The central role of pyruvate metabolism on the epigenetic maturation and transcriptional profile of bovine oocytes

In brief

Pyruvate metabolism is one of the main metabolic pathways during oocyte maturation. This study demonstrates that pyruvate metabolism also regulates the epigenetic and molecular maturation in bovine oocytes.

Abstract

Pyruvate, the final product of glycolysis, undergoes conversion into acetyl-CoA within the mitochondria of oocytes, serving as a primary fuel source for the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. The citrate generated in the TCA cycle can be transported to the cytoplasm and converted back into acetyl-CoA. This acetyl-CoA can either fuel lipid synthesis or act as a substrate for histone acetylation. This study aimed to investigate how pyruvate metabolism influences lysine 9 histone 3 acetylation (H3K9ac) dynamics and RNA transcription in bovine oocytes during in vitro maturation (IVM). Bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in vitro for 24 h, considering three experimental groups: Control (IVM medium only), DCA (IVM supplemented with sodium dichloroacetate, a stimulant of pyruvate oxidation into acetyl-CoA), or IA (IVM supplemented with sodium iodoacetate, a glycolysis inhibitor). The results revealed significant alterations in oocyte metabolism in both treatments, promoting the utilization of lipids as an energy source. These changes during IVM affected the dynamics of H3K9ac, subsequently influencing the oocyte's transcriptional activity. In the DCA and IA groups, a total of 148 and 356 differentially expressed genes were identified, respectively, compared to the control group. These findings suggest that modifications in pyruvate metabolism trigger the activation of metabolic pathways, particularly lipid metabolism, changing acetyl-CoA availability and H3K9ac levels, ultimately impacting the mRNA content of in vitro matured bovine oocytes.

Adaptative response to changes in pyruvate metabolism on the epigenetic landscapes and transcriptomics of bovine embryos

The epigenetic reprogramming that occurs during the earliest stages of embryonic development has been described as crucial for the initial events of cell specification and differentiation. Recently, the metabolic status of the embryo has gained attention as one of the main factors coordinating epigenetic events. In this work, we investigate the link between pyruvate metabolism and epigenetic regulation by culturing bovine embryos from day 5 in the presence of dichloroacetate (DCA), a pyruvate analog that increases the pyruvate to acetyl-CoA conversion, and iodoacetate (IA), which inhibits the glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), leading to glycolysis inhibition. After 8 h of incubation, both DCA and IA-derived embryos presented higher mitochondrial membrane potential. Nevertheless, in both cases, lower levels of acetyl-CoA, ATP-citrate lyase and mitochondrial membrane potential were found in blastocysts, suggesting an adaptative metabolic response, especially in the DCA group. The metabolic alteration found in blastocysts led to changes in the global pattern of H3K9 and H3K27 acetylation and H3K27 trimethylation. Transcriptome analysis revealed that such alterations resulted in molecular differences mainly associated to metabolic processes, establishment of epigenetic marks, control of gene expression and cell cycle. The latter was further confirmed by the alteration of total cell number and cell differentiation in both groups when compared to the control. These results corroborate previous evidence of the relationship between the energy metabolism and the epigenetic reprogramming in preimplantation bovine embryos, reinforcing that the culture system is decisive for precise epigenetic reprogramming, with consequences for the molecular control and differentiation of cells.

Lipid availability during in vitro maturation alters oocyte lipid content and blastocyst development and metabolism

Lipids play a crucial role in various biological functions, including membrane composition, energy storage, cell signaling, and metabolic and epigenetic processes. Abnormal lipid accumulation and metabolism during in vitro maturation (IVM) of oocytes has been linked to the use of fetal bovine serum (FBS), even though it provides several beneficial molecules, contributing to the oocyte competence. Delipidating agents have been used to mitigate these deleterious effects, but they can have adverse effects on embryonic development. In this study, we explored how lipids present in fetal bovine serum (FBS) can impact the composition of oocytes and their resulting blastocysts in vitro. For that, we used organic solvents to separate the polar and nonpolar (lipid enriched) phase of FBS. Oocytes were in vitro matured in the presence of 10% whole FBS (control), 10% FBS plus 10% nonpolar lipids (lipid enriched - OL) or 10% polar lipids only (partially delipidated - ODL). After 24 hours, part of the matured oocytes was collected and those remaining in each group underwent in vitro fertilization (IVF) and culture (IVC) under the same conditions and expanded blastocysts were collected at day 7 (control, BL and BDL). Oocytes and embryos were analyzed by Multiple Reaction Monitoring mass spectrometry (MRM-MS) to determine their lipid composition. Interestingly, principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a clear distinction in the lipid profile of oocytes and blastocysts from both treatments compared to the control group. Control oocytes and blastocysts had higher triacylglycerol and cholesterol ester enrichment, while the OL, ODL, BL, and BDL groups had higher amounts of free fatty acids (FFA). The structural and signaling phospholipids also differed among groups. Our findings suggest that the lipid-enriched fraction of FBS can be manipulated for IVM to ensure proper maturation, resulting in oocytes and blastocysts with less accumulated intracellular lipids and an improved metabolic status.

