Theriogenology最新文献

{"title":"Naloxone supplementation during vitrification of equine in vitro matured oocytes after overnight holding: insights from a comparative study with the bovine model","authors":"Penelope Maria Gugole ,&nbsp;Augusta Zannoni ,&nbsp;Eleonora Iacono ,&nbsp;Barbara Merlo","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cryopreservation of equine mature oocytes remains a major challenge in assisted reproduction, mainly due to the limited availability of material and logistical constraints requiring a holding phase. To address these issues, this study evaluated whether naloxone (NX), an opioid receptor antagonist with reported antioxidant properties, could improve vitrification outcomes and whether bovine oocytes could serve as a suitable preliminary and supportive model. Two experiments were conducted. In experiment 1, immature (bGV) and mature (bMII) bovine oocytes were vitrified without (VIT) or with NX (VIT-NX) to assess protocol efficiency and evaluate whether results obtained in bovine MII oocytes (without holding) could serve as a counterpart to equine oocytes subjected to overnight holding. In experiment 2, equine in vitro matured oocytes after overnight holding (eMII) were vitrified with or without NX, and analysed for viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), glutathione (GSH), high mitochondrial membrane potential (HMMP), and developmental competence following intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Expression of apoptosis-related genes (BCL2, BAX, p53, survivin) was assessed by qRT-PCR. In bovine oocytes, NX did not affect vitrification efficiency or maturation rates, whereas oocytes vitrified at the MII stage yielded a higher proportion of viable mature oocytes after warming (bGV 13.5 %, vs. bMII 46.1 %) (P &lt; 0.05). In equine oocytes, NX negatively affected post-warming viability (eMII-VIT-NX 64.7 ± 17.3) compared with non-vitrified oocytes (eMII 91.1 ± 16.9), with intermediate results observed for vitrification without NX (eMII-VIT 74.9 ± 25.0). NX did not significantly affect GSH or HMMP (P &gt; 0.05), but prevented the increase in intracellular ROS levels induced by vitrification. Overall, vitrification reduced cleavage rates and increased degeneration (P &lt; 0.05), with no differences between vitrification protocols. qRT-PCR revealed stable BCL2 expression, inconsistent detection of pro-apoptotic genes, and no significant differences among groups in the BAX:BCL2 ratio, indicating limited transcriptional activation of apoptosis. In conclusion, naloxone supplementation did not improve equine MII oocyte survival or developmental competence, although demonstrated antioxidant activity. Bovine oocytes confirmed the value of a preliminary model to test oocyte vitrification protocol efficiency but could not reliably predict equine responses to naloxone.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117776"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145670014","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transcriptome profiling of granulosa cells during follicular development identifies RMDN2 polymorphisms associated with reproductive traits in chickens","authors":"Ashi Li ,&nbsp;Yuechen Liao ,&nbsp;Dehui Li ,&nbsp;Tao Li ,&nbsp;Yangqiwen Luo ,&nbsp;Meng Ma ,&nbsp;Xingguo Wang ,&nbsp;Liumei Sun ,&nbsp;Liang Qu ,&nbsp;Manman Shen","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Egg-laying performance in chickens is primarily dependent on the normal development and maturation of follicles, which are regulated by various functional genes. However, the functional genes that regulate follicular development are not fully known. Here, we utilized RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) technology and bioinformatics analysis to identify the potential genes involved in the modulation of granulosa cells (GCs) from small yellow follicles (SYFG, 4–8 mm in diameter), the smallest hierarchical follicle (F6G, 9–12 mm in diameter) and the largest hierarchical follicle (F1G, ∼40 mm in diameter). Furthermore, association analysis was performed between polymorphisms of the identified candidate <em>RMDN2</em> and egg production performance. Transcriptome analysis revealed 284 and 1026 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SYFG.vs.F6G and F6G.vs.F1G under the condition of |log₂ fold change| &gt; 1 and <em>q-</em>value &lt; 0.01, respectively. Among these, 107 DEGs were consistently detected in both SYFG.vs.F6G and F6G.vs.F1G comparisons. These 107 DEGs were primarily enriched