title: Expression and role of Bcl-2 in rat blastocysts exposed to high D-glucose.
abstract: Bcl-2 mRNA expression was detected in rat blastocysts by in situ hybridization. The distribution of mRNA expression was rather heterogenous, with approximately 2% of high-expressing cells. In vitro exposure to 28 mmol/l D-glucose for 24 h resulted in a significant increase in the proportion of these cells compared with control embryos in either 6 mmol/l D-glucose or 28 mmol/l D+L-glucose. Heterogeneity in the expression of Bcl-2 was also observed at the protein level by immunocytochemistry. Exposure to 28 mmol/l D-glucose significantly increased the incidence of chromatin degradation (karyolysis) and nuclear fragmentation (karyorhexis), two nuclear markers of apoptosis in rat blastocysts. When two different antisense oligodeoxynucleotides designed to block Bcl-2 expression were added to 28 mmol/1 D-glucose, the incidence of karyolysis (but not karyorhexis) was increased compared with embryos in 28 mmol/l D-glucose alone. These data suggest that Bcl-2 is involved in the protective response against the induction of karyolysis in blastocysts on their exposure to high concentrations of D-glucose in vitro, whereas karyorhexis appears to result from the activation of an intracellular pathway that is independent of Bcl-2.
authors.affiliation: Physiology of Human Reproduction Research Unit, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium. pampfer@obst.ucl.ac.be
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pampfer
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cordi
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Vanderheyden
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Van Der Smissen
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Courtoy
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Van Cauwenberge
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Alexandre
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Donnay
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: De Hertogh
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D046508:Culture Techniques; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000494:pharmacology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D005947:Glucose