title: Superovulation at a specific stage of the estrous cycle determines the reproductive performance in mice.
abstract: Inconsistent reproductive performance has been reported in superovulated mice. Hence, the aim of this study was to analyze the effect and possible mechanism of superovulation timing on mouse reproductive performance. The results showed that mice superovulated at the metestrous (23.08±6.08%) and diestrous stages (33.33±11.45%) presented significantly lower pregnancy rates compared with those superovulated at the estrous stage (66.67±9.20%). After superovulation at the proestrous and estrous stages, mucin 1 (MUC1) and let-7a/let-7b microRNA (miRNA) expression levels were significantly attenuated and enhanced on embryonic day 3.5 (E3.5), respectively, whereas no significant differences in the expression level were found in mice superovulated at the other two stages. A higher number of developing and Graafian follicles was observed in the ovarian sections 48h after the administration of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) at the proestrous and estrous stages. The sections from mice treated at the metestrous and diestrous stages, however, presented more corpora lutea. Therefore, mice superovulated at the proestrous and estrous stages exhibited the best pregnancy rates. Furthermore, the disordered expression of MUC1 and let-7a/let-7b miRNA in mice superovulated at the metestrous and diestrous stages may impair reproduction performance.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan; Faculty of Agriculture, Natural Resource and Environment, Naresuan University, Phitsanulok, 65000, Thailand.
authors.forename: Wilasinee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Inyawilert
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan; Division of Physiology, Livestock Research Institute, Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan, Tainan, 71246, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yu-Jing
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan; Agricultural Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan; Center for the Integrative and Evolutionary Galliformes Genomics, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan. Electronic address: pctang@dragon.nchu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Pin-Chi
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Tang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003338:Corpus Luteum / Q000378:metabolism*; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D051379:Mice; D035683:MicroRNAs / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D013480:Superovulation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D035683:MicroRNAs; D018396:Mucin-1; C542687:mirnlet7 microRNA, mouse
keywords: Mouse; Mucin 1 (MUC1); Pregnancy; Superovulation; microRNA (miRNA)