title: Sphingosine-1-phosphate inhibits ceramide-induced apoptosis during murine preimplantation embryonic development.
abstract: Sphingolipids are a complex family of naturally occurring molecules enriched with lipid rafts that contribute to their unique biochemical properties. Sphingolipid metabolites, including ceramide (Cer) and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), are bioactive signaling molecules that regulate cell movement, differentiation, survival, and apoptosis, but their effects on preimplantation development of murine embryos are not well-characterized. In this study, murine zygotes were collected, cultured in vitro, and treated with 50 μM C2-Cer plus various concentrations of S1P. The blastocyst formation rate was decreased in the C2-Cer-treated group, compared with that in the control group and the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer plus 25, 50, or 100 nM S1P (P < 0.05), respectively. The total cell number of the blastocysts from various treatment groups was similar at 110 hours post-hCG treatment, but that from the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer was significantly decreased at 120 hours post-hCG treatment, compared with the control group and the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer plus 50 nM S1P. However, the apoptotic cell number of blastocysts from the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer was significantly increased at 110 and 120 hours post-hCG treatment, compared with the control group and the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer plus 50 nM S1P. Moreover, expression of p53 in the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer was higher than that in the control group and the group treated with 50 μM C2-Cer plus 50 nM S1P (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Cer decreases the blastocyst formation rate and induces embryonic cell apoptosis, but S1P partly inhibits the effects of Cer during preimplantation development of murine embryos.
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
authors.forename: Lei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guo
authors.forename: Xujing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Geng
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Weisen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.forename: Xianghong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.forename: Leining
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Song
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quan
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D020169:Caspases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects; D008246:Lysophospholipids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D011247:Pregnancy; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D008246:Lysophospholipids; C064769:N-acetylsphingosine; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D016159:Tumor Suppressor Protein p53; C060506:sphingosine 1-phosphate; D020169:Caspases; D013110:Sphingosine
keywords: Apoptosis; Ceramide; Mouse embryo; Preimplantation embryonic development; Sphingosine-1-phosphate