• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.255-265
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• 2022

The cellular communication network factor (CCN) family proteins regulate many biological events such as angiogenesis, tumor growth, placentation, implantation, and embryogenesis. The expression and function of CCN1, CCN2, and CCN3 at the maternal-conceptus interface are established in humans and rodents, but little is known about the role of CCN4 to CCN6 in the reproductive organs in any other species. Several studies in transcriptome analysis in pigs have shown that the expression of CCN4 and CCN6 increases in the endometrium during early pregnancy. However, their expression, regulation, and function in the endometrium throughout the estrous cycle and pregnancy have not been fully understood in pigs. Thus, we determined the expression, localization, and regulation of CCN4 and CCN6 during the estrous cycle and at the maternal-conceptus interface in pigs. We found that the levels of CCN4, but not CCN6, changed during the estrous cycle. The levels of CCN4 were greater during mid- to late pregnancy than in the early stage, and the levels of CCN6 were greatest on Day 15 of pregnancy. CCN4 and CCN6 were detected in conceptus tissues during early pregnancy and in chorioallantoic tissues during the later stage of pregnancy. CCN4 mRNA was mainly localized to epithelial cells, CCN6 mRNAs to epithelial and stromal cells in the endometrium. In endometrial explant cultures, CCN4 expression was increased by progesterone, and CCN6 expression by interferon-𝛾. These results suggest that CCN4 and CCN6 may play roles in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by regulating the endometrial epithelial cell functions in pigs.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.375-382
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• 2019

Abnormalities of trophoblast due to early inflammation in pregnancy increase the expression of CRP and affect maternal-fetal interactions, leading to preterm birth and preeclampsia. However, biomarkers related to the regulation of CRP expression have not been found. In this study, miRNA associated with increased expression of CRP was identified and their expression was analyzed to reveal biomarkers involved in the regulation mechanism of trophoblast inflammation through miRNAs. miRNAs that were predicted to regulate CRP gene expression in miRNA databases (mirna, TargetScan, MicroCosm) were screened and HTR-8/SVneo cell lines were treated with LPS (20 ng/mL) to induce inflammatory responses in vitro, with selected miR-7, miR-150, miR-186 and miR-424. The expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR. As a result, expression of CRP was significantly increased in LPS-treated trophoblast (p<0.001) and miR-150 and miR-424 expression were significantly decreased (p<0.001). Thus, miR-150 and miR-424 are involved in the regulation of CRP expression in inflammatory-induced trophoblast and may be useful for the prenatal diagnosis of inflammatory obstetric diseases.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.95-100
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• 2000

A large number of man-made chemicals that have been released into the environment have the potential to disrupt the endocrine system of animals and humans. There is a critical developmental period during which sexual brain differentiation proceeds irreversibly under the influence of gonadal hormone. Recently we identified KAP3 gene expressed during the critical period of rat brain sexual differentiation. KAP3 functions as a microtubule-based motor that transports membranous organelles anterogradely in cells, including neurons. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the effect of endocrine disrupter, Dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT), on the KAP3 gene expression during critical period of rat brain development. Maternal exposure to DDT increased the level of KAP3 mRNA in male and female fetus brains when examined on the gestational day 17 (GDl7). In postnatal day 6, DDT suppressed the expression of KAP3 gene in male and female rat brain. Also, the body weight and fertilization rate were decreased in the DDT exposured rats. These results showed that endocrine disrupter, DDT, can affect the transcriptional level of brain sexual differentiation related gene, KAP3, in the prenatal and the neonatal rat brain and that maternal exposure to endocrine disruptors may lead to a toxic response in embryonic differentiation of brain. And so KAP3 gene may be used a gene maker to analyse the molecular mechanism for toxic response in animal nerve tissues exposed to endocrine disruptors.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.197-203
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• 1998

DNA methylation seems to play an important regulatory role in gene expression and cell differentiation during postimplantation embryonic development. However, the significance of DNA methylation which is maintained by the DNA MTase during preimplantation embryonic development, is not fully understood. In order to study the role of DNA methylation in the preimplantation embryos, the expression of DNA MTase transcripts was monitored in the oocytes and preimplantation embryos. The mRNA of DNA MTase was detected in the oocytes and pleimplantation embryos. The relative mRNA levels of DNA MTase were high from the stages of GV-oocytes and pronuclear embryos, and thereafter decreased gradually. By the treatment of $\alpha$-amanitin, it was confirmed that the transcripts presented in pronuclear embryos was derived from the maternal genome. The presence of transcripts of DNA MTase in the oocytes and pronuclear embryos suggests that the maintenance of DNA methylation may be necessary and seems to play an important role in gene expression and cell differentiation during preimplantation embryonic develop-ment in mouse.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1999

