II. Ooplasms were placed in phytohemagglutinin to permit different membranes to adhere between each other; the ooplasm membrane was adhered to a porcine fetal fibroblast from an in vitro culture. Adhered membranes of the donor cell nucleus and enucleated oocyte cytoplasm were electrofused through the use of an electric pulse (80 V for 30 μs). All reconstituted embryos (RE) were electrically activated using an electroporator in activation medium (0.3 M mannitol, 1.0 mM CaCl2, 0.1 mM MgCl2, and 0.01% PVA) by a DC pulse of 1.2 kV cm–1 for 80 μs. Then, the oocytes were incubated in 2 mM 6-DMAP for 3 h. In vitro culture of free ZP embryos was achieved in a system of well of wells in 100 μL of medium, placing 3 activated oocytes per microwell (aggregation embryo), whereas the control group was cultivated with equal drops without microwells. Embryos were cultivated at 39°C in 5% O2, 5% CO2 for 7 days in SOF medium with a supplement of 10% fetal bovine serum on the fifth day. The RE were placed in microwells. Two experimental groups were used, control group (not added 1X) and 3 RE per microwell (3X). At Day 7, resulting blastocysts were classified according to their morphology and diameter to determine their quality and evaluate if the embryo aggregation improves it. Results demonstrated that aggregation improves in vitro embryo development rates until blastocyst stage and indicated that blastocysts rates calculated over total number of oocytes do not differ between groups (Table 1). Embryo aggregation improves cleavage per oocyte and cleavage per microwell rates, presenting statistical significant differences and increasing the probabilities of higher embryo development generation until the blastocyst stage with better quality and higher diameter. Table 1.Somatic cell nuclear transfer cloning and embryo aggregation


2005 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 265
Author(s):  
H. Offenberg ◽  
P.D. Thomsen

It is known that culture conditions can alter gene expression of the pre-implantation embryo. We have previously shown that aquaporins (AQPs) are expressed in the mouse embryo and that they are involved in the passage of water across the trophoblast cells during blastocyst formation. This study was conducted to investigate whether AQP mRNA abundance is altered by culturing embryos in vitro compared to in vivo developed embryos. Furthermore we wanted to investigate if AQP mRNA abundance was influenced by the osmolality of the media. It is possible to compare the effect of hyperosmolality that the embryo may be able to compensate for by adding glycerol which can cross some AQPs, compared to the addition of sucrose which can not cross the membranes. Mouse embryos were obtained by superovulating B6D2F1 mice followed by culture of the flushed presumptive zygotes in KSOM to the blastocyst stage (in vitro) or by flushing blastocysts from the uterus (in vivo). For the study of the influence of osmolality on AQP mRNA abundance, zygotes were flushed and cultured to the compacted 8-cell stage and then placed in media of increasing osmolality, using either glycerol or sucrose. The osmolalities of the media were 243 (control), 300, 350, and 400 mOsm. Embryos were cultured to the blastocyst stage and frozen in liquid nitrogen. Embryonic RNA was extracted using a Dynabeads mRNA Capture kit (Dynal, Oslo, Norway). Real time PCR was performed on embryonic cDNA on a Lightcycler (Roche Diagnostics, 2650 Hvidovre, Denmark) using aquaporin-specific primers and primers for β-actin and GAPDH. The results of the quantitative RT-PCR analysis showed that in vitro-cultured embryos had a lower mRNA abundance for AQP 8, 9, and 11 compared to the in vivo-developed embryos but that the AQP 3 mRNA abundance was unaltered. Analysis of the housekeeping genes showed that GAPDH mRNA levels were unchanged in vitro, whereas β-actin was up-regulated in vitro. The osmotically challenged embryos showed the following blastocyst rates compared to the controls: glycerol 300: 100%; glycerol 350: 100%; glycerol 400: 100%; sucrose 300: 100%; sucrose 350: 78%; and sucrose 400: 0%. Thus, glycerol up to 400 mOsm had no effect on blastocyst rates, whereas addition of sucrose reduced blastocyst formation, with a total inhibition at 400 mOsm. Analysis of the mRNA abundance showed a reduction of AQP 8 in the glycerol solutions. The level was reduced to 30% of the control group at 300 mOsm, to 27% at 350 mOsm and to 8% at 400 mOsm. There was no corresponding reduction of AQP 8 mRNA abundance in sucrose solutions. Further, AQP 3, 7, 9, and 11 mRNA levels as well as β-actin and GAPDH mRNA levels were unaltered in the osmotically challenged embryos. In conclusion, this study shows that embryonic culture affects the abundance of several AQPs and that compensation of a glycerol-induced osmotical challenge induces down-regulation of AQP 8 expression. Embryos tolerate high glycerol concentrations better than high sucrose concentrations but the possible role of AQP 8 in this process is unclear at present.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kornphimol Kulthong ◽  
Guido J. E. J. Hooiveld ◽  
Loes Duivenvoorde ◽  
Ignacio Miro Estruch ◽  
Victor Marin ◽  
...  

