High-fat-diet impaired mitochondrial function of cumulus cells but improved the efficiency of parthenogenetic embryonic quality in mice.

Global human health has been compromised by high-fat diets. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between a high-fat diet and parthenogenetic embryo quality. Mice fed a high-fat or a normal diet was used as treated or control groups, respectively. Estradiol (E2), total cholesterol (TC) and total triglyceride (TG) were detected by Enzyme-Linked ImmunoSorbent Assay (ELISA). Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from the mice in the treated and control groups. The ultrastructure of COCs, the expression level of genes involved in mitochondrial and nuclear functions in cumulus cells and oocytes quality were evaluated with transmission electron microscopy, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and artificial parthenogenesis, respectively. The results showed that the efficiency of parthenogenetic embryonic development in vitro was significantly higher in the treated group than in the control group (p < .05). The expression level of genes involved in mitochondrial function was lower in cumulus cells from the treated group than that from the control group (p < .05). The estradiol and cholesterol level in the serum and the expression level of P450 arom were higher in the treated group than the control group (p < .05). The reactive oxygen species (ROS) level was higher in culumus cells from the treated group than the control group, while the mitochondrial membrane potential was lower in cumulus cells from the treated group (p < .05). Accumulation of lipid droplets was only in cumulus but in oocyte, the results demonstrated that mitochondrial functions were impaired by a high-fat diet, but parthenogenetic embryonic development in vitro was improved, in controllable range of damage for the body.

Effects of intratracheal budesonide during early postnatal life on lung maturity of premature fetal rabbits.

AIM: This study aimed to study the effects of intratracheal instillation of budesonide on lung maturity of premature fetal rabbits. The developmental pattern of pulmonary alveoli in rabbits is similar to that in humans. METHOD: Fetal rabbits were taken out from female rabbits on the 28th day of pregnancy (full term = 31 days) by cesarean section (c-section). The fetal rabbits were divided into four groups: control (normal saline, NS), budesonide (budesonide, BUD), calf pulmonary surfactant for injection (pulmonary surfactant, PS), and calf pulmonary surfactant + budesonide for injection (pulmonary surfactant + budesonide, PS + BUD). All premature rabbits were kept warm after c-section. After 15-min autonomous respiration, a tracheal cannula was implemented for instilling NS, BUD, PS, and PS + BUD. The morphology of lung tissues of premature fetal rabbits was analyzed using optical and electron microscopes. Surfactant protein B (SP-B) mRNA and protein levels in lung tissues were determined using polymerase chain reaction and Western blotting, respectively. RESULT: Intratracheal instillation of BUD could increase the alveolar area of the fetal rabbits (P < 0.01), decrease the alveolar wall thickness (P < 0.01), and increase the mean density of lamellar bodies (P < 0.05) and SP-B protein levels in type II epithelial cells of pulmonary alveoli (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Intratracheal instillation of BUD during early postnatal life is effective in promoting alveolarization and increasing SP-B expression, the pro-pulmonary maturity of BUD combined with PS is superior to that of BUD or PS alone. However, the long-term effect of BUD on lung development needs further exploration.

Effects of Alcohol on Mitochondrial Functions of Cumulus Cells in Mice.

Alcohol is an important compound used in food, agriculture, and medicine. In this study, we investigated the effect of alcohol on oocyte quality in mice by exposing animals for different duration times during an estrous cycle. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were collected from mice after pregnant mare serum gonadotropin- and human chorionic gonadotropin-induced superovulation. Ovulation number, E2 level in serum, and parthenogenetic embryo development in vitro were evaluated. Mitochondrial gene expression, mitochondrial membrane potential, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the cumulus were also assessed. The results showed that acute exposure to alcohol did not affect ovulation time (p > 0.05). Blasocyst formation rate in vitro was significantly improved after 1 and 2 days of alcohol exposure (p < 0.01). Mitochondrial membrane potential was significantly increased after 1-4 days of alcohol exposure (p < 0.05), but it decreased after 5 days (p < 0.05). ROS levels remained relatively low after 2, 3, and 4 days of exposure (p < 0.05), and they significantly increased after 6 days (p < 0.05). In addition, alcohol altered the expression of mitochondrial and nuclear genes in the cumulus. Taken together, our data suggest that acute exposure to alcohol affects oocyte quality by influencing the function and gene expression in the cumulus. These results underscore potential implications for the development of human reproductive therapeutics.