During infections with the protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii, gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is utilized as a carbon source for metabolism and also to facilitate dissemination by stimulating dendritic-cell motility. The best-recognized function GABA, however, its role in nervous system an inhibitory neurotransmitter that regulates flow timing of excitatory neurotransmission. When this pathway altered, seizures develop. Human toxoplasmosis patients suffer from seizures, suggesting...

Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming often results in developmental defects somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos during embryonic genome activation (EGA). Bovine eight-cell SCNT exhibit global hypermethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 tri- and di-methylation (H3K9me3/2), but the intrinsic reason for this remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that two H3K9 demethylase genes, lysine-specific 4D (KDM4D) 4E (KDM4E), are related to active H3K9me3/2 demethylation vitro fertilized (IVF)...

Maternal effect genes encode proteins that are produced during oogenesis and play an essential role early embryogenesis. Genetic ablation of such in oocytes can result female subfertility or infertility. Here we report a newly identified maternal gene, Nlrp2, which plays embryogenesis the mouse. Nlrp2 mRNAs their (∼118 KDa) expressed granulosa cells folliculogenesis. The transcripts show striking decline preimplantation embryos before zygotic genome activation, but remain present through to...

Oocyte quality, which is directly related to reprogramming competence, a major important limiting factor in animal cloning efficiency. Compared with oocytes matured vivo, vitro exhibit lower oocyte quality and competence primarily because of their higher levels reactive oxygen species. In this study, we investigate whether supplementing the maturation medium melatonin, free radical scavenger, could improve competence. We found that 10-9 M melatonin effectively alleviated oxidative stress,...

Extracellular matrix (ECM) molecules contribute to the formation and maintenance of synapses in mammalian nervous system. We previously discovered a family nonfibrillar collagens that organize synaptic differentiation at neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Although many NMJ-organizing cues central system (CNS) synaptogenesis, whether similar roles for exist remained unclear. In present study we col19a1, gene encoding collagen XIX, is expressed by subsets hippocampal neurons. Colocalization with...

Abstract Background DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification that essential for gene regulation in development and disease. To date, the genome-wide maps of many organisms have been reported, but pattern cattle remains unknown. Results We showed map placental tissues using methylated immunoprecipitation combined with high-throughput sequencing (MeDIP-seq). In cattle, levels body are relatively high, whereas promoter hypomethylated. obtained thousands highly regions (HMRs), CpG...

We previously found that treatment of both donor cells and early cloned embryos with combination 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dC) trichostatin A (TSA) significantly improve the in vitro full-term development nuclear transfer (NT) bovine embryos. To investigate how this improved epigenetic reprogramming somatic cell nuclei, we compared expression levels DNA methylation-, chromatin structure-, development-related genes fertilized (IVF group), NT (C-NT 5-aza-dC TSA-treated (T-NT group) single...

Aberrant epigenetic nuclear reprogramming results in low somatic cloning efficiency. Altering status by applying histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) enhances developmental potential of cell transfer (SCNT) embryos. The present study was carried out to examine the effects Oxamflatin, a novel HDACi, on and development bovine SCNT embryos vitro. We found that Oxamflatin modified acetylation H3K9 H3K18, increased total inner mass (ICM) numbers ratio ICM∶trophectoderm (TE) cells, reduced rate...

Lead, a common metallic contaminant, is widespread in the living environment, and has deleterious effects on reproductive systems of humans animals. Although numerous toxic lead have been reported, underlying mechanisms impacts exposure female system, especially oocyte maturation fertility, remain unknown. In this study, mice were treated by gavage for seven days to evaluate damage role Nrf2-mediated defense responses during exposure. Lead significantly reduced fertilization oocytes vivo....

Bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is a widely used plasticizer in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics. Humans and animals are continuously exposed to DEHP, especially with respect diet, which associated reproductive diseases. Nevertheless, the effects underlying mechanisms of DEHP exposure on oocytes vivo remain ambiguous. In this study, we found that oral administration (40 μg/kg body weight per day for 14 days) markedly reduced maturation fertilization vivo. addition, caused oxidative...

Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming is a major factor of developmental failure cloned embryos. Histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), histone mark for transcriptional repression, plays important roles in mammalian embryonic development and induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) generation. The global loss H3K27me3 marks may facilitate iPSC generation mice humans. However, the level its role bovine somatic nuclear transfer (SCNT) remain poorly understood. Here, we show that SCNT embryos...

The selection of good quality oocytes is crucial for in vitro fertilization and somatic cloning. Brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) staining has been used from several mammalian species. However, the effects differential oocyte by BCB on nuclear reprogramming vivo development SCNT embryos are not well understood. Immature compact cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were divided into control (not exposed to BCB), BCB+ (blue cytoplasm) BCB− (colorless groups. We found that yielded a significantly higher...

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a promising technology, but its application hampered by low efficiency. Hence, the majority of SCNT embryos fail to develop term. In this study, antioxidant melatonin reduced apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bovine embryos. It also increased number, inner mass (ICM) numbers, ratio ICM total cells while improving development vitro vivo. Gene expression analysis showed that suppressed pro-apoptotic genes p53 Bax stimulated SOD1 Gpx4,...

Neural circuit formation demands precise timing of innervation by different classes axons. However, the mechanisms underlying such activity remain largely unknown. In dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), axons from retina and visual cortex innervate thalamic relay neurons in a highly coordinated manner, with those arriving well after retina. The differential retino- corticogeniculate is not coincidence but orchestrated retinal inputs. Here, we identified chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan...

Development of visual system circuitry requires the formation precise synaptic connections between neurons in retina and brain. For example, axons from retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) form synapses onto within subnuclei lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) [i.e., dorsal LGN (dLGN), ventral (vLGN), intergeniculate leaflet (IGL)]. Distinct classes RGCs project to these subnuclei: dLGN is innervated by image-forming RGCs, whereas vLGN IGL are non-image-forming RGCs. To explore potential mechanisms...

The present study evaluated the effect of Scriptaid, a novel histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi), on in vitro development somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) bovine embryos. Average fluorescence intensity two epigenetic markers (H3K9ac and H3K9m2) at two-cell, eight-cell, blastocyst stages, expression levels developmental important genes (Oct4 IFN-t) stage were also examined to assess influence Scriptaid reprogramming SCNT results showed that treatment with 500 nM for 14 h after...

Mouse visual thalamus has emerged as a powerful model for understanding the mechanisms underlying neural circuit formation and function. Three distinct nuclei within mouse receive retinal input, dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN), ventral (vLGN), intergeniculate (IGL). However, in each of these nuclei, inputs are vastly outnumbered by nonretinal that arise from cortical subcortical sources. Although terminals associated dLGN circuitry have been well characterized, we know little about...

Inhibitory synapses comprise only ∼20% of the total in mammalian brain but play essential roles controlling neuronal activity. In fact, perturbing inhibitory is associated with complex disorders, such as schizophrenia and epilepsy. Although many types exist, these disorders have been strongly linked to defects formed by Parvalbumin-expressing interneurons. Here, we discovered a novel role for an unconventional collagen—collagen XIX—in formation Parvalbumin+ synapses. Loss this collagen...