The role of SPRASA in female fertility.

Fertility is a complex process and infertility can have many causes. Sperm protein reactive with antisperm antibody (SPRASA)/sperm lysozyme-like protein 1 is a protein discovered as the target of autoantibodies in infertile men and previously thought to be expressed only in sperm. Using a bovine in vitro fertilization model, we have shown that SPRASA antiserum reduced sperm binding to zona-free oocytes and the development of embryos to morulae but did not affect the postfertilization cleavage rate to 2 cells or sperm motility. We demonstrated that SPRASA was expressed in ovarian follicles, corpora lutea, and oocytes by a combination of reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. Female mice immunized with SPRASA had profound infertility following timed matings and those mice that did become pregnant had reduced fetal viability. The levels of antibodies reactive with SPRASA in 204 fertile and 202 infertile couples were elevated in 3 infertile but no fertile women. Together, these results indicate that SPRASA has a role in female fertility.

Single blastomere removal from murine embryos is associated with activation of matrix metalloproteinases and Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription pathways of placental inflammation.

Single blastomere removal from cleavage-stage embryos, a common procedure used in conjunction with preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), may affect reproductive outcomes. We hypothesized that negative pregnancy outcomes associated with PGD may be due to impairment of placental signaling pathways. The goal of this study was to determine the molecular mechanisms through which placental signaling is deregulated by blastomere removal. Four-cell stage murine embryos produced by in vitro fertilization were subjected to removal of a single blastomere (biopsied) or to the same manipulations without the blastomere removal (controls). Placental tissues from term (18.5 day) pregnancies obtained after embryo transfer were tested for levels of nitrosative species, interleukin 6, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) 1 and 3, suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) 1, 2 and 3 and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP) 1, 2, 3 and 9. Significant increases in nitrosative stress (P < 0.05), phosphorylative activation of STAT1 (P < 0.05) but not STAT3, lower levels of the inhibitors SOCS2 (P < 0.01) and SOCS3 (P < 0.001) and activation of MMP9 (P < 0.001) were observed in placentas derived from biopsied embryos, compared with controls. Such effects could contribute to greater levels of premature membrane rupture, incorrect parturition, preterm birth and intrauterine growth restriction associated with PGD. This work has determined signaling mechanisms that may be responsible for blastomere removal effects on placental function, with the potential to become targets for improving obstetric and neonatal outcomes in assisted reproduction.

Preliminary investigation of the impact of anticentromere antibody on oocyte maturation and embryo cleavage.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether anticentromere antibody (ACA) is the most significant antibody among antinuclear antibodies (ANA), which adversely affect oocyte maturation, embryo cleavage, and pregnancy outcome in women undergoing an intracytoplasmic sperm injection program. DESIGN: Retrospective, nested case-control study. SETTING: Center for reproductive medicine, university hospital. PATIENT(S): A total of 187 women receiving the first intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycle were enrolled in this study, including 20 women with positive ACA and ANA (ACA[+]/ANA[+] group), 51 women with negative ACA and positive ANA(ACA[-]/ANA[+] group), and 116 patients with negative ACA and ANA (ACA[-]/ANA[-] group). Patients in the three groups were age-matched. INTERVENTION(S): None. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Percentages of germinal vesicle, metaphase I, and metaphase II oocytes, embryo cleavage rate, number of high-quality embryos, and rates of pregnancy and implantation. RESULT(S): The metaphase I oocyte percentage was markedly higher and the metaphase II oocyte percentage and the normal cleavage rate were significantly lower in the ACA[+]/ANA[+] group as compared with the ACA[-]/ANA[+] group. Furthermore, statistically significant differences were found in rates of pregnancy and implantation among the three groups. However, no significant difference was found between any two groups owing to the small sample size, except for a significantly lower implantation rate being found in the ACA[+]/ANA[+] group when compared with the ACA[-]/ANA[-] group. CONCLUSION(S): Our data suggest that ACA may be the essential marker for defective oocytes or embryos in infertile women with any type of ANA.

HLA-G expression in human embryonic stem cells and preimplantation embryos.

