280 EFFECTS OF HOT SEASON ON BOVINE OOCYTE QUALITY: HOW TO BYPASS THE POOR OOCYTE QUALITY DURING THIS SEASON?

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
L. Boccia ◽  
E. Iacono ◽  
B. Rossi ◽  
B. Merlo

Many authors attribute the decline of reproductive activity in summer to the heat stress, a multifactorial problem in which hyperthermia affects cellular function in various tissues of the female reproductive tract (Hansen et al. 2001; De Rensis et al. 2003). In particular, the combination of high temperatures and high humidity for a long period causes a reduced blood flow to uterus, oviducts, and ovaries, leading to a rise in the concentration of the degradation products of cellular activity. Therefore, the aim of this work was to elucidate the negative effect of the hot season on bovine oocyte quality and evaluate the influence of different factors on the acquisition of meiotic competence. In particular, meiotic competence of bovine oocytes recovered from animals housed at 44°28′00″ N, 11°26′00″ E during spring (March, 4–13°C) and summer (June, 16–27°C) was evaluated. Likewise, in summer the effect of an antioxidant, myo-inositol, the use of serum replacement (SR), and the use of oocytes recovered from cycling heifers (16–18 months) as compared to cows (>24 months) were tested. A total of 1346 abattoir-derived oocytes, equally divided for different experimental groups (over 6 replicates), were in vitro matured in TCM 199 supplemented with EGF (25 ng mL–1), IGF1 (100 ng mL–1), ITS supplement, pFSH-LH (0.1 IU each), and 10% FBS. Myoinositol was added at a concentration of 0, 15, 30, and 50 mM, while 10% SR was used alternatively to FBS. At the end of maturation period (20–22 h), oocytes were denuded and stained with 10 μg mL–1 of Hoechst 33342 at room temperature in the dark. After 15 min they were mounted on glass slides for evaluation of nuclear status using a Nikon Eclipse E400 microscope equipped with fluorescence filters. Nuclear configurations were classified as (a) germinal vesicle (GV), (b) germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), (c) metaphase I (M-I), (d) metaphase II (M-II), and (e) degenerated (DEG). Data are expressed as mean ± s.e.m. and were analysed by ANOVA (IBM SPSS Statistics) considering significance at P < 0.05. Oocyte quality of summer oocytes was significantly lower than spring counterparts as result of a higher rate of DEG (8.2 ± 0.6 v. 0.7 ± 0.6) and GV (5.4 ± 0.3 v. 0.4 ± 0.4, respectively; P < 0.05). Myo-inositol supplementation in IVM medium did not significantly affect either oocyte quality or meiotic competence in the hot season, such as the use of SR. When the oocytes were collected from cycling heifers ovaries during summer, the recovery rate of COC/ovary was significantly higher as compared to cows (4.5 v. 2.0), and a lower rate of DEG (1.8 ± 0.2; 8.2 ± 0.6) and GVBD (0.9 ± 0.6; 6.1 ± 0.3) was found (P < 0.05), even if the rate of GV (22.4 ± 0.1 v. 5.4 ± 0.3) was higher (P < 0.05) compared with cow. In conclusion, the hot season negatively affects oocyte quality, myo-inositol does not affect nuclear maturation, and SR can be used alternatively to FBS. The lower age of oocyte donor positively influenced the number of recoverable oocyte and degeneration rate.

2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 806 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yong-Xun Jin ◽  
Ming-Hui Zhao ◽  
Zhong Zheng ◽  
Jung-Suk Kwon ◽  
Seul-Ki Lee ◽  
...  

Previous studies show that porcine oocyte aging resulting from asynchronised IVM impairs embryo developmental competence. In the present study we investigated whether trichostatin A (TSA; an inhibitor of histone deacetylation) prolongs the maturation time and prevents the aging of oocytes. Porcine oocytes were cultured in medium containing increasing concentrations of TSA (300 nM) for 24, 44 or 64 h. The percentage of oocytes that underwent germinal vesicle breakdown was significantly lower in the TSA-treated group (300 nM) than in the control group. TSA did not affect oocyte quality at MII based on levels of maturation-promoting factor, the phosphorylation status of mitogen-activated protein kinase or histone H3K9 acetylation analysis. We also compared the preimplantation developmental competence and the viability of pathenogenetic embryos treated with 100 nM TSA for 24 h and then continuously cultured for another 24 h in TSA free condition. No significant differences were observed for either parameter between the TSA-treated and control groups. These results indicate that TSA prolongs the IVM of porcine oocytes but that oocyte quality and aging are not affected. These findings provide a feasible option by which to adjust the initiation time of downstream experiments based on porcine matured oocytes.


