ER stress disrupts MFN2-related mitophagy via HRD1-PINK1/ parkin axis in bovine embryos.

The endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria are interconnected through the MAM structure, and mitochondrial fusion protein 2 (MFN2) is a key regulatory factor. In this study, tunicamycin (TM) was used to induce endoplasmic reticulum stress in bovine embryos to explore its effects on MFN2 expression, mitochondrial function and mitochondrial autophagy. The results showed that TM treatment significantly reduced the blastocyst rate and proliferation capacity of embryos, inhibited the expression of pluripotency genes (SOX2, CDX2, OCT4), and upregulated key proteins of the UPR pathway.

Evaluation of Bio-Stimulation Effects of Various Dermal Fillers: Hyaluronic Acid-Based Polynucleotides and Microparticle Fillers in Mouse Model.

Background: Dermal fillers have become prevalent in aesthetic surgery, offering noninvasive solutions for addressing signs of aging and enhancing facial features.

Methods: In this study, the in vivo administration of dermal fillers, including a hyaluronic-cross-linked filler (HA-R), a PDLLA-HA combined filler (HA-PDLLA), a microparticle PDO filler (PDO), a PN filler extracted from salmon milt (PN), and pure hyaluronic acid (HA), along with PBS as a control, was evaluated over a 12 week period.

Results: HA-R exhibited sustained volume retention, contrasting with rapid volume loss observed with PN, and gradual dissolution of PDO by week 12.

Assessment of a Helium/Argon-Generated Cold Atmospheric Plasma Device's Safety Utilizing a Pig Model.

The PlazMagik device is a dual-gas cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) system that was developed and used for skin rejuvenation and inflammation treatment. However, preclinical evaluation and optimization of plasma parameters are crucial for guaranteeing safety. Therefore, this study was performed to evaluate the safety of the PlazMagik device under multiple parameters with different gas resources (helium (He) and argon (Ar) gases) on pig dorsal skin.

Galangin Regulates Oxidative Stress Levels in Porcine Embryos Through Interaction with the Neh1 Domain of Nrf2.

Oxidative stress poses a challenge to in vitro embryo culture. As a flavonoid, galangin (GAL) has been shown to have antioxidant effects, but the effect and antioxidant capacity of GAL in the in vitro development of porcine parthenogenetic embryos are still unknown. In this study, we demonstrated that 1 µM GAL significantly increased the blastocyst rate, decreased the accumulation of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), increased the glutathione (GSH) level, and enhanced mitochondrial function in early porcine embryos.

Salidroside improves bovine embryo quality by mitigating oxidative stress and regulating mitochondrial lipid metabolism.

In vitro production techniques for bovine embryos can improve reproductive efficiency and expand quality breeding stock, but lipid metabolism disturbances during in vitro embryo culture can decrease embryo quality. Salidroside (SAL) is a glycoside extracted from the rhizome of the medicinal plant Rhodiola rosea that has antioxidant, antiaging, anti-inflammatory, and lipid metabolism-regulating effects. This study demonstrated that the addition of SAL to the culture medium of bovine embryos during in vitro culture increased the blastocyst rate and number of blastocyst cells and improved bovine blastocyst totipotency and proliferation.

The effects of sika deer oviduct epithelial cell-derived extracellular vesicles on oocytes and parthenogenetic embryos†.

Oviducts contain various nutrients that provide energy during oocyte development. This study aimed to improve the efficiency of in vitro reproduction using extracellular vesicles (EVs) produced by the oviduct epithelial cells of sika deer (Cervus nippon). Surprisingly, the uptake of deer oviduct epithelial cell extracellular vesicles (DOEC-EVs) by cumulus-oocyte complexes, which were encapsulated by dense cumulus cells (CCs), occurred only in CCs during maturation.

Role of MFN2 in bovine embryonic development and the mitigation of ER stress.

