Maternal obesity impairs oocyte quality and embryo development. However, the potential molecular pathways remain to be explored. In the present study, we examined the effects of obesity on telomere status in oocytes and embryos obtained from mice fed with high-fat diet (HFD). Of note, telomere shortening was observed in both oocytes and early embryos from obese mice, as evidenced by the reduced expression of telomerase reverse transcriptase and activity of telomerase. Moreover, quantitative analysis of telomere dysfunction-induced foci (TIFs) revealed that maternal obesity induces the defective telomeres in oocytes and embryos. Meanwhile, the high frequency of aneuploidy was detected in HFD oocytes and embryos as compared to controls, accompanying with the increased incidence of apoptotic blastocysts. In conclusion, these results indicate that telomere dysfunction might be a molecular pathway mediating the effects of maternal obesity on oocyte quality and embryo development.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
---|---|
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7858262 | PMC |
http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fcell.2021.617225 | DOI Listing |
Cell Rep
January 2025
Genetics and Epigenetics Program, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA; Department of Genetics, University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, USA. Electronic address:
ERK activity oscillates between sustained activation during oocyte formation and transient inactivation during oocyte maturation, fertilization, and early embryogenesis. Consequences of ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation and in early embryogenesis are unknown. We show, in Caenorhabditis elegans, that ectopic ERK activity upon oocyte maturation (metaphase I oocytes) results in embryos with abnormalities in nuclear divisions leading to embryonic death.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCells
January 2025
Third Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University General Hospital "ATTIKON", Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 12462 Athens, Greece.
Chronic inflammation is increasingly recognized as a critical factor in female reproductive health; influencing natural conception and the outcomes of assisted reproductive technologies such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). An essential component of innate immunity, the NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is one of the major mediators of inflammatory responses, and its activation is closely linked to oxidative stress. This interaction contributes to a decline in oocyte quality, reduced fertilization potential, and impaired embryo development.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Endocrinol (Lausanne)
January 2025
Woolcock Institute for Medical Research, University of Technology, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Introduction: It is well acknowledged that lipids assume a critical role in oocyte maturation and early embryonic metabolism, this study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the lipid composition of plasma and follicular fluid (FF), and the consequences of embryonic development. This study compared the lipidomic profiles of paired plasma and FF samples obtained from sixty-five Chinese women who underwent assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments.
Methods: Non-targeted lipidomics analysis.
Life Sci
January 2025
Division of Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Gyeongnam Province, Republic of Korea; Institute of Agriculture and Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Gyeongnam Province, Republic of Korea; Division of Animal Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea; The King Kong Corp. Ltd., Gyeongsang National University, Jinju 52828, Gyeongnam Province, Republic of Korea. Electronic address:
Telomerase is highly expressed in oocyte cumulus cells and plays a significant role in follicular development and oocyte maturation. In this study, we hypothesized that in vitro culture conditions may affect telomerase activity during in vitro embryo production (IVP) and that its activation may improve embryo quality. We first examined telomerase protein levels and localization in bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes via immunofluorescence assays.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEcotoxicol Environ Saf
January 2025
NHC Key Laboratory of Study on Abnormal Gametes and Reproductive Tract, Anhui Medical University, No.81 Meishan Road, Hefei 230032, China; Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, No.218 Jixi Road, Hefei 230022, China. Electronic address:
The use of Bisphenol A (BPA) has been widely restricted due to its adverse health effects. Bisphenol Z (BPZ) is used as an alternative to BPA, and humans are widely exposed to BPZ through various routes. Recent studies have shown that BPZ exposure adversely affects mouse oocyte meiotic maturation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!