Metabolism-epigenetic interactions on in vitro produced embryos

Metabolism and epigenetics, which reciprocally regulate each other in different cell types, are fundamental aspects of cellular adaptation to the environment. Evidence in cancer and stem cells has shown that the metabolic status modifies the epigenome while epigenetic mechanisms regulate the expression of genes involved in metabolic processes, thereby altering the metabolome. This crosstalk occurs as many metabolites serve as substrates or cofactors of chromatin-modifying enzymes. If we consider the intense metabolic dynamic and the epigenetic remodelling of the embryo, the comprehension of these regulatory networks will be important not only for understanding early embryonic development, but also to determine in vitro culture conditions that support embryo development and may insert positive regulatory marks that may persist until adult life. In this review, we focus on how metabolism may affect epigenetic reprogramming of the early stages of development, in particular acetylation and methylation of histone and DNA. We also present other metabolic modifications in bovine embryos, such as lactylation, highlighting the promising epigenetic and metabolic targets to improve conditions for in vitro embryo development.

Silencing mark H3K27me3 is differently reprogrammed in bovine embryos with distinct kinetics of development

The kinetics of the first cleavages is a predictor of blastocyst development and implantation. For bovine embryos, this attribute was previously related to distinct metabolic, molecular and epigenetic profiles, including DNA and histone modifications. In the present work, we described the dynamics of trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3) in fast and slow developing embryos and verified if this epigenetic mark was also influenced by the speed of the first cleavages. In vitro-produced bovine embryos were classified as fast (4 or more cells) or slow (2 cells) at 40 hr post fertilization (hpf) and either collected or cultured until 96 hpf or 186 hpf. Immunofluorescence analysis was performed in these three time points and showed that although both groups presented the same levels of H3K27me3 at 40 hpf, slow embryos presented a pronounced increase in this mark at 186 hpf when compared to fast embryos, resulting in blastocysts with remarkable differences in H3K27me3 levels. In conclusion, the increased levels of this repressive histone post-translation modification (PTM) might be an attempt of slow embryos to promote gene expression control and chromatin integrity, since it was already reported that these embryos present reduced levels of other epigenetic repressive marks as DNA methylation and trimethylation of lysine 9 on histone H3 (H3K9me3).

Metabolism-driven post-translational modifications of H3K9 in early bovine embryos

Metabolic and molecular profiles were reported as different for bovine embryos with distinct kinetics during the first cleavages. In this study, we used this same developmental model (fast vs slow) to determine if the relationship between metabolism and developmental kinetics affects the levels of acetylation or tri-methylation at histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9ac and H3K9me3, respectively). Fast and slow developing embryos presented different levels of H3K9ac and H3K9me3 from the earliest stages of development (40 and 96 hpi) and up to the blastocyst stage. For H3K9me3, both groups of embryos presented a wave of demethylation and de novo methylation, although it was more pronounced in fast than slow embryos, resulting in blastocysts with higher levels of this mark. The H3K9ac reprogramming profile was distinct between kinetics groups. While slow embryos presented a wave of deacetylation, followed by an increase in this mark at the blastocyst stage, fast embryos reduced this mark throughout all the developmental stages studied. H3K9me3 differences corresponded to writer and eraser transcript levels, while H3K9ac patterns were explained by metabolism-related gene expression. To verify if metabolic differences could alter levels of H3K9ac, embryos were cultured with sodium-iodoacetate (IA) or dichloroacetate (DCA) to disrupt the glycolytic pathway or increase acetyl-CoA production, respectively. IA reduced H3K9ac while DCA increased H3K9ac in blastocysts. Concluding, H3K9me3 and H3K9ac patterns differ between embryos with different kinetics, the second one explained by metabolic pathways involved in acetyl-CoA production. So far, this is the first study demonstrating a relationship between metabolic differences and histone post-translational modifications in bovine embryos.

Less is more: Reduced nutrient concentration during in vitro culture improves embryo production rates and morphophysiology of bovine embryos

Reproducing the environment to which the embryo is naturally exposed may be an alternative to improve viability of embryos produced in vitro. In the first part of this work, we describe a novel culture media, namely Embryonic Culture Supplementation (ECS100). The composition of this media was based on the contents of carbohydrates and amino acids found in oviductal and uterine fluids. Because it was a new formulation, we investigated the performance of ECS100 in comparison with conventionally used SOFaa, and possible benefits to embryo development. Embryo production rates (cleavage, morula and blastocyst conversion, blastocyst and hatching rates) and morphophysiological parameters (total cell number, cell allocation, Mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS), NADH, FAD⁺ and ATP content) were similar between ECS100 and SOFaa. Next, we tested if a reduction of ECS100 concentration could positively contribute to embryo viability by resembling the more dynamic availability of nutrients that reach the embryos in vivo. Therefore, embryos were cultured in ECS100 or in its serial dilution (ECS75, 50 and 25). Despite the fact that the lowest concentration (ECS25) still supported blastocyst formation, halving the concentration of metabolites (ECS50) actually improved embryo production rates. Thus, embryos produced in ECS100 or ECS50 were submitted to further analyses on Days 4 and 7. Embryos cultured in ECS50 presented better developmental rates and morphophysiological profile than embryos cultured in ECS100. Additionally, physiological traits (MMP, ROS and NADH levels) of embryos cultured in ECS50 presented the expected pattern for embryos produced in vivo. In conclusion, we presented a novel, more personalized and effective culture media for bovine IVP embryos. And although the ECS media formulation was based on the contents of female reproductive fluids, it is worth mentioning that adaptations must be specifically directed for in vitro conditions rather than reproduced exactly from in vivo state.