This study investigated the role of mitochondrial fusion protein-2 (MFN2) in bovine embryonic development and its relationship with endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, aiming to increase the efficiency of in vitro embryo culture. Western blot analysis revealed that MFN2 expression peaked at the 2-cell stage, decreased at the 4-cell stage, and gradually increased from the 6-8-cell stage to the blastocyst stage. Inhibiting MFN2 at the zygote stage reduced blastocyst formation and proliferation, and this damage was partially reversed by the ER stress protective agent TUDCA.

Evaluating the efficacy of intra-articular polydioxanone (PDO) injections as a novel viscosupplement in osteoarthritis treatment.

Aims: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic joint disorder marked by cartilage breakdown, bone alterations, and inflammation, leading to significant pain and disability. Current therapeutic strategies, ranging from lifestyle interventions to pharmacological and surgical treatments, offer limited efficacy and are often accompanied by side effects. This study investigates the potential of Polydioxanone (PDO), a biocompatible synthetic polymer, as a novel intra-articular (IA) viscosupplement in OA.

Enhancing wound healing through innovative technologies: microneedle patches and iontophoresis.

Introduction: Wound healing is a complex process involving multiple stages, including inflammation, proliferation, and remodeling. Effective wound management strategies are essential for accelerating healing and improving outcomes. The CELLADEEP patch, incorporating iontophoresis therapy and microneedle technology, was evaluated for its potential to enhance the wound healing process.

Evaluation test and analysis of a microneedle and iontophoresis based medical device "CELLADEEP Patch" in skin improvement on ex vivo human-derived skin tissue models.

Background: Microneedles are tiny needles, typically ranging from tens to hundreds of micrometers in length, used in various medical procedures and treatments. The tested medical device named "CELLADEEP Patch" a dissolvable microneedle therapy system (MTS), made of hyaluronic acid and collagen. And the iontophoresis technique is also applied in the system.

Imperatorin Ameliorates the Aging-Associated Porcine Oocyte Meiotic Spindle Defects by Reducing Oxidative Stress and Protecting Mitochondrial Function.

Imperatorin (IMP) exhibits a variety of pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, anti-cancer, and anti-hypertension activities. However, its effects on animal reproduction systems, especially oocyte development, maturation, and aging are not yet clear. In this study, the effects of IMP on oocyte development and aging as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms were explored.

Effects of human recombinant granulocyte-colony stimulating factor treatment during in vitro culture on porcine pre-implantation embryos.

Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF), a pleiotropic cytokine, belongs to the hematopoietic growth factor family. Recent studies have reported that G-CSF is a predictive biomarker of oocyte and embryo developmental competence in humans. The aim of our study was to determine whether CSF3 and its receptor (CSF3R) were expressed in porcine maternal reproductive tissues (oviduct and uterus), cumulus cells, and embryos and to investigate the effects of human recombinant G-CSF (hrG-CSF) supplementation during in vitro culture (IVC) on the developmental competence of pre-implantation embryos.

A Maternal Transcription Factor, Junction Mediating and Regulatory Protein is Required for Preimplantation Development in the Mouse.

Junction-mediating and regulatory protein (JMY) is a regulator of both transcription and actin filament assembly. The actin-regulatory activity of JMY is based on a cluster of three actin-binding Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome protein homology 2 (WH2) domains that nucleate actin filaments directly and promote nucleation of the Arp2/3 complex. In addition to these activities, we examined the activity of JMY generation in early embryo of mice carrying mutations in the JMY gene by CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome engineering.

Autophagy is required for proper meiosis of porcine oocytes maturing in vitro.

Autophagy is an essential cellular mechanism that degrades cytoplasmic proteins and organelles to recycle their components; however, the contribution of autophagy during meiosis has not been studied in porcine oocytes maturing in vitro. In this study, we observed that the autophagy-related gene, LC3, was expressed in porcine oocytes during maturation for 44 h in vitro. Knockdown of the autophagy-related gene, BECN1, reduced both BECN1 and LC3 protein expression levels.

Laminarin improves developmental competence of porcine early stage embryos by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Laminarin (LMA), a β-glucan mixture with good biocompatibility, improves the growth performance and immune response when used as food additives and nutraceuticals. The aim of the present research was to explore the effects of LMA on porcine early stage embryo development, as well as the underlying mechanisms. The results showed that the developmental competence of porcine early stage embryos was dramatically improved after LMA supplementation during the in vitro culture period.

