The Anti-Apoptotic Role of Berberine in Preimplantation Embryo In Vitro Development through Regulation of miRNA-21.

Traditional Chinese medicinal herbs containing berberine have been historically used to prevent miscarriage. Here, we investigated whether the anti-apoptotic effects of berberine on pre-implantation embryonic development are regulated by miRNA-21. Mouse pronuclear embryos were cultured in medium with or without berberine, and some were then microinjected with a miRNA-21 inhibitor.

The regulatory role of icariin on apoptosis in mouse preimplantation embryos with reduced microRNA-21.

We constructed a model of apoptosis in mouse preimplantation embryos and investigated the effect of the flavonol icariin on embryonic development in vitro in embryos with reduced microRNA-21 (miR-21). The model was generated by microinjecting an miR-21 inhibitor into the cytoplasm of mouse pronuclear embryos, which were cultured in vitro using modified CZB (mCZB) basal medium (model group), or using mCZB medium with 0.6 μg/mL icariin as an experimental group (model-Ica).