• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.185-191
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to improve production efficiency of vitrified-thawed transgenic bovine embryos. Transgenic bovine embryos were produced by injection of FIV-GFP lentiviral vector into perivitelline space of in vitro matured MII stage oocytes, and then in vitro fertilization. EGFP-expressing transgenic bovine blastocysts were cultured in serum-containing and serum-free medium. These blsatocysts were vitrified by pull and cut (PNC) container made with 0.25 cm plastic straw. Results indicate that total developmental rates of normal IVF embryo cultured in serum-containing and-free medium into blastocyst were not significantly different (22.3 vs 21.5%) and those of GFP-expressing transgenic bovine embryo into blastocyst showed no significant difference between serum-containing (13.9%) and-free medium (13.1%). However, developmental rate of GFP transgenic embryo was significantly (P<0.05) lower than its of normal IVF embryos. In additional study, we vitrified GFP transgenic normal bovine blastocysts using PNC vitrification method. Survival rate of vitrified-thawed GFP transgenic blastocyst (23.1%) was significantly (P<0.05) lower than its of normal blastocysts (68.9%). Although, survival rate of vitrified-thawed GFP transgenic blastocyst was lower than its of normal blastocyst, our result may suggested that PNC vitrification method is feasible to cryopreserve transgenic embryos. Our next plan will be the production of GFP express transgenic bovine derived from vitrified-thawed embryos using PNC method.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제31권9호
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• pp.1420-1430
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• 2018

Objective: Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a major ingredient of catechin polyphenols and is considered one of the most promising bioactive compounds in green tea because of its strong antioxidant properties. However, the protective role of EGCG in bovine oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) has not been investigated. Therefore, we aimed to study the effects of EGCG on IVM of bovine oocytes. Methods: Bovine oocytes were treated with different concentrations of EGCG (0, 25, 50, 100, and $200{\mu}M$), and the nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation, cumulus cell expansion, intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, total antioxidant capacity, the early apoptosis and the developmental competence of in vitro fertilized embryos were measured. The mRNA abundances of antioxidant genes (nuclear factor erythriod-2 related factor 2 [NRF2], superoxide dismutase 1 [SOD1], catalase [CAT], and glutathione peroxidase 4 [GPX4]) in matured bovine oocytes were also quantified. Results: Nuclear maturation which is characterized by first polar body extrusion, and cytoplasmic maturation characterized by peripheral and cortical distribution of cortical granules and homogeneous mitochondrial distribution were significantly improved in the $50{\mu}M$ EGCG-treated group compared with the control group. Adding $50{\mu}M$ EGCG to the maturation medium significantly increased the cumulus cell expansion index and upregulated the mRNA levels of cumulus cell expansion-related genes (hyaluronan synthase 2, tumor necrosis factor alpha induced protein 6, pentraxin 3, and prostaglandin 2). Both the intracellular ROS level and the early apoptotic rate of matured oocytes were significantly decreased in the $50{\mu}M$ EGCG group, and the total antioxidant ability was markedly enhanced. Additionally, both the cleavage and blastocyst rates were significantly higher in the $50{\mu}M$ EGCG-treated oocytes after in vitro fertilization than in the control oocytes. The mRNA abundance of NRF2, SOD1, CAT, and GPX4 were significantly increased in the $50{\mu}M$ EGCG-treated oocytes. Conclusion: In conclusion, $50{\mu}M$ EGCG can improve the bovine oocyte maturation, and the protective role of EGCG may be correlated with its antioxidative property.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• 제20권9호
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• pp.1354-1360
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• 2007

The aim of this study was to evaluate if oocytes, aspirated from postovulatory ovarian follicles of superovulated rabbits 14 h post-hCG administration, could be efficiently used as ooplasm recipients for somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT). Within a common SCNT protocol, a comparison between oocytes recovered by direct aspiration (aspirated) from available ovarian follicles and oocytes flushed out from oviducts (flushed) was carried out. The results showed that maturation and enucleation rates of aspirated oocytes were 70.7% and 69.2%, significantly lower than 95.3% (p<0.01) and 83.6% (p<0.05), respectively, from flushed oocytes. However, following enucleation of matured oocytes as ooplasm recipients for SCNT, no difference was recorded in fusion and cleavage rates, as well as blastocyst development from cleaved embryos or hatching of blastocysts between aspirated and flushed groups. Additionally, some matured aspirated and flushed oocytes were also used for immediate parthenogenetic activation and the resulting embryo development was not significantly different. Results from this study show the following: i) the majority of oocytes aspirated from postovulatory ovarian follicles of superovulated rabbits 14 h post-hCG administration are matured and can be used directly as ooplasm recipients for SCNT; ii) the reconstructed embryos derived from these oocytes have similar in vitro developmental ability to those flushed from the oviducts.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.193-202
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• 2011

