Fetal bovine serum influences apoptosis and apoptosis-related gene expression in porcine parthenotes developing in vitro.
This study was conducted to determine the effects of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), fetal bovine serum (FBS) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) on blastocoel formation, total cell number, apoptosis and Bcl-xL and Bak gene expression in porcine presumptive diploid parthenotes developing in vitro. The addition of 0.4% BSA to the culture medium enhanced the development of 2-cell or late 4-cell stage parthenotes to the blastocyst stage (P < 0.01) while FBS decreased the incidence of blastocoel formation. FBS also reduced the frequency of blastocysts developed from both 2-cell (P < 0.001) and late 4-cell (P < 0.05) embryos and increased the percentage of blastocysts undergoing apoptosis (P < 0.001). The relative abundance of Bcl-xL mRNA in presumptive diploid parthenotes in the control, PVA- and BSA-supplemented medium was similar to that of in vivo-derived embryos, but was significantly higher than in parthenotes cultured with FBS supplement (P < 0.05). Bak mRNA significantly increased at the blastocyst stage in FBS-supplemented cells (P < 0.01). These results suggest that apoptosis-related gene expression is significantly affected by FBS, and that this may result in alteration of apoptosis and embryo viability of porcine embryos developing in vitro.
Cui
Xiang-Shun
XS
Department of Animal Sciences, Research Center for Bioresource and Health, Chungbuk National University, Gaesin-dong, Cheongju, Chungbuk, 361-763, South Korea.
Jeong
Yu-Jeong
YJ
Lee
Hwa-Young
HY
Cheon
Sun-Hong
SH
Kim
Nam-Hyung
NH
D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D002417:Cattle; D002455:Cell Division; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005312:Fetal Blood; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol / Q000494:pharmacology; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000032:analysis; D013552:Swine; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein
D008565:Membrane Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050998:bcl-2 Homologous Antagonist-Killer Protein; D051020:bcl-X Protein; D011142:Polyvinyl Alcohol