Korean J Obstet Gynecol.  2005 Oct;48(10):2377-2385.

The Effects of Vero Cell Co-culture on the Expression of Bax and Bcl-2 Genes in the Mouse Embryo Development

• Yoon TK
• Chung KN
• Kim YB

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of Vero cell co-culture on the development of mouse embryo in vitro and the expression of bax and bcl-2 genes in the mouse embryo.
METHODS
The 2-cell mouse embryos were obtained from oviduct of 5-6 weeks old mated female ICR mice superovulated with pregnant mare's serum gonadotropin (PMSG) and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG). The 2-cell embryos in Ham's F-10 medium supplemented with 10% FBS with or without Vero cells, were incubated at 37 degrees C in a 5% CO2 humidified air chamber respectively and we observed mouse embryo development and collected each group of embryos for the purpose of extraction of total RNA every 24 hours for 3 days. We carried out the RT-PCR to assess mRNA levels for bax and bcl-2 gene.
RESULTS
The rate of embryo development of with Vero cell co-cultured group was 78.3%, 50.7%, 27.2% and that of without Vero cell co- cultured group was 60.5%, 29.3%, 20.7% respectively. Bax mRNA expression level of without Vero cell co-cultured group was significantly higher than that of with Vero cell co-cultured group at 24 hours. Bcl-2 mRNA expression level of Vero cell co-cultured group was significantly higher than that of without Vero cell co-cultured group at 72 hours.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggested that Vero cell co-culture is beneficial in the development of mouse embryos and stimulates bax and bcl-2 gene expression.

Keyword

Vero cell; Co-culture; Mouse embryo; bax; bcl-2

MeSH Terms

Animals
Chorionic Gonadotropin
Coculture Techniques*
Embryonic Development*
Embryonic Structures*
Female
Genes, bcl-2*
Gonadotropins
Humans
Mice*
Mice, Inbred ICR
Oviducts
Pregnancy
RNA
RNA, Messenger
Vero Cells*
Chorionic Gonadotropin
Gonadotropins
RNA
RNA, Messenger