Avaliou-se o efeito da dieta com diferentes níveis de energia [mantença (M) e alta energia (1,7M)] nos parâmetros metabólicos, endócrinos e reprodutivos de vacas não lactantes Bos indicus (14 Gir) e Bos taurus (14 HPB) submetidas aspiração folicular (OPU) seguida de produção in vitro de embriões. Os animais foram distribuídos aleatoriamente de acordo com a raça e a dieta. As doadoras foram mantidas em sistema Tie stall e as dietas foram fornecidas duas vezes ao dia (8:00 e 16:00 h). Os animais receberam dieta M por uhm período de adaptação de 21 dias. Após esse período, os grupos experimentais foram submetidos a nove punções foliculares com intervalos de 14 dias. Para realização da OPU, no D0 as doadoras foram sincronizadas com 2 mg de benzoato de estradiol e um implante auricular de norgestomet. No D5, as OPUs foram realizadas. Não houve interação entre as espécies e níveis de energia na dieta para as variáveis estudadas. Não foram observadas diferenças quali-quantitativa dos oócitos entre as dietas. Porém, houve diferença na quantidade e qualidade oocitária entre as espécies estudadas. Vacas Bos indicus apresentaram maior quantidade de estruturas recuperadas e melhor qualidade oocitária que as doadoras Bos taurus. Semelhantemente aos resultados da qualidade e quantidade oocitária, a produção in vitro de embriões também não diferiu entre as dietas e verificou-se maior produção in vitro de embriões em vacas Bos indicus. No entanto, foi observado que o excesso de energia reduziu a produção in vitro de embriões após 60 dias de fornecimento da dieta somente em vacas Bos indicus. Verificou-se menor abundância de transcritos para os genes IGF2R e HSP70.1 em oócitos de vacas alimentadas com alta energia na dieta. Além disso, observou-se que vacas da raça Gir apresentaram maior abundância de transcritos para os genes GLUT1 e IGF1R. Vacas alimentadas com excesso de energia na dieta apresentaram maiores concentrações séricas e no fluido folicular de glicose e colesterol e maiores níveis de AGNE no líquido folicular. Porém, a concentração de nitrogênio ureico no soro e no fluido folicular foi maior nas vacas que receberam dieta de mantença. Quanto ao grupo genético, observou-se que vacas Bos indicus apresentavam maiores concentrações de glicose, colesterol, AGNE e nitrogênio ureico, tanto no líquido folicular quanto no soro. Além disso, as concentrações de insulina e IGF1 no líquido folicular foram maiores nas vacas do Grupo alta energia Bos indicus . Por fim, observou-se quadro de hiperinsulinemia (Gir [insulina] > 51,9 μUI/ml e HPB [insulina] >17,2 μUI/ml) em 60% das vacas Bos indicus que receberam alta energia na dieta. Conclui-se que o aumento de energia na dieta não interferiu na quantidade e qualidade (avaliada visualmente) de oócitos. No entanto, o excesso de energia reduziu a produção in vitro de embriões em vacas Bos indicus após 60 dias de fornecimento da dieta. Além disso, vacas Bos indicus apresentaram melhor qualidade e maior quantidade de oócitos viáveis e produção in vitro de embriões que as doadoras Bos taurus. / The effect of different energy levels in diet [maintenance (M) and high energy (1.7M)] was evaluated on metabolic, endocrine and reproductive parameters of non lactating Bos indicus (n=14) and Bos taurus (n=14) cows submitted to ultrasound guided ovum pick up (OPU) followed by in vitro embryo production. Cows were randomly assigned, according to their breed and diet. The oocyte donors were housed in Tie Stall System and the diets were given twice daily (8:00 AM e 4:00 PM). During 21 days prior to the beginning of experiment, animals were fed with the maintenance diet for their adaptation. After this period, the experimental groups were submitted to nine OPU procedures, fourteen days apart each. To synchronize the donors, cows received 2mg of estradiol benzoate on day 0 (D0) and one norgestomet auricular implant. The OPU were performed on D5. There were no interaction between breeds and energy level in diet for the evaluated variables. No qualitative or quantitative differences were in oocytes between the two diets. However, there was difference in oocyte number and quality between breeds. Bos indicus cows showed higher number of recovered structures and better oocyte quality when compared to Bos taurus donors. Similar to what was found in oocyte quality and number, the in vitro embryo production also did not differ between diets and it was observed that Bos indicus cows had higher production of embryos. However, we verified that the energy surplus reduced in vitro embryo production in Bos indicus cows after 60 days of high energy diet. It was also possible to observe lower oocytes transcripts abundance for IGF2R and HSP70.1 genes of cows fed with high energy diet. Moreover, Gir cows showed higher transcript abundance for GLUT1 and IGF1R genes. Cows fed with excess of energy in diet presented higher serum and follicular fluid concentrations of glucose and cholesterol and increased NEFA levels in follicular fluid. However, the ureic nitrogen concentration was higher in cows which received maintenance diet. When comparing the two genetic groups, it was observed that Bos indicus cows presented higher concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, NEFA and ureic nitrogen both in follicular fluid and in blood. Furthermore, cows that presented decreased blastocyst rate (high energy - Bos indicus) exhibited high follicular fluid concentrations of insulin and IGF1. Finally, it was observed that 60% of Bos indicus cows fed with high energy diet presented yperinsulinemia (Gir [insulin] > 51.9 μUI/ml and HPB [insulin] >17.2 μUI/ml). In conclusion, increasing energy in diet did not interfere in oocyte number and quality (visual evaluation). However, the energy surplus reduced the in vitro embryo production in Bos indicus cows after 60 days of diet. Moreover, Bos indicus cows showed better oocyte quality, higher number of viable oocytes and increased in vitro embryo production than Bos taurus donors.

