小鼠电激活孤雌胚胎早期体内外发育能力的比较

目的探讨小鼠电激活孤雌胚胎的早期体内、外发育能力。方法 利用不同电脉冲参数和激活液对小鼠卵母细胞进行活化,观察激活后的小鼠孤雌胚体外发育状况和移植后的发育能力。结果非电解质激活液优于电解质液,脉冲强度、脉冲宽度和脉冲次数3个参数各自处于某一范围内时,他们之间存在某种相关性,降低其中1个参数可通过升高另外2个参数得到补偿,经筛选较适宜的电脉冲参数为：1.0 kV/cm、40μs、2 p,或者1.5kV/cm、30/μs、2 p,分别为74.65%和71.19%,体外囊胚发育率分别为43.40%和47.62%。电激活孤雌胚体外发育时序比正常胚胎慢,但囊胚细胞数与对照组差异不显著。它们经胚胎移植后,其中的一部分能够着床,但着床率仅为3.6%,极显著低于对照组（67%,P〈0.01）。结论电刺激能够较好地模拟正常受精过程激活小鼠卵母细胞,但激活后的多数小鼠孤雌胚胎着床能力较低,不能够顺利着床。     

腺病毒E4启动子结合蛋白-4(E4BP4)基因在小鼠胚胎着床期间子宫组织中的表达

腺病毒E4启动子结合蛋白-4(E4BP4)是哺乳动物细胞核内的一种碱性亮氨酸拉链(bZIP)型转录因子,参与调控细胞的存活和增殖。前期研究表明,它在孕第5天的小鼠着床位点有明显的高表达。本文分别应用Northem blot、in situ杂交、Western blot和免疫组织化学技术,对E4BP4基因在小鼠妊娠初始期子宫、着床期胚胎着床位点和非着床位点的表达情况进行了研究。观察发现：在小鼠妊娠初始期,E4BP4基因在子宫组织中的表达逐步上调;至胚胎着床期间,其在胚胎着床位点的表达水平进一步提高,并明显高于非着床位点;该基因的表达不依赖于胚胎,人工蜕膜化可诱导其表达：E4BP4 mRNA和E4BP4蛋白分子都主要分布于子宫腔周围的基质细胞和蜕膜细胞。上述结果提示E4BP4基因可能通过促进着床位点基质细胞的增殖和抑制蜕膜细胞的凋亡而参与胚胎着床过程的调控。     

同源盒基因Msx及其在胚胎着床中的作用

Msx(muscle segment homeobox)基因的编码产物Msx蛋白质属于抑制性转录因子,参与多种生物学调控过程,如调控细胞的增殖与凋亡等。近期研究表明,Msx基因在胚胎着床中表达并发挥重要作用,Msx基因在胚胎着床的不同时间和空间特异性表达,从而调控胚胎着床。目前发现,Msx基因通过负向调节Wnt5a(Wnt family member 5a)来控制着床过程。Msx基因在控制胚胎滞育和再次激活胚胎着床过程中起到一个保守的分子开关作用。该文叙述Msx基因的分子生物学特征及其在体内特异性调控靶基因的机制,并探讨其主要生物学功能以及着重介绍其在胚胎着床及胚胎滞育中的作用和可能的潜在机制。     

猪克隆胚胎激活方法优化与转人溶菌酶基因克隆猪的生产

为了提高转基因克隆效率和获得转人溶菌酶基因克隆猪,研究了不同电激活参数和化学辅助激活方法对猪克隆胚胎和孤雌胚胎体外发育的影响.结果发现:电场强度会显著影响克隆胚胎的融合率和体外发育能力(P<0.05),电脉冲次数对克隆胚胎体外发育促进作用不显著(P>0.05),而相同电激活条件下克隆胚胎和孤雌胚胎的体外发育能力变化趋势不同;电激活后再利用放线菌酮+细胞松弛素B(CHX+CB)处理4 h能显著提高克隆胚胎的囊胚率(P<0.05),而用二甲基氨基嘌呤(6-DMAP)处理没有提高克隆胚胎囊胚率(P>0.05),但6-DMAP或CHX+CB处理均可显著提高孤雌胚胎的囊胚率(P<0.05).上述结果表明,最佳的孤雌激活条件并不一定是克隆胚胎的最佳激活条件.本研究中猪克隆胚胎的最佳激活方法为1.6 kV/cm、100μs、2次直流电脉冲间隔100μs,再辅以CHX+CB处理4 h.利用优化的激活条件成功获得了乳腺特异表达人溶菌酶的转基因猪,为猪转基因育种奠定了基础.     