3 Modulation of glycolysis alters histone acetylation and gene expression in bovine blastocysts produced invitro

Changes in the dynamics of energy metabolism can affect the sophisticated molecular control of different cell types including embryonic stem cells (Zhang et al. 2018 Cell Metab. 27, 332-338; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cmet.2018.01.008). In this study, we modulated pathways related to acetyl-CoA generation, the major donor for histone acetylation, and explored how this affects histone acetylation and the transcriptional profile of bovine blastocysts. Embryos were produced invitro by conventional protocols. On Day 4 of culture (Fertilization=Day 0), embryos were randomly allocated into 3 experimental groups according to culture medium [synthetic oviductal fluid with amino acids (SOFaa) + 4% bovine serum albumin] supplementation: Control (no additional supplementation), sodium iodoacetate (IA; 2 µM; glycolysis inhibitor), and sodium dichloroacetate (DCA; 2 mM; acetyl-CoA conversion stimulator). Expanded blastocysts were collected on Day 7 and assessed for ATP levels (luminescence), mitochondrial activity (MitoTracker Red CMXRos; ThermoFisher Scientific), histone 3 lysine 9 and 27 acetylation (H3K9ac and H3K27ac; immunostaining) and transcriptional profiling by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) of isolated inner cell mass. Data were submitted to normality test and treatment groups were compared to control using t-test or Mann–Whitney test for non-parametric data (mean±s.e.) considering P<0.05. RNA-Seq data were analysed by DESEqn 2 and transcripts with Padj <0.05 were submitted to gene ontology by DAVID (https://david.ncifcrf.gov/). Mitochondrial activity was higher in DCA compared with Control (control: 53078±2747 AU vs. DCA: 57520±902 AU; P=0.0034), which explains the higher ATP levels found in this group (control: 1.49±0.65 µM vs. DCA: 41.56±15.69 µM; P=0.03). However, although mitochondrial activity was expectedly lower in IA compared to control (control: 53078±2747 A.U. vs. DCA: 36249±3200 A.U.; P=0.0013), we did not observe a decrease in ATP levels (control: 1.49±0.65µM vs. IA: 3.23±1.13 µM; P=0.12). Confirming our hypothesis, modulation of acetyl-CoA generation affected histone acetylation, with levels of H3K9ac and H3K27ac being higher in DCA and lower in IA compared with Control (H3K9ac Control: 988.3±22.82 AU, DCA: 1301±32.28 AU, IA: 684±23.7 AU; P<0.0001 and H3K27ac Control: 502.5±13.64 AU, DCA: 667.2±12.19 AU, IA: 417.2±12.03 AU; P<0.0001). Finally, 905 genes were differentially expressed, 599 up- and 306 downregulated in DCA compared with Control. Another 675 genes were differentially expressed between control and IA, (385 up- and 290 downregulated in IA). Gene ontology indicated that, compared with control, the biological functions upregulated in DCA were related to developmental process and the downregulated functions were associated with metabolism regulation, indicating a role of metabolic pathways in the developmental competence of the embryo. IA, in contrast, had catabolic activity upregulated and nucleotide metabolism downregulated compared with control, supporting the depletion of metabolic activity and lower acetylation. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the modulation of energy metabolism affects the epigenetic status of bovine embryos with consequences for the transcriptional profile of pathways involved in embryo quality and viability.

80 Energetic substrate availability affects the metabolome profile in bovine sperm

Bovine spermatozoa are specialised cells that require high ATP production for flagellar movement and other physiological events necessary for fertilization. Glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) are the most studied energy pathways in sperm cells and involve metabolites such as glucose, pyruvate, and lactate. Although glycolysis has been described as the preferential pathway for ATP generation in bovine spermatozoa, other metabolites may also be used, leading to distinct metabolome profiles. Thus, the objective of this work was to characterise the metabolome profile of culture media derived from sperm cells incubated in the presence of different energy substrates for ATP production. For that, a semen straw from one bull (n=3) previously tested for IVF was thawed and motile sperm were separated by Percoll gradient, washed and resuspended in FertTalp medium (FT) without capacitator agents (Parrish et al. 1989 Biol. Reprod. 41, 683–699) to a final concentration of 30×106cells mL−1. Then, samples were centrifuged and resuspended in 5 different groups: positive control (PC, FT supplemented with 2mM glucose, 0.2mM pyruvate, and 11mM lactate); negative control (NC, FT without energy substrates); Glu (FT and 3.5mM glucose); Pyr (FT and 0.11mM pyruvate), and Lac (FT and 5.5mM lactate). Samples were incubated at 38.5°C, 5% CO2 in high humidity for 15 and 45min. After incubation, samples were centrifuged and supernatant was collected and analysed by Raman spectroscopy as previously described (Santos et al. 2015 Biomed. Opt. Express 6, 2830–2839; https://doi.org/10.1364/BOE.6.002830). Data were preprocessed and submitted to principal component (PCA) and loading plot analysis (LP) by using Minitab software (Minitab Ltd.). The results showed that after 15min of incubation, the metabolic profiles were similar for the PC, Glu, and Lac groups, suggesting that they present similar metabolic activity. NC and Pyr were a separate cluster, indicating that pyruvate is not metabolized through OXPHOS in this phase. LP analysis comparing Glu and Pyr groups indicated phosphatidylserine, phenylalanine, DNA/RNA, and lipids as the most distinct metabolites. After 45min, PC and Pyr had a similar metabolome profile, whereas NC, Glu, and Lac clustered together, suggesting that for long-period incubation OXPHOS takes place as the preferential pathway for energy production in bovine sperm cells. At this time, the comparison of Glu versus Pyr revealed phosphatidylserine, proline, phenylalanine, carboxylic acid, DNA/RNA, proteins, and lipids as the most different metabolites between groups. Based on these results, we hypothesised that the glycolysis to OXPHOS transition may be a consequence of the depletion of glycolytic enzymes, leading the sperm cells to use distinct pathways for long-term maintenance of ATP production. In conclusion, our data showed that the metabolome profile of bovine spermatozoa varies according to the period of incubation and substrates availability for energy production. However, more studies are necessary to characterise the ability of these metabolites to maintain sperm motility and viability. This research was funded by FAPESP 2017/18384-0.

