Developmental Outcome and Related Abnormalities in Goats: Comparison Between Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer- and In Vivo-Derived Concepti During Pregnancy Through Term

• Published in: Cellular reprogramming Vol. 18; no. 4; p. 264
• Main Authors: Martins, Leonardo Tondello, Neto, Saul Gaudêncio, Tavares, Kaio César Simiano, Calderón, Carlos Enrique Méndez, Aguiar, Luis Henrique, Lazzarotto, Cícera Regina, Ongaratto, Felipe Ledur, Rodrigues, Victor Hugo Vieira, Carneiro, Igor de Sá, Rossetto, Rafael, Almeida, Anderson Pinto, Fernandes, César Carneiro Linhares, Rondina, Davide, Dias, Ana Christina Oliveira, Chies, Jocelei Maria, Polejaeva, Irina A, Rodrigues, José Luiz, Forell, Fabiana, Bertolini, Luciana Relly, Bertolini, Marcelo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.08.2016
• Subjects: Animals; Animals, Genetically Modified - genetics; Animals, Genetically Modified - growth & development; Animals, Newborn; Embryo Transfer - veterinary; Embryonic Development; Female; Fibroblasts - cytology; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Goats; Nuclear Transfer Techniques - veterinary; Oocytes - cytology; Oocytes - metabolism; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Rate; Term Birth
• ISSN: 2152-4998
• DOI: 10.1089/cell.2015.0082

Cloning by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is characterized by low efficiency and the occurrence of developmental abnormalities, which are rather poorly studied phenomena in goats. This study aimed at comparing overall SCNT efficiency in goats by using in vitro-matured (IVM) or in vivo-matured oocytes and fibroblast donor cells (mock transfected, transgenic, or wild type), also characterizing symptoms of the Abnormal Offspring Syndrome (AOS) in development, comparing results with pregnancies produced by artificial insemination (AI) and in vivo-derived (IVD) embryos. The SCNT group had lower pregnancy rate (18.3%, 11/60), total number of concepti (20.0%, 12/60), term births (3.3%, 2/60), and live births (1.7%, 1/60) than both the IVD (77.8%, 7/9; 155.5%, 14/9; 122.2%, 11/9; 88.8%, 8/9) and the AI (71.4%, 10/14; 121.4%, 17/14; 100%, 14/14; 78.5%, 11/14) groups, respectively (p < 0.05). No SCNT pregnancies reached term using IVM oocytes, but in vivo-matured oocytes resulted in two term transgenic cloned kids. The proportion fetal membrane (FM) weight/birth weight reflected an increase in FM size and cotyledonary enlargement in clones, for disproportionally bigger newborns in relation to cotyledonary numbers. Overall, goat cloning showed losses and abnormality patterns similar to the AOS in cloned cattle and sheep, which have not been previously well recognized in goats.