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Effects of acute X-irradiation on pre-implantation embryos and on the implantation reaction in the mouse.

Pregnant mice were treated on the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd day of pregnancy by a single dose of 300 R X-rays. Uterine dissections at day 6 p.c. topographically revealed decrease of the implantation sites from 9.67 per female in the controls to 8.00 in females irradiated on day 1, to 6.63 in females irradiated on day 2, and to 7.00 in females irradiated on day 3 p.c; Among a number of 22 implantations after irradiation on day 1, 19 after irradiation on day 2 and 11 after irradiation on day 3, however no living embryo could be detected on histological examination. The degree of damage as indicated by the total resorptions was highest (94,7%) after irradiation on day 2 p.c., and lowest (31,8%) after irradiation on day 1 p.c. Since the decidual cell reaction was either unaffected or only slightly reduced after irradiation on day 2 p.c. as indicated by cytomorphological criteria and the alkaline phosphatase reaction, not maternal effects but direct effects only of the irradiation on the embryo must account for embryonic deaths.

Animals

LncRNA Profiling and ceRNA Network Construction of Intrauterine Exosomes in Goats During Embryo Implantation.

Exosomes have been shown to play an important role in embryo implantation, but the mechanism is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the functional roles of lncRNAs in intrauterine exosomes in goat pregnancy. We used RNA-seq to identify the lncRNA profiles of exosomes obtained from goat uterine rinsing fluid at 5, 15, and 18 days of gestation. In addition, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis based on differentially expressed mRNAs (DEMs) and lncRNAs (DELs). Functional enrichment analyses of gene modules were conducted using Gene Ontology classification (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway. A lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) regulatory network was constructed based on predictive interaction derived from miRTarBase, miRDB and RNAhybrid databases. Altogether, 831 DELs were identified. GO and KEGG analysis showed that the target genes were enriched in processes associated with embryo implantation, such as signaling receptor activity, binding and immune response. Nine functional co-expression modules were enriched in various biological processes, such as metabolic pathways, protein transport, cell cycle and VEGF signaling pathway. Additionally, 12 lncRNA-mediated ceRNA networks were constructed. Our results demonstrate that exosomal lncRNAs in uterine flushing fluid exhibit dynamic changes across gestational stages and play an important role in regulating the uterine microenvironment during embryo implantation. These findings provide a foundational basis for screening exosome-derived lncRNAs that influence embryo implantation and contribute to elucidating the mechanistic roles of lncRNAs in exosome-mediated processes during early pregnancy.

embryo implantation

Mammalian DNA methyltransferases in DNA methylation and imprinted gene expression in extraembryonic ectoderm of post-implantation embryos.

DNA methylation in mammals is mainly catalyzed by three DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs). Conventionally, DNMT1 is considered the primary DNMT protein for maintenance DNA methylation, whereas DNMT3A and DNMT3B function in de novo DNA methylation. In two previous studies, we demonstrated that DNMT3A and DNMT3B maintain genome-wide DNA methylation in embryonic stem (ES) cells and in the epiblast of post-implantation embryos. Interestingly, DNMT3A and DNMT3B also sustain genome-wide DNA methylation in the extraembryonic ectoderm (EXE) of post-implantation embryos, including repeats, genic and intergenic regions. Although DNMT1 plays a major role in maintaining DNA methylation at the imprinting control regions (ICRs) in the imprinted regions, DNMT3A and DNMT3B are required for preserving DNA methylation at the ICRs of a subset of imprinted regions in EXE, similar to the observations in ES cells and epiblast. Surprisingly, de novo DNA methylation mediated by DNMT3A and DNMT3B leads to increased DNA methylation at a large subset of imprinted regions. These results are consistent with what we previously elucidated in the epiblast of post-implantation embryos. Importantly, loss of DNA methylation at the ICR of an imprinted region, resulting from the absence of DNMT1 or two DNMT3 proteins, causes allelic expression switch of the corresponding imprinted genes in that imprinted region. This study provides further evidence that DNMT3A and DNMT3B exert both maintenance and de novo DNA methylation functions across the genome in post-implantation embryos. It also validates some previous findings for DNA methylation-dependent allelic expression switch of imprinted genes.