C-Phycocyanin supplementation during in vitro maturation enhances pre-implantation developmental competence of parthenogenetic and cloned embryos in pigs.

C-Phycocyanin (C-PC), a protein from green microalgae, has been suggested to possess various biological activities, including antioxidant and free radical scavenging properties. The aim of the current study was to explore the effects of C-PC on the maturation of porcine oocytes and subsequent developmental competence after parthenogenetic activation and somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) as well as the underlying mechanisms. There was no significant improvement in nuclear maturation rates between the control and C-PC supplementation groups (1, 3, 5, 10 μg/mL).

Melatonin enhances the developmental competence of porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos by preventing DNA damage induced by oxidative stress.

Melatonin has antioxidant and scavenger effects in the cellular antioxidant system. This research investigated the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of melatonin action in porcine somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos. The results suggested that the developmental competence of porcine SCNT embryos was considerably enhanced after melatonin treatment.

Toxic effects of atrazine on porcine oocytes and possible mechanisms of action.

Because atrazine is a widely used herbicide, its adverse effects on the reproductive system have been extensively researched. In this study, we investigated the effects of atrazine exposure on porcine oocyte maturation and the possible mechanisms. Our results showed that the rates of oocyte maturation significantly decreased after treatment with 200 μM atrazine in vitro.

Effects of antifreeze glycoprotein 8 (AFGP8) supplementation during vitrification on the in vitro developmental capacity of expanded bovine blastocysts.

Cryopreservation is an effective method for the long-term storage of valuable germplasm in the field of reproductive research. The present study examined the developmental capacity of post-thaw bovine blastocysts during vitrification after supplementation with antifreeze glycoprotein 8 (AFGP8). Survival and re-expansion rates in culture during the 12h after thawing were significantly higher in the AFGP8-treated than untreated group.

The Role of Glucose Metabolism on Porcine Oocyte Cytoplasmic Maturation and Its Possible Mechanisms.

In the present study, we investigated the potential role of glucose and pyruvate in the cytoplasmic maturation of porcine oocytes by investigating the effect of glucose and/or pyruvate supplementation, in the presence or absence of 10% porcine follicular fluid (PFF), on meiotic maturation and subsequent embryo development. In the absence of 10% PFF, without exogenous addition of glucose and pyruvate, the medium seemed unable to support maturation. In the presence of 10% PFF, the addition of 5.

Progesterone influences cytoplasmic maturation in porcine oocytes developing in vitro.

Progesterone (P4), an ovarian steroid hormone, is an important regulator of female reproduction. In this study, we explored the influence of progesterone on porcine oocyte nuclear maturation and cytoplasmic maturation and development in vitro. We found that the presence of P4 during oocyte maturation did not inhibit polar body extrusions but significantly increased glutathione and decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels relative to that in control groups.

An Improved System for Generation of Diploid Cloned Porcine Embryos Using Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Synchronized to Metaphase.

Pigs provide outstanding models of human genetic diseases due to their striking similarities with human anatomy, physiology and genetics. Although transgenic pigs have been produced using genetically modified somatic cells and nuclear transfer (SCNT), the cloning efficiency was extremely low. Here, we report an improved method to produce diploid cloned embryos from porcine induced pluripotent stem cells (piPSCs), which were synchronized to the G2/M stage using a double blocking method with aphidicolin and nocodazole.

Autophagy and ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis may not be involved in the degradation of spermatozoon mitochondria in mouse and porcine early embryos.

The mitochondrial genome is maternally inherited in animals, despite the fact that paternal mitochondria enter oocytes during fertilization. Autophagy and ubiquitin-mediated degradation are responsible for the elimination of paternal mitochondria in Caenorhabditis elegans; however, the involvement of these two processes in the degradation of paternal mitochondria in mammals is not well understood. We investigated the localization patterns of light chain 3 (LC3) and ubiquitin in mouse and porcine embryos during preimplantation development.