Retinoic acid improves maturation rate and upregulates the expression of antioxidant-related genes in in vitro matured buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) oocytes.

The Australian agricultural industry contributes AUD 47 billion to the Australian economy, and Australia is the world's largest exporter of sheep meat and the third largest for beef. Within Australia, sheep meat consumption continues to rise, with beef consumption being amongst the highest in the world; therefore, efficient strategies to increase herd/flock size are integral to the success of these industries. Reproductive management is crucial to increasing the efficiency of Australian breeding programs. The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) has the potential to increase efficiency significantly. The implementation of multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) and juvenile in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (JIVET) in combination with genomic selection and natural mating and AI is the most efficient way to increase genetic gain, and thus increase reproductive efficiency within the Australian livestock industries. However, ARTs are costly, and high variation, particularly between embryo transfer recipients in their ability to maintain pregnancy, is a significant constraint to the widespread commercial adoption of ARTs. The use of a phenotypic marker for the selection of recipients, as well as the better management of recipient animals, may be an efficient and cost-effective means to increase the productivity of the Australian livestock industry.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/2/293/pdf

Towards Improving the Outcomes of Assisted Reproductive Technologies of Cattle and Sheep, with Particular Focus on Recipient Management

Oxidative stress is one of the most detrimental factors that affect oocyte developmental competence and embryo development in vitro. The impact of anethole supplementation to in vitro maturation (IVM) media on oocyte maturation and further bovine in vitro embryo production was investigated. Oocytes of slaughterhouse-derived bovine ovaries were placed in IVM with anethole at different concentrations of 30 (AN30), 300 (AN300), and 2000 μg/mL (AN2000), or without (control treatment). The oocytes were assessed for maturation rates, and for reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) levels, and mitochondrial membrane potential. Embryo development was assessed by cleavage and blastocyst rates, and embryo cell number. The percentage of metaphase II oocytes were similar among the treatments (range, 77%-96%). Anethole at 300 μg/mL was the only treatment that yielded higher cleavage and embryo development (morula and blastocyst) rates compared to the control treatment. The ROS production in the oocytes after maturation did not differ among treatments. However, oocytes treated with anethole at 300 μg/mL had higher (P < .05) FRAP and mitochondrial membrane potential compared to the control treatment. Furthermore, AN300 treatment increased (P < .05) the average number of total cells in blastocysts compared to the control and AN30 treatments. The use of anethole at 300 μg/mL during IVM is suggested to improve the quantity and quality of bovine embryos produced in vitro. The beneficial effects of anethole on embryonic developmental competence in vitro seems to be related to its capacity to regulate the redox balance and improve mitochondrial function in oocytes and embryos.

/pdf/anethole-supplementation-during-oocyte-maturation-improves-3lbnklxnpj.pdf

Anethole Supplementation During Oocyte Maturation Improves In Vitro Production of Bovine Embryos.

Honeybee products have positive effects on the reproductive performance of mammals. Many honeybee product constituents are biologically active, with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antifungal, wound-healing, and cardio-protective properties. Honeybee products also improve male and female fertility rates by enhancing gamete cryopreservation, in vitro maturation and fertilization, and embryo development. Previously published studies confirmed their efficacy for alleviating reproductive toxicity caused by contaminants and lifestyle habits that impair overall health and well-being. However, high-dose oral administration of honeybee products may adversely affect the reproductive system, and unfavorable effects were alleviated by treatment cessation. For this reason, this review proposes that bioactive components from bee products can be used as a strategy for improving the reproductive performance and health of mammals.

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3921/10/3/336/pdf

Improving Reproductive Performance and Health of Mammals Using Honeybee Products.

This review presents the latest advances in and main obstacles to the application of in vitro embryo production (IVEP) systems in small ruminants. This biotechnology is an extremely important tool for genetic improvement for livestock and is essential for the establishment of other biotechnologies, such as cloning and transgenesis. At present, the IVEP market is almost non-existent for small ruminants, in contrast with the trends observed in cattle. This is probably related to the lower added value of small ruminants, lower commercial demand and fewer qualified professionals interested in this area. Moreover, there are fewer research groups working on small ruminant IVEP than those working with cattle and pigs. The heterogeneity of oocytes collected from growing follicles in live females or from ovaries collected from abattoirs remains a challenge for IVEP dissemination in goats and sheep. Of note, although the logistics of oocyte collection from live small ruminant females are more complex than in the bovine, in general the IVEP outcomes, in terms of blastocyst production, are similar. We anticipate that after appropriate training and repeatable results, the commercial demand for small ruminant in vitro-produced embryos may increase.