DNA methylation

Pre-implantation embryos of Chinese hamster. I. Incidence of karyotype anomalies in 226 control embryos.

Karyotyes were determined in 226 pre-implantation embryos (4--8-cell stages) of Chinese hamster. The study was carried out under controlled natural breeding conditions, without superovulation and with the embryos developing in their mothers. A total of 5.3% karyotypically abnormal embryos were found. Over half, 3.1%, were due to ploidy mutations, 5 cases of triploidy and 2 cases of haploidy. Only 0.9% genome mutations were present, consisting of one autosomal trisomy and one autosomal monosomy. Structural aberrations were found in 1.8%, half of these probably due to a balanced maternal aberration and the rest appearing the mosaic condition only. These results are compared with the scarce body of mammalian data from the literature. Compared with the situation in man, the spontaneous aberration rates in the Chinese hamster and other experimental mammals are extremely low. This may be due, in part, to optimal timing of copulation in respect to estrus and ovulation prevailing in these animals but not in man. The low spontaneous aberration rate in the reported system is a valuable asset for purposes of mutagen testing.

Animals

Pre-implantation embryos of Chinese hamster. II incidence and type of karyotype anomalies after treatment of the paternal post-meiotic germ cells with an alkylating mutagen.

Ninety-two male Chinese hamsters were treated with a single, sub-lethal dose of the alkylating cytostatic drug Trenimon. After 3--23 days they were mated with untreated females. The great majority of the male germ cells had been exposed to the mutagen while they were in the highly sensitive post-meiotic spermatid stage. The karyotypes of the resulting embryos were studied in the 4--8-cell stage. Out of 221 analysable embryos, 24.4% had aberrant karyotypes. Ploidy and genome mutations were, at 0.9% each, within control limits. Structural aberrations, involving one or several chromosomes, were present in 23.6% of the embryos (control 1.8%). 51% had a single aberrant centric element. The most frequent aberration types were deletions (54%), dicentrics (16%), translocations inversions and complex rearrangements with 22% and rings with 7%. About one-third of the cells, in addition, contained acentric fragments.

Animals

Uterine proteins and the activation of embryos from mice during delayed implantation.

Ovariectomy-induced delay of implantation was used to study the role of the uterine environment in controlling implantation in mice. Labelling studies in vivo showed that uterine protein synthesis and secretion is maximal 2-5 h and 24-30 h after the oestradiol injection which initiates implantation. Embryos removed from uteri 5,12 or 30 h after oestradiol injection were able to transport and utilize precursors of nucleic acids and proteins in short-term cultures at the same rate as normal embryos, although "delayed" embryos had low levels of activity. These results suggest that "delayed" embryos are metabolically activated within 5 h of release from delay, perhaps because of the hormonally-induced changes in uterine proteins which occur at this time.

Animals

Surface changes of the rat embryo before implantation.

Study of the rat embryo surface under the scanning electron microscope shows the superficial structure of the pellucid membrane as a perforated network cover which does not change throughout the preimplantation period (1 to 41/2 days). Dissolution of the pellucid membrane by brief ATP treatment reveals a zygotic surface which changes from day to day. The number and length of microvilli increase with development. At the early blastula stage there is a great heterogeneity of microvilli of different size and shape as well as large membranous ruffles mainly located at one pole of the embryo. The significance of these structures may relate to the changing metabolic requirements of the developing embryo and to the invasive properties of the trophoblast.

Animals

Effects of cyclophosphamide treatment before implantation on the development of rat embryos after implantation.

After treatment of pregnant rats 24 h before implantation with a single injection of cyclophosphamide (20--80 mg/kg), a dose-dependent increase in resorption was observed at term but no malformed fetuses could be found. The lowest cyclophosphamide dose that caused 100% resoprtion was 60 mg/kg. Somite number and wet weight indicated retardation of about 24 h during organogenesis. Determination of the time of implantation revealed that the developmental retardation in treated embryos was not due to delayed implantation. At implantation, 24 h after cyclophosphamide treatment, a significant and dose-dependent decrease of the cell number of blastocysts was found. Embryo transplantation experiments showed that early cyclophosphamide treatment interfered with the subsequent development of both the embryo and the mother. The decidual reaction seemed to be more affected by the treatment than the embryos. Most teratologists hold that mouse embryos after treatment in the preimplantation period either die before implantation or survive to term without being malformed. The present study, however, proves that the reaction of drugs at this early stage of pregnancy is more complex than is generally assumed.

