• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.243-250
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• 2013

Pyracantha is a genus of thorny evergreen large shrubs in the family of Rosaceae, with common names Firethorn or Pyracantha. It's extract has also been used in cosmetics as a skin-whitening agent and functioning through tyrosinase inhibition. Recent studies have shown that pyracantha extract possesses antioxidant activities and may significantly improve lipoprotein metabolism in rats. Although the mode of action of Pyracantha extract is not fully understood, a strong relationship was observed between antioxidant and apoptosis in some types of cells. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluated the effect of pyracantha extract on blastocysts formation and their quality of the porcine parthenogenetic embryos. After parthenogenetic activation by chemicals, presumptive porcine parthenogenetic embryos were cultured in PZM-3 medium supplemented with extracts of pyracantha leaf, stalk and root for 6 day (1, 5 and $10{\mu}g/ml$, respectively). In our results, the frequency of blastocyst formation in pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group had increased that of other groups. Furthermore, blastocysts derived from pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group had increased the total cell numbers and reduced apoptotic index. Blastocyst development was significantly improved in the pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated group when compared with the $H_2O_2$ treated group (p<0.05). Subsequent evaluation of the intracellular levels of ROS in pyracantha root extract ($5{\mu}g/ml$) treated groups under $H_2O_2$ induced oxidative stress were decreased (p<0.05). In conclusion, our results indicate that treatment of pyracantha root extract may improve in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos through its antioxidative and antiapoptotic effects.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제30권1호
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• pp.41-45
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• 2006

Electrical treatment has been widely used for porcine oocytes activation. However, developmental rates following electrical activation of porcine oocytes is relatively inefficient compared to other domestic animals. To investigate the effects of porcine oocytes on combined activation by both chemical and electrical treatment, in-vitro matured oocytes were activated by combined cycloheximide and electrical pulses treatment. Cumulus-free oocytes were exposed with NCSU-23 medium containing cycloheximide $(10{\mu}g/ml)$ for 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 min and then activated by electrical pulse treatment and cultured in PZM-3 for 8 days. Also effects of exposure to $6.25{\mu}M$ calcium ionophore for 2 min for cumulus-free oocytes were tested. The percentage of blastocyst formation in 10 min exposure to $10{\mu}g/ml$ cycloheximide and electrical pulse treatment was significantly increased (P<0.05) than in the control group. And exposure to $6.25{\mu}M$ calcium ionophore for 2 min with $10{\mu}g/ml$ cycloheximide for 10min and electrical pulse treatment significantly increased (P<0.05) the percentage of blastocyst developmental rates than the control group. In conclusion, activation by combined cycloheximide and electrical stimulation treatment promoted the subsequent development of porcine oocytes and improved the subsequence blastocyst development.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제35권1호
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• pp.33-45
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• 2011

Heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90) is ATPase-directed molecular chaperon and affects survival of cancer cell. Inhibitory effect of Hsp90 by inducing cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in the cancer cell was reported. However, its role during oocyte maturation and early embryo development is very insufficient. In this study, we traced the effects of Hsp90 inhibitor, 17-allylamino-17-demethoxygeldanamycin (17-AAG), on meiotic maturation and early embryonic development in pigs. We also investigated several indicators of developmental potential, including structural integrity, gene expression (Hsp90-, cell cycle-, and apoptosis-related genes), and apoptosis, which are affected by 17-AAG. Then, we examined the roles of Hsp90 inhibitor on viability of primary cells in pigs. Porcine oocytes were cultured in the NCSU-23 medium with or without 17-AAG for 44 h. The proportion of GV arrested oocytes was significantly different between the 17-AAG treated and untreated group (78.2 vs 34.8%, p<0.05). After completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of MII oocytes was lower in the 17-AAG treated group than in the control group (27.9 vs 71.0%, p<0.05). After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly lower in the 17-AAG treated group (25.2%), resulting in lower normal pronucleus formation (2PN of 14.6%). Therefore, the inhibition of meiotic progression by Hsp90 inhibitor played a critical role in fertilization status. Porcine embryo were cultured in the PZM-3 medium with or without 17-AAG for 6 days. In result, significant differences in developmental potential were detected between the embryos that were cultured with or without 17-AAG. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) showed that the number of containing fragmented DNA at the blastocyst stage increased in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control (7.5 vs 4.4, respectively). Blastocysts that developed in the 17-AAG treated group had low structural integrity and high apoptotic nuclei than those of the untreated control, resulting in decrease the embryonic qualities of preimplantation porcine blastocysts. The mRNA expressions of cell cycle-related genes were down-regulated in the 17-AAG treated group compared with control. Also, the expression of the pro-apoptotic gene Bax increased in 17-AAG treated group, whereas expression of the anti-apoptotic gene Bel-XL decreased. However, the expression of ER stress-related genes did not changed by 17-AAG. Cultured pESF cells were treated with or without 17-AAG and used for MIT assay. The results showed that viability of pESF cells were decreased by treatment of 17-AAG ($2{\mu}M$) for 24 hr. These results indicated that 17-AAG decreased cell proliferation and increased cell death. Expression patterns Hsp90 complex genes (Hsp70 and p23), cell cycle-related genes (cdc2 and cdc25c) and apoptosis-related genes (Bax and Bcl-XL) were significantly changed by using RT-PCR analysis. The spliced form of pXbp-1 product (pXbp-1s) was detected in the tunicamycin (TM) treated cells, but it is not detected in 17-AAG treated cells. In conclusion, Hsp90 appears to play a direct role in porcine early embryo developmental competence including structural integrity of blastocysts. Also, these results indicate that Hsp90 is closely associated with cell cycle- and apoptosis-related genes expression in developing porcine embryos.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.121-126
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• 2007