AbstractGut-on-chip devices enable exposure of cells to a continuous flow of culture medium, inducing shear stresses and could thus better recapitulate the in vivo human intestinal environment in an in vitro epithelial model compared to static culture methods. We aimed to study if dynamic culture conditions affect the gene expression of Caco-2 cells cultured statically or dynamically in a gut-on-chip device and how these gene expression patterns compared to that of intestinal segments in vivo. For this we applied whole genome transcriptomics. Dynamic culture conditions led to a total of 5927 differentially expressed genes (3280 upregulated and 2647 downregulated genes) compared to static culture conditions. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed upregulated pathways associated with the immune system, signal transduction and cell growth and death, and downregulated pathways associated with drug metabolism, compound digestion and absorption under dynamic culture conditions. Comparison of the in vitro gene expression data with transcriptome profiles of human in vivo duodenum, jejunum, ileum and colon tissue samples showed similarities in gene expression profiles with intestinal segments. It is concluded that both the static and the dynamic gut-on-chip model are suitable to study human intestinal epithelial responses as an alternative for animal models.


Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 331
Author(s):  
Jung-Yun Lee ◽  
Tae Yang Kim ◽  
Hanna Kang ◽  
Jungbae Oh ◽  
Joo Woong Park ◽  
...  

Excess body weight is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and associated metabolic complications, and weight loss has been shown to improve glycemic control and decrease morbidity and mortality in T2D patients. Weight-loss strategies using dietary interventions produce a significant decrease in diabetes-related metabolic disturbance. We have previously reported that the supplementation of low molecular chitosan oligosaccharide (GO2KA1) significantly inhibited blood glucose levels in both animals and humans. However, the effect of GO2KA1 on obesity still remains unclear. The aim of the study was to evaluate the anti-obesity effect of GO2KA1 on lipid accumulation and adipogenic gene expression using 3T3-L1 adipocytes in vitro and plasma lipid profiles using a Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model. Murine 3T3-L1 preadipocytes were stimulated to differentiate under the adipogenic stimulation in the presence and absence of varying concentrations of GO2KA1. Adipocyte differentiation was confirmed by Oil Red O staining of lipids and the expression of adipogenic gene expression. Compared to control group, the cells treated with GO2KA1 significantly decreased in intracellular lipid accumulation with concomitant decreases in the expression of key transcription factors, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBP/α). Consistently, the mRNA expression of downstream adipogenic target genes such as fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FAS), were significantly lower in the GO2KA1-treated group than in the control group. In vivo, male SD rats were fed a high fat diet (HFD) for 6 weeks to induced obesity, followed by oral administration of GO2KA1 at 0.1 g/kg/body weight or vehicle control in HFD. We assessed body weight, food intake, plasma lipids, levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) for liver function, and serum level of adiponectin, a marker for obesity-mediated metabolic syndrome. Compared to control group GO2KA1 significantly suppressed body weight gain (185.8 ± 8.8 g vs. 211.6 ± 20.1 g, p < 0.05) with no significant difference in food intake. The serum total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were significantly lower in the GO2KA1-treated group than in the control group, whereas the high-density lipoprotein (HDL) level was higher in the GO2KA1 group. The GO2KA1-treated group also showed a significant reduction in ALT and AST levels compared to the control. Moreover, serum adiponectin levels were significantly 1.5-folder higher than the control group. These in vivo and in vitro findings suggest that dietary supplementation of GO2KA1 may prevent diet-induced weight gain and the anti-obesity effect is mediated in part by inhibiting adipogenesis and increasing adiponectin level.