60 High lipid exposure during invitro maturation alters the lipid profile of bovine oocyte and benefits blastocyst development

Lipid metabolism provides a potent source of energy and has an important role in the acquisition of oocyte competence. However, there are conflicting reports about how lipid exposure during invitro maturation (IVM) impacts the gamete and further embryo development. In this study, we performed IVM of oocytes in the presence of lipid-rich culture media and used a broad lipid screening to accurately map the impact on the lipid profile and developmental potential. For that, nonpolar lipids were extracted from fetal bovine serum (FBS) with organic solvents (Bligh-Dyer method) and then used to supplement IVM medium (TCM-199 bicarbonate+10% FBS, hormones, pyruvate and antibiotics). COCs obtained from abattoir ovaries were submitted to IVM (4 biological replicates) in 2 groups: OC (control; IVM medium) and OHL (high lipid; IVM medium supplemented with extra 10% FBS nonpolar lipids). After 24h, we collected mature oocytes and those remaining followed to IVF and then to IVC (synthetic oviductal fluid with amino acids, SOFaa, with 5% FBS) for 7 days at 38.5°C, 20% O2, and 5% CO2 in air in high humidity. Expanded blastocysts were collected (BC and BHL) and blastocyst rates were assessed. Lipid extracts of individual oocytes and embryos (n=10/group) were analysed by multiple reaction monitoring (MRM)-profiling mass spectrometry. A total of 379 lipids from 10 classes were investigated [triacylglycerol (TAG), cholesteryl esters (CE), free fatty acids (FFA), acyl-carnitine, sphingomyelin (SM) and phospholipids derived from choline (PC), ethanolamine (PE), glycerol (PG), serine (PS), and inositol (PI)]. Exploratory data analysis was performed by principal component analysis (PCA; Metaboanalyst 4.0), and fold-change (FC) values were calculated based on the relative intensity of lipid ions (FC > 2 and P<0.05). IVC rates were compared by t-test (α=5%). PCA revealed a clear distinction in the lipid content for both oocytes and blastocysts (control vs. treated). More specifically, there was 2-fold enrichment for total TAG and CE in control groups and a 1.5-fold enrichment for total FFA in the treated groups at the oocyte and the blastocyst stages. Surprisingly, the average blastocyst rate was higher in the group derived from oocytes exposed to a high-lipid environment (41.56±7.73 vs. 22.62±1.67; P=0.003), which led us to investigate specific lipid ions. Groups OHL and BHL had increased contents of structural and signalling phospholipids (PC, SM, PE, and PS) and up to 3 times more oleic and linoleic acids, which have been associated with improved oocyte maturation and blastocyst development. Here, we demonstrate how distinct lipid exposures during IVM can robustly alter the lipid profile of oocytes. But more interestingly, it is clear that these are long-term effects, still observed at the blastocyst stage. More studies are required to verify the metabolic impact of this alternative lipid supplementation; however, these results indicate that high lipid exposure is not necessarily detrimental and, at a certain point, may even counteract lipid accumulation commonly observed during invitro embryo production.

58 Reduced nutrient availability during invitro culture improves embryo production and morphological quality and alters metabolic status of bovine embryos

Invitro production (IVP) of embryos is designed to reproduce an environment that resembles the female reproductive tract. However, the system does not perform optimally in terms of quality and embryo production. A major setback lies in the loss of dynamics observed in a static invitro system, which might affect the availability of substrates that reach the embryo. A reduction in the amount of nutrients in media has been used as an approach to improve IVP (Ermisch et al. 2020 Sci. Rep. 10, 9263; https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-66019-4). The present study aimed at describing a defined sequential medium (embryonic culture supplementation, ECS) and to investigate the effect of reducing nutrient availability on embryo production, quality, and metabolism. ECS was developed in our laboratory and is a serum-free, salt-based culture medium supplemented with the amount of energy substrates and amino acids found in bovine oviduct (Ov) and uterus (Ut) fluids as previously described (Hugentobler et al. 2007Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74, 445–454; https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.20607; Hugentobler et al. 2008Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75, 496–503; https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.20760). Embryos were cultured according to the following ECS supplementation: ECS100 (supplemented with 8mg mL−1 bovine serum albumin and 100% of the energy substrates and amino acids concentrations of the Ov and Ut fluids) and ECS50 (half dilution of ECS100). Bovine oocytes from abattoir ovaries were submitted to IVP using standard protocols. On Day 0 of invitro culture, presumptive zygotes were randomly divided into groups ECS100-Ov or ECS50-Ov. On Day 4, embryos were respectively transferred to ECS100-Ut and ECS50-Ut. Expanded blastocysts were collected on Day 7 to assess embryo production, morphology (total cell number by Hoescht 33342 staining; inner cell mass and trophectoderm cells by CDX2 immunostaining), and metabolic status (mitochondrial activity and reactive oxygen species content by MitotrackerTM RedCMXRos and CellROXTM Green staining, ThermoFisher Scientific; NADH and FAD+ by autofluorescence). Data were analysed by Student’s t-test (a=4%). Although cleavage rates were similar between ECS50 and ECS100 (78.13±3.73 vs. 79.70±4.18; P=0.788), blastocyst rates were positively influenced by the reduction in concentration (28.88±1.74 vs. 16.73±2.41; P=0.004). This difference likely comes from a blockage at the morula stage in group ECS100, because the conversion from morula to blastocyst was 20% lower in this group (57.73±3.81 vs. 38.15±3.45; P=0.008). In terms of morphology, blastocysts produced in ECS50 had a higher number of cells (152.4±9.61 vs. 118.3±7.22; P=0.036), which is explained by the higher number of trophectoderm cells. Finally, metabolic status was affected by nutrient reduction: embryos from ECS50 had higher mitochondrial activity, reactive oxygen species content (P<0.0001), and lower NADH (P=0.01), suggesting higher oxidative phosphorylation to produce energy, as expected at this stage. In conclusion, ECS is a functional medium, and a reduced nutrient concentration (ECS50) improves embryo production, morphological quality, and metabolic status of blastocysts, suggesting that culture conditions must be adapted to the invitro system rather than resembling invivo conditions. This research was funded by FAPESP (2016/00350-0, 2017/18384-0).