in the PPAR signalling pathway, thyroid hormone synthesis, and steroid biosynthesis pathways. Notably, 41 of these DEGs have been strongly linked to reproductive processes in previous studies. qRT-PCR validation validated that 13 genes (<em>UTRN, LOC422926</em>, <em>MYH11, CD9, TIGAR, RARA, PLBD1, PPP1CB, RMDN2, SORCS2, SLC9A5, PDLIM4</em> and <em>PPP4R4</em>) exhibited similar expression trends in GCs across three stages in G1 layer line. Correlation analysis uncovered that <em>RMND2</em> expression was negatively associated with the differentiation markers of <em>FSHR</em> and <em>AMH</em>, as well as the proliferation markers of <em>CDK2</em>, but positively correlated with the steroidogenesis markers of <em>CYP11A1, STAR</em>, and <em>ESR1</em>. Analysis of polymorphisms in the <em>RMDN2</em> gene indicated that c.250G &gt; A (SNP1) and c.270G &gt; C (SNP2) were significantly associated with the egg number at 40-week-old (<strong>EN40</strong>, <em>p</em> &lt; 0.05) in G1 layer line hens. The haplotype combination H1H2 exhibited the highest <strong>EN40</strong>. In summary, this study identified functional genes associated with GC development in chickens and highlighted RMDN2 polymorphisms as potential markers for laying traits selection in chickens.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117775"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145661699","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"circKANSL1 promotes immature porcine Sertoli cell growth via recruiting the Vimentin to enhance its parental gene KANSL1 expression","authors":"Saina Yan ,&nbsp;Bo Weng ,&nbsp;Jiaojiao Xiang ,&nbsp;Bin Chen ,&nbsp;Maoliang Ran","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117772","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117772","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Sertoli cells are well known as crucial orchestrators in guaranteeing normal spermatogenesis and male fertility. Circular RNA (circRNA) has increasingly been identified within spermatogenesis-related cells, attributed with key regulatory roles. However, the functions and mechanisms of circRNAs in spermatogenesis remain largely unexplored, particularly in domestic animals. The present study was conducted to explore the regulatory and functional roles of circKANSL1, a nucleus enriched circRNA, in proliferation and apoptosis of immature porcine Sertoli cells. The circKANSL1 was confirmed as a novel, stable, nucleus-enriched circRNA in immature porcine Sertoli cells using reverse transcription PCR, Sanger sequencing assays, and fluorescence in situ hybridization assays. Overexpression of circKANSL1 facilitated cell cycle progression, enhanced cell proliferation, and inhibited cell apoptosis in immature porcine Sertoli cells. Transcriptome analysis revealed 248 differentially expressed genes that were induced by circKANSL1 overexpression, and the parental gene <em>KANSL1</em> of circKANSL1 was detected as a top one up-regulated gene. Mechanistically, circKANSL1 recruited the Vimentin protein to enhance its parental gene <em>KANSL1</em> expression. Furthermore, siRNA-induced <em>KANSL1</em> gene knockdown exhibited an opposite effect to that of circKANSL1 overexpression. Collectively, our findings provided a novel functional mechanism of circRNA in participating spermatogenesis through deciding the fate of Sertoli cells.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117772"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616241","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Temporary confinement and split-suckling improve early colostrum intake, but free-farrowing reduces preweaning mortality in low-birth-weight piglets","authors":"Natchanon Dumniem ,&nbsp;Thomas Ede ,&nbsp;Sarah Ibach ,&nbsp;Leandro Sabei ,&nbsp;Marisol Parada Sarmiento ,&nbsp;Abigale Zoltick ,&nbsp;Li Lyu ,&nbsp;Padet Tummaruk ,&nbsp;Thomas D. Parsons","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117773","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117773","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;Piglet preweaning mortality remains a significant challenge in hyperprolific sows. Moreover, the adoption of free-farrowing systems to enhance sow welfare presents additional challenges to piglet preweaning mortality that may be mitigated by temporary confinement and split-suckling. This study aimed to investigate the effects of temporarily confined sows for 3 days post-partum and implementing split-suckling during the first 24 h on sow farrowing