Porcine-specific expression of the three functional CYP19 paralogs in early conceptus, placenta, and gonads.

In Brief: Aromatase catalyzes the synthesis of estrogens and has been shown to have an important role during the establishment of pregnancy in the pig. This study confirmed the differential expression of the three aromatase isoforms.

Abstract: Although three porcine aromatase isoforms have been identified, their gene expression profiles in reproduction are still poorly understood.

Effects of chitosan-coated lipid-core nanocapsules on bovine sperm cells.

Toxicology studies have a pivotal role for selection of new nanosystems. As lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC) rise as a potential system not only for drug delivery but also for immunotherapy and gene therapy, the demand for models of toxic screening increases, and sperm arises as a promising model due to the easiness to evaluate its viability parameters. LNCs were coated with chitosan, chitosan-coated lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC-CS), in order to modify the nanocapsule surface.

Effects of Two Types of Melatonin-Loaded Nanocapsules with Distinct Supramolecular Structures: Polymeric (NC) and Lipid-Core Nanocapsules (LNC) on Bovine Embryo Culture Model.

Melatonin has been used as a supplement in culture medium to improve the efficiency of in vitro produced mammalian embryos. Through its ability to scavenge toxic oxygen derivatives and regulate cellular mRNA levels for antioxidant enzymes, this molecule has been shown to play a protective role against damage by free radicals, to which in vitro cultured embryos are exposed during early development. In vivo and in vitro studies have been performed showing that the use of nanocapsules as active substances carriers increases stability, bioavailability and biodistribution of drugs, such as melatonin, to the cells and tissues, improving their antioxidant properties.

Melatonin delivery by nanocapsules during in vitro bovine oocyte maturation decreased the reactive oxygen species of oocytes and embryos.

In this work, a promising approach to increase the advantageous properties of melatonin through its encapsulation into lipid-core nanocapsules (LNC) was examined. Oocytes were treated during in vitro maturation with non-encapsulated melatonin (Mel), melatonin-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules (Mel-LNC), and unloaded LNC. Cytotoxicity, meiotic maturation rate, development to the blastocyst stage, reactive oxygen species (ROS) and glutathione levels, mean cell number and apoptotic cell/blastocyst, and mRNA quantification were evaluated.

Tretinoin-loaded lipid-core nanocapsules decrease reactive oxygen species levels and improve bovine embryonic development during in vitro oocyte maturation.

In vitro oocyte maturation (IVM) protocols can be improved by adding chemical supplements to the culture media. Tretinoin is considered an important retinoid in embryonic development and its association with lipid-core nanocapsules (TTN-LNC) represents an innovative way of improving its solubility, and chemical stability, and reducing its toxicity. The effects of supplementing IVM medium with TTN-LNC was evaluated by analyzing production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), S36-phosphorilated-p66Shc levels and caspase activity in early embryonic development, and expression of apoptosis and pluripotency genes in blastocysts.