Capabilities and challenges of examination of gene expression for quality assessment of domestic cat embryos.

Early embryos are characterized by an accurately controlled gene expression pattern that might be deregulated during in vitro culture (IVC). The expression pattern of the developmental genes may serve as markers for embryo quality. Here, we examined the temporal pattern of relative mRNA abundance of genes important for early embryonic development in embryos produced by different fertilization methods [in vitro fertilization (IVF) vs intracytoplasmic sperm cell injection (ICSI)] and sperm sources (fresh vs frozen-thawed) applying reverse transcriptase (RT) PCR. The temporal pattern of gene expression was found to be gene specific and similar in all four examined groups in a semi-quantitative assay. In morulae, higher relative mRNA levels were found in embryos generated with fresh sperm, whereas in blastocysts, mRNA abundance tended to be higher in embryos produced with cryopreserved sperm cells. This indicates an influence of sperm cryopreservation on the temporal gene expression pattern in early cat embryos. We also examined relative mRNA abundances by real-time quantitative RT-PCR in blastocysts. In this context, blastocysts produced with fresh semen tended to have lower DNA methyltransferase 3A (DNMT3A) but higher gap junction protein alpha 1 (GJA1) and octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT4) mRNA levels compared with those derived with frozen-thawed semen. We conclude that assessing embryo quality by measuring gene expression pattern in early embryos is challenging because of a high variability between individual embryos.

Preservation of primordial follicles from lions by slow freezing and xenotransplantation of ovarian cortex into an immunodeficient mouse.

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is considered an important tool in the conservation of endangered species, but often the most limiting factor of ART is the availability of mature oocytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the feasibility of preserving female germ cells from ovaries of female lions (Panthera leo). Good quality cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were isolated and subjected to in vitro maturation (IVM). In addition, ovarian cortex was obtained and cut into pieces for culture and cryopreservation by slow freezing. The survival of ovarian follicles was assessed by histology. Frozen-thawed samples of ovarian cortex samples were xenotransplanted under the skin of ovariectomized immunodeficient mouse for 28 days. Overall, 178 intact COCs were obtained from 13 lions, but only 28.1% were matured in vitro indicating insufficient IVM conditions. In contrast, almost all follicles within the ovarian cortex survived culture when the original sample was from a young healthy lion collected immediately after euthanasia. Within the xenotransplants, the number of primordial follicles decreased after 28 days by 20%, but the relation between primordial and growing follicles changed in favour of follicular growth. Female gamete rescue from valuable felids may be performed by slow freeze cryopreservation of ovarian cortex. Although the IVM protocol for lions is not yet optimized, mature oocytes may be obtained after long-term xenotransplantation and IVM and could potentially represent one way of salvage of endangered felid species in the future.

Using PGFM (13,14-dihydro-15-keto-prostaglandin F2α) as a non-invasive pregnancy marker for felids.

Understanding the complex endocrine interactions that control reproduction in felids is essential for captive breeding management. The most important demand is a quick and reliable pregnancy diagnosis. However, the occurrence of pseudopregnancies in felids complicates matters. We investigated whether the fecal prostaglandin metabolite (PGFM) recently suggested for pregnancy diagnosis in the lynx is suitable for all felid species. We found that increased levels of PGFM during the last trimester indicate pregnancy in seven of the eight main lineages of the carnivore family Felidae. PGFM levels in a sand cat (domestic cat lineage) were basal at mating and remained so until Day 40 post-mating. Day 41 marked the beginning of a distinct increase culminating in peak levels of 6.5 µg/g before parturition and decreasing again to baseline thereafter. Similar pregnancy profiles were obtained from the domestic cat, the leopard cat, the lynx, the ocelot and the caracal lineage, whereas in pseudopregnant individuals (sand cat, Iberian and Eurasian lynx) fecal PGFM remained at basal levels. In pregnant cheetahs (puma lineage) PGFM increased above basal following day ∼48 peaking before pregnancy but remained at baseline in pseudopregnant females. Discrepancies existed in the Panthera lineage. While Chinese leopard, Sumatran tiger, and the black panther showed marked increases of PGFM during the last weeks of pregnancy, only moderate increases in PGFM levels were found in the Indochinese tiger and the Persian leopard. Altogether, PGFM as tool for pregnancy diagnosis has been proven to be useful in breeding management of felids.