Author(s):  
Mandy Rauschner ◽  
Luisa Lange ◽  
Thea Hüsing ◽  
Sarah Reime ◽  
Alexander Nolze ◽  
...  

Abstract Background The low extracellular pH (pHe) of tumors resulting from glycolytic metabolism is a stress factor for the cells independent from concomitant hypoxia. The aim of the study was to analyze the impact of acidic pHe on gene expression on mRNA and protein level in two experimental tumor lines in vitro and in vivo and were compared to hypoxic conditions as well as combined acidosis+hypoxia. Methods Gene expression was analyzed in AT1 prostate and Walker-256 mammary carcinoma of the rat by Next Generation Sequencing (NGS), qPCR and Western blot. In addition, the impact of acidosis on tumor cell migration, adhesion, proliferation, cell death and mitochondrial activity was analyzed. Results NGS analyses revealed that 147 genes were uniformly regulated in both cell lines (in vitro) and 79 genes in both experimental tumors after 24 h at low pH. A subset of 25 genes was re-evaluated by qPCR and Western blot. Low pH consistently upregulated Aox1, Gls2, Gstp1, Ikbke, Per3, Pink1, Tlr5, Txnip, Ypel3 or downregulated Acat2, Brip1, Clspn, Dnajc25, Ercc6l, Mmd, Rif1, Zmpste24 whereas hypoxia alone led to a downregulation of most of the genes. Direct incubation at low pH reduced tumor cell adhesion whereas acidic pre-incubation increased the adhesive potential. In both tumor lines acidosis induced a G1-arrest (in vivo) of the cell cycle and a strong increase in necrotic cell death (but not in apoptosis). The mitochondrial O2 consumption increased gradually with decreasing pH. Conclusions These data show that acidic pHe in tumors plays an important role for gene expression independently from hypoxia. In parallel, acidosis modulates functional properties of tumors relevant for their malignant potential and which might be the result of pH-dependent gene expression.


2000 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 241-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
GM Jones

The transfer of a blastocyst established the first human clinical pregnancy following in vitro fertilization (IVF). Nine years later Cohen et al. reported pregnancies resulting from the transfer of cryopreserved human blastocysts. However, it was another six years before the first report of births resulting from the transfer of human blastocysts produced in vitro appeared in the medical literature. In the intervening period clinics have opted to transfer embryos at the early cleavage stage to the uterus, despite the fact that in vivo the embryo does not enter the uterus until two to three days later at the morula to blastocyst stage of development. The viability and potential for implantation of blastocysts is high, as indicated by the finding that more than 60% of in-vivo-derived blastocysts, recovered by uterine lavage following artificial insemination of fertile donors, implant and develop into viable fetuses when transferred to recipients. This is in stark contrast to the 10–20% of in-vitro-produced embryos transferred at the early cleavage stage of development that result in a live-birth. This reduction in viability following transfer of in-vitro-derived early cleavage stage embryos may have several possible explanations: (1) a failure of implantation due to poor synchronization between the embryo and the uterine endometrium; (2) a hostile environment in the uterus for early cleavage stage embryos; (3) sub-optimal in vitro culture conditions which result in a reduction in embryo viability; (4) the assumption that all oocytes retrieved in an IVF cycle have an equal ability to develop into viable embryos; and (5) the failure to identify the most viable embryo in a cohort. Certainly, improving culture conditions and laboratory techniques for developing high quality blastocysts routinely in vitro will not only address many of the above questions but will also improve the quality and viability of earlier stages of embryo development.


Author(s):  
Yu Takahashi ◽  
Yu Inoue ◽  
Keitaro Kuze ◽  
Shintaro Sato ◽  
Makoto Shimizu ◽  
...  

Abstract Intestinal organoids better represent in vivo intestinal properties than conventionally used established cell lines in vitro. However, they are maintained in three-dimensional culture conditions that may be accompanied by handling complexities. We characterized the properties of human organoid-derived two-dimensionally cultured intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) compared with those of their parental organoids. We found that the expression of several intestinal markers and functional genes were indistinguishable between monolayer IECs and organoids. We further confirmed that their specific ligands equally activate intestinal ligand-activated transcriptional regulators in a dose-dependent manner. The results suggest that culture conditions do not significantly influence the fundamental properties of monolayer IECs originating from organoids, at least from the perspective of gene expression regulation. This will enable their use as novel biological tools to investigate the physiological functions of the human intestine.


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