In vitro production of small ruminant embryos: latest improvements and further research

Advances in in vitro production of sheep embryos

Effect of exogenous glutathione supplementation on the in vitro developmental competence of ovine oocytes.

This study investigated the effect of recombinant human lactoferrin (rhLF) on the premature ovarian failure (POF) of rats. After cyclophosphamide treatments, the POF rats were divided into the following groups: normal control group (NC), low-dose group (LD), medium-dose group (MD) and high-dose group (HD) of rhLF. After drug administrations, the ovarian indexes and hormonal levels were detected. After follicle number count, the proliferation and apoptosis were analyzed with the expressions of genes related with oogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and apoptosis detected, followed by the calculation of oxidative stress and protein expressions. After 4-hydroperoxy cyclophosphamide (4-HC) treatments, the effect of rhLF on the proliferation, ROS production and gene expressions of primary rat granulosa cells (GCs) cultured in vitro were detected. After mating, the fertilities of POF rats were recorded. The result showed that the rhLF administrations up-regulated the ovarian index with the number of developing follicles increased and the decreases of hormonal levels conferred. The Ki-67 intensities of the MD and HD groups were up-regulated with the Tunnel intensities decreased. The rhLF treatments significantly promoted the expression of oogenesis, antioxidant and anti-apoptosis related genes. The expression of Bax and Caspase 3 were decreased with the expression of Bcl-2 up-regulated after rhLF administrations. The in vitro treatments of rhLF effectively conferred the toxicity of 4-HC on primary rat GCs. The fertility assessment showed the rhLF treatments up-regulated the offspring’s’ folliculogenesis, which confirmed the ameliorative role of rhLF on the POF damages via the inhibition of ROS production in GCs.

/pdf/ameliorative-effect-of-recombinant-human-lactoferrin-on-the-qiu4kskpkr.pdf

Ameliorative effect of recombinant human lactoferrin on the premature ovarian failure in rats after cyclophosphamide treatments

Effect of bioactive peptide on ram semen cryopreservation.

Aims Methionyl–tRNA synthetase (MARS) is known to play a critical role in initiating translation and protection against cellular damages in vivo. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of MARS in breast cancer (BC) progression. Methods The expressions of MARS messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein in human BC tissues and adjacent non-cancerous tissues were detected by quantitative real-time PCR, western blot and immunohistochemistry. The prognostic potential of MARS in patients with BC was assessed by univariate and multivariate survival analyses. The association between the MARS expression and BC progression was further evaluated by the bioinformatics database of UALCAN, Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and Gene Expression Database of Normal and Tumor Tissues (GENT). The role of MARS in the proliferation, migration and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of human breast cancer cell line (MCF-7 cells) was investigated after siRNA transfection. Results The expression level of MARS mRNA in the fresh BC tissues was significantly higher than that in the adjacent tissues. Immunohistochemistry showed that the expression level of MARS was closely associated with the clinicopathologial parameters of patients with BC, including the HER-2 status, Ki-67 status, molecular classification, tumour grade, N stage and tumour, node, metastasis (TNM) stage, and this finding was further confirmed by UALCAN database. The Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that high MARS expression and TNM stage were predictors of poor prognosis of patients with BC. The proliferation, migration and EMT capabilities of MCF-7 cells were significantly suppressed after MARS knockdown. An overview of UALCAN, GEPIA and GENT results suggested that MARS may be an oncogene of BC, as well as a potential therapeutic target of this malignant tumour. Conclusions High expression level of MARS in the human BC tissues was significantly associated with the unfavourable prognosis of patients with BC, suggesting that MARS may serve as a potential prognostic marker for the clinical diagnosis and prognostic prediction of BC.

https://jcp.bmj.com/content/jclinpath/73/12/803.full.pdf

Jingyu Ren

Papers

Advances in in vitro production of sheep embryos

Effect of exogenous glutathione supplementation on the in vitro developmental competence of ovine oocytes.

Ameliorative effect of recombinant human lactoferrin on the premature ovarian failure in rats after cyclophosphamide treatments

Effect of bioactive peptide on ram semen cryopreservation.

High methionyl-tRNA synthetase expression predicts poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer.