Embryo

Role of Messenger RNA Expression of Platelet-Activating Factor and Its Receptor in Porcine In Vitro-Fertilized and Cloned Embryo Development

Abstract
Platelet activating factor (PAF) is known as an autocrine growth/survival factor for the mammalian preimplantation embryos. This study investigated the expression of porcine PAF 5 receptor (PAFr) mRNA and its role in porcine in vitro fertilized (IVF) or somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryo development. The expression of PAFr mRNA in IVF or SCNT blastocysts was shown by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and Southern blot analysis. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and Southern blot analysis demonstrated that PAFr mRNA was expressed during preimplantation embryo development; highly expressed through 2-cell to 8-cell embryos and 10 decreased at morula stage. The PAFr mRNA expression was detected steadily in IVF embryos, while it was varied at 2 cell, 4-cell and blastocysts in SCNT embryos. To determine the role of PAF in IVF and SCNT embryo development, embryos were cultured in North Carolina State University (NCSU)-23 medium supplemented with different concentrations of PAF (0, 0.037, 0.37, 3.72 or 37.2 nM). The PAF supplement significantly increased rate in blastocyst formation in SCNT embryos, but 15 not in IVF embryos. The PAF supplement for entire 168 h showed significantly higher blastocyst formation in SCNT embryos. Upregulation of PAFr mRNA by PAF in SCNT embryos indicated that the embryotrophic effect of PAF was mediated through its functional receptors in SCNT embryos. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that PAFr mRNA was expressed in porcine IVF and SCNT embryos, and PAF supplement improved the developmental competence of SCNT embryos 20 through its specific receptors.

Key words: Embryo

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				C. O'Neill The role of paf in embryo physiology Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2005; 11(3): 215 - 228. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]