Expression of FGF4 mRNA is mediated by mating behaviours in mice
In mammals, breeding is preceded by species‐specific mating behaviours. In this study, we investigated whether parthenogenetic embryo quality could be improved by mating behaviours in mice. To investigate this hypothesis, female mice were mated with vasectomized Kunming white male mice after superov...
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Published in | Cell biochemistry and function Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 526 - 531 |
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Main Authors | , , , , , , , , |
Format | Journal Article |
Language | English |
Published |
England
Blackwell Publishing Ltd
01.08.2013
Wiley Subscription Services, Inc |
Subjects | |
Online Access | Get full text |
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Summary: | In mammals, breeding is preceded by species‐specific mating behaviours. In this study, we investigated whether parthenogenetic embryo quality could be improved by mating behaviours in mice. To investigate this hypothesis, female mice were mated with vasectomized Kunming white male mice after superovulation. Oocytes were collected and counted at 16 h after superovulation. The oocytes were then artificially activated by medium containing 10 mM strontium chloride and 5 µg/ml cytochalasin B. Blastocysts were obtained by cultivating activated oocytes in vitro. Expression levels of reprogramming transcription factors (i.e. Oct4, Sox2, Klf4 and c‐Myc) in oocytes, apoptosis‐related genes (i.e. Bax, Bcl2 and c‐Myc) in cumulus cells and pluripotency‐related transcription factors (i.e. Oct4, Nanog and FGF4) in blastocysts were analysed in samples collected from mated and unmated mice. Additionally, developmental competence of parthenogenetic embryos was used to assess following fibroblast growth factor 4 (FGF4) treatment. The results showed that the formation rate of blastocysts in unmated mice was significantly higher than that in mated mice (p < 0.05). Embryo development was primarily blocked at the eight‐cell stage in mated mice; however, the blastocyst formation rate did not differ significantly between groups after the addition of 25 ng/ml FGF4 to the medium at the four‐cell stage (p > 0.05). Moreover, the expression of the reprogramming factor Sox2 was significantly different in oocytes collected from mated versus unmated mice. Taken together, our results demonstrated that mating behaviours influenced embryonic development in vitro by decreasing FGF4 expression. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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Bibliography: | Key Laboratory Funding at Northwestern University, Shaanxi, China ark:/67375/WNG-Q7W1L0VG-1 Research Foundation of Education Bureau of Shaanxi Province, China ArticleID:CBF2931 National Natural Science Foundation of China - No. 30900155; No. 81070496; No. 09JK785 istex:8501F0F071EA788F3A55D48BD08E78FE98BC5851 ObjectType-Article-1 SourceType-Scholarly Journals-1 ObjectType-Feature-2 content type line 23 |
ISSN: | 0263-6484 1099-0844 |
DOI: | 10.1002/cbf.2931 |