70 Energy metabolites induce differential DNA methylation levels and transcription in trophectoderm and inner cell mass

DNA methylation/demethylation is one of several epigenetic mechanisms by which metabolism regulates gene expression. More specifically, α-ketoglutarate (αKG) and succinate (Suc) are tricarboxylic acid cycle metabolites that may decrease and increase, respectively, the activity of DNA demethylases. Because pre-implantation embryos undergo reprogramming in both DNA methylation and metabolic pathways, it is possible that metabolic changes influence this epigenetic mark. To test that hypothesis, bovine embryos were invitro produced by using standard protocols and, 8h after fertilization, zygotes were transferred to synthetic oviductal fluid (SOF)-based culture medium (control, CO) or culture medium containing 4mM dimethyl-αKG, or 4mM dimethyl-Suc, where they remained until Day 4. Embryos were collected at Day 4 or remained in culture until Day 7, in control medium. Day 4 embryos were evaluated for DNA methylation levels by immunofluorescence detection of 5-methylcytosine (5mC) and cleavage rate. Day 7 embryos were also assessed for DNA methylation by immunofluorescence of 5mC, total cell number, blastocyst rates, and quantification of ACTB (housekeeping), DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B transcript by RT-qPCR in trophectoderm (TE) and inner cell mass (ICM) separated by immunosurgery. The mRNA expression levels of were normalized to internal control ACTB and subsequently calculated using the 2−ΔΔCT method, using the control group for comparisons. All data were submitted to outlier detection using ROUT with Q=1% followed by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Fisher’s least significant difference (l.s.d.) test in GraphPad Prism. αKG and Suc did not influence cleavage or blastocyst rates, total cell number, or cell allocation. αKG supplementation reduced 5mC fluorescence intensity in embryos assessed at Day 4 (CO: 12.8±0.4 AU; αKG: 9.0±0.2AU; P<0.0001) and Day 7 (CO: 36.5±0.7 AU; αKG: 23.5±0.4 AU; P<0.0001), whereas Suc incubation increased DNA methylation levels in embryos at Day 4 (CO: 12.8±0.4 AU; Suc: 15.7±0.3 AU; P<0.0001) and Day 7 (CO: 36.5±0.7 AU; Suc: 70.5±0.5 AU; P<0.0001). αKG increased expression of DNMT1 (P=0.0438) in the ICM and led to lower levels of DNMT1 (P<0.0001), DNMT3A (P=0.0013), and DNMT3B (P=0.0015) in TE cells. The culture with Suc increased DNMT1 (P=0.0074), DNMT3A (P=0.0186), and DNMT3B (P=0.0286) in ICM. Regarding TE, Suc resulted in lower expression of DNMT1 (P<0.0001), DNMT3A (P=0.0017), and DNMT3B (P=0.0052). In conclusion, both supplementations resulted in global DNA methylation changes without affecting embryo development rates or morphology. These changes were accompanied by alterations in transcript profiles between ICM and TE, with differences among treatments being more pronounced in transcripts from ICM. This is the first report of DNA demethylation–induced changes by analogues of TCA cycle metabolites during early reprogramming of the bovine embryo with prolonged effects in TE and ICM cells. This research was funded by FAPESP: 2017/18384-0; 2018/11668-6.

