Extracellular vesicles secreted by in vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos: miRNA content and molecular effects on endometrium and corpus luteum

• Grant number: 17/19681-9
• Support type: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Effective date (Start): March 01, 2019
• Effective date (End): March 31, 2021
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Animal Reproduction
• Principal Investigator: Felipe Perecin
• Grantee: Alessandra Bridi
• Home Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 14/22887-0 - Cell-secreted vesicles containing miRNAs modulate epigenetic changes during in vitro culture of bovine gametes and embryos, AP.JP

Abstract

In vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos have different metabolic characteristics, besides differences in embryonic development and gene transcription, which consequently affects the conception rates and productivity of beef cattle. Between days 8 and 17 of the estrous cycle is when 40% embryonic losses occur, coinciding with the signaling between concept and maternal organism. Extracellular Vesicles (EVs) are part of this signaling process and can carry miRNAs that can act on target bovine cells within the reproductive system. Thereby, our hypothesis is that in vivo and in vitro bovine embryos secrete extracellular vesicles that have different miRNAs and can differentially modulate gene expression pattern on endometrium and corpus luteum. The objectives of this project are: 1) characterize the size, concentration and miRNAs content of EVs secreted by in vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos between the day 7 and day 9; 2) evaluate the effects of EVs secreted in conditioned medium by in vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos on gene expression of luteal cells in culture; and 3) determine changes in endometrial epithelial and corpus luteum mRNA and miRNAs levels of pregnant cows carrying in vivo and in vitro produced bovine embryos between the day 7 and day 9 of gestation. Results obtained will show that the environment where embryos were produced modify morphological characteristics and miRNAs content of EVs secreted, which consequently changes endometrial and luteal transcript pattern. Therefore, signaling pathways associated with maternal-embryonic communication will be able to identified, also evaluating the effect of embryonic origin (in vivo or in vitro) on these pathways. (AU)

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)

BRIDI, ALESSANDRA; PERECIN, FELIPE; DA SILVEIRA, JULIANO COELHO. Extracellular Vesicles Mediated Early Embryo-Maternal Interactions. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES, v. 21, n. 3 FEB 2020. Web of Science Citations: 0.