title: Interaction between differential gene expression profile and phenotype in bovine blastocysts originating from oocytes exposed to elevated non-esterified fatty acid concentrations.
abstract: Maternal metabolic disorders linked to lipolysis are major risk factors for reproductive failure. A notable feature of such disorders is increased non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations in the blood, which are reflected in the ovarian follicular fluid. Elevated NEFA concentrations impact on the maturing oocyte and even alter subsequent embryo physiology. The aetiological mechanisms have not been fully elucidated. Therefore, in the present study, bovine in vitro maturing cumulus-oocyte complexes were exposed (24 h) to three different maturation treatments containing: (1) physiological (72 µM) NEFA concentrations (=control); (2) elevated (75 µM) stearic acid (SA) concentrations (=HIGH SA); and (3) elevated (425 µM) NEFA concentrations (=HIGH COMBI). Zygotes were fertilised and cultured following standard procedures. Transcriptomic analyses in resulting Day 7.5 blastocysts revealed that the major pathways affected are related to lipid and carbohydrate metabolism in HIGH COMBI embryos and to lipid metabolism and cell death in HIGH SA embryos. Furthermore, lower glutathione content and a reduced number of lipid droplets per cell were observed in HIGH SA-exposed oocytes and resulting morulae, respectively, compared with their HIGH COMBI-exposed counterparts. Vitrified embryos originating from HIGH SA-exposed oocytes tended to exhibit lower survival rates compared with controls. These data suggest possible mechanisms explaining why females across species suffering lipolytic disorders experience difficulties in conceiving.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Van Hoeck
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproducción Animal y Conservación de Recursos Zoogenéticos, INIA, Ctra. de la Coruna Km 5.9, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rizos
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproducción Animal y Conservación de Recursos Zoogenéticos, INIA, Ctra. de la Coruna Km 5.9, 28040 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutierrez-Adan
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Pintelon
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jorssen
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences Animales Pavillon des services, INAF, Université Laval, G1V 0A6 Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dufort
authors.affiliation: Département des Sciences Animales Pavillon des services, INAF, Université Laval, G1V 0A6 Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sirard
authors.affiliation: Departement Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verlaet
authors.affiliation: Departement Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hermans
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: P E J
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Bols
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Biomedical, Pharmaceutical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
authors.forename: J L M R
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Leroy
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling / Q000662:veterinary; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects*; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D046228:Microarray Analysis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects*; D010641:Phenotype; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013229:Stearic Acids
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D013229:Stearic Acids; C031183:stearic acid