213 MATURATION OF OOCYTES WITH FOLLICULAR FLUID FROM GILTS CONSUMING HIGH FAT AND FRUCTOSE AFFECTS SUBSEQUENT EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT

Infertility among women has become a growing issue in the world requiring a significant number to seek treatment by means of assisted reproductive technologies. One suggested reason for the fertility issue, which is known to specifically affect oocyte quality, is the modern diet. Previously, we have demonstrated that feeding a high-fructose diet to gilts led to poor reproductive tract characteristics and infertility. In this study, pre-pubescent gilts were fed either a high-fructose; high-fat diet (HFHF), with 15% beef tallow and 35% fructose; or an industry control diet (IND). Porcine follicular fluid (pFF) collected from these gilts was introduced into in vitro maturation systems to determine whether characteristics of the follicular fluid affect oocyte competence and embryo development. Follicles from ovaries, collected at a local abattoir, were aspirated by an 18 G needle attached to a 10-mL sterile syringe. Then selected cumulus‐oocyte complexes were maturated in vitro in a TCM-199 maturation media with cysteine, glucose, sodium pyruvate, epidermal growth factor (EGF), FSH, LH, and 20% pFF from treatment groups. Additionally, another group of oocytes, labelled follicle fluid free (FFF), were maturated in TCM-199 media without pFF. Three replicate experiments were conducted using a total of 365 oocytes, 124 FFF, 121 IND, and 120 HFHF. Oocytes were denuded by exposure to 0.1% hyaluronidase and oocytes that reached metaphase II (MII) were selected for in vitro fertilisation. After 5 h of co-incubation in modified Tween medium B with milk powder (mTBM)-based IVF media, presumable zygotes were transferred to porcine zygote medium-3 (PZM-3). Blastocyst frequency was recorded on Days 5 and 6. Day 6 blastocysts were stained with Hoechst for total cell number evaluation. The frequencies of blastocyst formation among the treatment groups were compared by a chi-squared test, and total cell numbers were compared by Student's t-test. Statistical significance was defined by P < 0.05. The frequency of oocytes reaching metaphase II (MII) were observed as 77.4% FFF, 72.7% IND, and 71.7% HFHF (P > 0.05), indicating the supplementation of pFF did not affect maturation. Day 5 blastocysts were observed at frequencies of 8.3% FFF, 6.8% IND, and 4.7% HFHF and did not differ. However, frequency of Day 6 blastocysts from HFHF group was tended to be lower compared with that of other groups; 12.5% FFF, 11.4% IND, and 4.7% HFHF (P = 0.06 and P = 0.1). Average total cell number of Day 6 blastocysts observed were 41.0 ± 9.1 FFF, 36.0 ± 8.9 IND, and 48.3 ± 10.6 HFHF. The total cell number from HFHF group tended to be higher than only that of IND group (P = 0.07). Based on these results, we concluded that the follicular fluid of females consuming HFHF diets did not have impact on nuclear maturation of oocytes but might affect oocyte competency, thus resulting in detrimental effects on subsequent development of embryos, especially blastocyst formation. Further studies will help us identify more specific effects of nutrition on oogenesis and subsequent embryo development.

Glutamine transporter in crypts compensates for loss of villus absorption in bovine cryptosporidiosis

Cryptosporidium parvum infection represents a significant cause of diarrhea in humans and animals. We studied the effect of luminally applied glutamine and the PG synthesis inhibitor indomethacin on NaCl absorption from infected calf ileum in Ussing chambers. Infected ileum displayed a decrease in both mucosal surface area and NaCl absorption. Indomethacin and glutamine or its stable derivative alanyl-glutamine increased the net absorption of Na(+) in infected tissue in an additive manner and to a greater degree than in controls. Immunohistochemical and Western blot studies showed that in control animals neutral amino acid transport system ASC was present in villus and crypts, whereas in infected animals, ASC was strongly present only on the apical border of crypts. These results are consistent with PGs mediating the altered NaCl and water absorption in this infection. Our findings further illustrate that the combined use of a PG synthesis inhibitor and glutamine can fully stimulate Na(+) and Cl(-) absorption despite the severe villous atrophy, an effect associated with increased expression of a Na(+)-dependent amino acid transporter in infected crypts.