Objective: We found previously that $interferon$ $regulatory$ factor ($Irf$)-1 is a germinal vesicle (GV)-selective gene that highly expressed in GV as compared to metaphase II oocytes. To our knowledge, the function of $Irf-1$ in oocytes has yet to be examined. The present study was conducted to determine the relationship between retinoic acid (RA) and RA-mediated expression of $Irf-1$ and the mouse oocyte maturation. Methods: Immature cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) were collected from 17-day-old female mice and cultured $in$ $vitro$ for 16 hours in the presence of varying concentrations of RA (0-10 ${\mu}M$). Rate of oocyte maturation and activation was measured. Gene expression was measured by quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and cytokine secretion in the medium was measured by Bio-Plex analysis. Apoptosis was analyzed by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Results: The rates of oocyte maturation to metaphase II and oocyte activation increased significantly with RA treatment (10 nM-1 ${\mu}M$). With 100 nM RA treatment, lowest level of $Irf-1$ mRNA and cumulus cell's apoptosis was found. Among 23 cytokines measured by Bio-Plex system, the substantial changes in secretion of tumor necrosis factor-${\alpha}$, macrophage inflammatory protein-$1{\beta}$, eotaxin and interleukin-12 (p40) from COCs in response to RA were detected. Conclusion: We concluded that the maturation of oocytes and $Irf-1$ expression are negatively correlated, and RA enhances the developmental competence of mouse immature oocytes $in$ $vitro$ by suppressing apoptosis of cumulus cells. Using a mouse model, results of the present study provide insights into improved culture conditions for $in$ $vitro$ oocyte maturation and relevant cytokine production and secretion in assisted reproductive technology.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.169-174
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• 2007

개 난자의 체외성숙율을 높이기 위하여 다양한 방법들이 시도되고 있지만 여전히 그 효율성은 낮다. 본 연구는 개 난자의 체외성숙 시, 성선 자극 호르몬인 황체형성호르몬(LH)과 난포자극호르몬(FSH), 상피세포성장인자(Epidermal growth factor, EGF) 그리고 시스테인(cysteine)을 각각 첨가하여 72시간 동안 체외성숙시킨 후 핵성숙율(GV: germinal vesicle, GVBD: germinal vesicle break down, MI: metaphase I, MII: metaphase II, UK: unknown stage)을 확인하였다. LH와 FSH를 첨가하였을 때 첨가하지 않은 군과 GV, MI 및 MII율에는 유의적인 차이는 없었다. 하지만 GVBD율은 첨가군이 유의적으로(p<0.05) 높았다. 성선 자극 호르몬을 첨가한 배지에 10ng/ml의 EGF를 첨가하였을 때 MII율이 첨가하지 않은 군보다 유의적으로(p<0.05) 높았다(4.54% vs. 7.06%). cysteine을 첨가하였을 경우, 핵성숙율에 유의적인 차이는 보이지 않았지만 전반적으로 핵성숙율이 향상된 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 따라서 개 난자의 체외성숙 시, $10 {\mu}g/ml$의 LH와 FSH, 10ng/ml의 EGF 그리고 0.57mM의 cysteine을 첨가하는 것이 핵성숙율을 향상시키는 것으로 사료된다.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.171-176
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• 1998

