• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.287-295
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• 2017

Mitochondrial dysfunction is found in oocytes and transmitted to offspring due to maternal obesity. Treatment of obese mothers with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress inhibitors such as salubrinal (SAL) can reverse the mitochondrial dysfunction and result in normal embryonic development. Pig oocytes have also shown ER stress mostly in metaphase II stage. ER stress in oocytes may hinder the in vitro production of pig embryos. This study investigated the effect of ER stress inhibition by SAL treatment during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes at 1, 10, 50 and 100 nM concentrations. Firstly, we tested various concentrations of SAL. SAL at 10 nM showed higher (P < 0.05) developmental competence to the blastocyst stage (55.6%) after parthenogenesis (PA) than control (44.2%) while not different from other concentrations (49.2, 51.6, and 50.8% for 1, 50, and 100 nM, respectively). Secondly, we performed time-dependent treatment at 10 nM of SAL for IVM of oocytes. It revealed that treatment with SAL during 22 to 44 h of IVM significantly improved PA embryonic development to the blastocyst stage compared to control (40.5, 46.3, 51.7 and 60.2% for control, 0 to 22 h, 22 to 44 h and 0 to 44 h of IVM, respectively, P < 0.05). Glutathione (GSH) content is an indicator of cytoplasmic maturation of oocytes. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have a harmful effect on developmental competence of oocytes. For this, we determined the intraoocyte levels of GSH and ROS after 44 h of IVM. It was found that SAL increased intraoocyte GSH level and also decreased ROS level (P < 0.05). Finally, we performed somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) after treating oocytes with 10 nM SAL during IVM. SAL treatment significantly improved blastocyst formation of SCNT embryos compared to control (39.6% vs. 24.7%, P < 0.05). Our results indicate that treatment of pig oocytes with ER stress inhibitor SAL during IVM improves preimplantation development PA and cloned pig embryos by influencing cytoplasmic maturation in terms of increased GSH content and decreased ROS level in IVM pig oocytes.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.269-279
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• 2013

Low efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is attributed to incomplete reprogramming of transfered nuclei into oocytes. Trichostatin A (TSA), histone deacetylase inhibitor and 5-aza-2'deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC), DNA methylation inhibitor has been used to enhance nuclear reprogramming following SCNT. However, it was not known molecular mechanism by which TSA and 5-aza-dC improve preimplantation embryo and fetal development following SCNT. The present study investigates embryo viability and gene expression of cloned porcine preimplantation embryos in the presence and absence of TSA and 5-aza-dC as compared to embryos produced by parthenogenetic activation. Our results indicated that TSA treatment significantly improved development. However 5-aza-dC did not improve development. Presence of TSA and 5-aza-dC significantly improved total cell number, and also decreased the apoptotic and autophagic index. Three apoptotic-related genes, Bak, Bcl-xL, and Caspase 3 (Casp3), and three autophagic-related genes, ATG6, ATG8, and lysosomal-associated membrane protein 2 (LAMP2), were measured by real time RT-PCR. TSA and 5-aza-dC treatment resulted in high expression of anti-apoptotic gene Bcl-xL and low pro-apoptotic gene Bak expression compared to untreated NT embryos or parthenotes. Furthermore, LC3 protein expression was lower in NT-TSA and NT-5-aza-dC embryos than those of NT and parthenotes. In addition, TSA and 5-aza-dC treated embryos displayed a global acetylated histone H3 at lysine 9 and methylated DNA H3 at lysine 9 profile similar to the parthenogenetic blastocysts. Finally, we determined that several DNA methyltransferase genes Dnmt1, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b. NT blastocysts showed higher levels Dnmt1 than those of the TSA and 5-aza-dC blastocysts. Dnmt3a is lower in 5-aza-dC than NT, NTTSA and parthenotes. However, Dnmt3b is higher in 5-aza-dC than NT and NTTSA. These results suggest that TSA and 5-aza-dC positively regulates nuclear reprogramming which result in modulation of apoptosis and autophagy related gene expression and then reduce apoptosis and autophagy. In addition, TSA and 5-aza-dC affects the acetylated and methylated status of the H3K9.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.919-928
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• 2011

The pig exhibits true epitheliochorial placentation, where the fetal membrane maintains attachment throughout pregnancy but does not invade into the maternal uterine endometrium. Accordingly, the expression and function of cell adhesion molecules are very important for embryo implantation and the establishment of pregnancy. In our recent microarray analysis, we found that activated leukocyte cell adhesion molecule (ALCAM) was expressed in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy in pigs. To better understand the roles of ALCAM in the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy, we examined ALCAM expression in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that ALCAM was differentially expressed in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, with the highest levels on D12 of pregnancy. ALCAM mRNA was localized to the luminal and glandular epithelial cells and to the trophectoderm of conceptuses during early pregnancy. The steroid hormones estrogen and progesterone had no effect on ALCAM expression in an endometrial explant culture study. Further, we found that ALCAM expression in the uterine endometrium from gilts with somatic cell nuclear transfer-derived embryos was not different from that in gilts with embryos from natural mating. ALCAM was expressed in a pregnancy stage- and cell type-specific manner in the uterine endometrium and conceptuses during pregnancy. These findings suggest that ALCAM may play a role in the establishment of pregnancy. Further analysis of ALCAM will provide insight into the implantation process and establishment of pregnancy in pigs.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Bio-Environment Control Conference
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• 2001.11a
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• pp.174-175
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• 2001