Zygote ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 41-48 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shogo Higaki ◽  
Masao Kishi ◽  
Keisuke Koyama ◽  
Masashi Nagano ◽  
Seiji Katagiri ◽  
...  

SummaryThe preselection of highly developmentally competent oocytes for in vitro maturation (IVM) is crucial for improving assisted reproductive technology. Although several intrinsic markers of oocyte quality are known to be closely related to the onset of nuclear maturation (germinal vesicle break down, GVBD), a direct comparison between GVBD timing and oocyte quality has never been reported. In this study, we established a non-invasive oocyte evaluation method based on GVBD timing for preselecting more developmental competent oocytes in mice. Because the O2 concentration during IVM may affect the nuclear kinetics, all experiments were performed under two distinct O2 concentrations: 20% and 5% O2. First, we determined the time course of changes in nuclear maturation and preimplantation developmental competence of in vitro-matured oocytes to estimate GVBD timing in high developmental competent oocytes. Two-thirds of oocytes that underwent GVBD in early IVM seemed to mainly contribute to the blastocyst yield. To confirm this result, we compared the preimplantation developmental competence of the early and late GVBD oocytes. Cleavage and blastocyst formation rates of early GVBD oocytes (80.2% and 52.7% under 20% O2, respectively, and 67.6% and 47.3% under 5% O2, respectively) were almost double those of late GVBD oocytes (44.8% and 26.0% under 20% O2, respectively, and 40.4% and 17.9% under 5% O2, respectively). With no observable alterations by checking the timing of GVBD in preimplantation developmental competence, oocyte evaluation based on GVBD timing can be used as an efficient and non-invasive preselection method for high developmental competent oocytes.


2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 225
Author(s):  
S. E. Racedo ◽  
V. Y. Rawe ◽  
H. Niemann

The process of maturation encompasses a complex series of molecular and structural events. Completion of the nuclear changes to produce a metaphase II (MII) oocyte does not reflect the molecular and structural maturity of an oocyte, which is sometimes termed cytoplasmic maturation. The Golgi apparatus phosphorylates, fragments, and changes the localization during oocyte maturation. GM130 and phospho-GM130 are used as markers for the Golgi apparatus and phosphorylated Golgi apparatus, respectively. The goal of this study was to analyze the dynamics of the Golgi apparatus and its association with microtubules in bovine oocytes at different stages of in vitro maturation [IVM; i.e. germinal vesicle (GV), germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), metaphase I (MI), and MII]. The roles of CDC2A kinase (also known as p34cdc2) and cytoplasmic-dynein ATPase on Golgi dynamics were studied by using specific inhibitors. The distribution of the markers was assessed by immunocytochemistry and laser confocal microscopy. To unravel the role of CDC2A and cytoplasmic dynein ATPase on the dynamics of the Golgi apparatus, the inhibitors roscovitine (ROS) and sodium-orthovanadate (SOV), respectively, were used. In the first experiment, the nuclear maturation rate was checked in the presence of the inhibitors at different times and for different incubation times to explore whether oocytes were able to reach the MII stage. At the GV and GVBD stages, the Golgi apparatus is observed as fragments named mini-Golgies and at the MI and MII stages as punctate foci throughout the cytoplasm. Our results showed 2 well-defined movements of the Golgi apparatus toward opposite directions, depending on the maturation stage. The first movement was observed between 5 and 9 h of IVM (i.e. the GVBD stage), when the Golgi apparatus relocalized from the ooplasm to the periphery. The second movement was observed between 9 and 15 h of IVM (i.e. the MI stage), when the Golgi apparatus moved from the cortex to throughout the cytoplasm and remained there up to the MII stage. The use of inhibitors on CDC2A and cytoplasmic-dynein ATPase at selected time points revealed that CDC2A played a crucial role on the distribution of this organelle during the first movement, whereas the final localization at the GVBD stage was dependent on cytoplasmic-dynein transport. The second movement of the Golgi apparatus was disturbed by the SOV treatment, but not by the use of ROS, suggesting a role of cytoplasmic-dynein-dependent transport during the distribution and organization of the punctate foci at the MI stage. The phosphorylation status of Golgi was not affected at the different incubation times with inhibitors, except in those oocytes incubated with ROS for 24 h, suggesting a role of CDC2A. In conclusion, we describe the involvement of CDC2A during the first movement of the Golgi apparatus and the importance of cytoplasmic-dynein ATPase activity in the first and second relocalization of Golgi during bovine oocyte maturation. DAAD.