본 연구는 체외에서 배양된 생쥐 완전탈출 배반포기배를 동결보존액 EFS35를 이용하여 초자화 동결하였을 때 체내발달의 적합성 여부를 조사하기 위해 실시하였다. 공시된 완전탈출 배반포기배($\theta$ 130$\mu\textrm{m}$)는 체내에서 생산된 전핵기 수정란을 5일 동안 체외배양하여 얻었으며, 10% ethylene glycol(EG)에 5분 노출한 후 EFS35(35% EG, 18% Ficoll, 0.3 M sucrose)에 30초 동안 노출하거나, 초자화 동결하였다. 융해 후, 재팽창이 이루어진 완전탈출 배반포기배는 가임신 3일된 대리모의 한쪽 또는 양쪽 자궁각(4~6개/자궁각)에 이식하였다. 대리모의 임신율과 착상율은 임신 15일재 외과적 해부로 판정하였다. 그 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 융해 30분 후, 완전탈출 배반포기배의 체외생존율은 노출군(65.5%)과 동결군(54.5%)간에 유의한 차이는 없었다. 또한, 체내발달율을 조사하였던 바, 착상율에 있어서 동결군(41.0%)과 대조군(58.5%)간에 유의한 차는 없었지만, 정상산자율에서는 동결군(24.0%)의 결과가 대조군(58.3%)보다 유의하게 낮게 나타났다(p<0.05). 이러한 결과는 EFS35를 이용한 완전탈출 배반포기배의 초자화 동결은 정상산자율은 감소하였지만, 완전탈출 배반포기배의 이용 효율성을 넓히는데 이용될 수 있다는 것을 알 수 있었다.

• 한국가축번식학회지
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.247-256
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• 1999

본 연구는 한국야생 유래 행동이상 마우스(M. m. molossinus-tt@Kist)의 혈액학 및 혈액생화학치와, 체외수정란과 정자동결보존법, 체외수정과 수정란 이식기법을 이용한 번식장애 개선과 병원성 미생물이 제거된 무병마우스 생산을 위하여 실시하였다. 1. 5주령의 혈액학치에서 RBC, platelet치는 근교계에 비해 높게 나타났다. 혈액생화학치에서는 total cholesterol치가 근교계에 비해 높게 나타났으나 triglyceride, total protein, albumin치는 유사하였다. 2. 과배란 유기시의 평균 채란 수는 PMSG/hCG를 2.5/2.5 lU 투여군에서 11.6개, 5.0/5.0 IU 투여군에서 12.7개로 통계학적 유의 차는 인정되지 않았다. 3. 2.5/2.5 lU 투여군과 5.0/5.0 lU 투여군의 수정율은 각각 87.9%와 52%로 2.5/2.5 lU 부여군이 유의성있게 높은 성적을 나타내었고(p<0.05), 2세포기로의 발달율도 각각 유의성이 인정되는 99.0%와 90.6%였다 (p<0.05). 4. 동결정자를 이용한 체외수정에서의 수정율은 24.8%로 신선정자를 사용했을 때의 87.9% 보다 낮은 성적이었다. 5. 체외 수정란의 이식후의 산자율은 동결 2세포기 체외수정란의 경우 5마리(6.6%), 동결 정사를 이용한 체외 수정란의 경우 6마리(19.4%)와 대조군의 체외수정란의 경우 10마리(21.7%)의 새끼를 얻었다. 6. 이식후 출산한 산자의 미생물학적 검사에서 MHV(Mouse hepatitis virus)와 Staphylo-coccus aureus 등의 병원성 미생물이 무병대리모를 이용한 수정란이식에 의해 제거되었음을 확인하였다.

• 한국수정란이식학회지
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• 제16권2호
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• pp.73-78
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• 2001

본 연구는 한우 체외수정란에 외래 유전자를 미세현미 주입한 후 체외 배발달을 조사하였다. DNA 미세주입은 체외수정 18~20시간 후에 DNA를 미세주입하였으며 체외 배발달율은 7일간 배양 후 조사하였다. 미세현미 주입 후 난할율은 36.3%로 대조구의 난할율 66.4% 보다 유의적으로 낮았으며(p<0.05) DNA가 주입된 수정란 중 상실배와 배반포배까지 발달율은 각각 5.6%와 1.9%로 대조구의 20.5%와 12.8%에 비하여 유의적으로 낮게 나타났다. 체외발달 배양액 내 L-ascorbic acid와 $\alpha$-tocopherol 첨가 배양시 상실배와 배반포배 발달율이 대조구에 비하여 유의적으로 높게 나타났다.(p<0.05) 따라서 미세현미 주입된 수정란의 체외 배발달 배양액에 항산화제의 첨가는 높은 체외 배발달율을 얻을 수 있으며 또한 체외성숙과, 체외 수정된 한우수정란을 이용하여 형질전환 한우 생산이 가능하리라 사료된다.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.125-133
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• 2006