Human leukocyte Ag-G, a tolerogenic molecule that acts on cells of both innate and adaptive immunity, plays an important role in tumor progression, transplantation, placentation, as well as the protection of the allogeneic fetus from the maternal immune system. We investigated HLA-G mRNA and protein expression in human embryonic stem cells (hESC) derived from the inner cell mass (ICM) of blastocysts. hESC self-renew indefinitely in culture while maintaining pluripotency, providing an unlimited source of cells for therapy. HLA-G mRNA was present in early and late passage hESC, as assessed by real time RT-PCR. Protein expression was demonstrated by flow cytometry, immunocytochemistry, and ELISA on an hESC extract. Binding of HLA-G with its ILT2 receptor demonstrated the functional active status. To verify this finding in a physiologically relevant setting, HLA-G protein expression was investigated during preimplantation development. We demonstrated HLA-G protein expression in oocytes, cleavage stage embryos, and blastocysts, where we find it in trophectoderms but also in ICM cells. During blastocyst development, a downregulation of HLA-G in the ICM cells was present. This data might be important for cell therapy and transplantation because undifferentiated hESC can contaminate the transplant of differentiated stem cells and develop into malignant cancer cells.

Quantification of basigin mRNA in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos by competitive RT-PCR.

Basigin is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and a key molecule related to mouse blastocyst implantation. Whether preimplantation mouse embryos express basigin mRNA is still unknown. The aim of this study was to use a quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction to assess quantitatively the levels of basigin mRNA in mouse oocyte and preimplantation embryos. Basigin mRNA was detected in the oocyte and all the stages of preimplantation embryos. The levels of basigin mRNA were 0.0606 +/- 0.0282 in the oocyte, 0.0102 +/- 0.0036 in the zygote, 0.0007 +/- 0.0003 in the 2-cell embryo, 0.0031 +/- 0.0017 in the 4-cell embryo, 0.0084 +/- 0.0024 in the 8-cell embryo, 0.0537 +/- 0.0121 in the morula and 0.0392 +/- 0.0161 attomoles in the blastocyst, respectively. The levels of basigin mRNA in the oocyte, morula and blastocyst were significantly higher than those in the zygote and embryos at the 2-cell, 4-cell and 8-cell stages. The high level of basigin expression in the blastocyst may play a role during embryo implantation.

Mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos bear the two sub-units of interferon-gamma receptor.

Cytokines and growth factors play important roles in implantation and maintenance of pregnancy, but also during early development. Among them interferon-gamma (IFNgamma) is highly expressed by mammalian trophoblast cells during implantation and seems to be involved in some cases of pregnancy loss. In the present study we investigated the possible presence of IFNgamma receptors (IFNGR) on mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos. The two receptor chains IFNgammaRalpha (IFNGR-1) and IFNgammaRbeta (IFNGR-2) have been detected by indirect immunofluorescence at the surface of mouse oocytes (in germinal vesicle and metaphase II stages), as well as at all stages of in vitro embryo development from the one-cell to blastocyst stage. IFNGR appeared to colocalize partly with ganglioside GM1 at the cell surface of oocytes and embryos, indicating a possible preferential localization of this receptor in "rafts" microdomains. This was analyzed in more detail using software developed in the laboratory. IFNgamma was found to bind to its receptor at all stages analyzed. RT-PCR and Southern blot experiments confirmed the presence of the transcriptionally regulated IFNGR-2 chain mRNA, in mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos. These results show, for the first time, that mouse oocytes and preimplantation embryos bear a complete and theoretically functional IFNGR, suggesting that this cytokine could play a role during early development.

Non-classic sHLA class I in human oocyte culture medium.

Soluble human leukocyte antigen (sHLA) class I molecules have been described in all human fluids. These molecules play a significant role in immune function. sHLA has been shown to produce tolerance and to induce apoptosis in cytotoxic alloreactive T cells. They are also present in the supernatant of many cultured cells. Similarly, non-classic HLA class I antigens in soluble form are present in human fluids. Among these, HLA-G is the most important because of its location in fetal tissue that suggests maternal immunological tolerance of the fetal semiallograft. In our present study we show that using two monoclonal antibodies, w6/32 and TP25.99, in the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay allows the detection of non-classic sHLA class I molecules in the medium from human embryo cultures. The sample were collected from oocytes cultures. Oocyte donors were 11 women attending the in vitro fertilization program. The results showed a significant association (chi2 = 9.66, p = 0.002) between sHLA antigens and the oocyte cleavage rate measured 48 h after fertilization.