体外受精和孤雌活化过程中小鼠胚胎细胞骨架的动态变化

为研究微管在体外受精与孤雌活化过程中的动态变化,本实验比较了体外受精胚胎、SrCl2激活的孤雌胚胎和体内受精的原核期胚胎在体外发育的情况,采用免疫荧光化学与激光共聚焦显微术检测卵母细胞孤雌活化过程中及体外受精后微管及核的动态变化,以分析微管在减数分裂过程中的作用及其对早期发育的影响.结果显示,体内受精胚胎的发育率显著高于体外受精和孤雌激活胚胎体外发育率(P<0.05),而体外受精与孤雌激活胚胎在各阶段发育率差异均不显著.在体外受精中,精子入卵,激活卵母细胞,减数分裂恢复,纺锤丝牵拉赤道板卜致密排列的母源染色体向纺锤体两侧迁移;后期将染色体拉向两极;末期时,微管分布于两组已去凝集的母源染色体之间,卵母细胞排出第二极体(the second polarbody,Pb2),解聚的母源染色体形成雌原核.同时,在受精后5～8 h精子染色质发生去浓缩与再浓缩,形成雄原核.在原核形成的同时,胞质星体在雌、雄原核的周围重组形成长的微管,负责雌、雄原核的迁移靠近.孤雌活化过程中,卵母细胞恢复减数分裂,姐妹染色单体分离,被拉向两极,经细胞松弛素B处理后,活化4～6 h,卵周隙中未见Pb2,而在胞质中出现两个混合的单倍体原核,之间由微管相连接,负责两个单倍体原核的迁移靠近.与体外受精相比较,孤雌活化时卵母细胞更容易被激活,减数分裂期间微管的发育早且更完善.     

IK细胞因子在小鼠早孕期子宫内膜的表达规律及其在胚胎着床中的作用

通过Real-time PCR、Western blot及免疫组织化学方法分析了IK细胞因子(IK cytokine)在早孕小鼠(妊娠D1~D7)子宫内膜中的表达规律及宫角注射IK细胞因子反义寡聚脱氧核苷酸后对胚胎着床的影响。结果显示,IK细胞因子mRNA表达在D1~D4逐渐升高,于D4达到高峰(P<0.05);Western blot和免疫组织化学结果与Real-time PCR结果基本一致,其蛋白表达在D1~D5逐渐升高,于D5达到高峰(P<0.05);IK细胞因子在D5胚胎着床点的表达显著高于着床旁组织;假孕小鼠子宫内膜IK细胞因子蛋白表达明显低于正常妊娠,且整个假孕过程中没有表达高峰;宫角注射IK细胞因子反义寡聚脱氧核苷酸后24 h和48 h(即D4和D5)子宫内膜IK细胞因子表达明显受到抑制,MHCⅡ抗原表达增强,且胚胎着床数量明显减少(P<0.05),提示IK细胞因子在胚胎着床中发挥着重要作用。     

小鼠孤雌胚胎干细胞的建立及其向运动神经元分化的初探

文章采用小鼠的孤雌囊胚建立胚胎干细胞系,探究其向运动神经元分化的可能,为临床治疗以及研究基因组印记与神经分化的的关系提供理论基础。结果表明:卵母细胞孤雌激活率达到93.26%,成功建立了8个孤雌胚胎干细胞系,建系率达到23.53%。克隆表达多潜能标记Oct4及细胞表面标记SSEA-1,有高水平的碱性磷酸酶活性,在细胞第10代和第30代时核型分析检测显示为正常的40条染色体。体内、外均分化出三胚层来源的细胞。联合应用全反式维甲酸(RA)、音猬因子(Shh)及细胞外基质,小鼠孤雌胚胎干细胞可被诱导表达运动神经元的标志性标记HB9、Olig2。     

降钙素对胚胎着床的影响机理

降钙素(calcitonin,CT)是甲状腺滤泡旁细胞分泌的一种含有32个氨基酸残基的肽类激素,是动物体内重要的调节钙磷代谢的内分泌因子。近年来的研究发现CT在胚胎着床过程中起着重要的作用。胚胎着床涉及到母体子宫和胚胎之间的复杂而精确的调控。在孕激素作用下,围着床期子宫内膜表达CT,CT与其膜受体结合后可激活腺苷酸环化酶(adenylate cyclase,AC)和磷脂酶(Cphospholipase C,PLC)等激酶的活性,促进细胞外Ca2 内流,从而促使子宫内膜和胚胎发生一系列的变化,有利于胚胎的植入。     