150 Changes in pyruvate metabolism alters the epigenetic and molecular maturation of bovine oocytes

During invitro maturation (IVM), bovine oocytes undergo important metabolic, epigenetic, and transcriptional changes for the acquisition of developmental competence. Particularly, metabolic changes that alter the availability of cytoplasmic acetyl-CoA, the main substrate for histones acetylation, may alter the epigenetic profile of the oocyte, with consequences for correct molecular maturation. To test this hypothesis, cumulus–oocyte complexes (COCs) were IVM in three experimental groups: Control [IVM medium (TCM-199-Bicarbonate, 10% fetal bovine serum, 1µg mL−1 oestradiol, 10µg mL−1 FSH, and 10µg mL−1 human chorionic gonadotrophin)], DCA (IVM medium supplemented with 1.5mM sodium dichloroacetate, a pyruvate to acetyl-CoA conversion stimulator) and IA (IVM medium supplemented with 5µM sodium iodoacetate, a glycolysis inhibitor). Cumulus cells (CC) and oocytes (Oo) were analysed separately at 24h (mitochondrial activity, MA; MitoTracker Red CMXRos, ThermoFisher Scientific] and at 0, 4, 8, 16, and 24h of IVM [lysine 9 histone 3 acetylation (H3K9ac immunofluorescence) and new transcript synthesis (only CC; Click-iT® RNA, ThermoFisher Scientific). The images were acquired using a fluorescence microscope and analysed by Image J software. The results from at least 3 replicates were compared by Student’s t-test (treatment vs. control) or by ANOVA followed by Tukey’s test (comparison within the same group in different time points) considering P<0.05. As expected, DCA treatment led to an increase in MA in CC and oocytes (CC control vs. DCA, P=0.003; Oo control vs. DCA, P=0.003). In CC, during the first 4h, H3K9ac increased significantly in the treated group and decreased in the control group. At 8, 16, and 24h, both groups presented similar tendencies, although H3K9ac levels remained higher in DCA compared with control at all time points (P<0.001). The synthesis of new transcripts in CC was stimulated by DCA compared with control at 8h (P=0.02) and particularly at 16h (P=0.002), when acetylation levels were at the lowest point. Interestingly, in oocytes, the initial trend was reversed. An increase was observed in the H3K9ac levels of the control group (P=0.014), whereas no difference was observed for DCA in the first 4h. Moreover, although acetylation levels followed a downward tendency with time in both groups, oocytes treated with DCA showed lower H3K9ac levels at 4 and 8h and a higher level at 24h (P=0.04) compared with control. Regarding IA, lower MA were verified in CC whereas oocytes had the opposite profile (CC control vs. IA: P=0.0035; Oc control vs. IA: P<0.001). In CC, this decrease in MA was not accompanied by a decrease in H3K9ac. In contrast, H3K9ac increased compared with the control group at 8 and 16h (control 8h vs. IA 8 h: P=0.019 and control 16h vs. IA 16 h: P=0.019). These changes were accompanied by an increase in the synthesis of new transcripts in the IA group over the time of IVM. Based on these data, we can conclude that changes in pyruvate metabolism caused by manipulation of the IVM system lead to epigenetic and molecular changes in both CC and oocytes.

Erasing gametes to write blastocysts: metabolism as the new player in epigenetic reprogramming

Understanding preimplantation embryonic development is crucial for the improvement of assisted reproductive technologies and animal production. To achieve this goal, it is important to consider that gametes and embryos are highly susceptible to environmental changes. Beyond the metabolic adaptation, the dynamic status imposed during follicular growth and early embryogenesis may create marks that will guide the molecular regulation during prenatal development, and consequently impact the offspring phenotype. In this context, metaboloepigenetics has gained attention, as it investigates the crosstalk between metabolism and molecular control, i.e., how substrates generated by metabolic pathways may also act as players of epigenetic modifications. In this review, we present the main metabolic and epigenetic events of pre-implantation development, and how these systems connect to open possibilities for targeted manipulation of reproductive technologies and animal production systems.

89 Embryonic metabolism orchestrates epigenetic mechanisms: What can we anticipate from the first cleavages?

Intermediates of the energy metabolism (as acetyl Co-A) can donate their acetyl group to introduce acetylation in histones, establishing a relationship between metabolism and epigenetic control in somatic and embryonic stem cells. Embryos with different kinetics during the first cleavages also have alterations in epigenetic profile as well as in metabolism and energy substrate consumption during invitro culture. The aim of this work was to verify if and how this relation between metabolism and epigenetic parameters was also presented in invitro-produced bovine embryos. For that, we first characterised the pattern of H3K9ac, and the molecular pattern of enzymes involved with histone acetylation and acetyl-CoA production in female blastocysts derived from fast and slow cleavage embryos. To validate the results, we also produced bovine embryos cultured with an inhibitor of the pyruvate production, and consequently the acetyl Co-A generation to check if this could interfere in the H3K9ac pattern. For this, embryos were invitro produced following standard protocol and classified at 40 hours post-insemination as fast (4 or more cells) or slow (2 cells) and collected at the blastocyst stage. Blastocysts were immunostained to H3K9ac and the fluorescence intensity of each nucleus was quantified using ImageJ and analysed by Student's t-test. For transcript quantitation, RNAseq data were accessed from a previous report using the same kinetics classification model (Milazzotto et al. 2016Mol. Rep. Dev. 83, 324-336; https://doi.org/10.1002/mrd.22619) and analysed using limma-voom on Galaxy 3.38.3. To validate the results, bovine embryos were produced and cultured until Day 4 and then incubated until the blastocyst stage with different doses of iodoacetate (IA; 2 and 5mM) to reduce the intracellular levels of acetyl CoA. These blastocysts were also assessed by H3K9 acetylation. Slow blastocysts presented higher fluorescence intensity for H3K9ac than fast blastocysts (fast 13.33±0.37 AU vs. slow 38.14±1.17 AU; P<0.0001). Despite the fact that there were no differences in transcripts related to this acetylation (ELP3 and HAT2), slow blastocysts presented higher levels of transcripts for PDHB1 and PDHA1, responsible for acetyl-CoA production (PDHB1: fast 11.6±0.2CPM vs. slow 13.1±0.2 counts per million; P<0.01 PDHA1: fast 12.6±0.2 CPM vs. slow 13.2±0.3 CPM; P<0.01). The reduction of acetyl-CoA in blastocysts induced by IA led to lower levels of H3K9ac in 1 and 2mM doses when compared with the control (control: 43.8±0.7 AU; 1 mM: 34.7±0.5 AU; 2 mM: 30.1±0.6 AU; P<0.0001). Interestingly, H3K9ac levels were similar for 5mM IA and control group (5 mM: 41.2±1.4; P>0.05), suggesting a compensatory mechanism in extreme cases to maintain the histone acetylation. As far as we know, this is the first work that describes a relation between metabolism and epigenetics in bovine embryos. Although the pattern of genes related to acetylation seems to be unaltered, changes in acetyl Co-A production pathway exert an influence on H3K9ac status. Grant support was provided by grant 2017/18384-0 and 2018/11668-6 from FAPESP and CAPES.