본 연구에서 돼지 난포란에서 채취된 난모 세포들을 체외성숙 후 형태적으로 선별하거나 극체 방출란을 선별하여 활성화 처리 후 48시간째에 분할란을 선별할 때 배발달율이 어느정도 향상되는지를 검토하였다. 난모 세포를 48시간 성숙 배양 후 형태적 선별과 극체의 방출 유무를 검사하고, 선별된 난모 세포들을 $16{\sim}18$시간 추가 배양한 후 7% ethanol로 활성화시키고 $5{\mu}g/ml$ cytochalasin B에 5시간 노출 후 PZM-5 배 양액으로 7일간 배양하였으며, 배양 중 4일째 5% FBS를 추가하였다. 48시간 성숙 후 형태적으로 선별하였을 때, 21.9%가 제거되고 78.1%가 선별되었으며, 극체 방출란을 선별하였을 때, 32.1%가 제거되고, 67.9%가 선별되었다. 형태적으로 선별한 난자를 활성화 처리하여 48시간째에 분할율을 검사하였을 때, 15.8%가 분할하지 않았으며, 52.6%가 정상 분할하였고, 31.6%가 과분할하였으며, 극체 방출란을 선별하여 활성화 처리 후 분할율을 검사하였을 때 7.1%가 분할하지 않았으며, 73.1%가 정상 분할하였고, 19.8%가 과분할하였다. 체외 성숙된 난모세포를 형태적으로 선별하고 활성화 처리 후 분할란을 선별하지 않았을 때, 16.7%가 배반포기로 발달하였고, 형태적으로 선별하고 분할란을 추가로 선별해 배양했을 때 31.7%가 배반포기로 발달하였으며, 극체 방출란만을 선별하여 활성화 처리 후 분할란을 선별하지 않았을 때 39.0%가 배반포기로 발달하였고, 극체 선별과 분할란 선별을 하였을 때 배반포기 발달율이 49.0%에 이르렀다. 48시간째 미분할 난자와 정상 분할 난자, 과분할 난자를 배양하였을 때 48시간째 미분할 난자는 배반포기로 발달하지 못했으며, 정상 분할 난자는 42.5%, 과분할 난자는 4.5%가 배반포기로 발달하였다. 분할하는 시기를 활성화처리 후 12시간 간격으로 조사하였을 때 $0{\sim}12$시간 사이에 4.1%가 분할하였고, $12{\sim}24$시간 사이에 68.6%, $24{\sim}36$ 시간 사이에 19.1%, $36{\sim}48$시간 사이에 2.3%, 48시간까지 미분할 난자가 5.9%였으며, $0{\sim}12$시간 사이에 분할한 난자나 $36{\sim}48$시간 사이에 분할한 난자에서 배반포기로 발달한 난자는 없었으며, $12{\sim}24$시간 사이에 분할한 난자의 39.1%, $24{\sim}36$시간 사이에 분할한 난자의 9.5%가 배반포기로 발달하였다. 이상의 결과로 극체 방출란만을 선별하여 $12{\sim}36$시간 사이에 분할하는 난자들만을 선별하여 배양한다면 배발생능을 가진 난자들의 비율을 높일 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.