Oocytes of most species assemble and maintain a functional bipolar spindle in the absence of centrosomes. Strikingly, after bipolar spindle formation, oocytes arrest in metaphase for several hours before fertilisation. How the dynamic spindle maintains its bipolarity during this long arrest is poorly understood. I hypothesise that the bipolar spindle is stably maintained by changes in the distribution of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) on the spindle during the long oocyte arrest. To test this, I generated transgenic flies expressing GFP-tagged microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs), and found that 13 out of 24 proteins change localisation between early and late oocytes. I refer to these changes in MAP localisation after establishment of bipolarity as 'spindle maturation'. In order to identify the molecular mechanisms triggering MAP relocalisation, I manipulated the kinase activity of the cell cycle regulator Cdk1 by over-expressing non-degradable cyclin A or B, the major activators of Cdk1. Their expression prevented re-localisation of distinct sets of MAPs, and disrupted spindle bipolarity and accurate chromosome segregation in oocytes. Kinesin-6 Pavarotti/MKlp1 localised strongly to the spindle equator in late oocytes, whilst nearly always absent from this region in early oocytes. The localisation of Pavarotti to the spindle equator in late oocytes was reduced when cyclin B is over-expressed in oocytes, suggesting a role for Cdk1/cyclin B complex in regulating Pavarotti localisation. Indeed, a Pavarotti/Mklp1 mutant non-phosphorylatable by Cdk1 prematurely localised to the meiotic spindle and disrupted spindle bipolarity. Moreover, removal of Pavarotti from the metaphase-I spindle by RNAi induced spindle defects in oocytes. Therefore, it is likely that the microtubule cross-linking activity of Pavarotti enhances the stability of the metaphase-I spindle during the long arrest. Consistent with this, I found that the microtubule density in the spindle equator is higher in late oocytes. Altogether, I propose that remodelling the molecular architecture of the spindle during the long oocyte arrest is important to stabilise the bipolar spindle without centrosomes.

Orientador: Flávia Lombardi Lopes / Coorientadora: Claudia Maria Bertran Membrive / Banca:Calie Castilho Silvestre / Banca:Guilherme de Paula Nogueira / Resumo: A suplementação com compostos ricos em ácido linoleico, dentre os quais inclui-se a semente de girassol, promove aumento na taxa de concepção em fêmeas bovinas. Hipotetizou-se que a suplementação com semente de girassol em doadoras de oócitos aumenta o número e a qualidade de oócitos, incrementa as taxas de clivagem e determina um aumento no número e qualidade dos blastocistos produzidos in vitro. Assim, objetivou-se investigar o efeito de tal suplementação, no número e qualidade de oócitos cultivados in vitro, na taxa de clivagem e no número e qualidade de blastocistos produzidos in vitro. Para tanto, cinco vacas e vinte e cinco novilhas (n=30) Nelore foram divididas em dois grupos para receberem um dos seguintes tratamentos: 1,7 kg/dia de suplemento contendo 53% de farelo de soja com 44% de PB e 47% de milho (Grupo Controle - Grupo C; n= 15) ou 1,7 kg/dia de suplemento contendo 40% de farelo de soja com 44% de proteína bruta (PB) e 60% de semente de girassol (Grupo Girassol - Grupo G; n= 15), durante 57 dias. As fêmeas foram submetidas à aspiração folicular nos dias D0, D13, D29, D43, D56 e D77 (D0= início da suplementação; D56= término da suplementação). Os oócitos foram submetidos ao processo de produção de embriões in vitro. Os dados foram analisados pelo programa Mixed procedure (SAS) versão 9.2, pelo teste ANOVA modelo misto. Não se observou diferença entre os Grupos C e G no número de folículos visualizados (16,85 ± 1,32 vs. 16,12 ± 1,48); número... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Supplementation with compounds rich in linoleic acid, among which is included sunflower seed, promotes increase in conception rates in cows. It was hypothesized that sunflower seed supplementation in oocyte donors increases the number and quality of oocytes, increases the cleavage rates and determines an increase in the number and quality of blastocysts produced in vitro. Therefore the objective was to investigate the effect of such supplementation, in the number and quality of oocytes cultured in vitro on cleavage rate and in the number and quality of in vitro produced blastocysts. Therefore, cows five and twenty-five heifers (n = 30) Nellore were divided into two groups to receive one of the following treatments: 1.7 kg / day supplement containing 53% soybean meal 44% and 47% PB corn (Control Group - Group C, n = 15) or 1.7 kg / containing 40% add-on of soybean meal with 44% crude protein (CP) and 60% sunflower seed (Sunflower group - Group C; n = 15) for 57 days. Females underwent follicular aspiration on days D0, D13, D29, D43, D56 and D77 (D0 = start of supplementation; D56 = end of supplementation). The oocytes were subjected to in vitro embryo production process. Data were analyzed by the Mixed procedure (SAS) version 9.2, by ANOVA mixed model. There was no difference between Groups C and G on the number of displayed follicles (16.85 ± 1.32 vs. 16.12 ± 1.48); number of aspired oocytes (13.80 ± 1.27 vs. 13.05 ± 1.25); recovery rate (82 ± 1% vs. 80 ±... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

