title: Epigenetic Modification of Cloned Embryos Improves Nanog Reprogramming in Pigs.
abstract: Incomplete reprogramming of pluripotent genes in cloned embryos is associated with low cloning efficiency. Epigenetic modification agents have been shown to enhance the developmental competence of cloned embryos; however, the effect of the epigenetic modification agents on pluripotent gene reprogramming remains unclear. Here, we investigated Nanog reprogramming and the expression patterns of pluripotent transcription factors during early embryo development in pigs. We found that compared with fertilized embryos, cloned embryos displayed higher methylation in the promoter and 5'-untranslated region and lower methylation in the first exon of Nanog. When 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) or trichostatin A (TSA) enhanced the development of porcine cloned embryos, Nanog methylation reprogramming was also improved, similar to that detected in fertilized counterparts. Furthermore, our results showed that the epigenetic modification agents improved the expression levels of Oct4 and Sox2 and effectively promoted Nanog transcription in cloned embryos. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that the epigenetic modification agent 5-aza-dC or TSA improved Nanog methylation reprogramming and the expression patterns of pluripotent transcription factors, thereby resulting in the enhanced expression of Nanog and high development of porcine cloned embryos. This work has important implications in the improvement of cloning efficiency.
authors.affiliation: 1 Dairy Cattle Research Center , Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250010, China .|2 College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150030, China .
authors.forename: Yanjun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Huan
authors.affiliation: 1 Dairy Cattle Research Center , Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250010, China .
authors.forename: Hongmei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: 3 Shouguang City Hospital of Chinese medicine , Weifang, Shandong Province, 262700, China .
authors.forename: Zhanfeng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: 3 Shouguang City Hospital of Chinese medicine , Weifang, Shandong Province, 262700, China .
authors.forename: Jiguang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150030, China .
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.affiliation: 2 College of Life Science, Northeast Agricultural University , Haerbin, Heilongjiang Province, 150030, China .
authors.forename: Zhonghua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: 1 Dairy Cattle Research Center , Shandong Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinan, Shandong Province, 250010, China .
authors.forename: Hongbin
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: He
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D065150:Cellular Reprogramming; D019976:Cloning, Organism / Q000379:methods*; D019175:DNA Methylation; D000077209:Decitabine; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D018398:Homeodomain Proteins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D014157:Transcription Factors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D018398:Homeodomain Proteins; D006877:Hydroxamic Acids; D014157:Transcription Factors; C012589:trichostatin A; D000077209:Decitabine; D001374:Azacitidine