미나리 묘를 대량으로 생산하는데 있어서 체세포배를 이용하는 방법이 매우 유리하다. 체세포배는 계절에 영향을 받지 않고 좁은 공간에서 한꺼번에 많은 량의 묘를 생산할 수 있다. 또한 생물반응기 등을 이용하여 대량 생산할 수 있으면 실생묘를 대체할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다. 배양기 내의 공기 환경의 영향은 삼각플라스크를 이용한 소규모 배양에서는 문제가 되지 않았지만 배양기가 커짐에 따라 공기 환경의 변화도 커져 체세포배의 발생과 발아에 영향을 미친다. 체세포배를 배양하는 기간은 배발생과 발아로 나누어, 세포에서 배가 발생하는 처음 2주 동안에는 밀폐 환경, 즉 환기가 거의 되지 않는 환경이 유리하지만 이후의 발아 동안에는 산소를 많이 요구한다. 삼각플라스크를 이용한 소규모 배양에서는 aluminum foil을 플라스크의 뚜껑으로 하여, 배지를 교체할 때를 제외하고는 배발생과 발아가 진행되는 전 배양 기간 동안 이를 유지한다. 배가 발생하는 초기 2주의 경우는 이 밀폐 환경이 발아를 촉진시킨다. 그러나 배가 발아하여 정상 식물체로 발달하는데는 유리하지 않다. 체세포배는 발아할 때 산소를 많이 필요로 하며 에틸렌이 많이 축적되면 발아율이 낮아지며, 적절한 공기 환경이 주어지면 체세포배 발아가 동조화되어 균일한 묘를 얻을 수 있고 수확시기도 예측할 수 있다. 본 실험에서는 배가 발아하는 기간 동안 플라스크 내의 공기 환경을 다르게 하기 위해 플라스크를 막는 뚜껑의 소재를 달리하여 배양한 후 발아율을 측정하였다. 또한 가장 효율적인 환기량을 구명하기 위하여 인위적으로 플라스크에 공기를 넣어 강제 환기시키는 실험을 수행하였다. 미나리 cell은 처음 8일까지는 생장을 하지 않다가 이후 급속히 생장을 시작하여 35일 정도까지는 생장을 하다가 다시 생장이 둔화되었다. 밀폐시킨 삼각플라스크에서 자라는 Cell은 상태도 좋지 않고 전반적인 증식량도 적었다. Cell은 환기정도에 민감한 것으로 판단되며 삼각플라스크에서 약 35일 정도의 생장 주기를 가지는 것으로 사료된다. 배양 3주까지는 플라스틱 뚜껑으로 밀폐시킨 bottle에서 가장 많은 체세포배를 얻었다. Air filter를 달아 2일 마다 신선한 공기를 넣어 주었을 때는 배의 발달이 많이 늦어져 배양 3주째에 다른 처리보다 배의 수가 훨씬 적었다. 체세포배가 발달하는 동안에는 산소를 많이 요구하지 않으나 성숙하는 동안에는 산소를 많이 요구하는 것으로 생각된다.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.61-68
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• 2003

Zygote genome should entail a complex process of epigenetic reprogramming including a global DNA demethylation to reach a totipotency or pluripotency during early mammalian development. In this study, we have analyzed methylation patterns in cloned bovine embryos to monitor the epigenetic reprogramming process of donor genomic DNA. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns were observed in various genomic regions of cloned embryos except single-copy gene sequences. The overall genomic methylation status of cloned embryos was quite different from that of normal embryos produced in viかo or in vivo. Abnormal methylation profiles were also specifically represented in trophectoderm cells of cloned embryos, which probably result in widespread gene dysregulation in extraembryonic region or placental dysfunction familiar to cloned animals. Our findings suggest that developmental failures of cloned embryos are due to incomplete epigenetic reprogramming of donor genomic DNA. Understanding the epigenetic reprogramming processes of donor genome will clearly define the faulty development of cloned embryos.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
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• 1984.09a
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• pp.45-48
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• 1984

Ion-pair reverse phase HPLC techniques were used to compare the contents of IAA and IAAsp in the embryogenic and non-embryogenic calli derived from ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) root tissues. The contents of IAA and IAAsp of the embryogenic callus were much higher (7 to 18 X respectively) than those of non-embryogenic callus. There is a distinct fluorescent peak of an unknown component in the HPLC profile of the extract for indolic compounds from non-embryo-genic callus. This distinct difference may be employed as a promising parameter to screen the culture pieces for obtaining the calli with high potential for embryoid formation.