161 Dichloroacetate influences the mitochondrial activity of bovine oocytes impairing meiotic progression

Pyruvate is a key energy substrate for the oocyte during maturation and acquisition of developmental competence. Mitochondrial activity is also essential for oocyte competence. Dichloroacetate (DCA) is an inhibitor of pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase that indirectly stimulates pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), increasing pyruvate oxidation. PDH converts pyruvate into acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) and thereby modulates the entry of glucose-derived carbons into the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, the main ATP production pathway within the oocyte. It was reported that DCA addition to embryo culture media improves embryo development in aged mice, by enhancing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and decreasing oxidative stress (McPherson et al. 2014 Fertil. Steril. 101, 1458-1466). We hypothesised that increased pyruvate metabolism through the oxidative pathway, by stimulating PDH activity with DCA, could influence in vitro oocyte maturation. The aim of this work was to evaluate the effect of different concentrations of DCA during in vitro maturation (IVM) of bovine oocytes on maturation rate and mitochondrial activity, by assessing MMP and levels of flavin adenine dinucleotide (FADH2), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide hydride (NADH), and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Abattoir-derived bovine cumulus-oocytes complexes (COC; n=360, over 4 replicates) were in vitro-matured with 0 (Control; n=120), 0.5mM (n=120) and 5mM (n=120) of DCA. After maturation, all matured COC were denuded by mechanical pipetting and meiotic progression was assessed by Hoechst 33342 staining and MMP by MitoTracker Red CMXRos test (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA). Moreover, FADH2 and NADH levels were evaluated by autofluorescence (Dumollard et al. Development 134, 455-465) and ROS levels by CellRox® Green test (Thermo Fisher Scientific). Data were analysed by ANOVA, and the Tukey post hoc test was used to evaluate the difference among groups. The α-level was set at 0.05. Treatment with both concentrations of DCA decreased maturation rate (86.1, 67.8, and 67.6% in 0, 0.5, and 5mM groups, respectively; P<0.05). The MMP increased in oocytes matured with the highest concentration of DCA (3.42±0.28, 4.44±0.51, and 6.32±0.89 pixel/mm2, with 0, 0.5, and 5mM DCA, respectively; P<0.05). In line with this, higher levels of FADH2 (3.16±0.15, 3.96±0.24, and 3.83±0.20 pixel/mm2, with 0, 0.5, and 5mM DCA, respectively; P<0.05) and NADH (3.86±0.14, 4.80±0.16, and 4.95±0.17 pixel/mm2, with 0, 0.5, and 5mM DCA, respectively; P<0.05) were found in both DCA-treated groups compared with the control. Unexpectedly, ROS levels increased in the presence of DCA (0.9±0.07, 1.30±0.12, and 1.54±0.16 pixel/mm2, with 0, 0.5, and 5mM DCA, respectively; P<0.05) compared with the control. These results suggest that DCA was effective in stimulating mitochondrial activity of bovine oocytes, but also resulting in increased oxidative stress that likely accounts for the decreased maturation rate. Therefore, alternative strategies should be identified for the manipulation of the oocyte metabolic profile to improve oocyte developmental competence.

Genome-wide screening of DNA methylation in bovine blastocysts with different kinetics of development

Background

The timing of the first cell divisions may predict the developmental potential of an embryo, including its ability to establish pregnancy. Besides differences related to metabolism, stress, and survival, embryos with different speeds of development present distinct patterns of gene expression, mainly related to energy and lipid metabolism. As gene expression is regulated by epigenetic factors, and that includes DNA methylation patterns, in this study we compared the global DNA methylation profile of embryos with different kinetics of development in order to identify general pathways and regions that are most influenced by this phenotype. For this purpose, bovine embryos were in vitro produced using sexed semen (female), classified as fast (four or more cells) or slow (two cells) at 40 hpi and cultured until blastocyst stage, when they were analyzed.

Results

Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis identified 11,584 differently methylated regions (DMRs) (7976 hypermethylated regions in fast and 3608 hypermethylated regions in slow embryos). Fast embryos presented more regions classified as hypermethylated distributed throughout the genome, as in introns, exons, promoters, and repeat elements while in slow embryos, hypermethylated regions were more present in CpG islands. DMRs were clustered by means of biological processes, and the most affected pathways were related to cell survival/differentiation and energy/lipid metabolism. Transcripts profiles from DM genes connected with these pathways were also assessed, and the most part disclosed changes in relative quantitation.

Conclusion

The kinetics of the first cleavages influences the DNA methylation and expression profiles of genes related to metabolism and differentiation pathways and may affect embryo viability.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s13072-017-0171-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Astaxanthin counteracts the effects of heat shock on the maturation of bovine oocytes

The cellular mechanisms induced by elevated temperature on oocytes are not fully understood. However, there is evidence that some of the deleterious effects of heat shock are mediated by a heat-induced increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS). In this context, carotenoid antioxidants might have a thermoprotective effect. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the role of astaxanthin (AST) on oocyte ROS production and on the redox profile and developmental competency of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) after 14 h heat shock (41°C) during in vitro maturation (IVM). Exposure of oocytes to heat shock during IVM increased ROS and reduced the ability of the oocyte to cleave and develop to the blastocyst stage. However, 12.5 and 25 nM astaxanthin rescued these negative effects of heat shock; astaxanthin counteracted the heat shock-induced increase in ROS and restored oocyte developmental competency. There was no effect of astaxanthin on maturation medium lipid peroxidation or on glutathione peroxidase and catalase activity in oocytes and cumulus cells. However, astaxanthin stimulated superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in heat-shocked cumulus cells. In conclusion, direct heat shock reduced oocyte competence, which was restored by astaxanthin, possibly through regulation of ROS and SOD activity in oocytes and COCs.