小鼠孤雌胚与体内正常胚H3K27三甲基化模式的差异

为了考察小鼠(Mus musculus)孤雌激活胚胎H3K27三甲基化模式与体内正常胚胎之间的差异,以及曲古抑菌素A(TSA)对孤雌胚H3K27三甲基化水平的影响,探究表观遗传修饰对孤雌胚胎发育的作用。首先,用H3K27me3特异性抗体对MⅡ期卵母细胞染色,利用激光共聚焦对其荧光强度进行检测,结果发现该时期的甲基化荧光强度相对较低。接着,采用同样的方法对小鼠孤雌胚胎和体内正常胚胎植入前各时期的H3K27me3模式进行比较,结果显示,从2-细胞到囊胚期孤雌组呈现逐渐升高的趋势,与体内组变化趋势完全相反,且总体平均荧光强度较体内组普遍偏低。孤雌胚胎经TSA处理后,处理组和未处理组在前三个时期虽然没有显著性差异(P0.05),但是处理之后的H3K27三甲基化水平有所提高,囊胚期与未处理组相比有显著性差异(P0.05)。以上结果表明,小鼠孤雌胚胎的H3K27三甲基化模式与体内胚胎之间存在着巨大的差异,这可能是造成孤雌胚胎发育能力差的重要原因之一。TSA处理对H3K27me3模式造成了一定的影响,使体外培养环境有所改善,这可能对提高孤雌胚胎发育能力具有一定的意义。     

影响小鼠孤雌胚胎干细胞的建系效率因素初探

目的检测孤雌胚胎干细胞系的建系效率与小鼠品系以及培养体系的关系。方法将小鼠MⅡ期卵子孤雌激活发育至囊胚,然后从囊胚内细胞团分离孤雌胚胎干细胞。结果杂交和近交系小鼠的建系效率没有显著差异,建系的培养体系中加入ERK抑制剂或者采用血清替代品KSR时,建系效率显著提高。结论小鼠孤雌胚胎干细胞的建系效率与小鼠的遗传背景并没有直接关系,而与分离内细胞团的培养体系密切相关。     

胶原酶-3活性在大鼠动情周期及胚泡着床中的变化(英文)

大鼠动情周期以及胚胎着床过程中,子宫内膜会发生结缔组织的降解与重构。胶原酶3（MMP－13）是降解纤维类胶原的主要蛋白水解酶类之一。其活性在这些过程中的变化值得研究。采用液体闪烁计数测定~3H标记胶原的方法,对大鼠动情周期及早期妊娠子宫中胶原酶-3（MMP－13）的活性进行了测定。结果表明：在动情周期中;激活型MMP－13在间情期最低,酶原型及激活型的MMP－13在动前期达高峰,动情后期酶原型和激活型MMP也明显高于间情期（P＜0.05）（Fig．1）。妊娠第1、2天酶原型的MMP-13的活性显著高于第3～7天,第3、4天酶原型和激活型MMP-13的活性均低于妊娠第1、2天（P＜0.05）;而第5天酶原型MMP-13的活性却显著高于第4、6两天（P＜0．05）;激活型MMP－13的活性也高于第4天（P＜0．05）（Fig．2）。着床部位酶原型MMP－13的活性明显高于非着床部位（P＜0．05）,而激活型MMP－13的活性则无明显差异（P＞0．05）（Fig．3）。大鼠假孕早期子宫中MMP－13的活性变化与正常早期妊娠相似,但其活性却明显低于正常早期妊娠（Fig．4）。结果提示：大鼠子宫中MMP-13参与大鼠动情周期及早期妊娠过程,尤其是在胚胎着床过程中可能起着重要作用。     

Caveolin-1在围植入期小鼠子宫内膜组织中的动态变化

目的检测caveolin-1在胚胎植入过程中小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达,探讨其在胚胎植入过程中的作用。方法选择成年雌性昆明小白鼠42只,随机均分为7组(处于动情期的未孕组、妊娠3.5天组、妊娠4.5天组、妊娠5.5天组、妊娠6.5天组、妊娠7.5天组、妊娠9天组),采用免疫组织化学和RT-PCR方法检测子宫内膜组织中caveolin-1蛋白及mRNA水平在围植入期的变化。结果 (1)caveolin-1在胚胎植入前期(0d、3.5d)小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达高于胚胎植入期(4.5d、5.5d、6.5d),差异有显著性(P<0.05)。(2)caveolin-1在胚胎植入后期(7.5d、9d)小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达高于胚胎植入期(4.5d、5.5d、6.5d),差异有显著性(P<0.05)。(3)caveolin-1在胚胎植入后期小鼠子宫内膜组织中的表达略高于胚胎植入前期,但差异无显著性(P>0.05)。结论 Caveolin-1在胚胎植入前期和后期均高表达,植入期低表达。这种变化提示caveolin-1是影响胚胎植入的重要因素之一。     

