J Vet Sci.  2016 Dec;17(4):569-576. 10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.569.

Improvement of pregnancy rate by intrauterine administration of dexamethasone and recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor at the time of embryo transfer in cattle

• Roh S
• Kim SW
• Jung YG
• Park JI

• KMID: 2412614
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4142/jvs.2016.17.4.569

Abstract

Bovine embryos (day 5) were cultured to day 10 with or without 100 ng/mL PGF2α in medium supplemented with control; 100 nM Dex; 1,000 U/mL recombinant human leukemia inhibitory factor (rhLIF); or Dex+rhLIF. Although the rates to development to the blastocyst were not significantly different among groups, the hatching rate after additional culture with Dex +/or rhLIF was significantly higher in all supplemented groups than the control (p < 0.05). In the presence of PGF2α, the hatching rate was significantly restored in all supplemented groups relative to the group treated with only PGF2α and the control (p < 0.05). Embryo transfer (ET) was performed with blastocysts (day 7). PGF2α levels of control recipient cows were significantly higher in the circulatory blood samples collected 60 min after ET than in samples collected 60 min before ET (p < 0.005), and were decreased in cows injected with loading medium supplemented with Dex+rhLIF (p < 0.005). Pregnancy rate was significantly higher in the ET group that received supplemented embryo-loading medium than in the non-supplemented control (p < 0.05). The intrauterine administration of Dex and rhLIF at ET prevented increased PGF2α in circulatory blood and resulted in enhanced pregnancy rate.

Keyword

bovine; embryo transfer; fertilization in vitro; pregnancy rate; prostaglandins F

MeSH Terms

Animals
Cattle/*physiology
Dexamethasone/*pharmacology
Dinoprost/*metabolism
Embryo Transfer/veterinary
Female
Glucocorticoids/*pharmacology
Leukemia Inhibitory Factor/*pharmacology
Pregnancy
*Pregnancy Rate
Reproduction/drug effects
Glucocorticoids
Leukemia Inhibitory Factor
Dexamethasone
Dinoprost

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Rate of blastocyst development from morula that developed from five to seven days in vitro and was cultured with Dex and rhLIF (A) or with PGF2α in the presence of Dex and rhLIF (B). The data represent the means ± SD of blastocysts from three independent replicated trials, using 72–150 (A) or 169–185 (B) embryos in each of the culture conditions.

• 

  Fig. 2 Hatching rate of day 9 blastocysts cultured in vitro with Dex and rhLIF (A) or with PGF2α in the presence of Dex and rhLIF (B). Percentage of compacted embryos that continued development to hatched blastocysts after five to nine days of in vitro culture. The data represent the means ± SD of compete hatching of four (A) or three (B) independent replicated trials using 75–80 (A) or 92–102 (B) embryos for each culture condition. Asterisk indicates significant differences (p < 0.05).

• 

  Fig. 3 Values of PGF2α represent the means ± SD concentration of PGF2α collected from the blood of control cows (A, n = 4) and intrauterine administered (Dex and rhLIF) (B, n = 13) recipient cows 60 min before and after embryo transfer (ET). Asterisk represents significance (p < 0.005).

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