1990 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 1182-1187 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Sato ◽  
M. Matsuo ◽  
H. Miyamoto

Abstract The present study was undertaken to determine the precise stage of growth at which the ability to resume meiosis is acquired in bovine oocytes. Oocytes of various sizes were isolated from ovaries by mechanical dissection using an 18-gauge needle followed by a razor blade. This method yielded an average of 26.2 ± 7.4 growing and fully grown oocytes from an ovary. Cumulus-enclosed oocytes were cultured in vitro in tissue culture medium 199 containing 10% fetal calf serum. Oocytes ≤ 90 µm in diameter did not resume meiosis. However, germinal vesicle breakdown was observed in oocytes whose diameters exceeded 91 µm. Polar body formation was observed in oocytes with diameters exceeding 101 µm. About 80% of the oocytes with diameters ≥ 121 µm were able to extrude the polar body. The percentage of large oocytes (101 to 120 µm) with first polar body increased when incubated in medium containing dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate; however, oocytes 90 to 101 µm did not extrude the first polar body even when cultured in a medium containing dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate. These observations indicate that the capability to resume meiosis is acquired gradually during development of oocytes and that dibutyryl cyclic adenosine 3′,5′-monophosphate can improve the meiotic competence of bovine oocytes in culture.


Reproduction ◽  
2000 ◽  
pp. 367-373 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Crozet ◽  
M Dahirel ◽  
L Gall

The objective of the present study was to grow meiotically incompetent goat oocytes from early antral follicles in vitro and to render them competent to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown. Cumulus-oocyte complexes with pieces of parietal granulosa cells were isolated from follicles 0.35-0.45 mm in diameter using both mechanical and enzymatic methods. The cumulus-oocyte complexes were divided into two groups according to oocyte diameter (group A: < 95 microm; group B: > 95 microm) and cultured for 8 or 9 days on granulosa cell monolayers. Within 8 days of culture, the mean oocyte diameter increased from 86 +/- 0.4 microm to 95 +/- 0.7 microm in group Aand from 106 +/- 0.2 microm to 109 +/- 0.5 microm in group B. After 9 days of culture, the mean diameter of oocytes from groups A and B were 99 +/- 0.5 microm and 112 +/- 0.4 microm, respectively. The meiotic competence of oocytes grown in vitro was evaluated by in vitro maturation. Within 8 days of culture, only 3% of oocytes from group A and 6% of oocytes from group B acquired the ability to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown. After 9 days of culture, 7% of group A oocytes and 42% of group B oocytes were competent to resume meiosis. The expression of p34(cdc2) in oocytes grown in vitro was analysed by the western blot technique. During 9 days of culture, p34(cdc2) accumulated in both groups of growing oocytes, but its concentration was lower than in fully grown oocytes used as controls. The results showed for the first time that goat oocytes from early antral follicles can grow, accumulate p34(cdc2) and acquire the ability to resume meiosis, when cultured for 9 days on granulosa cell monolayers.


2004 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 283 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Wongsrikeao ◽  
N.W.K. Karja ◽  
A. Budiyanto ◽  
N.R. Mtango ◽  
M. Murakami ◽  
...  

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of storage of porcine ovaries at different temperatures before oocyte collection on the nuclear maturation and DNA fragmentation of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). Ovaries were collected at a local abattoir and randomly kept in physiological saline at 4°C, 15°C, 25°C and 35°C. Ovaries were stored for 6 hours prior to follicle aspiration. After storage at each temperature (about 80 oocytes each group), COCs were fixed immediately after aspiration and stained by the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) nick-end labeling (TUNEL) method to examine the DNA fragmentation under fluorescein microscope. To investigate meiotic competence of the oocytes, some COCs of each treatment group (about 100 oocytes each group) were matured in vitro for 45 hours in a modified North Carolina State University (NCSU)-37 solution supplemented with 10% (v/v) porcine follicular fluid, 0.6mM cysteine, 10IUmL−1 eCG and 10IUmL−1 hCG. After maturation culture, the cumulus cells were removed from COCs and fixed in acetic acid-ethanol (1:3, v/v) for 48–72h. The fixed oocytes were stained with acetic-orcein (1% orcein in 45% acetic acid) and examined under a phase-contrast microscope. Data were subjected to arc-sin transform before analyzing by ANOVA. The proportions of oocytes with DNA fragmentation increased with increasing storage temperature of ovaries (25.2% in 4°C, 31.8% in 15°C, 37.4% in 25°C and 54.7% in 35°C, respectively). There was no significant difference between the proportions of germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) of 25°C and 35°C storage groups (74.7 and 83.6%, respectively), but the proportions of 25°C and 35°C storage groups were significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) than those of 4°C and 15°C storage groups (58.1 and 59.6%, respectively). The proportions of oocytes reaching metaphase II (MII) was significantly higher (P&lt;0.05) in the 25°C storage group than in other groups (48.0% in 25°C v. 0% in 4°C, 0% in 15°C and 40.1% in 35°C). Moreover, none of oocytes in 4°C and 15°C storage groups reached MII. These results indicate that 25°C is the most suitable temperature for long-term storage of ovaries to maintain meiotic competence and prevent DNA fragmentation of porcine oocytes.