Prolonged storage of epididymal spermatozoa does not affect their capacity to fertilise in vitro-matured domestic cat (Felis catus) oocytes when using ICSI.

The impact of different storage conditions of epididymal spermatozoa (including prolonged storage, cryopreservation and freeze-drying) on their fertilisation capacity was tested using intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This kind of information is urgently needed when applying assisted reproductive technology to endangered felids in zoos. In particular, the utilisation of epididymal spermatozoa of castrated or deceased felids often requires time-consuming transportation and is therefore susceptible to loss of gamete quality. Sperm cells were stored at 4 °C for up to 72 h followed by cryopreservation or freeze-drying. Thawed motile and immotile spermatozoa were used for ICSI and the embryo cleavage rate was assessed 36 h after injection. A significant impact on the fertilisation rate of oocytes could only be detected when using immotile thawed or rehydrated spermatozoa. Cryopreservation or storage at 4 °C showed no influence. The simulation of transport conditions using domestic cat spermatozoa revealed that in vitro production of felid embryos with gametes from euthanised individuals is possible if testes are stored cool and arrive at the laboratory within 72 h. An essential prerequisite is the application of ICSI to achieve fertilisation even with single motile spermatozoa. Additional cryopreservation of spermatozoa after transportation is possible and will allow the establishment of a sperm bank for felids.

Embryonic gene activation in in vitro produced embryos of the domestic cat (Felis catus).

Accurate embryonic gene activation (EGA) is essential for the embryo's developmental potency and reflects the quality of in vitro produced embryos. To describe the dynamic and temporal patterns of EGA in the cat, the mRNA expression of developmentally important genes (DNA methyltransferases 1 and 3A, DNMT1 and DNMT3A; gap junction protein α 1, GJA1; transcription factor octamer 4, POU5F1 (OCT4); insulin-like growth factor (IGF) 1 and 2 receptors, IGF1R and IGF2R) was examined by RT-PCR techniques in preimplantation embryos obtained after in vitro maturation and IVF. Furthermore, influences of ICSI and sperm cryopreservation on the relative mRNA abundance in 4-5-days-old morulae were analyzed. Total RNA was obtained from immature and matured oocytes, 2-cell embryos, 4-cell embryos, and 8-16-cell embryos, morulae, and blastocysts. RNA was transcribed into single-stranded cDNA by reverse transcriptase. After amplification, a nonfelid standard RNA was used for semiquantitative analysis. Our results showed an increase in transcript abundance from the matured oocyte to the 2-cell embryo for all examined genes except for IGF2R, indicating that, in vitro, the embryonic genome is activated shortly after fertilization. However, the activation pattern varied markedly between the different genes. We also found different patterns of mRNA expression for the examined genes in morulae produced either by IVF or ICSI, and using fresh or cryopreserved sperm. Owing to high variations within the single groups of compared morulae, we were able to observe only a tendency toward higher relative mRNA expression in embryos derived by IVF with fresh sperm in comparison to all other groups.

Functional role of feline zona pellucida protein 4 trefoil domain: a sperm receptor or structural component of the domestic cat zona pellucida?

The trefoil domain (TFD) is a protein structure characterized by six cysteines, which form a typical three-loop structure by three disulphide bridges. It is assumed that two of these loops generate a hydrophobic groove, which could be a binding site for carbohydrate residues or proteins. The zona pellucida (ZP) protein, ZP4, contains such a TFD. The carbohydrate-/protein-binding property of TFD allows us to assume a potential sperm receptor function of this domain. Additionally, gastrointestinal trefoil peptides are stable against proteases; therefore, a structural role of TFD within the ZP might also be possible. We were able to show that the synthesized and natural folded feline TFD (fTFD) expresses the typical protease resistance that vanished under reducing conditions and after substitution of cysteine residues within the peptide. Furthermore, an antibody directed against the first loop of fTFD was almost unable to bind to intact in vitro mature cat oocytes. Pre-incubation of oocytes in the reducing agent (DDT), however, improved antibody binding substantially. Therefore, we suggest structural masking of the fTFD domain within the intact ZP. An interaction between fTFD and feline sperm cells was examined using several methods, including immunocytochemistry, immunoelectron microscopy, co-immunoprecipitation and far western blot, but we found no indication for an involvement of TFD in the primary sperm binding to the ZP. To summarize, there is increasing evidence that the TFD of fZP4 has a structural rather than a sperm-binding function.