Identification of monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor beta (mNSFbeta) as one of the genes differentially expressed at implantation sites compared to interimplantation sites in the mouse uterus

Successful implantation requires synchronous development of and active dialogue between the maternal endometrium and the implanting blastocyst. While it is well established that appropriate maternal steroid hormones are essential for endometrial preparation for implantation, the molecular events at the actual site of implantation are still little understood. The aims of our studies were to identify genes explicitly expressed or repressed at the sites of implantation by utilising RNA differential display (DDPCR), and to establish the roles of these genes in the implantation process in a mouse model. Ten bands unique in implantation sites compared to interimplantation sites were identified by DDPCR and subsequently confirmed by Northern blotting. One of these bands contained a cDNA fragment that was highly homologous to mouse monoclonal nonspecific suppressor factor beta (MNSFbeta) or Fau. The full cDNA sequence of this gene, obtained by screening a lambdagt11 cDNA library, was essentially the same as MNSFbeta, except that it had much longer 5' untranslated region. Interestingly, both Northern and immunohistochemical analysis showed that the expression of this gene was much lower in implantation sites compared to interimplantation sites on day 4.5 of pregnancy, when embryos first attach to the uterus and initiate implantation, and on day 5.5, when implantation has advanced. These results suggest a role for MNSF during implantation and early pregnancy, possibly through regulating the proliferation and/or differentiation of uterine stromal cells. It may also be involved in the selective production of TH2-type cytokines in implantation sites to regulate the immune system at the maternal-fetal interface.     

Differential expression of prostaglandin E receptor subtype EP2 in rat uterus during early pregnancy

PGE2 is essential for mammalian female reproduction. This study was to examine the expression of EP2 gene in the rat uterus during early pregnancy, delayed implantation and artificial decidualization by in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry. There was no detectable EP2 mRNA expression in the uterus from days 1 to 4 of pregnancy (day 1 = day of vaginal sperm). A low level of EP2 immunostaining was observed in the luminal and glandular epithelium from days 1 to 4 of pregnancy. Both EP2 mRNA and protein expression were highly detected in the luminal epithelium at implantation sites on day 6 of pregnancy. EP2 expression decreased from day 7 of pregnancy and was undetectable on days 8 and 9 of pregnancy. After delayed implantation was terminated by estrogen treatment and the embryo implanted, both EP2 mRNA and protein expression were strongly observed in the luminal epithelium at the implantation site. There was no detectable EP2 expression in both control and decidualized uteri. In conclusion, these data suggest that EP2 expression at implantation site may play an important role during embryo implantation in rats.     

Enhancement of maternal recognition of pregnancy with parthenogenetic embryos in bovine embryo transfer

This study was performed to elucidate the changes in IFNT messenger RNA (mRNA) levels in in vivo–fertilized and parthenogenetic bovine embryos and their interferon-τ (IFNT) secretion amounts during the elongation phase. We assessed the induction capability of maternal recognition of pregnancy by parthenogenetic embryos and attempted cotransfer of in vivo–fertilized and parthenogenetic embryos. The expression level of IFNT mRNA in in vivo–fertilized embryos peaked on Day 18 after estrus, and the highest amount of uterine IFNT was observed on Day 20. Transfer of 10 parthenogenetic embryos produced a detectable amount of uterine IFNT. Transfer of one or three parthenogenetic embryos inhibited luteolysis. An increase in ISG15 mRNA levels in peripheral granulocytes was induced by the transfer of three parthenogenetic embryos. Cotransfer of three parthenogenetic embryos significantly improved the pregnancy rate on Day 40 in code 3 in vivo–fertilized embryos compared with single transfer without parthenogenetic embryos (65% vs. 35%). However, the pregnancy rate on Day 90 (35%) in cotransfer of code 3 in vivo–fertilized embryos did not differ from that upon single transfer (29%), because the cotransfer group had a higher incidence of pregnancy loss than with single transfer (47% vs. 17%) after Day 40. Cotransfer did not affect the pregnancy rate of code 2 in vivo–fertilized embryos. The incidence of pregnancy loss was higher in cotransfer of code 2 in vivo–fertilized embryos than in single transfer (30% vs. 7%). In conclusion, parthenogenetic embryos in the elongation phase secreted IFNT, enabling induction of maternal recognition of pregnancy. The present study revealed that enhancement of the maternal recognition of pregnancy using parthenogenetic embryos promoted the viability of poor-quality embryos until Day 40 of gestation. However, the incidence of pregnancy loss increased after Day 40 in the cotransfer of parthenogenetic embryos. A technique for promoting the full-term survival of poor-quality embryos is needed.