O objetivo deste estudo foi infectar experimentalmente cães com oocistos esporulados de N. caninum, via oral e avaliar a ocorrência ou não da infecção. Os oocistos utilizados como inóculo foram obtidos através de bioensaio em cães, usando cérebro de búfalos soropositivos para anticorpos anti-N. caninum. Os oocistos obtidos foram confirmados ser de N. caninum por métodos moleculares e por bioensaio em gerbilos. Oocistos esporulados, com no máximo 90 dias, foram utilizados na infecção de quatro cães, com oito semanas de vida e negativos para anticorpos anti-N. caninum e Toxoplasma gondii. Os cães 1 e 4 receberam um inóculo com 10.000 oocistos esporulados cada um; o cão 2 um inóculo com 5.000 oocistos esporulados e o cão 3 recebeu 1.000 oocistos esporulados de N. caninum. O total de fezes foi coletado e examinado diariamente durante um período de 30 dias. Nenhum oocisto foi encontrado nas fezes desses animais. Durante seis meses os cães foram acompanhados para observar uma possível soroconversão e quando esta ocorria os animais eram eliminados do experimento. / The objective of this study was to evaluate the acquisition of infection in dogs experimentally infected with sporulated oocysts. The oocysts used as inoculum were obtained by bioassay in dogs using brain of buffaloes positive for anti-N. caninum antibodies. The oocysts were confirmed to be N. caninum by molecular methods and by bioassay in gerbils. Sporulated oocysts with a maximum of 90 days were used in the infection of four dogs. The dogs were eight weeks old and were negative for anti-N. caninum and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Dogs 1 and 4 received an inoculum of 10,000 sporulated oocysts each, dog 2 an inoculum with 5,000 sporulated oocysts and dog 3 received 1,000 sporulated oocysts of N. caninum. The total feces eliminated by the dogs were collected and examined daily for a period of 30 days. No oocysts were found in the feces of these animals. For six months the dogs were monitored to observe a possible seroconversion and when this occurred the animals were eliminated from the experiment.

Voltage-gated ion channels are fundamental for electrical signaling in living cells. They are composed of four subunits, each holding six transmembrane helices, S1-S6. Each subunit contains a voltage-sensor domain, S1-S4, and a pore domain, S5-S6. S4 contains several positively charged amino-acid residues and moves in response to changes in membrane voltage. This movement controls the opening and closing of the channel. The structure of the pore domain is solved and demonstrates principles of channel selectivity. The molecular mechanism of how the voltage sensor regulates the opening of the channel is still under discussion. Several models have been discussed. One of the models is the paddle model where S3b and S4 move together. The second one is the helical-twist where S4 makes a small rotation in order for the channel to open. The third one is the helical-screw model where S4 twists around its axis and moves diagonally towards the extracellular side of the channel. The aim of this PhD project was to study the molecular movement of the voltage sensor in the depolarization-activated Shaker K channel. Cloned channels were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes, and investigated with several electrophysiological techniques. 1. We show that S4 moves in relation to both S3b and S5. The formation of some disulfide bonds between S4 and neighboring positions, in only the open state, shows that the paddle model cannot be correct. Furthermore, electrostatic and steric effects of residues in S3b suggest that S3b is tilted, with the intracellular part close to S4. 2. We show that the relatively Mg-sensitive Shaker K channel is changed into the less Mg-sensitive Kv2.1 K channel with respect to its sensitivity to extracellularly applied Mg2+ by changing the charge of three extracellularly positioned amino acid residues. One of the residues, F425C, mediates its effect through the neighboring residue K427. 3. We show that oxaliplatin, an anti-cancer drug, has no effect on the Shaker K channel. It has been suggested that a negatively charged monochloro complex of oxaliplatin is the active substance, and also causes the neurotoxic side effects. Neither this complex shows any effect on the channel. Our experiments point towards the helical-screw model. The other models for voltage-sensor movements are incompatible with the results in this study.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Umeå : Umeå universitet, 2009. / Härtill 2 uppsatser. Även tryckt utgåva.