Animals

[Micronucleus and cytogenetic disorders in mouse embryos before implantation].

Studies of mice embryos of different genotypes revealed 4.1% of polyploids, 8.5% of aneuploids and 7.9% of embryos with structural chromosome aberrations. Embryos of lines BAIB and CBA were reliably different in micronuclei occurrence (9.8 and 4.6%). A relation is shown to exist between the presence of micronuclei and structural aberrations. Normalization of the embryo genotype at early stages of embryogeny might occur by means of elimination of cells with disturbances or due to the death of anomalous embryos in the period of implantation.

Aneuploidy

Mouse totipotent blastomere-like cells model embryogenesis from zygotic genome activation to post implantation.

Embryo development begins with zygotic genome activation (ZGA), eventually generating blastocysts for implantation. However, in vitro systems modeling the pre-implantation development are still absent and challenging. Here, we used mouse totipotent blastomere-like cells (TBLCs) to develop spontaneous differentiation and blastoid formation systems, respectively. We found Wnt signaling enabled the rapid expansion of TBLCs and the optimization of their culture medium. We successfully developed a TBLC-spontaneous differentiation system in which mouse TBLCs (mTBLCs) firstly converted into two types of ZGA-like cells (ZLCs) distinguished by Zscan4 expression. Surprisingly, Zscan4-, but not Zscan4+, ZLCs further passed through intermediate 4-cell and then 8-cell/morula stages to produce epiblast, primitive endoderm, and trophectoderm lineages. Significantly, single TBLCs underwent expansion, compaction, and polarization to efficiently generate blastocyst-like structures and even post-implantation egg-cylinder-like structures. Conclusively, we established TBLC-based differentiation and embryo-like structure formation systems to model early embryonic development, offering criteria for evaluating and understanding totipotency.

Animals

Reproductive failure and maternal-fetal relationship in a Peromyscus species cross.

Mating, fertilization, implantation, prenatal mortality, fetal and placental size, and placental ultrastructure were studied in intraspecific and interspecific crosses involving Peromyscus maniculatus and P. polionotus. Failure to mate was a major factor in interspecific crosses and was much more pronounced in crosses between P. polionotus females and P. maniculatus males than in the reciprocal cross. Failure of implantation following mating, however, was more pronounced in crosses between P. maniculatus females and P. polionotus males. Failure of implanted embryos to survive to term was a factor in crosses between P. polionotus females and P. maniculatus males. Comparison of the placental labyrinth of conceptuses from intraspecific and interspecific crosses revealed no differences at the ultrastructural level. The relationship of these observations to the evolution of isolating mechanisms in mammals and to physiological aspects of the developing maternal-fetal relationship are discussed. A model of placental and fetal size inheritance is presented.

Animals

ENTPD3 as a novel regulator of endometrial receptivity: suppressing EMT via the ATP-P2Y2 axis in patients with recurrent implantation failure.

BACKGROUND: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) remains a major challenge in assisted reproductive technology and is primarily attributed to impaired endometrial receptivity. Despite its clinical significance, the precise mechanisms underlying RIF remain inadequately understood. METHODS: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was performed on endometrial samples from patients with RIF and healthy controls during the secretory phase using the 10X Genomics Chromium platform. The expression and localization of ectonucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase 3 (ENTPD3) in the window of implantation (WOI) in the endometrium were examined using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blotting, and immunohistochemistry (IHC). A mouse model with ENTPD3 overexpression was utilized to assess embryo implantation in vivo, and an in vitro blastocyst adhesion assay was performed to evaluate endometrial receptivity. Additionally, Ishikawa cells were transduced with an ENTPD3 recombinant adenovirus to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: ENTPD3 expression was significantly upregulated in the endometria of patients with RIF during the WOI, and its apical surface localization in endometrial epithelial cells was confirmed by single-cell data and IHC. Functional studies demonstrated that ENTPD3 overexpression impaired endometrial receptivity by suppressing epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). In vivo, ENTPD3 overexpression markedly reduced endometrial receptivity and inhibited embryo implantation in mice. Consistently, in vitro assays revealed that ENTPD3 overexpression diminished blastocyst adhesion to endometrial epithelial cells. Mechanistically, ENTPD3 hydrolyzes ATP, thereby suppressing EMT via the P2Y2 signaling pathway and ultimately disrupting endometrial receptivity. CONCLUSIONS: Dysregulated ENTPD3 expression contributes to RIF pathogenesis by impairing endometrial receptivity through ATP hydrolysis-mediated suppression of EMT via P2Y2 signaling. These findings highlight ENTPD3 as a potential therapeutic target for improving implantation success in affected patients.

