Changes in the Transcription of Proliferation- and Apoptosis-Related Genes in Embryos in Women of Different Ages under the Influence of Extracellular Vesicles from Donor Follicular Fluid In Vitro.

We studied the influence of extracellular vesicles from the follicular fluid of a young donor on gene expression (MKI67, MYBL2, CCNB1, CCND1, CCNE1, CALM2, BAX, NDRG1, TP53I3, VEGF, VCAN, HAS2, CTSL2, PIBF1, RPL37, PFKP, GPX3, and AQP3) in embryos of women of different ages. According to nanoparticle tracking analysis data, the concentration of extracellular vesicles was 3.75±0.47×1011 particles/ml and the mean particle size was 138.78±9.90 nm. During co-culturing of the follicular fluid extracellular vesicles with blastocysts of young women, we observed significantly increased expression of mRNA for genes CTSL2, CCND1, CCNE1, VEGF and reduced expression of BAX gene mRNA in comparison with embryos in women of late reproductive age. We hypothesized that addition of extracellular vesicles of the oocyte follicular fluid from a young donor to the culture medium of embryos could slow down apoptosis process typical of blastocyst cells in women above 36 years.

Influence of Extracellular Vesicles from the Follicular Fluid of Young Women and Women of Advanced Maternal Age with Different miRNA Profiles on Sperm Functional Properties.

We studied the effect of co-culturing of extracellular vesicles in the follicular fluid of young women and women of advanced maternal age on sperm motility. Vesicles were obtained by differential centrifugation. The sperm fraction was isolated from the seminal fluid of 18 patients (age 28-36 years). The spermatozoa were incubated with vesicles (1:2 ratio) for 60 or 120 min at 37°C in a CO2 incubator. A fraction of spermatozoa incubated without vesicles served as the control. After the incubation, the sperm samples were sedimented by centrifugation, fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde, and analyzed by transmission electron microscopy. RNA was isolated from the follicular fluid vesicles by column method followed by cDNA synthesis in a reaction mixture according to miScript II RT Kit protocol (Qiagen). After 60-min incubation with extracellular vesicles from the follicular fluid of women of advanced maternal age, the sperm motility and hyperactivation slightly changed in comparison with the group where incubation was performed with follicular fluid vesicles from young women and control group. Follicular fluid miRNA profiles in women of different ages varied, which suggests different functional compositions and effects of follicular fluid vesicles of different age groups on sperm characteristics. Transmission electron microscopy revealed differences in the interaction of follicular fluid vesicles from women of different age groups with spermatozoa. Further study of the effect of extracellular vesicles from the follicular fluid and analysis of their transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic composition on sperm mobility and fertilizing ability will improve the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology programs in patients with male infertility.

Influence of Extracellular Vesicles of the Follicular Fluid on Morphofunctional Characteristics of Human Sperm.

We studied the effect of extracellular vesicles of the follicular fluid on morphofunctional characteristics of human spermatozoa using CASA (computer-assisted sperm analysis) analytical system. The vesicles were obtained by sequential centrifugation at different rotational speeds and frozen at -80°C in the Sydney IVF Gamete Buffer medium. The sperm fraction was isolated from the seminal fluid of 21 patients aged 27-36 years by differential centrifugation in a density gradient. The precipitate was suspended in Sydney IVF Gamete Buffer to a concentration of 106/ml and incubated with vesicles (1:2) at 37°C in a CO2 incubator for 30 min and 1 h. Sperm fraction incubated without vesicles served as the control. After incubation, some sperm samples were centrifuged at 700g for 5 min and fixed in 2.5% glutaraldehyde in 0.1 M buffer for transmission electron microscopy. After 30-min and 1-h incubation, the progressive and total sperm motility improved, the curvilinear and linear velocity of spermatozoa did not change significantly. Incubation with vesicles significantly changed the trajectory of sperm movement, which can attest to an increase in their hyperactivation and, probably, fertilizing capacity. Analysis of the effect of extracellular vesicles of follicular fluid on sperm motility will help to improve the effectiveness of assisted reproductive technology programs with male infertility factor by improving sperm characteristics in patients with asthenozoospermia and increasing the fertilizing ability of the sperm.

Noninvasive Laser Microtomography of a Human Isolated Oocyte.

Using a non-invasive approach, quantitative laser scanning microtomography (QLSM), the morphology of human oocyte was studied layer-by-layer. Then, the cell volume was computed based on 3D reconstruction of a stack of optical sections obtained by QLSM. The integrity of oocyte membrane after cryopreservation was assessed by measuring the changes in oocyte volume in response to hypotonic shock.

Plasticity of Central and Peripheral Sources of Noradrenaline in Rats during Ontogenesis.

The morphogenesis of individual organs and the whole organism occurs under the control of intercellular chemical signals mainly during the perinatal period of ontogenesis in rodents. In this study, we tested our hypothesis that the biologically active concentration of noradrenaline (NA) in blood in perinatal ontogenesis of rats is maintained due to humoral interaction between its central and peripheral sources based on their plasticity. As one of the mechanisms of plasticity, we examined changes in the secretory activity (spontaneous and stimulated release of NA) of NA-producing organs under deficiency of its synthesis in the brain. The destruction of NA-ergic neurons was provoked by administration of a hybrid molecular complex - antibodies against dopamine-ß-hydroxylase associated with the cytotoxin saporin - into the lateral cerebral ventricles of neonatal rats. We found that 72 h after the inhibition of NA synthesis in the brain, its spontaneous release from hypothalamus increased, which was most likely due to a compensatory increase of NA secretion from surviving neurons and can be considered as one of the mechanisms of neuroplasticity aimed at the maintenance of its physiological concentration in peripheral blood. Noradrenaline secretion from peripheral sources (adrenal glands and the organ of Zuckerkandl) also showed a compensatory increase in this model. Thus, during the critical period of morphogenesis, the brain is integrated into the system of NA-producing organs and participates in their reciprocal humoral regulation as manifested in compensatory enhancement of NA secretion in each of the studied sources of NA under specific inhibition of NA production in the brain.