Cryopreservation of germplasm of aquatic species offers many benefits to the fields of aquaculture, conservation and biomedicine. Although successful fish sperm cryopreservation has been achieved with many species, there has been no report of successful cryopreservation of fish embryos and late stage oocytes which are large, chilling sensitive and have low membrane permeability. In the present study, the sensitivity to chilling and toxicity of cryoprotectants of early stage zebrafish ovarian follicles were studied before designing protocols for their cryopreservation using controlled slow cooling. The effect of cryoprotectant, freezing medium, cooling rate, method for cryoprotectant removal, post-thaw incubation time and ovarian follicle developmental stage were investigated. In vitro culture method for early stage zebrafish ovarian follicles were also developed. The studies showed that stage I and II ovarian follicles are less sensitive to chilling than stage III follicles and methanol was the least toxic cryoprotectant. 4M methanol in potassium chloride (KCl) buffer was found to be the optimal cryoprotective solution and the optimum cooling rate was 4 °C/min for stage I and II follicles. Although the highest survivals after 2 h post-thawed incubation were 50.7 ± 4.0% for stage II ovarian follicles obtained with FDA+PI staining, ADP/ATP ratios of the cryopreserved follicles were significantly increased indicating increased cell death. Furthermore, in vitro culture experiments showed that there was no growth for stage I and II ovarian follicles after cryopreservation, indicating that successful cryopreservation of early stage zebrafish ovarian follicles at liquid nitrogen still remains elusive. From in vitro culture study, 90% L-15 medium at pH 9.0 containing 10 IU/ml hCG was effective for in vitro culture of stage I and II ovarian follicles. Systematic study on cryopreservation of early stage fish ovarian follicles at liquid nitrogen temperature is reported ii here for the first time. The results will provide useful information on the future development of protocol design for successful cryopreservation of early stage fish ovarian follicles.

High quality fish oocytes are essential for in vitro maturation (IVM), in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols, and for use in cryopreservation. It is important to develop methods for assessing oocyte quality for applications in aquaculture, the preservation of endangered species and managing fish models used in biomedical research. The lack of reliable methods of evaluating oocyte quality limits progress in these areas. The present study was undertaken to develop new methods to assess ovarian follicle viability and quality of stage III zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovarian follicles. The methods developed were then applied to study the impact of cryoprotectant and/or cryopreservation procedures. A vital staining procedure, not previously used with zebrafish oocytes, has been investigated. FDA-PI (Fluorescein diacetate-Propidium Iodide) staining was found to be a more sensitive then currently used viability tests and it could also be applied to all ovarian follicles developmental stages. Mitochondrial activity and distribution as biological markers was investigated with the mitochondrial membrane potentialsensitive dye JC-1- (5,5’,6,6’-tetrachloro-1,1’,3,3’-tetraethylbenzimidazolylcarbocyanine iodide). Confocal microscopy, Cryo-scanning and electron microscopy studies were undertaken to determine mitochondria distributional arrangement within the ovarian follicle. This provided new information on zebrafish ovarian follicle structure, and showed that mitochondria exhibited a contiguous distribution at the margin of the granulosa cell layer surrounding stage III zebrafish oocytes. Cryoscanning results showed a polygonal structure of the vitelline envelope, which is reported here for the first time with the mitochondrial distributional arrangement in the granulosa cell layer. Mitochondrial distribution and the evaluation of mitochondrial activity proved to be sensitive markers for ovarian follicle quality, providing more detailed information on cryoprotectant impact. The measurement of ATP levels, ADP/ATP ratio and mtDNA copy number were also undertaken following cryoprotectant exposure. These findings, together with the observation of mitochondrial distribution, suggested that even cryoprotectant treatments that are considered to have little or no toxicity can have a deleterious effect on mitochondrial activity, potentially compromising oocyte growth and embryo development. Therefore, a further optimization of the currently used protocol may need to be considered. The study of organelle distribution and organisation would support in vitro maturation and oocyte development fields, as well as their use as biological markers for quality determination. These findings will contribute to a better understanding of oogenesis/folliculogenesis processes in fish.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2002. / Härtill 5 uppsatser.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Stockholm : Karol. inst., 2004. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.