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Expression profiles of select genes in cumulus-oocyte complexes from young and aged mares.
Abstract: There is compelling evidence that oocytes from mares >18 years of age have a high incidence of inherent defects that result in early embryonic loss. In women, an age-related decrease in oocyte quality is associated with an increased incidence of aneuploidy and it has recently been determined that the gene expression profile of human oocytes is altered with advancing age. We hypothesised that similar age-related aberrations in gene expression occur in equine oocytes. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to compare gene expression profiles of individual oocytes and cumulus cells from young and aged mares, specifically evaluating genes that have been identified as being differentially expressed with advancing maternal age and/or aneuploidy in human oocytes. Expression of 48 genes was compared between 14 cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from mares aged 3-12 years and 10 COCs from mares ≥18 years of age. Three genes (mitochondrial translational initiation factor 3 (IF3), heat shock transcription factor 5 (HSF5) and Y box binding protein 2 (YBX2)) were differentially expressed in oocytes, with all being more abundant in oocytes from young mares. Three genes (ADP-ribosylation factor-like 6 interacting protein 6 (ARL6IP6), BCL2-associated X protein (BAX) and hypoxia upregulated 1 (HYOU1)) were differentially expressed in cumulus cells, with all being more abundant in aged mares. The results of the present study confirm there are age-related differences in gene expression in equine COCs, which may be associated with the lower quality and decreased developmental competence of oocytes from aged mares.
Publication Date: 2015-05-16 PubMed ID: 25976356DOI: 10.1071/RD14446Google Scholar: Lookup The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigates the differences in gene expression within oocyte-cumulus complexes in younger versus older mares, suggesting a potential link between age and lower quality of horse oocytes, which might result in early embryonic loss.
Background
- This study embarks on the hypothesis that just like humans, the aging process in equines also affects the genetic expression of their oocytes, causing possible anomalies and diminished quality.
- The exploration bore down on the alteration in the gene expression profiles of individual oocytes and cumulus cells when comparing young and aged mares.
Methods
- The researchers selected genes identified to express differently with advancing maternal age and/or the presence of an irregular number of chromosomes in human oocytes for examination in equine species.
- The gene expression of 48 such genes was compared in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from two groups: A young group of mares aged between 3 to 12 years (14 COCs in total for test) and an older group of mares that are 18 years or older (10 COCs in total for test).
Results
- Three genes — mitochondrial translational initiation factor 3 (IF3), heat shock transcription factor 5 (HSF5), and Y box binding protein 2 (YBX2) — exhibited different expression rates in oocytes. All three genes had a greater expression in COCs from younger mares.
- In the cumulus cells, three different genes — ADP-ribosylation factor-like 6 interacting protein 6 (ARL6IP6), BCL2-associated X protein (BAX), and hypoxia upregulated 1 (HYOU1) — showed differential expression with the higher abundance in older mares.
Conclusion
- The study confirms that differences in gene expressions in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) are indeed related to the age of the mare.
- These differences could be a potential explanation for the lesser quality and subpar developmental competence of oocytes retrieved from older mares, leading to higher instances of early embryonic loss.
Cite This Article
APA
Cox L, Vanderwall DK, Parkinson KC, Sweat A, Isom SC.
(2015).
Expression profiles of select genes in cumulus-oocyte complexes from young and aged mares.
Reprod Fertil Dev, 27(6), 914-924.
https://doi.org/10.1071/RD14446 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, 4815 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4815, USA.
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, 4815 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4815, USA.
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, 4815 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4815, USA.
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, 4815 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4815, USA.
- Department of Animal, Dairy and Veterinary Sciences, 4815 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, UT 84322-4815, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Age Factors
- Animals
- Cumulus Cells / metabolism
- DNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
- DNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
- Female
- Gene Expression
- Gene Expression Profiling
- Heat Shock Transcription Factors
- Horses
- Oocytes / metabolism
- RNA-Binding Proteins / genetics
- RNA-Binding Proteins / metabolism
- Transcription Factors / genetics
- Transcription Factors / metabolism
Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Martino NA, Picardi E, Ciani E, D'Erchia AM, Bogliolo L, Ariu F, Mastrorocco A, Temerario L, Mansi L, Palumbo V, Pesole G, Dell'Aquila ME. Cumulus Cell Transcriptome after Cumulus-Oocyte Complex Exposure to Nanomolar Cadmium in an In Vitro Animal Model of Prepubertal and Adult Age. Biology (Basel) 2023 Feb 4;12(2).
- Derisoud E, Jouneau L, Dubois C, Archilla C, Jaszczyszyn Y, Legendre R, Daniel N, Peynot N, Dahirel M, Auclair-Ronzaud J, Wimel L, Duranthon V, Chavatte-Palmer P. Maternal age affects equine day 8 embryo gene expression both in trophoblast and inner cell mass. BMC Genomics 2022 Jun 15;23(1):443.
- Benammar A, Derisoud E, Vialard F, Palmer E, Ayoubi JM, Poulain M, Chavatte-Palmer P. The Mare: A Pertinent Model for Human Assisted Reproductive Technologies?. Animals (Basel) 2021 Aug 4;11(8).
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