Female

Gap junctional communication in the post-implantation mouse embryo.

We studied the extent of cell-to-cell communication via junctional channels in in vitro-implanted mouse blastocysts by monitoring ionic coupling and the spread of two injected low molecular weight dyes, fluorescein and Lucifer yellow. In the early attached embryos, both trophoblasts and cells of the inner cell mass (ICM) were ionically coupled to one another. Dye injections in either trophoblasts or ICM cells resulted in spread to the entire embryo. As older and more developed embryos were examined, the spread of injected dye was progressively more limited. In the most developed embryos examined, dye injected into a cell in the ICM region resulted in spread throughout the ICM but not into the surrounding trophoblast cells, while dye injected into a trophoblast cell did not spread to any other cell in the embryo. Simultaneous monitoring of ionic coupling and dye injections in embryos of intermediate stages in this transition revealed that the trophoblast and ICM cells were ionically coupled, even across the apparent boundary where no dye was observed to pass. In the latest stage embryos examined in which no injected dye was observed to move out of the ICM, ionic coupling was still observed between the cells of the ICM and the trophoblasts. Furthermore, in the more developed embryos, dye injected into the ICM region frequently was not transferred to all the cells of the ICM, thus suggesting a further compartmentalization of due spread within the ICM. Our observations that ionic coupling is more extensive than the detectable spread of injected dyes may perhaps reflect a reduced number of junctional channels. With fewer channels less dye would pass between cells, so that, together with continuous quenching, the transfer of injected dye would not be detectable. This partial segregation of cell-to-cell communication as indicated by the limited dye spread may parallel specific differentiation processes, in particular that of giant trophoblast, embryonic ectoderm and extraembryonic endoderm differentiation.

Animals

Localization and synthesis of alphafoetoprotein in post-implantation mouse embryos.

The localization and synthesis of alphafoetoprotein (AFP) during mouse embryogenesis were studied by immunoperoxidase and by immunoprecipitation after radioactive labelling, using an antiserum prepared against AFP. AFP is first detectable in embryos on the 7th day of gestation (7th day embryos). In 7th and 8th day embryos AFP is confined to visceral (proximal) endoderm cells around the embryonic region of the egg cylinder. Visceral extra-embryonic and parietal (distal) endoderm cells do not contain AFP. By the 9th day of gestation AFP is also present in the extra-embryonic ectoderm, mesoderm and embryonic ectoderm cells around the three cavities of the embryo. These tissues do not synthesize AFP when cultured in isolation, but can adsorb AFP when it is added to the medium. On the 12th day of gestation AFP synthesis is confined to the endoderm layer of the visceral yolk sac. It is concluded that the ability to synthesize AFP is a property which is restricted to the visceral endoderm during early post-implantation development. The presence of AFP in other tissues of the embryo appears to be due to adsorption.

Animals

Teratogenic and dominant lethal studies of patulin in mice.

Teratogenicity of daily intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 1.5 or 2.0 mg/kg of patulin on days 6 through 17 of pregnancy and mutagenic effects of acute i.p. exposure of 3.0 mg/kg of patulin on male germ cells were evaluated. Resorption of all implanted embryos occurred at 2.0 mg/kg/day of patulin, while a significant reduction in the average body weight of 19-day-old fetuses from patulin-treated mothers, compared to control fetuses, was noticed at 1.5 mg/kg/day without any lethal effects on the implanted embryos. Patulin was embryocidal, possibly fetotoxic but was neither teratogenic nor mutagenic to mice.

Animals