Relationship of sperm antibodies in women and men to human in vitro fertilization, cleavage, and pregnancy rate.

PROBLEM: The presence of anti-sperm antibodies (ASA) in female serum has been correlated with decreased fertilization in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) program; however, the impact of each type of ASA (IgG, IgA, IgM) is not known. METHOD: To clarify the role of each ASA subtype, the immunobead binding technique was used to identify IgG, IgA, and IgM ASA in the female sera and on the spermatozoa from 137 couples undergoing the IVF program. RESULTS: Couples with ASA on spermatozoa had a lower fertilization rate and lower number of transferred embryos: and IgG was the major immunoglobin involved. Couples with ASA in female sera showed significant decreases in the rates of fertilization, cleavage, and number of transferred embryos only when IgM was detected, but not IgG or IgA. However, the presence of IgA ASA in female sera was only associated with a decrease in pregnancy rate, although the number of transferred embryos was not reduced. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that ASA can influence the results of IVF and that the specific effect is dependent upon the subtypes of ASA.

Immunological factors in infertility.

Immune infertility can result from destruction of gametes by antisperm antibodies (ASA) or anti-ovary antibodies, by inhibition of sperm-zona pellucida binding by ASA, or by prevention of embryo cleavage and early development. Condoms, immunosuppressive therapy, sperm processing, and intrauterine insemination have been widely applied, but with controversial results.

Developmental regulation of an snRNP core protein epitope during pig embryogenesis and after nuclear transfer for cloning.

The appearance and stabilization of a core protein epitope of the snRNP is developmentally regulated during pig embryogenesis. The epitope recognized by the monoclonal antibody Y12 is present in the germinal vesicle of mature oocytes and interphase nuclei of late 4-cell stage (24 to 30 hours post cleavage to the 4-cell stage) to blastocyst stage embryos. There was no antibody localization within pronuclei, or nuclei of 2-cell or early 4-cell stage embryos. Zygotes or 2-cell stage embryos cultured in the presence of alpha-amanitin to the late 4-cell stage showed no immunoreactivity, whereas control embryos had immunoreactivity. Thus antibody localization was correlated with RNA synthesis and RNA processing that begins by 24 hours post cleavage to the 4-cell stage. A final experiment showed no detectable immunoreactivity in 16-cell stage nuclei that had been transferred to enucleated activated meiotic metaphase II oocytes. Since immunoreactivity is associated with active RNA synthesis and RNA processing, it suggests that the 16-cell stage nucleus, which is RNA synthetically active, does not process RNA after nuclear transfer to an enucleated activated meiotic metaphase II oocyte.

Characterization of a developmentally regulated mouse embryonic antigen.

A mammalian embryonic cell surface glycoprotein (ESGp), whose expression and biochemical structure seem to be developmentally regulated, has been isolated and characterized. The molecule expressed in two cell through morula stage mouse embryos has a molecular weight, by electrophoretic analyses, of 90 kDa. At the blastocyst stage, however, the molecule migrates as a broad, heterogeneous band ranging from 90 to 110 kDa. Evidence obtained from studies of embryonal carcinoma (EC) cells indicates that this band is actually a composite of three distinct molecules (molecular weight 90, 95, and 105 to 110 kDa), each of which is synthesized uniquely by one of the different cell types of the blastocyst: the embryonic ectoderm and visceral and parietal endoderms, respectively. A survey of various mouse tissues and cell lines has revealed that undifferentiated cells express the low molecular weight form (90 kDa) characteristic of embryonic ectoderm, whereas differentiated cells and adult tissues express the high molecular weight form (110 kDa) characteristic of parietal endoderm. Only the EC visceral endoderm cell analogues have been shown to express the intermediate molecule (95 kDa). In embryos, the antigen is uniformly distributed over the cell surface during early cleavage stages (two to eight cell); just before compaction, however, it seems to redistribute and becomes polarized at the outside exposed edges of blastomeres. In cultured EC cells, ESGp is found only in areas of cell-to-cell contact; free-standing surfaces of cells are negative for expression. It is possible, therefore, that ESGp may be involved in the intercellular adhesion of both EC cells and compacting embryos.