136 DNA Methylation Status and Transcript Profile of Genes Associated with Lipid Metabolism, Cell Survival, and Pluripotency in Bovine Blastocysts with Different Kinetics of Development

During in vitro production (IVP), blastocysts can be differentiated based on the kinetics of early cleavage. These groups present distinct patterns of global DNA methylation, an epigenetic characteristic generally responsible for suppression (presence of methylation) or activation (absence of methylation) of genes from different biological pathways. This work investigated the DNA methylation and mRNA levels of genes related to embryo development and viability. For this purpose, bovine embryos underwent IVP using conventional protocols. After 40 h of insemination, embryos were classified as FBL (fast cleavage: 4 cells or more) or SBL (slow cleavage: 2 or 3 cells), remaining in culture until blastocyst stage. Sexed semen was used to prevent differences due to sex, even without statistical differences in male:female ratio already reported. Blastocysts (40 per group) were analysed by EmbryoGENE Methylation DNA Array (Ispada et al. 2016 Proc. 49th SSR: 181) and later analysed through BioMark™HD (Fluidigm Corp., South San Francisco, CA, USA) for the transcripts profile. The PPIA gene was used as endogenous control for ΔCt calculation and submitted to Student’s t-test. Genome-wide DNA methylation analysis identified 47,713 methylated regions (7976 hypermethylated in FBL and 3608 hypermethylated in SBL). Fast embryos presented more hypermethylations distributed throughout the genome, such as introns, exons, promoter and repeat elements, whereas hypermethylation were more present in CpG islands in slow embryos. Differentially methylated regions were clustered by means of biological processes and the most affected pathways were related to lipid metabolism and cell differentiation and survival. Regarding the gene expression analysis, all results are presented in FBL in relation to SBL. Of genes involved in lipid metabolism, ACSL3, ELOVL6, PPARA, and FADS, previously identified as hypermethylated genes, were down-regulated, whereas PPARG and PTGS2 showed no statistical difference; SCD and FASN, although hypomethylated, were also down-regulated, and ACSL6, which did not differ in DNA methylation status, was down-regulated. Of genes involved in survival/death, BAX, HSPA1A, BID, NFE2L2, and GPX1 were hypermethylated; however, the first 2 were up-regulated, BID was down-regulated, and the last 2 were not statistically different. Although CASP9, TXNRD1, and FOXO3 were all hypomethylated, only CASP9 was up-regulated. Also, DDIT3 was down-regulated and NOS2 was up-regulated, although they did not differ in DNA methylation between groups. Of genes involved in cell differentiation, POU5F1 and SALL4 were both hypermethylated, but only the POU5F1 was down-regulated; NANOG, which did not differ in DNA methylation status between groups, was also down-regulated. In conclusion, although we did not find correlation in DNA methylation and RNA levels for all genes evaluated, the chosen pathways were indeed different between groups, which could lead to their potential suppression/activation and affect embryo viability. Also, this lower correlation may be a result of the influence of other epigenetic mechanisms differently activated between groups.

193 INSULIN-LIKE GROWTH FACTOR-1 EXERTS A THERMOPROTECTIVE ROLE ON MITOCHONDRIAL FUNCTION OF BOVINE OOCYTES EXPOSED TO HEAT SHOCK

The series of events associated with oocyte maturation are susceptible to disruption by elevated temperature. These events are regulated by a variety of growth factors, such as insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1). Exposure of bovine oocytes to heat shock compromises oocyte competence and triggers apoptosis. It has been shown that cellular stresses often alter mitochondrial function and activate the mitochondrial apoptotic cascade. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the effect of heat shock on bovine oocyte mitochondrial activity and the role of IGF-1 in this context. Slaughterhouse derived cumulus–oocyte complexes (COC) were subjected to control (38.5°C for 22 h) and heat shock (41°C for 14 h, followed by 38.5°C for 8 h) treatments in the presence of 0 or 100 ng mL–1 of IGF-1 during in vitro maturation (IVM). After 22 h, IVM COC were mechanically denuded and subjected to MitoTracker Red CMX-Ros assay (Invitrogen M-7512) to localize and quantify active mitochondria. Denuded oocytes were incubated in TCM-199-HEPES containing 10 μg mL–1 of polyvinyl alcohol and 50 nM MitoTracker at 37°C for 15 min. Oocytes were evaluated under fluorescence microscope and digital images were obtained and stored as TIFF files. Mitochondrial activity from each oocyte was quantified using the software Image J 1.43. This experiment was replicated 6 times using 97 to 204 COC/treatment. Data were analyzed by least-squares analysis of variance using the general linear model procedure of SAS. In the absence of IGF-1, heat shock reduced (P < 0.001) mitochondrial activity from 64.31 ± 1.91 to 56.74 ± 1.26 arbitrary units for control and heat shock groups, respectively. Addition of IGF-1 to maturation medium did not affect mitochondrial activity in the control group (66.25 ± 1.56). However, IGF-1 improved (temperature × IGF-1; P < 0.001) mitochondrial activity of bovine oocytes subjected to heat shock (70.32 ± 1.32). In conclusion, heat shock reduced bovine oocyte mitochondrial activity, suggesting activation of mitochondrial apoptotic cascade. Moreover, IGF-1 exerted a thermoprotective role, reducing the mitochondrial damage caused by elevated temperature.