This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Supplementary Tables All Versions of this Article: 137/4/679    most recent REP-08-0405v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Lloyd, R. E Articles by Coy, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Lloyd, R. E Articles by Coy, P.

Effects of oviductal fluid on the development, quality, and gene expression of porcine blastocysts produced in vitro

Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London, Regent's Park, London NW1 4RY, UK¹ Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia 30071, Spain² Department of Animal Reproduction and Zoogenetic Resources Conservation, INIA, Ctra. de la Coruña Km 5.9, Madrid 28040, Spain

Correspondence should be addressed to P Coy who is now at Departamento de Fisiología, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de Murcia, Murcia 30071, Spain; Email: pcoy{at}um.es

In mammals, fertilization and early pre-implantation development occur in the oviduct. Previous results obtained in our laboratory have identified specific molecules in the oviduct that affect porcine sperm–egg interactions. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the contact between oocytes and oviductal fluid also affect embryo development, quality, and gene expression. In vitro matured porcine oocytes were exposed to bovine oviductal fluid (bOF) for 30 min prior to fertilization. Cleavage and blastocyst development rates were significantly higher from bOF-treated oocytes than from untreated oocytes. Blastocysts obtained from bOF-treated oocytes had significantly greater total cell numbers than those obtained from untreated oocytes. Using real-time PCR, grade 1 (very good morphological quality) and grade 2 (good morphological quality) blastocysts were analyzed for gene transcripts related to apoptosis (BAX, BCL2L1), mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) transcription/replication (POLG, POLG2, and TFAM), blastomere connection and morula compaction (GJA1), and blastocyst formation and pluripotency (POU5F1). We found that the entire set of genes analyzed was differentially expressed between grade 1 and 2 blastocysts. Furthermore, bOF treatment reduced the ratio of BAX to BCL2L1 transcripts and enhanced the abundance of TFAM transcripts in grade 2 blastocysts. Not only do these findings demonstrate that factors within the bOF act on porcine oocytes both quickly and positively, but they also suggest that such factors could promote embryo development and quality by protecting them against adverse impacts on mtDNA transcription/replication and apoptosis induced by the culture environment.