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Home / Equine Research Bank / Animals (Basel) / Effect of Pre-IVM Duration with cAMP Modulators on the Produ...
Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2025; 15(13); 1961; doi: 10.3390/ani15131961

Effect of Pre-IVM Duration with cAMP Modulators on the Production of Cloned Equine Embryos and Foals.

Abstract: The asynchrony of cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) due to prematurely declining concentrations of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) has been shown to result in reduced oocyte developmental competence. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pre-IVM treatment with cAMP modulators for different durations on the developmental potential of equine oocytes used for cloned embryo production. Collected COCs were transferred to cryovials filled with transport medium at 20-22 °C. Within the cryovials, the COCs were either untreated (Control) for 18 h or treated with 50 µM forskolin and 100 µM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine for the first 4 h (Pre-IVM 4 h) or the entire 18 h (Pre-IVM 18 h). Oocytes were then transferred to maturation medium and incubated for a further 22-24 h at 38.5 °C in 5% CO in air. Somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos were then produced using the meiotically mature oocytes and donor cells from six different fibroblast cell lines. The rates of maturation and embryo development did not differ significantly between the groups, though blastocyst formation tended to be inferior in the Pre-IVM 4 h group compared with the Control group ( = 0.06). Of 67 blastocysts produced, 23 were transferred to recipient mares on Day 4 or 5 post-ovulation. Regarding the pregnancy outcomes, no significant differences were found between the groups, and four viable foals were born, each derived from a different donor cell line. The findings expand on those from previous evaluations of this biphasic IVM system, and indicate that the cAMP-modulating treatments exert limited effects under the pre-IVM conditions used here.
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Publication Date: 2025-07-03 PubMed ID: 40646860PubMed Central: PMC12248448DOI: 10.3390/ani15131961Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

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The research paper discusses a study conducted to understand the effects of pre-IVM treatments with cAMP modulators on the potential development of equine oocytes used for cloned embryo production.

About the Study

  • The research looks into the asynchrony of cytoplasmic and nuclear maturation in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). This occurrence is due to prematurely declining concentrations of the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) within the oocytes, which has been shown to reduce their developmental competence.
  • The study aimed to assess the impact of pre-In Vitro Maturation (pre-IVM) treatment using cAMP modulators administered over different durations on the developmental potential of horse oocytes used for cloned embryo production.

Methodology

  • The study collected COCs and transferred them to cryovials filled with a transport medium at a temperature range of 20-22 °C.
  • Within the cryovials, the COCs were either left untreated for 18 hours (Control) or treated with 50 µM forskolin and 100 µM 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine for the first 4 hours (Pre-IVM 4 h) or the full 18 hours (Pre-IVM 18 h).
  • After this phase, the oocytes were moved to a maturation medium and incubated for another 22-24 hours at a temperature of 38.5 °C in 5% CO in air.
  • Somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos were then produced using the meiotically mature oocytes and donor cells from six different fibroblast cell lines.

Results

  • It was noted that the maturation rates and embryo development rates did not demonstrate a significant difference among the groups.
  • However, blastocyst formation showed a tendency to be inferior in the Pre-IVM 4 h group compared to the Control group. This difference, however, was borderline statistically significant (p = 0.06).
  • Out of the 67 blastocysts produced, 23 were transferred to recipient mares on Day 4 or Day 5 post-ovulation.
  • The pregnancy outcomes did not show any significant differences among the groups.
  • The study reported four viable foals born, each one derived from a different donor cell line.

Conclusion

  • This research contributes to prior knowledge on the application of a biphasic In Vitro Maturation (IVM) system.
  • The findings suggest that the treatments using cAMP modulators deliver limited effects under the pre-IVM conditions used in this study.

Cite This Article

APA
Cortez JV, Hardwicke K, Méndez-Calderón CE, Grupen CG. (2025). Effect of Pre-IVM Duration with cAMP Modulators on the Production of Cloned Equine Embryos and Foals. Animals (Basel), 15(13), 1961. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15131961

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 15
Issue: 13
PII: 1961

Researcher Affiliations

Cortez, Jenin V
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.
Hardwicke, Kylie
  • Catalina Equine Reproduction Centre, North Richmond, NSW 2754, Australia.
Méndez-Calderón, Carlos E
  • Catalina Equine Reproduction Centre, North Richmond, NSW 2754, Australia.
Grupen, Christopher G
  • Sydney School of Veterinary Science, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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