Profile of microRNAs present in semen and embryos and their relationship to fertility

• Grant number: 15/09154-6
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): January 01, 2016
• Effective date (End): October 31, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Eneiva Carla Carvalho Celeghini
• Grantee: Maíra Bianchi Rodrigues Alves
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 16/23243-4 - MicroRNA profile analysis in human and mice sperm collected from different regions of the reproductive tract, BE.EP.DR

Abstract

Bovine semen, body fluid subject to environmental changes, which can change their quality and influence survival rates of sperm, has several molecules not yet described. Among them are the microRNAs, recognized as fundamental for fertilization and early embryonic development. However, there are few studies describing the profile of seminal microRNAs and their relation with fertility in cattle. Therefore, our hypothesis is that miRNAs present in the semen are associated with fertility. For this, the study aims to investigate the miRNAs present in bull sperm and seminal plasma, and relate them to the embryo development in vitro and in vivo, and to fertility rates in cattle. Two experiments will be performed. First experiment will assess sperm quality and sperm and seminal plasma miRNAs profile. Six bulls, with different sperm qualities, will be used being made 3 semen samples of each bull (n=18). The semen and seminal plasma will be cryopreserved. Two semen straws containing sperm will be thawed and sperm evaluations will be performed: kinetics characteristics, plasma, acrosomal and mitochondrial membranes integrity and microRNA profile. The seminal plasma will be also thawed and will be assess its miRNA profile. In experiment 2, semen cryopreserved in experiment 1 will be used to in vitro and in vivo embryos fertilization and artificial insemination of cows. The obtained data (blastocyst rate, embryo quality and microRNA profile of embryos produced in vitro and in vivo and pregnancy rate) will be compared between groups determined in experiment 1. The data of different groups defined by the experiment 1 will be submitted to ANOVA and Tukey's test at 5% significance level. It is expected to find miRNAs associated with fertility. Results of this project will serve to create new bovine ejaculated analysis tools.

Scientific publications

(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)

RODRIGUES ALVES, MAIRA BIANCHI; DE ARRUDA, RUBENS PAES; BATISSACO, LEONARDO; GARCIA-OLIVEROS, LAURA NATALY; GUILGER GONZAGA, VITOR HUGO; MOREIRA NOGUEIRA, VINICIUS JOSE; ALMEIDA, FLAVIA DOS SANTOS; COSTA PINTO, SAMARA CRISTINE; ANDRADE, GABRIELLA MAMEDE; PERECIN, FELIPE; et al. Changes in miRNA levels of sperm and small extracellular vesicles of seminal plasma are associated with transient scrotal heat stress in bulls. Theriogenology, v. 161, p. 26-40, FEB 2021. (15/09154-6)

RODRIGUES ALVES, MAIRA BIANCHI; DE ARRUDA, RUBENS PAES; DE BEM, TIAGO HENRIQUE CAMARA; FLOREZ-RODRIGUEZ, SHIRLEY ANDREA; DE SA FILHO, MANOEL FRANCISCO; BELLEANNEE, CLEMENCE; MEIRELLES, FLAVIO VIEIRA; DA SILVEIRA, JULIANO COELHO; PERECIN, FELIPE; CARVALHO CELEGHINI, ENEIVA CARLA. Sperm-borne miR-216b modulates cell proliferation during early embryo development via K-RAS. SCIENTIFIC REPORTS, v. 9, JUL 17 2019. (16/05395-1, 15/09154-6, 16/23243-4)

CARVALHO CELEGHINI, ENEIVA CARLA; RODRIGUES ALVES, MAIRA BIANCHI; DE ARRUDA, RUBENS PAES; DE REZENDE, GABRIELA MARQUES; FLOREZ-RODRIGUEZ, SHIRLEY ANDREA; DE SA FILHO, MANOEL FRANCISCO. Efficiency of CellROX deep red (R) and CellROX orange (R) fluorescent probes in identifying reactive oxygen species in sperm samples from high and low fertility bulls. ANIMAL BIOTECHNOLOGY, v. 32, n. 1, AUG 2019. (15/09154-6, 16/05395-1)

Academic Publications

(References retrieved automatically from State of São Paulo Research Institutions)

ALVES, Maíra Bianchi Rodrigues. Profile of microRNAs present in semen and embryos and their relationship to fertility. 2018. Doctoral Thesis - Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ/SBD) São Paulo.