1992 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 3192-3203 ◽  
Author(s):  
K M Pickham ◽  
A N Meyer ◽  
J Li ◽  
D J Donoghue

The p34cdc2 protein kinase is a component of maturation-promoting factor, the master regulator of the cell cycle in all eukaryotes. The activity of p34cdc2 is itself tightly regulated by phosphorylation and dephosphorylation. Predicted regulatory phosphorylation sites of Xenopus p34cdc2 were mutated in vitro, and in vitro-transcribed RNAs were injected into Xenopus oocytes. The cdc2 single mutants Thr-14----Ala and Tyr-15----Phe did not induce germinal vesicle breakdown (BVBD) upon microinjection into oocytes. In contrast, the cdc2 double mutant Ala-14/Phe-15 did induce GVBD. Both the Ala-14 and Ala-14/Phe-15p34cdc2 mutants were shown to coimmunoprecipitate cyclin B1 and to phosphorylate histone H1 in immune complex kinase assays. Microinjection of antisense oligonucleotides to c-mosXe was used to demonstrate the role of mos protein synthesis in the induction of GVBD by the Ala-14/Phe-15 cdc2 mutant. Thr-161 was also mutated. p34cdc2 single mutants Ala-161 and Glu-161 and triple mutants Ala-14/Phe-15/Ala-161 and Ala-14/Phe-15/Glu-161 failed to induce GVBD in oocytes and showed a decreased binding to cyclin B1 in coimmunoprecipitations. Each of the cdc2 mutants was also assayed by coinjection with cyclin B1 or c-mosXe RNA into oocytes. Several of the cdc2 mutants were found to affect the kinetics of cyclin B1 and/or mos-induced GVBD upon coinjection, although none affected the rate of progesterone-induced maturation. We demonstrate here the significance of Thr-14, Tyr-15, and Thr-161 of p34cdc2 in Xenopus oocyte maturation. In addition, these results suggest a regulatory role for mosXe in induction of oocyte maturation by the cdc2 mutant Ala-14/Phe-15.


Zygote ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 303-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Iwata ◽  
T. Hayashi ◽  
H. Sato ◽  
K. Kimura ◽  
T. Kuwayama ◽  
...  

During ovary storage oocytes lose some of their developmental competence. In the present study, we maintained storage solutions of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at various temperatures (20 or 35 °C) or supplemented them with magnesium (Mg), raffinose and sucrose. Subsequently, we examined the kinetics of electrolytes in the follicular fluid (FF) during the ovary storage period (9h), the survival rate of granulosa cells in the follicles, and the developmental competence of oocytes after the storage. Lowering the temperature from 35 to 20 °C increased the total cell number of blastocysts that developed at 7 days after in vitro maturation and in vitro fertilization of oocytes. In stock solution with supplements of 15 mM Mg or a combination of 5 mM Mg and 10 mM raffinose or sucrose, a significantly higher number of oocytes developed into blastocysts with a large number of cells in each blastocyst, and a significantly higher number of living granulosa cells were obtained as compared with stock solutions without any supplements. During ovary storage, the concentrations of potassium and chloride in the FF were increased, and the addition of Mg to the stock solution increased the concentration of Mg in the FF. Germinal vesicle breakdown in oocytes that were collected from ovaries stored in the solution supplemented with 15 mM Mg or a combination of 5 mM Mg and 10 mM of raffinose occurred at a slower rate than that in oocytes collected from ovaries stored in PBS alone. On the other hand, the oocytes collected from ovaries stored in the solution supplemented with 15 mM Mg or a combination of 5 mM Mg and 10 mM raffinose reached the metaphase II (MII) stage more rapidly than the oocytes collected from ovaries stored in the PBS alone. In conclusion, the modification of stock solution by the addition of Mg and raffinose improved the developmental competence of oocytes obtained from ovaries preserved for a long period.


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