Identification of epididymal stones in diverse rooster populations

The epididymal region of the male reproductive tract is essential for sperm maturation, and dysfunction of this region results in infertility. Adult roosters have been observed to develop epididymal stones and consequently have reduced fertility. Efferent ductule cysts were first observed in White Leghorn roosters ages 18 to 26 wk. By 26 wk of age, the cysts had become solid, irregularly shaped, yellow-green stones primarily containing calcium (48%). The number and size of stones (9 to 160 microm, largest diameter) increased with age in affected males. Incidence ranged from 0 to 94% within rooster flocks surveyed. Stones have also been observed in broiler breeder roosters. Histological analysis of Leghorn and broiler breeder reproductive tracts revealed chronic inflammation with abundant interstitial mononuclear cell infiltrates. The normal, highly folded structure of efferent ductules was replaced by a thin, eroded epithelial layer with few luminal sperm. Abnormal areas were found interspersed with normal areas of epithelium. Broiler breeder male fertility trials demonstrated that birds with stones compared with normal males had reduced fertility following both natural mating (24.8+/-10.5% vs. 66.1+/-7.2%) and artificial insemination (47.8+/-16% vs. 82.0+/-6%). At 62 wk of age, testis weight (14.2+/-1.4 g vs. 20.5+/-1.2 g), daily sperm production (8.1+/-1.3 x 10(8) vs. 12.3+/-0.8 x 10(8) sperm per testis per day), and circulating testosterone concentrations (0.9+/-0.3 vs. 2.6+/-0.4 ng/mL) were all significantly reduced in males with stones. In conclusion, we are reporting a new dysfunction of the rooster reproductive tract that affects diverse bird populations and decreases fertility.

Management of acute diarrhea in infants

In 1999, children seen in the emergency room of a developed country for watery diarrhea and dehydration will most likely receive an intravenous infusion of fluid, followed by instructions to give oral rehydration solution (ORS) and clear liquids for a day, followed by half-strength lactose-free formula. In fact, the majority of these children could best be managed with supervised ORS followed by early (within 4-6 h) refeeding of their normal diet, based on large numbers of clinical trials and a meta-analysis. In the next decade, effective therapy in addition to glucose-containing oral rehydration solutions should be available which should reduce diarrheal volume and duration of purging. These include amino acid-supplemented "Super ORSs," ORS with soluble fibers, liquid zinc, and probiotic milks containing bacteria which boost the immune response and reduce stool number. In addition, children wealthy enough to be able to afford the new tetravalent vaccine will be largely protected from dehydrating rotavirus diarrhea, the most common cause of dehydration in infants.

Glutamine signaling in intestinal cells

Glutamine (Gln) is a "competence factor" necessary for intestinal cell proliferation, intestinal fluid/electrolyte absorption, and mitogenic response to growth factors. Gln deprivation produces apoptosis. Gln stimulation of quiescent cells produces immediate-early gene expression and MAP kinase activation. However, EGF signals more powerfully through MAPKs than Gln. Interestingly, EGF-stimulated mitogenesis is ineffective in the absence of Gln. In the intact intestinal epithelia in vivo, Gln has powerful effects on absorption of sodium and chloride. Gln-stimulated absorption is greater than and additive to glucose-stimulated absorption in cryptosporidial enteritis. In the piglet ileum, Gln metabolism stimulates apical amiloride-inhibitable Na+/H+ exchange. Although one might predict powerful effects of oral Gln on absorption in babies with diarrhea, 3 clinical trials to date (one published) have not shown an advantage of Gln-supplemented oral rehydration solutions (ORS) compared to standard glucose ORS. Severely dehydrated subjects have not been studied. More important effects of Gln treatment may be seen with (1) co-administration with a growth factor and (2) in patients with severe intestinal damage, such as protracted diarrhea of infancy or AIDS enteropathy.

Acute bromate poisoning associated with renal failure and deafness presenting as hemolytic uremic syndrome

A case of bromate-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in an infant associated with hemolysis, thrombocytopenia and deafness is presented. The initial clinical and laboratory features suggested the diagnosis of hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). The serum bromide level was in the nontoxic range (1.2 mg/dl). However, further investigation of the ingested material revealed the toxic agent to be bromate rather than bromide. The spectrum of bromate (BrO3-) toxicity is different from bromide (Br-) and includes the induction of ARF and deafness. This combined with clinical evidence of behavioral regression and speech loss led to detection of deafness in this patient and confirmed the diagnosis of bromate toxicity.

Carbohydrate malabsorption in infants with rotavirus diarrhea

We studied a group of patients with rotavirus diarrhea to determine the association of carbohydrate malabsorption during diarrhea with the degree of acidosis and severity of purging. Unlike enterotoxigenic diarrhea in which the metabolic acidosis is due to loss of bicarbonate in an alkaline stool, patients with rotavirus develop a metabolic acidosis while passing an acid stool with little detectable bicarbonate. Also unlike enterotoxigenic diarrhea, rotavirus stool contains large quantities of reducing substances suggesting significant carbohydrate malabsorption. Our findings are consistent with the hypothesis that carbohydrate malabsorption is an important secondary pathophysiological mechanism in the rotavirus diarrhea syndrome. This model for rotavirus diarrhea helps to explain the electrolyte and acid-base pattern of the rotavirus stool and stresses the importance of further nutrition balance studies to determine the optimal dietary management of patients with rotavirus diarrhea.