Aberrant expression of the heat shock proteins and factors was revealed to be closely associated with male reproduction. Heat shock factor 2 (HSF2) is a transcription factor that is involved in the regulation of diverse developmental pathways. However, the role and the corresponding molecular mechanism of in male cattle-yak sterility are still poorly understood.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe ALDH1A1 gene encodes a cytoplasmic member of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 1 family, which plays an important role in regulating animal reproductive performance, including estrus cycle and embryonic development. The aim of this study was to characterize ALDH1A1 activity in ovaries of 3-5 year-old yaks and to determine its effects on cell proliferation, apoptosis, and progesterone secretion in luteal cells (LCs). The coding sequence (CDS) of the ALDH1A1 gene was cloned by reverse transcription-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis was used to confirm localization of the ALDH1A1 protein in the ovary.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHistone methylation plays an essential role in oocyte growth and preimplantation embryonic development. The modification relies on histone methyl-transferases and demethylases, and one of these, lysine-specific demethylase 2a (Kdm2a), is responsible for modulating histone methylation during oocyte and early embryonic development. The mechanism of how Kdm2a deficiency disrupts early embryonic development and fertility remains elusive.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLysine-specific histone demethylase 2 (Kdm2a) is a regulatory factor of histone modifications that participates in gametogenesis and embryonic development. The mis-regulation of Kdm2a can lead to aberrant gene expression, thereby contributing to abnormal cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and tumorigenesis. However, due to the potential confounding effects that are secondary to the loss of Kdm2a function from the soma in existing whole-animal mutants, the in vivo function of Kdm2a in spermatogenesis for male fertility remains unknown.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRF amide-related peptide 3 (RFRP-3), a mammalian ortholog of gonadotropin-inhibitory hormone (GnIH), is identified to be a novel inhibitory endogenous neurohormonal peptide that regulates mammalian reproduction by binding with specific G protein-coupled receptors (GPRs) in various species. Herein, our objectives were to explore the biological functions of exogenous RFRP-3 on the apoptosis and steroidogenesis of yak cumulus cells (CCs) and the developmental potential of yak oocytes. The spatiotemporal expression pattern and localization of GnIH/RFRP-3 and its receptor GPR147 were determined in follicles and CCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThis study aimed to investigate the spatially and temporally expressed patterns and biological characteristics of in male yaks and explore the potential correlation between and male sterility of the yak hybrid offspring (termed cattle-yak). First, the coding sequence (CDS) of was cloned by RT-PCR, and bioinformatics analysis was conducted with relevant software. Quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) was employed to detect the expression profile of in various tissues of male adult yaks, the spatiotemporal expression of in different stages of yak testes, and the differential expression of between yak and cattle-yak testes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe methylation status of histones plays a crucial role in many cellular processes, including follicular and oocyte development. Lysine-specific demethylase 2a (KDM2a) has been reported to be closely associated with gametogenesis and reproductive performance, but the specific function and regulatory mechanism have been poorly characterized in vivo. We found KDM2a to be highly expressed in growing follicles and oocytes of mice in this study.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCattleyaks, a hybrid of (♂) and yak (♀), exhibit the marked productivity and adaptability of plateau, but suffer from male infertility. Small non-coding RNAs, especially miRNAs, play crucial roles in spermatogenesis and affect the growth of Sertoli cells (SCs). The objective of the present study was to explore the interaction between miR-34b-5p and protein phosphatase 1 regulatory inhibitor subunit 11 (PPP1R11) and its effect on cattleyak SCs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicroRNAs (miRNAs) play vital roles in the development of oocytes and ovarian follicles. We have previously shown differential expression of miR-342-3p during yak oocyte maturation. In this study, we investigated the role of miR-342-3p in meiotic maturation of yak oocytes and the underlying mechanism.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAscribe to the unique two-dimensional planar nanostructure with exceptional physical and chemical properties, black phosphorous (BP) as the emerging inorganic twodimensional nanomaterial with high biocompatibility and degradability has been becoming one of the most promising materials of great potentials in biomedicine. The exfoliated BP sheets possess ultra-high surface area available for valid bio-conjugation and molecular loading for chemotherapy. Utilizing the intrinsic near-infrared optical absorbance, BPbased photothermal therapy in vivo, photodynamic therapy and biomedical imaging has been realized, achieving unprecedented anti-tumor therapeutic efficacy in animal experiments.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn this work, we report a facile method using MoS₂ quantum dots (QDs) as reducers to directly react with HAuCl₄ for the synthesis of Au nanoparticle@MoS₂ quantum dots (Au NP@MoS₂ QDs) core@shell nanocomposites with an ultrathin shell of ca. 1 nm. The prepared Au NP@MoS₂ QDs reveal high surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance regarding sensitivity as well as the satisfactory SERS reproducibility and stability.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBlack phosphorus (BP), a new type of two-dimensional nanomaterial, has attracted crucial attention in recent years owing to its excellent properties and great potential in various chemical, physical, and biological fields. In this study, BP nanosheets loaded with Au nanoparticles (BP-Au NSs) are obtained by a one-step facile synthetic method. The Au nanostructures can not only enhance the photothermal efficiency of the nanocomposites, but also endow BP-Au NSs with the potential to act as effective surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates for Raman biodetection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA multifunctional nanoplatform based on black phosphorus quantum dots (BPQDs) was developed for cancer bioimaging and combined photothermal therapy (PTT) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). BPQDs were functionalized with PEG chains to achieve improved biocompatibility and physiological stability. The as-prepared nanoparticles exhibite prominent near-infrared (NIR) photothermal and red-light-triggered photodynamic properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe biological pH plays an important role in various cellular processes. In this work, a novel strategy is reported for biological pH sensing by using Raman spectroscopy and polyaniline nanoparticles (PANI NPs) as the pH-sensitive Raman probe. It is found that the Raman spectrum of PANI NPs is strongly dependent on the pH value.
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