performance, colostrum intake, and piglet preweaning mortality in a free-farrowing system. A total of 91 crossbred Landrace × Yorkshire sows were divided into four groups with balanced parity and body condition score: free-farrowing control without split-suckling (FF-C: 21 sows and 364 piglets), free-farrowing with split-suckling (FF-S: 23 sows and 363 piglets), temporary crating without split-suckling (TC-C: 25 sows and 450 piglets), and a combination of temporary crating and split-suckling (TC-S: 22 sows and 386 piglets). All sows were evaluated for body condition, farrowing duration, litter characteristics, and colostrum and milk yield. Additionally, piglets were measured for colostrum intake, body weight gain, and preweaning mortality rate. Sow body condition score, backfat thickness, and loin muscle depth did not differ among treatment groups before farrowing and on day 4 of lactation (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &gt; 0.05). However, on day 21 of lactation, sows in the FF-C group exhibited higher body condition score (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.009) and backfat thickness (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.014) compared to the TC-C group. Farrowing duration, piglet birth weight, and colostrum and milk yield were not influenced by treatment (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &gt; 0.05). Piglet body weight gain during the first 24 h was higher in the TC-S group than in other groups (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &lt; 0.05) but did not differ across the entire lactation period (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &gt; 0.05). Piglet colostrum intake was influenced by both birth weight and treatment group. Across all groups, 71.0 % of piglets with birth weights ≤1.11 kg consumed inadequate colostrum (&lt;300 g) within the first 24 h of age, compared to only 11.1 % of piglets with birth weights &gt;1.11 kg (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &lt; 0.001). Among piglets with birth weights ≤1.11 kg, the TC-S piglets consumed more colostrum than those in the FF-S (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.011) and TC-C (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.044) groups. Overall preweaning mortality did not differ among groups (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &gt; 0.05). However, among piglets with birth weights ≤1.11 kg, the FF-C group had lower mortality rates compared to the TC-C (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.011) and TC-S (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.028) groups. Among piglets with birth weights ≤1.11 kg, the incidence of crushing was lower in the FF-C (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.045) and FF-S (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.046) groups than in the TC-C group. Deaths attributed to weakness were lower in the FF-C group than in the TC-C (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.043) and TC-S (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; = 0.032) groups, but not significantly different from the FF-S group (&lt;em&gt;P&lt;/em&gt; &","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117773"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145616242","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Umbilical cord torsion abortion: the gross and histological features of affected umbilical cords and fetal membranes","authors":"Jessica M. Lawson ,&nbsp;Kristien L. Verheyen ,&nbsp;Karine Laroucau ,&nbsp;Jill S. Bryan ,&nbsp;Ken C. Smith ,&nbsp;Alastair K. Foote ,&nbsp;Amanda M. de Mestre","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117771","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Umbilical cord torsion (UCT) is the most frequent pathology of the equine umbilical cord (UC) and a prominent cause of abortion, yet objective data on its features remain limited. This study compared UCT with clinically normal pregnancies (CNP) to (i) identify gross and histological features of the UC and fetal membranes, (ii) determine whether UCT is associated with fetal growth restriction, and (iii) rule out infectious aetiologies. Gross and histological features of the UC, chorioallantois and amnion were compared between groups. Fetal weight and crown-rump length were analysed relative to gestational age. Inflammatory infiltrates were evaluated and PCR screened chorioallantoic tissue for equine herpesviruses, <em>Chlamydia psittaci</em>, <em>Coxiella burnetii</em> and <em>Leptospira</em> spp. Alternating reddening and blanching on the amniotic UC was observed in all UCT cases and absent from CNP (p &lt; 0.001). Less specific, yet significant, features included amniotic UC stretch marks, membrane congestion, increased visibility of UC stromal vasculature, villous mineralisation, and karyorrhexis. The UCT cords were longer (total length 81.1 cm 95 % CI 77.7–84.6 vs. 54.2 cm 95 % CI 49.5–59.0, p &lt; 0.001), with a larger intraamniotic portion (p = 0.04). Fetal weight did not differ significantly between groups (p = 0.08), but crown-rump length was reduced in UCT (p = 0.01). No significant inflammatory infiltrates were detected, and all screened samples tested negative for equine herpesviruses, <em>C. burnetii</em> and <em>C. psittaci</em>. This study defines UCT by reproducible gross and histological features and introduces a diagnostic matrix for improved assessment of risk factors and mechanisms of UCT abortion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117771"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145670061","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Myo-inositol improves the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes and subsequent embryonic development","authors":"Ali Jawad ,&nbsp;Dongjin Oh ,&nbsp;Hyerin Choi ,&nbsp;Jaehyung Ham ,&nbsp;Zheng Haomiao ,&nbsp;Juyoung Heo ,&nbsp;Aram Oh ,&nbsp;Huijin Jin ,&nbsp;Jaehyeok Seo ,&nbsp;Seokyung Lee ,&nbsp;Byoung Chol Oh ,&nbsp;Joohyeong Lee ,&nbsp;Sang-Hwan Hyun","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117770","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117770","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the influence of Myo-inositol (Myo-Ins) treatment during <em>in vitro</em> maturation (IVM) on porcine oocytes and their developmental competence following parthenogenetic activation (PA). To assess oocyte quality and function, several parameters were measured: cumulus cell (CC) expansion, nuclear maturation, intracellular glutathione (GSH) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) levels, and mitochondrial content. In addition, lipid droplet (LD) accumulation, fatty acid (FA) levels, mRNA expression of key regulatory genes, and overall developmental competence were evaluated. For IVM, oocytes were cultured for 42 h in media supplemented with Myo-Ins at varying concentrations: 0, 5, 10, and 20 mM. Myo-Ins treatment significantly promoted CC expansion, though it did not affect nuclear maturation rates. A significant elevation in intracellular GSH was observed in the 5 and 20 mM groups, whereas ROS levels were reduced by 6 % at 5 mM and by 5 % at 10–20 mM compared with control. Among the treatment groups, 5 mM Myo-Ins notably improved blastocyst formation rates. Mitochondrial function was also enhanced, as indicated by increased MMP in the 10 and 20 mM groups, higher mitochondrial content, and reduced mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) in all treated groups. Furthermore, Myo-Ins significantly increased LD and FA accumulation. Gene expression analysis via qPCR revealed the upregulation of <em>NRF2</em> in CCs. In oocytes, antioxidant-related genes (<em>NRF2</em>, <em>SOD1</em>, <em>SOD2</em>, <em>GCLC</em>, <em>GPX1</em>), maternal competence markers (<em>NPM2</em>, <em>ZAR1</em>), the anti-apoptotic gene <em>BCL2</em>, and mitochondrial function genes (<em>NRF1</em>, <em>ATP5F1A</em>) were significantly upregulated. Overall, Myo-Ins supplementation during IVM was shown to improve mitochondrial efficiency and alleviate oxidative stress, thereby promoting the developmental potential of porcine embryos derived from PA.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117770"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145655574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Characterization of surface properties and antimicrobial activity of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria isolated from the reproductive tract of healthy mares","authors":"J.A. Silva ,&nbsp;A. Vasquetto ,&nbsp;H. Mouguelar ,&nbsp;M.E.F. Nader-Macías ,&nbsp;M.S. Pellegrino","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117760","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117760","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Equine endometritis, a major cause of subfertility in mares, has a significant economic impact on horse breeding. In the face of rising antimicrobial resistance, the use of beneficial bacteria to prevent this disease is a non-antibiotic alternative