Insulin-like growth factors (IGF-1 and IGF-2) play an important regulatory role in premplantation embryonic development. To study the role of IGF-1 during premplantation embryonic development in mouse, the presence of mRNA transcripts for IGF-1 and IGF-lR in the oocytes and preimplantation embryos was examined. In this study, the transcripts of IGF-1 was detected in oocytes using primers for IGF-1. The PCR products were identified by Msp I restriction enzyme digest. We revealed that the transcripts of IGF-1 and IGF-1R were presented in the oocytes and preimplantation embryos. The highest mRNA levels in GV stage oocytes were decreased at 4- or 8-cell stage and then reincreased upto blastocyst. The presence of IGF-1 and IGF-lR in GV-oocytes suggests that the transcripts in the early stage embryos were derived from maternal genome. Additionally, the presence of IGF-1 and IGF-lR in the oocytes and preimplantation embryos suggests that IGF-1 plays an autocrine role during preimplantation embryonic development through IGF-lR as a signalling pathway.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.117-124
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• 2014

Purpose: Administration of antiretroviral drugs to mothers and infants significantly decreases mother-to-child human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission; cesarean sections and discouraging breastfeeding further decreases this risk. The present study confirmed the HIV status of babies born to mothers infected with HIV and describes the characteristics of babies and mothers who received preventive treatment. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed medical records of nine infants and their mothers positive for HIV who gave birth at Korea University Ansan Hospital, between June 1, 2003, and May 31, 2013. Maternal parameters, including HIV diagnosis date, CD4+ count, and HIV ribonucleic acid (RNA) copy number, were analyzed. Infant growth and development, HIV RNA copy number, and HIV antigen/antibody test results were analyzed. Results: Eight HIV-positive mothers delivered nine babies; all the infants received antiretroviral therapy. Three (37.5%) and five mothers (62.5%) were administered single- and multidrug therapy, respectively. Intravenous zidovudine was administered to four infants (50%) at birth. Breastfeeding was discouraged for all the infants. All the infants were negative for HIV, although two were lost to follow-up. Third trimester maternal viral copy numbers were less than 1,000 copies/mL with a median CD4+ count of $325{\mu}L$ ($92-729{\mu}L$). Among the nine infants, two were preterm (22.2%) and three had low birth weights (33.3%). Conclusion: This study concludes that prophylactic antiretroviral therapy, scheduled cesarean section, and prohibition of breastfeeding considerably decrease mother-to-child HIV transmission. Because the number of infants infected via mother-to-child transmission may be increasing, studies in additional regions using more variables are necessary.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

It is suggested that FGF/Ras/MEK/Erk signaling plays crucial roles in specification and cell division of the mesodermal precursor cells in ascidian embryos. To investigate how the number of cell division in tissue precursor cells is determined, we have characterized Wee1 homolog, Hr-Wee1 of the ascidian Halocynthia roretzi. We found that the Hr-Wee1 mRNA is expressed both maternally and zygotically. Maternal transcript is localized to the cytoplasm in the animal cells, while zygotic expression is seen in cells of the endoderm lineage from 32-cell to 110-cell stages. Zygotic in situ signal is detected in the A-line neural plate cells of neurulae, and in epidermal cells of the head region of tailbud embryos. Embryos treated with MEK signaling inhibitor showed a similar pattern to normal embryos in expression of Hr-Wee1. Therefore, it is likely that MEK signaling does not affect the maternal and zygotic expression of Hr-Wee1.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.7
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• pp.1034-1043
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• 2023