Effects of the supernatants of mixed lymphocyte cultures and decidual cell line cultures on mouse embryo development in vitro.

The effects of supernatants of human mixed lymphocyte cultures (MLC), with or without human decidual cell line culture extract (decidual factor; DCF), on F1-hybrid mouse embryo development in vitro from the two-cell stage were investigated. The development of mouse embryos from the two-cell stage through the expanded blastocyst stage was facilitated significantly by the addition of supernatants of not only MLC, but also MLC supplemented with DCF (MLCDCF) to the culture medium. Moreover, the supernatant of MLCDCF accelerated the attachment of the hatched blastocyst to the culture dish substratum and the outgrowth of trophoblasts in vitro. The findings indicate that the supernatant of MLCDCF facilitates the in vitro activity of mouse embryos for implantation and that the maternal immune response, along with the decidual tissue, contributes to the implantation processes.

Lack of correlation of immunosuppressive activity secreted by human in vitro fertilized (IVF) ova with successful pregnancy.

The high rate of implantation failure in humans following in vitro fertilization (IVF) has been attributed to a lack of production of immunosuppressive factors by cleaved embryos, rendering them vulnerable to maternal immune attack just before or around implantation. Systemic as well as blastocyst-secreted suppressor factors have been described and claimed to be responsible for successful pregnancy. Experimentally, we have screened in a double-blind fashion the suppressive activity of human embryo culture media (B2 Menezo system, France) in which zygotes after decoronization were individually cultured during 24 hr on lymphocyte proliferation as well as natural killer (NK) activity. Suppressive activity in media from cleaved and uncleaved ova did not differ significantly, and activity in media from transferred embryos was not correlated significantly with successful pregnancy. The implications of these data are discussed.

In vivo and in vitro cultured mouse preimplantation embryos differ in their display of a teratocarcinoma cell surface antigen: possible binding of an oviduct factor.

By use of a monoclonal antibody, 2B5, in indirect immunofluorescence experiments, it was found that both fertilized and unfertilized mouse eggs obtained directly from the oviduct commenced expression of a cell surface antigen at about 5 h after ovulation. Surface labelling became intense by 16 h after ovulation and persisted over all blastomeres throughout preimplantation development. In contrast, embryos cultured in vitro did not appearance of 2B5 antigen until about 48 h after ovulation, at which time they were at the 2- to 4-cell stage. Antigen expression in vitro commonly began on a single blastomere and did not appear consistently over all blastomeres until the 8-cell stage (72 h after ovulation). Unfertilized eggs maintained for 72 h in culture did not acquire 2B5 antigen. It is postulated that the absence of 2B5 antigen on 1-cell eggs cultured in vitro may be due either to a failure of normal synthesis by eggs as a result of a deficiency in the culture medium, or alternatively, to absence of a soluble oviduct factor which carries the 2B5 antigen, and which normally becomes bound to the surface of eggs after ovulation. The second of these two possibilities was supported by egg transfer experiments which showed that unfertilized eggs within the oviduct became 2B5 antigen-positive even after their prior fixation in glutaraldehyde. By the 2- to 4-cell stage, however, embryos developed their own capacity for synthesis of 2B5 antigen-positive cell surface molecules. This synthesis was inhibited by tunicamycin, suggesting that the antigenic site involved the sugar component of glycoprotein. The range of tissues within the postimplantation embryo and adult reproductive tracts which labelled with 2B5 antibody was found to be very similar to that known for SSEA-1 monoclonal antibody (Solter & Knowles, 1978; Fox et al. 1981; Fox, Damjanov, Knowles & Solter, 1982), and as further evidence of a relationship between 2B5 and SSEA-1 antigens it was found that 125I SSEA-1 antibody could be blocked in its binding to teratocarcinoma cells by preincubation in 2B5 monoclonal antibody.