which aligns with “One Health” principles. This study characterised vaginal autochthonous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from healthy mares. Out of the 25 presumptive LAB isolates obtained from 15 clinically healthy thoroughbred mares, 24 were confirmed. Surface properties were assessed (autoaggregation, hydrophobicity, biofilm formation, exopolysaccharide production, adhesion to equine epithelial cells), and their antimicrobial activity tested against 17 potentially pathogenic bacteria from clinical endometritis cases. All the LAB autoaggregated and adhered, with mostly medium to high adhesion percentages. Hydrophobicity was generally low. Biofilm was formed in all tested media, with higher values in the absence of surfactants. Exopolysaccharides were produced by 54 % of the isolates depending on the carbohydrate source. Lastly, 70.8 % inhibited all the bacteria tested, notably <em>Streptococcus zooepidemicus</em>, one of the most prevalent causes of equine endometritis. The 17 isolates with the most promising characterization were identified by MALDI-TOF MS as <em>Pediococcus pentosaceus</em> (6), <em>Enterococcus hirae</em> (6), <em>Enterococcus faecalis</em> (4), and <em>Weissella cibaria</em> (1). Compatibility assays indicated that some of them could be combined in a multi-strain probiotic formulation. This study is among the few to examine in detail the potential probiotic properties of LAB from the equine vaginal niche. The findings hint at the possibility of developing multi-strain probiotics to prevent equine endometritis. Further research is needed into their technological suitability, safety, and <em>in vivo</em> efficacy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117760"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145571173","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Understanding the molecular implications of in vivo ageing in pikeperch eggs via transcriptomic profiling","authors":"Joanna Nynca ,&nbsp;Tainá Rocha de Almeida ,&nbsp;Christophe Klopp ,&nbsp;Katarzyna Palińska-Żarska ,&nbsp;Jarosław Król ,&nbsp;Uroš Ljubobratović ,&nbsp;Julien Bobe ,&nbsp;Daniel Żarski","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117759","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117759","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Egg quality unpredictability remains a significant challenge in aquaculture, limiting reproductive success and production efficiency. Identifying reliable molecular markers of egg quality is therefore essential for optimizing hatchery protocols and selective breeding strategies. Building upon our previous study that used proteomics to investigate early <em>in vivo</em> post-ovulatory ageing in pikeperch (<em>Sander lucioperca</em>), we employed a complementary transcriptomic approach to further elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying egg quality decline. The <em>in vivo</em> ageing model, enabled by commercially applied species-specific suture technique that prevents spontaneous egg release, provides a controlled and biologically relevant framework for identifying early-stage molecular biomarkers of egg developmental competence. Although eggs retained for 5 h post-ovulation (hPO) exhibited no visible deterioration, they showed significantly reduced fertilization and hatching success compared to eggs collected at 1 hPO. Transcriptomic profiling revealed 202 differentially expressed transcripts, implicating processes such as RNA metabolism, mRNA decay, cytoskeletal organization, and cell cycle regulation. Several hub genes (<em>ago2</em>, <em>ep300</em>, <em>kmt2c</em>) were identified as potential key regulators of egg competence, and <em>ivns1abp</em> and <em>setdb1</em> emerged as promising candidate conserved markers of egg quality across species. This study advances our previous findings by revealing that transcriptomic changes, rather than proteomic alterations, are early and sensitive indicators of post-ovulatory ageing. Together, these results offer valuable insights for developing transcriptome-based biomarkers to improve broodstock management and reproductive outcomes in aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117759"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145571177","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spermatozoa binding to oviduct cells: The influence of the endocrine milieu on the effectiveness of the binding test","authors":"Paula Renata Cortat ,&nbsp;Camila Azzolin de Souza ,&nbsp;Alessandra Bridi ,&nbsp;Lucas Oliveira e Silva ,&nbsp;Mirela Balistrieri ,&nbsp;Fernanda Schneberger ,&nbsp;Eneiva Carla Celeghini ,&nbsp;Juliano Coelho da Silveira ,&nbsp;José de Oliveira Carvalho ,&nbsp;Roberto Sartori","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117761","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117761","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluates the effect of endocrine environments on the ability of sperm to bind to bovine oviduct epithelial cells (BOEC) cultured <em>in vitro.