Objective: Two serine protease inhibitors, peptidase inhibitor 3 (PI3) and secretory leukocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), play important roles in protease inhibition and antimicrobial activity, but their expression, regulation, and function at the maternal-fetal interface in pigs are not fully understood. Therefore, we determined the expression and regulation of PI3 and SLPI in the endometrium throughout the estrous cycle and at the maternal-fetal interface in pigs. Methods: Endometrial tissues during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, conceptus tissues during early pregnancy, and chorioallantoic tissues during mid to late pregnancy were obtained, and the expression of PI3 and SLPI was analyzed. The effects of the steroid hormones estradiol-17β (E2) and progesterone (P4) on the expression of PI3 and SLPI were determined in endometrial explant cultures. Results: PI3 and SLPI were expressed in the endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, with higher levels during mid to late pregnancy than during the estrous cycle and early pregnancy. Early-stage conceptuses and chorioallantoic tissues during mid to late pregnancy also expressed PI3 and SLPI. PI3 protein and SLPI mRNA were primarily localized to endometrial epithelia. In endometrial explant cultures, the expression of PI3 was induced by increasing doses of P4, and the expression of SLPI was induced by increasing doses of E2 and P4. Conclusion: These results suggest that the PI3 and SLPI expressed in the endometrium and conceptus tissues play an important role in antimicrobial activity for fetal protection against potential pathogens and in blocking protease actions to allow epitheliochorial placenta formation.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.45-52
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• 2000

Membrane type matrix metalloproteinases(MT-MMPs) have been suggested to play an important role during structural remodeling of various tissue. Expression patterns of MT1-MMP and MT2-MMP mRNAs were investigated in oocytes, embryos, ovary and oviduct of mouse during their differentiation or periovulatory period using RT-PCR technique. Both cDNA products of MT1- and MT2-MMP of immature oocytes were barely discernable with a minimum amount but the expressions were distinct in mature oocytes regardless that they were matured in vivo or in vitro. MT2-MMP was not expressed by 2-cell embryos but was expressed by 4-cell stage embryos. From the morula stage untill hatched blastocyst stage, embyos showed intesnse expression of MT2-MMP with a sudden increase at blastocyst stage. While mouse ovarian tissues showed both expression of MT1- and MT2-MMP, there was no stage-specific difference throughout the estrous cycle. Mouse oviducts also exhibit constant amount of both MT1- and MT2-MMP expressions throughout periovulatory period, i.e., before or after ovulation. These observations lead to suggest that the differential expressions of maternal MT1- and MT2-MMP during meiotic resumption of mouse oocytes and embryonic expression of MT2-MMP particularly at blastocyst stage might play a role in the differentiation of mouse oocytes and／or embryos. The precise function of MT1- and MT2-MMP with regards to their participation in the remodeling of ovarian and oviductal tissues remains in a question.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.546-557
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• 2021

Objective: If fertilization does not occur within a specific period, the quality of unfertilized oocytes in the oviduct (in vivo aging) or in culture (in vitro aging) will deteriorate over time. Icariin (ICA), found in all species of Epimedium herbs, has strong antioxidant activity, and is thought to exert anti-aging effects in vitro. We asked whether ICA protects oocytes against age-related changes in vitro. Methods: We analyzed the reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and expression of antioxidant, maternal, and estrogen receptor genes, and along with spindle morphology, and the developmental competence and quality of embryos in the presence and absence of ICA. Results: Treatment with 5 μM ICA (ICA-5) led to a significant reduction in ROS activity, but increased mRNA expression of glutathione and antioxidant genes (superoxide dismutase 1 [SOD1], SOD2, peroxiredoxin 5, and nuclear factor erythroid 2-like 2), during aging in vitro. In addition, ICA-5 prevented defects in spindle formation and chromosomal alignment, and increased mRNA expression of cytoplasmic maturation factor genes (bone morphogenetic protein 15, cyclin B1, MOS proto-oncogene, serine/threonine kinase, and growth differentiation factor-9). It also prevented apoptosis, increased mRNA expression of antiapoptotic genes (BCL2-like 1 and baculoviral IAP repeat-containing 5), and reduced mRNA expression of pro-apoptotic genes (BCL2 antagonist/killer 1 and activation of caspase-3). Although the maturation and cleavage rates were similar in all groups, the total cell number per blastocyst and the percentage of apoptotic cells at the blastocyst stage were higher and lower, respectively, in the control and ICA-5 groups than in the aging group. Conclusion: ICA protects oocytes against damage during aging in vitro; therefore, it can be used to improve assisted reproductive technologies.