Molecular evaluation of oocyte maturation and use of cytoplasmic transfer to increse oocyte competence of repeat breeder dairy cows

• Grant number: 12/07510-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2012
• End date: July 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Flávio Vieira Meirelles
• Grantee: Roberta Machado Ferreira Saran
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Repeat breeder (RB) cows are defined as animal with subfertility that do not become pregnant even after many services. Its incidence is quite variable, averaging 14%, causing large economic loss. Although studies indicate RB may have a lack of oocyte competence, it is still unclear why these cows become RB and which molecular alterations are related to this syndrome. Recently, reduced number of copies of mitochondrial DNA was associated to reduced blastocyst rate when oocytes where retrieved from RB cows under heat stress and fertilized in vitro. Moreover, traces of the activation of pro-apoptotic mechanisms (greater expression of ITM2B and Bax/Bcl2) and compensatory mechanisms of the mitochondrial function deficiency (greater expression of PPARG, POLG, POLG2 and TFAM) were evidenced. Several other mechanisms may be related to the reduction of oocyte competence of RB cows. The study of the expression of local factors secreted by the oocyte that are essential to control an adequate maturation (i.e. GDF9, BMP15 and FGFs, for example), may be an important step to help the understanding oocyte disruption of RB cows. One of the great challenges that remain in the field of reproductive biology, retarding the creation of new strategies, is the understanding of the nature of the molecular and cellular processes that control oocyte quality. Thus, aiming to improve the understanding of the molecular basis related to reduced oocyte quality of RB cows, and to improve these oocytes competence to develop into blastocysts it is proposed herein: (1) the investigation of the expression of target transcripts (GDF9, BMP15, FGF8, FGF10, FGF16 and FGF17) associated to oocyte maturation of RB cows and (2) the use of cytoplasmic transfer from heifers zygotes to RB zygotes to evaluate its efficiency to improve the competence to develop into blastocyst of the receptor oocytes. Hence, this research goal is to better understand the extension of the molecular alteration and to establish a possible therapy to overcome the fertility problems of RB cows. (AU)

Scientific publications

(5)

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

FERREIRA, ROBERTA MACHADO; CHIARATTI, MARCOS ROBERTO; MACABELLI, CAROLINA HABERMANN; RODRIGUES, CARLOS ALBERTO; FERRAZ, MARCIO LEAO; WATANABE, YEDA FUMIE; SMITH, LAWRENCE CHARLES; MEIRELLES, FLAVIO VIEIRA; BARUSELLI, PIETRO SAMPAIO. The Infertility of Repeat-Breeder Cows During Summer Is Associated with Decreased Mitochondrial DNA and Increased Expression of Mitochondrial and Apoptotic Genes in Oocytes. BIOLOGY OF REPRODUCTION, v. 94, n. 3, MAR 1 2016. (09/00938-3, 10/13384-3, 11/14207-0, 10/09561-7, 12/07510-1)

FERREIRA, R. M.; CONTI, T. L.; GONCALVES, R. L.; SOUTO, L. A.; SALES, J. N. S.; SA FILHO, M. F.; ELLIFF, F. M.; BARUSELLI, P. S.. Synchronization treatments previous to natural breeding anticipate and improve the pregnancy rate of postpartum primiparous beef cows. Theriogenology, v. 114, p. 206-211, JUL 1 2018. (12/07510-1)

MACABELLI, CAROLINA HABERMANN; FERREIRA, ROBERTA MACHADO; GIMENES, LINDSAY UNNO; TONIZZA DE CARVALHO, NELCIO ANTONIO; SOARES, JULIA GLEYCI; AYRES, HENDERSON; FERRAZ, MARCIO LEAO; WATANABE, YEDA FUMIE; WATANABE, OSNIR YOSHIME; SANGALLI, JULIANO RODRIGUES; et al. Reference Gene Selection for Gene Expression Analysis of Oocytes Collected from Dairy Cattle and Buffaloes during Winter and Summer. PLoS One, v. 9, n. 3, MAR 27 2014. (09/00938-3, 10/13384-3, 11/14207-0, 10/09561-7, 12/07510-1)

FERREIRA, R. M.; AYRES, H.; GIMENES, L. U.; TORRES, F. P.; LIMA, F. A.; VERAS, M. B.; GUIDA, T. G.; SALA, R. V.; BARUSELLI, P. S.. Inducing ovulation with oestradiol cypionate allows flexibility in the timing of insemination and removes the need for gonadotrophin-releasing hormone in timed AI protocols for dairy cows. REPRODUCTION FERTILITY AND DEVELOPMENT, v. 29, n. 3, p. 468-475, 2017. (09/00938-3, 12/07510-1)

BARUSELLI, PIETRO S.; FERREIRA, ROBERTA M.; VIEIRA, LAIS M.; SOUZA, ALEXANDRE H.; BO, GABRIEL A.; RODRIGUES, CARLOS A.. Use of embryo transfer to alleviate infertility caused by heat stress. Theriogenology, v. 155, p. 1-11, OCT 1 2020. (09/00938-3, 12/07510-1)