title: Recombinant bovine interferon-τ enhances in vitro development of bovine embryos by upregulating expression of connexin 43 and E-cadherin.
abstract: Interferon-τ (IFNT), produced in ruminants by embryonic trophoblastic cells before implantation, is involved in the maternal recognition of pregnancy. It is a pleiotropic molecule that alters the synthesis of endometrial proteins and inhibits the proliferation of some cells. The present study investigated the effects of recombinant bovine IFNT on the development of early-stage bovine embryos and the molecular mechanism underlying this effect. This study demonstrated that expression of mRNA encoding type I IFN receptor subunits was detectable from d 4 to 8 in in vitro fertilized (IVF) bovine embryos. A considerable number of IVF (n = 1,941) and parthenogenetic activated (n = 1,552) bovine embryos demonstrated that supplementing the culture medium with IFNT (100 ng/mL) produced a greater percentage of blastocysts, and the total cell number within the resulting blastocysts was higher. In addition, IFNT upregulated the expression levels of both mRNA and protein for connexin 43 (GJA1) and E-cadherin (CDH1) and expression levels for granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor and insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA but not for their proteins in d 8 embryos. However, IFNT inhibited mRNA expression for leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), LIF receptor α, and the sodium/potassium-transporting ATPase subunit β-1. We concluded that IFNT promoted the development of bovine embryos by upregulating the expression of GJA1 and CDH1. Thus, supplementing embryo cultures or transfer medium with IFNT may stimulate embryo development and improve embryo transfer efficiency.
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Laboratory of Animal Embryonic Biotechnology; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China; Shenzhen Zhongshan Urology Hospital, Assisted Reproductive Technology Center, Shenzhen, 518045, China.
authors.forename: Zhong-Jian
authors.initials: ZJ
authors.lastname: Bao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Laboratory of Animal Embryonic Biotechnology; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Shuan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Laboratory of Animal Embryonic Biotechnology; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China.
authors.forename: Ihtesham Ul
authors.initials: IU
authors.lastname: Haq
authors.affiliation: National Key Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Laboratory of Animal Embryonic Biotechnology; National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding; Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding, and Reproduction of the Ministry of Agriculture, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China. Electronic address: zengsm@cau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shen-Ming
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000378:metabolism; D015820:Cadherins / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology* / Q000502:physiology; D018031:Connexin 43 / Q000378:metabolism*; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000662:veterinary; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology; D015854:Up-Regulation
chemical_list: D015820:Cadherins; D018031:Connexin 43; D007370:Interferon Type I; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C020947:interferon tau
keywords: bovine; embryo development; interferon-τ