• Journal of Plant Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.99-104
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• 2006

This study was performed to investigate regeneration of plants differentiated from hybrid embryos between L. longifilorum Georgia and L. elegans Kakutanohikari. In addition, proliferation of callus and process of differentiation were investigated by histological observation. The germination of hybrid embryos was observed in 86 individuals from 48 slice cultures. Plant regeneration was effective on a medium supplemented with 1 mg/L HPh, and only callus proliferation was the highest in combination of 0.1 mg/L HPh and 1 mg/L BA. Also, plant regeneration was the most effective on a medium supplemented with 50 mg/L pyridoxine. We concluded that somatic embryos were formed from procambium of callus and proliferation of embryonic or proembryonic cells were stimulated with NAA from procambial cells.

• Korean Journal of Plant Tissue Culture
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.281-286
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• 1994

The hormonal regulation of organ differentiation was investigated in the tissue culture of sweet potato. Embryogenic callus was induced from shoot tips cultured on MS medium supplemented with 1 mg/L 2,4-D. When embryogenic callus was transferred to medium containing 0.1 mg/L GA$_4$, it proliferation was stimulated. The callus gave rise to plantlets when cultured on medium containing 0.1 mg/L BA. Addition of 0.1 mg/L jasmonic acid or 0.01 mg/L brassinolide to medium was effective for the development of healthy normal plantlets.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Developmental Biology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.109-109
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• 2003

Even though success in birth of live offspring from nuclear transfer(NT) using somatic cells in many species, detailed information on processes or mechanisms of development are not well known. Cytoplasm of bovine oocyte has been known to support the development of nuclear transferred embryos using nuclear donor cells from different species. Therefore, interspecies NT might be used to find answers of some questions in basic aspect of nuclear transfer In this study, we examined the developmental potential of reconstructed embryos when bovine oocyte as a cytoplasm recipient and mouse embryonic fibroblast as a nuclear donor were used. The nuclear transfer units were aliocated in Group 1 (murine block media and normal media) and Group 2. (bovine block media and normal media). NT units were not blocked at 2-cell stage regardless of types of medium. On mouse media, poor development of interspecies NT units was observed compared to bovine media. However, as NT units cultured in bovine normal medium, embryos developed over 8-cell stage. Further studies performed to increase the developmental rate in condition of antioxidant treatment. Despite low development, bovine-murine interspecies nuclear transferred embryos could develop to blastocysts and they showed that blastocyts rate of antioxidant group was superior to those of non-antioxidant group. Next, we investigated gene expression pattern which is carried out for zygotic activation. The Xist gene is expressed in female mouse embryo after zygotic activation of 4-cell stage. But interspecies nuclear transferred embryos do not express Xist gene at 4-cell stage. As a result, it is suggested that the bovine cytoplasm controls the early preimplantation development in interspecies NT However, the development of later stages might require genomic control from transferred donor nucleus. Therefore, even though the involvement of several other factors such as mitochondrial incompatibility, effective development of embryos produced by interspecies NT requires proper genomic activation of donor nucleus after overcoming the cytoplasmic control of recipient oocytes.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.89-95
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• 2007

The present study was conducted to examine some factors affecting in vitro development and fecundity of embryos recloned with somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Fibroblast cells retrieved from the ear of a 3-week-old, cloned Korean goat (Jinsoonny) were used as karyoplast donors and serum-starvation was conducted in tissue culture medium (TCM)-199 supplemented with 0.5% FBS. Recipient oocytes were surgically collected by flushing the oviducts 35 h after hCG injection following FSH priming. The zonae pellucidae of the oocytes were partially perforated with a laser drill and a donor cell was transferred into an enucleated oocyte. The couplets were electrically fused and activated by ionomycin (5 min) and 6-DMAP (4 h). The reconstructed embryos were cultured in mSOF medium containing 0.8% BSA at $39^{\circ}C$ in an atmosphere of 5% $CO_2$, 5% $%O_2$, 90% $N_2$ for 12 to 15 h. Re-cloned embryos (2- to 4-cell stages) were surgically transferred into the oviducts of the recipients and pregnancy was subsequently diagnosed by progesterone assay and ultrasound on Days 21 and 63 of pregnancy. The fusion rate following 1st fusion pulse was higher (p<0.05) in 2nd cloning (65.9%) compared to 1st cloning (51.0%), but it was not different in the other groups. The rate of cleavage after fusion was significantly higher (p<0.05) in 1st (77.7%) than in 2nd cloning (56.0%). A total of 175 re-cloned embryos were transferred into 28 recipients. On day 21 and 60 after transfer, 11 (39.3%) and 4 recipients (17.4%) were pregnancy, respectively. In comparison of pregnancy rate by estrous synchronization, a total of 66 and 109 re-cloned embryos were transferred into 11 recipients in natural estrus and 17 recipients in induced estrus, respectively. Five (45.4%) and 2 recipients (18.2%) in natural estrus were pregnant on days 21 and 63 while 6 (35.3%) and 2 (11.8%) recipients in induced estrus were pregnant, respectively. These results show that recloning of goat can be achieved by SCNT and estrous synchronization between donor and recipient animals may be one of the major factors affecting success rate.