title: The effects of 2,4-dinitrophenol and d-glucose concentration on the development, sex ratio, and interferon-tau (IFNT) production of bovine blastocysts.
abstract: The preimplantation bovine embryo displays sexual dimorphism in glucose sensitivity and interferon-tau (IFNT) secretion that are negated by inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway, suggesting that the association between glucose metabolism and IFNT likely underpins the selective loss of female embryos. The aim of this study was to determine if altered glucose metabolism, through glucose supplementation and/or uncoupling oxidative phosphorylation with 2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP), affected embryo development. Bovine blastocyst development, sex, and IFNT production were examined in embryos cultured in the presence or absence of glucose (0, 1.5, 4 mM) with or without exposure to DNP (0, 10, 100 μM) between Days 5 and 8 post-fertilization. The absence or presence of high (4 mM) glucose reduced blastocyst development and favored the development of male embryos (P < 0.001). DNP at 10 μM had no effect, whereas 100 μM had a negative impact on blastocyst development. Notably, in the presence or even absence of glucose, supplementation with 10 μM DNP further skewed the sex ratio toward males (P < 0.05). Sexually dimorphic IFNT production was maintained in these conditions, although total production was reduced in the presence of high glucose and DNP, irrespective of embryo sex. These data suggest that the pentose phosphate pathway can modulate embryonic sex ratio and development. Therefore, bovine embryo culture should be undertaken in a low glucose (<2.5 mM) medium to minimize potential embryonic stress, as higher concentrations have sexually dimorphic effects on development and an embryo's ability to signal to the maternal reproductive tract.
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
authors.forename: Mark P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Green
authors.affiliation: School of BioSciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia.
authors.forename: Alexandra J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Harvey
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.
authors.forename: Lee D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Spate
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.|Reproductive Physiology Laboratory, National Institute of Livestock and Grassland Science, 768 Senbonmatsu Nishinasuno, Tochigi, Japan.
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, University of Adelaide and ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, Adelaide, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeremy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri.|240b Christopher S. Bond Life Sciences Center, Columbia, Missouri.
authors.forename: R Michael
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005947:Glucose / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D012733:Sex Differentiation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012744:Sex Ratio
chemical_list: D007370:Interferon Type I; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; C020947:interferon tau; D005947:Glucose; D019297:2,4-Dinitrophenol