This study was conducted to detect the apoptosis incidence in blastocysts and to compare the abundance of Bax, Bcl2L1, VEGF and FGFR2 in in vitro fertilized (IVF), parthenogenetic (PAT) and nuclear transfer (NT) embryos. Oocytes matured for 40 hr were enucleated and reconstructed with confluenced fetal fibroblasts (FFs) derived from a ${\sim}45$ day fetus. Reconstructed eggs were then fused with 2 DC pulses (2.0 kV/cm, $30{\mu}sec$) and cultured with $7.5{\mu}g/ml$ cytochalasin B for 3 hr. Parthenotes (PAT) were produced with the same electric strength and culture for NT eggs. The embryos were cultured in NCSU-23 medium at $39^{\circ}C,\;5%\;CO_2,\;5%\l;O_2$ in air. In 3 runs, set of 10 embryos at the 4-cell to blastocyst stages were used to extract total RNA for analyzing the gene expression patterns of pro-apoptotic (Bax), anti-apoptotic (Bcl2L1), vasculogenesis (VEGF), implantation (FGFR2III) using real-time quantitative PCR. Cleavage and blastocyst rates were significantly higher (P<0.05) in IVF and PAT ($79.3{\pm}8.5\;and\;25.5{\pm}6.1,\;and\;85.0{\pm}6.4\;and\;38.6{\pm}5.5$, respectively)than NT counterparts ($65.1{\pm}5.2\;and\;15.6{\pm}3.0$, respectively). Significantly higher (P<0.05) total cells were observed in IVF controls and PAT ($34.7{\pm}5.8\;and\;38.1{\pm}4.1$) than NT embryos ($24.8{\pm}3.2$). Apoptosis index was significantly lower (P<0.05) in IVF than NT embryos. The Relative abundances (RA) of Bax and VEGF were significantly higher (P<0.05) at blastocyst stage in NT than IVF control. The RA of Bcl2L1 and FGFR2III were significantly higher (P<0.05) at blastocyst stage in IVF than NT. The present study observed the abnormal gene expressions in NT embryos at various developmental stages, suggesting certain clues to find out the cause of the low efficiency of NT to term.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제30권4호
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• pp.333-340
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• 2003

Objective: This study was performed to examine the maturation and the development to the blastocyst stage of immature oocytes collected from patients with high risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Materials and Methods: Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected following only HCGpriming for non stimulated IVF-ET cycles of the patients. At the time of oocyte collection, COCs were classified into three groups in accordance with their appearance (Group I: oocytes with dispersed cumulus cells; Group II: oocytes with compacted cumulus cells; Group III: oocytes with sparse cumulus cells). The in vitro maturation and blastocyst development rates of the COCs were compared among these groups. From August 2001 to June 2002, 48 IVM/IVF-ET cycles from 42 patients (mean age: $32.4{\pm}3.8$ years) were performed. To prevent the occurrence of OHSS, the patients were primed with 10, 000 IU HCG alone 36 h before oocyte collection without gonadotropin stimulation. Oocytes were aspirated on cycle days from 7 to 13. The normal COCs were classified into three groups according to their appearance. The aspirated immature oocytes were cultured in YS maturation medium containing 30% (v/v) human follicular fluid (HFF), 1 IU/ml FSH, 10 IU/ml HCG and 10 ng/ml rhEGF. Fertilization was induced by intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). All zygotes were co-cultured with cumulus cells in $10{\mu}l$ YS medium containing 10% HFF until day 7 after oocyte collection. Blastocyst transfer was performed on day 5 after ICSI. Results: Th e mean number of oocytes cultured in the IVM/IVF cycles was $24.7{\pm}10.6$. Of 1185 COCs, those assigned to Group I, II and III were 470 (39.7%), 414 (35.0%) and 301 (25.4%), respectively. The maturation rate (94.5%, 444/470, p<0.05) in Group I was significantly higher than those of Group II (62.8%, 260/414) and Group III (73.1%, 220/301). Especially, 30.9% of COCs in Group I (145/470) was matured on the day of oocyte aspiration. There were no differences in the rates of fertilization and cleavage among the three groups. The development rate to the blastocyst stage in Group I (54.6%, 206/377, p<0.05) was also significantly higher than those in Group II (33.0%, 68/206) and Group III (30.1%, 52/173). Twenty-four clinical pregnancies (50.0%) was obtained and 22 pregnancies (45.8%) are ongoing. Implantation rate in the present study was 24.6%. Conclusion: These results suggest that there is a positive correlation between the appearance of COCs and the developmental competence of the immature oocytes in non stimulated IVM/IVF cycles.