</em> In Experiment 1, reproductive tracts from slaughterhouse (n = 12) were classified based on the presence of a dominant follicle (DF ≥ 10 mm; high estradiol [E2], low progesterone [P4]) or a corpus luteum (CL; high P4). In Experiment 2, 10 <em>Bos indicus</em> cows were hormonally synchronized and slaughtered either in the pre-ovulatory phase (8-d-old DF, n = 5) or in diestrus (14-d-old CL, n = 5). Oviductal isthmus spheroids were categorized based on their laterality relative to the ovarian structure: DF-Ipsi, DF-Contra, CL-Ipsi, and CL-Contra. Sperm binding was assessed at 0.5, 12, and 24 h after incubation with 1 × 10⁵ motile sperm/mL. Statistical analyses were performed by SAS 9.4 (<em>P</em> ≤ 0.05). In Experiment 1, P4 concentrations in follicular fluid (FF) were higher in CL-Ipsi compared to all other groups. In Experiment 2, CL-Ipsi also exhibited higher P4 concentrations than DF-Contra. Also, cows with 14-d-old CL had greater concentrations of P4 than cows with 8-d-old DF. Estradiol concentrations differed only in Experiment 2, with greater values in DF-Ipsi compared to other groups. In both experiments, morphometric analysis showed greater epithelial and muscular thickness in cows with high E2, and sperm binding was consistently lower in CL-Ipsi across all incubation times, with the most pronounced differences observed at 12 and 24 h. In conclusion, the endocrine milieu affected the capacity of sperm to bind to BOEC. Therefore, the best <em>in vitro</em> model to evaluate sperm binding as a strategy for fertility assessment is using the oviduct from tracts with DF and without functional CL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117761"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145571176","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Influence of follicular size, plasma progesterone, and estradiol benzoate administration on endometrial edema onset and duration in mares","authors":"Laura Sala-Ayala,&nbsp;Juan Cuervo-Arango,&nbsp;Rebeca Martínez Boví","doi":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117758","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.theriogenology.2025.117758","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Endometrial edema is an ultrasonographic sign of estrus in mares and is positively associated with fertility. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of follicular size, systemic progesterone (P4), and exogenous estradiol benzoate (EB) on the onset and duration of endometrial edema. In Experiment 1, anestrus (n = 4) and diestrus mares (n = 4) received 4 mg of EB intramuscularly; edema scores and plasma P4 were monitored over four days. In a complementary group (n = 5), mares were monitored until ovulation, then administered 4 mg of EB and examined every 12 h for 48 h. In Experiment 2, mares (n = 9) received PGF₂α and were categorized based on follicle size (&lt;25 mm or &gt;25 mm) to assess effects on edema onset. In Experiment 3, mares (n = 13) received PGF₂α alone or PGF₂α plus EB to evaluate combined treatment effects. Anestrus mares (P4 &lt;1 ng/mL) showed maximal edema at 24 h post-EB, resolving by day 4. Diestrus mares did not develop edema. In the OV group, edema peaked at 24 h post-EB but declined significantly by 36 h (p &lt; 0.05), concurrent with a P4 increase from 2.2 ± 0.3 to 3.6 ± 0.6 ng/mL (p &lt; 0.01). Follicle size tended to influence the interval to ovulation (9.4 ± 2.2 vs. 6.0 ± 2.1 days, p = 0.052) and significantly affected the total number of edema days (7 vs. 4.5, p &lt; 0.05). Edema developed despite the presence of only small follicles, and EB at PGF₂α did not accelerate onset. Overall, edema dynamics appear to be progesterone-driven, and follicle size may affect estrus duration and time to OV.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":23131,"journal":{"name":"Theriogenology","volume":"252 ","pages":"Article 117758"},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145571174","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}