Establishment of a rabbit induced pluripotent stem cell (RbiPSC) line using lentiviral delivery of human pluripotency factors

Rabbit Embryonic Fibroblast (RbEF) cells (from Hycole hybrid rabbit foetus) were reprogrammed by lentiviral delivery of a self-silencing hOKSM polycistronic vector. The pluripotency of the newly generated RbiPSC was verified by the expression of pluripotency-associated markers and by in vitro spontaneous differentiation towards the 3 germ layers. Furthermore, the spontaneous differentiation potential of the iPSC was also tested in vivo by teratoma assay. The iPSC line showed normal karyotype. The advantages of using RbiPSC are the easy access to primary material and the possibility to study the efficacy and safety of the iPSC-based therapies on a non-rodent animal model

HISTONE H3 MODIFICATION OF ISCNT EMBRYOS

This study aimed to determine the acetylation patterns on histone H3K9/18/23 and the dimethylation pattern on histone H3K9 during early embryogenesis among 50 nM Trichostatin A (TSA)-treated iSCNT cat-cow embryos, untreated iSCNT cat-cow embryos (control) and bovine in vitro fertilisation (IVF) embryos, because TSA-treated iSCNT embryos are able to develop into blastocysts. The results show that the acetylation levels of H3K9/18/23 in the TSA-treated iSCNT and bovine IVF embryos were higher than those in the control embryos at almost all of the examined stages (2 h post-fusion / post-insemination (PF/PI), pronuclear (PN), two-cell, four-cell and eight-cell stages). At 6 h PF/PI the acetylation levels on H3K9/23 in the TSA-treated iSCNT and bovine IVF embryos were lower than those in the control, and there was no difference in the acetylation levels of H3K18 among the three groups. The acetylation levels of H3K9/23 increased either in the TSA-treated iSCNT or and bovine IVF embryos increased when those embryos developed to the PN and two-cell stages. The dimethylation level of H3K9 in the TSA-treated iSCNT embryos resembled that of the bovine IVF embryos at all examined stages (2h PF/PI, 6 h PF/PI and PN stages), and these levels were greater than those of the control. This result suggests that treatment of iSCNT embryos with TSA modifies the patterns of histone acetylation and dimethylation at certain lysine residues in a manner that is comparable with that seen in IVF embryos during early embryogenesis

Chronological Reorganization of Microtubules, Actin Microfilaments, and Chromatin during the First Cell Cycle in Swamp Buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis

This paper aimed to study the dynamics of early embryonic development, in terms of redistribution of cytoskeleton (microtubules, actin microfilaments) and chromatin configurations during the first cell cycle in swamp buffalo embryos. Oocytes were matured and fertilized in vitro, and they were fixed at various time points after IVF. At 6 h after IVF, 44.4% matured oocytes were penetrated by spermatozoa. Partial ZP digestion, however, did not improve fertilization rate compared to control (P > .05). At 12 h after IVF, the fertilized oocytes progressed to the second meiotic division and formed the female pronucleus simultaneously with the paternal chromatin continued to decondense. A sperm aster was observed radiating from the base of the decondensing sperm head. At 18 h after IVF, most presumptive zygotes had reached the pronuclear stage. The sperm aster was concurrently enlarged to assist the migration and apposition of pronuclei. Cell cleavage was facilitated by microfilaments and firstly observed by 30 h after IVF. In conclusion, the cytoskeleton actively involves with the process of fertilization and cleavage in swamp buffalo oocytes. The centrosomal material is paternally inherited. Fertilization failure is predominantly caused by poor sperm penetration. However, partial digestion of ZP did not improve fertilization rate

The Preliminary Chronic Effects of Electromagnetic Radiation from Mobile Phones on Heart Rate Variability, Cardiac Function, Blood Profiles, and Semen Quality in Healthy Dogs

The present study aims to determine the effects of long-term exposure to electromagnetic radiation from mobile phones (MPs) on heart rate variability (HRV), cardiac function, blood profiles, body surface temperature, and semen quality in healthy dogs. Eight male dogs were exposed to MPs (1962–1966 MHz; specific absorption rate 0.96 W/kg) for 2 h/day, 5 days/week, for 10 weeks. Holter monitoring for HRV analysis was performed at baseline (BL) and every 2 weeks, until the end of the study. Electrocardiograms (ECG), blood pressure (BP), echocardiography, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), hematology and biochemistry profiles, body surface temperature, and semen quality were evaluated at BL, week 5, and week 10 during exposure. The results showed that most of the HRV parameters did not significantly differ among timepoints, except for the mean of an interval between continuous normal R waves in week 6 that was higher than that at BL (p = 0.022). The RR and QT intervals from ECG in week 5 were prolonged, compared to the BL values (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively), but those parameters were within the normal limits. The echocardiography, BP, cTnI concentrations, body surface temperature, and semen quality results were not different from BL values. In conclusion, this study found no evidence suggesting an adverse effect of cell phone exposure on HRV, cardiac function, blood profiles, body surface temperature, or semen quality in healthy dogs, when exposed for 10 weeks