Reactivity of five N-acetylgalactosamine-recognizing lectins with preimplantation embryos, early postimplantation embryos, and teratocarcinoma cells of the mouse.

The expression of receptors for N-acetylgalactosamine-recognizing lectins, namely Helix pomatia agglutinin (HPA), Sophora japonica agglutinin (SJA), Bauhinia purpurea agglutinin (BPA), Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA), and Wistaria floribunda agglutinin (WFA) was studied in early mouse embryos and teratocarcinoma cells. Each of these lectins as well as Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA) bound differently to early embryonic cells, with the exception of VVA and WFA which showed indistinguishable reactivities. SJA reacted intensely with visceral endoderm, but hardly at all with parietal and primitive endoderm. Therefore, SJA will be useful for analyzing the mechanism of visceral-endoderm formation. Furthermore, the inner cell mass (ICM) of early blastocysts reacted intensely with DBA, while the ICM of late blastocysts reacted only faintly with this lectin. Primary endoderm derived from the ICM reacted faintly with SJA, HPA, and DBA, and these reactivities increased again during the differentiation of the endoderm. Therefore, these three lectins could be used in the analysis of early stages during the differentiation of endoderm from the ICM. The results illustrate the highly complex nature of developmentally regulated alterations of cell-surface carbohydrates during the early stages of embryogenesis.

Spreading of a sperm surface antigen within the plasma membrane of the egg after fertilization in the rat.

The rat sperm surface antigen 2D6, located over the entire surface of the spermatozoon, is shown by use of a monoclonal antibody in indirect immunofluorescence experiments to spread laterally over the surface of the egg after fusion of sperm and egg plasma membranes at fertilization. Freshly fertilized eggs, obtained from superovulated rats 14 h after hCG injection, showed the 2D6 antigen to have spread in a gradient over a discrete fan-shaped area of the egg surface anterior to the protruding sperm tail. Eggs at a later stage of sperm incorporation, obtained 20 h after hCG injection, showed that the spread of antigen had extended to cover most or all of their surfaces. By 40 h after hCG injection, the approximate time that fertilized eggs cleaved to form 2-cell embryos, most of the 2D6 antigen had been lost from the cell surface. Fertilized eggs, but not unfertilized eggs or 2-cell embryos, were lysed by 2D6 monoclonal antibody in the presence of guinea pig complement. A model for sperm-egg fusion is presented to account for the observed pattern of spreading shown by the 2D6 antigen. The possible role of sperm antigens on the egg surface is discussed.

Distribution of antibody- and lectin-binding sites on dissociated blastomeres from mouse morulae: evidence for polarization at compaction.

The distribution of binding sites for rabbit anti-species antiserum, Concanavalin A (Con A) and peanut agglutinin (PNA) on dissociated blastomeres from 2- to 16-cell mouse embryos has been investigated using direct and indirect fluorescence techniques. With each ligand, paraformaldehyde-fixed blastomeres from 2- to 8-cell precompact embryos were uniformly surface labelled; the majority (77%) of late compact 8-cell blastomeres showed quantitative polarization of surface labelling; and 16-cell blastomeres were either polarized (53.3%) or uniformly surface labelled. Binding of fluorescein-conjugated PNA increased at the 16 cell stage. Labelling patterns on unfixed blastomeres were similar to those on fixed blastomeres except that surface label was patched and became internalized, most rapidly from the less heavily labelled areas of 8- and 16-cell blastomeres. Quantitative polarization of binding sites at postcompaction stages was detected after (i) fixation, (ii) pretreatment and labelling in the presence of azide, cytochalasin D and/or colcemid, or (iii) labelling with monovalent Fab1 antibody fragments. It is probably due, therefore, to the presence of microvilli at the heavily labelled pole, which increase surface area and are known to become to the outer surface of the compact morula (Ducibella, Ukena, Karnovsky & Anderson, 1977). The possibility that the cleavage of polarized blastomeres into dissimilar daughter blastomeres could provide a mechanism for the spatial differentiation of the inner cell mass and trophectoderm of the blastocyst is briefly discussed.