Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Hao Zhang, Xia Zha, Yi Zheng, Xiaoyun Liu, Mabrouk Elsabagh, Hongrong Wang, Honghua Jiang, Mengzhi Wang
Summary: Exposure to BPA during pregnancy can lead to placental dysfunction and adverse effects on fetal development. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) induced by BPA can exacerbate placental dysfunction, oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, and autophagy, while ERS antagonist 4-PBA may alleviate these effects.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Sarah N. Cilvik, Stephanie R. Wesolowski, Russ V. Anthony, Laura D. Brown, Paul J. Rozance
Summary: This study demonstrates a negative effect of glucagon on fetal protein accretion and growth. It also shows that glucagon, a hormone of fetal origin, negatively regulates maternal placental nutrient transport function, placental CSH production, and uterine blood flow.
JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-LONDON
(2021)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sarah A. Reed, Ryan Ashley, Gail Silver, Caitlyn Splaine, Amanda K. Jones, Sambhu M. Pillai, Maria L. Peterson, Steven A. Zinn, Kristen E. Govoni
Summary: Poor maternal nutrition can have negative effects on placenta growth and development, and this study aimed to understand the mechanisms behind these alterations. Using a sheep model, the researchers found that restricted and over-feeding during gestation can impact the expression of key chemokines and growth factors involved in placenta development and function. These findings provide insights into how maternal diet can affect the placenta and fetal growth.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Obstetrics & Gynecology
Laura D. Brown, Claire Palmer, Lucas Teynor, Brit H. Boehmer, Jane Stremming, Eileen Chang, Alicia White, Amanda K. Jones, Sarah N. Cilvik, Stephanie R. Wesolowski, Paul J. Rozance
Summary: The study found that fetal sex does not have a widespread impact on experimental insults, with most outcomes showing no gender-based differences. The only exceptions were higher hormone concentrations in female fetuses.
REPRODUCTIVE SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Reproductive Biology
Kimmie K. Lyderik, Esben Ostrup, Thomas S. Bruun, Charlotte Amdi, Anja Strathe
Summary: The study investigates fetal development and factors affecting it in hyper-prolific sows. It finds that fetal survival rate is consistent across gestational days and fetal weight is reduced in intrauterine positions near the cervix. Fetal growth is influenced by litter size, placental weight and area, and umbilical cord length, with small fetuses characterized by lower placental weight and area and shorter umbilical cords.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruth Opoku, Jenna DeCata, Charlotte L. Phillips, Laura C. Schulz
Summary: This study examined the effect of reducing maternal myostatin on the metabolomes of both maternal and fetal serum, as well as the placental metabolome. The results showed distinct differences in the metabolomes of fetal and maternal serum, confirming the impact of maternal myostatin reduction on the fetal metabolic environment.
Article
Developmental Biology
Sheryl Choo, Barbra de Vrijer, Timothy R. H. Regnault, Hilary K. Brown, Larry Stitt, Bryan S. Richardson
Summary: We investigated the impact of gestational diabetes (GDM) and pre-existing diabetes (DM) on birth/placental weight and cord oxygen values, finding that these factors have implications for placental efficiency and fetal-placental growth and development.
Article
Cell Biology
Asghar Ali, Muhammad A. Iqbal, Muhammad W. Abbas, Gerrit J. Bouma, Russell Anthony, Thomas E. Spencer, Quinton A. Winger
Summary: In this study, transcriptome analysis revealed the potential roles of the LIN28-let-7 axis in placental and fetal development in ruminants, beyond its involvement in trophoblast proliferation and conceptus elongation.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Ashley S. Meakin, Jack R. T. Darby, Stacey L. Holman, Michael D. Wiese, Janna L. Morrison
Summary: This study found that maternal hypoglycemia may reduce the activity of CYP1A2 in the maternal-fetal-placental unit, leading to increased exposure of the developing fetus to CYP1A2-specific substances. This suggests the need for further consideration of drug dosing adjustments in cases of late gestation maternal undernutrition.
Article
Agronomy
Andreas Vernunft, Anja Eggert, Klaus-Peter Brussow
Summary: This study aimed to identify suitable anatomical fetal structures for monitoring physiological growth dynamics by ultrasound examinations and to estimate fetal weight using appropriate mathematical models. 198 fetuses of 15 primiparous Landrace sows were examined by ultrasound on different gestational days. Several parameters were measured, and reference curves were established. Linear models and cubic equations were used for weight estimation. The results showed that biparietal distance, rostro-occipital distance, and abdominal circumference were the most suitable parameters for fetal weight estimation.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Jacopo Troisi, Steven J. K. Symes, Martina Lombardi, Pierpaolo Cavallo, Angelo Colucci, Giovanni Scala, David C. Adair, Maurizio Guida, Sean M. Richards
Summary: Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a condition that leads to high neonatal mortality and morbidity. The mechanisms behind FGR are not fully understood. In this study, metabolites were extracted from placentas of 493 non-complicated pregnancies using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that certain metabolites were significantly different in placentas of low birth weight (LBW) and small for gestational age (SGA) newborns compared to non-LBW and adequate for gestational age (AGA) newborns. These findings indicate that metabolic pathways related to hypoxia response, amino acid uptake, and inflammation play a role in FGR.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Yu Qi Lee, Eugenie R. Lumbers, Tracy L. Schumacher, Clare E. Collins, Kym M. Rae, Kirsty G. Pringle
Summary: Suboptimal nutrition during pregnancy is recognized as a significant modifiable factor in the development of chronic diseases in offspring. The study found that dietary intake of pregnant Indigenous Australian women did not meet national guidelines and that maternal nutrition during pregnancy can impact fetal growth but not fetal kidney growth. Urgent strategies are needed to support and optimize nutrient intake in Indigenous pregnant women.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natasha de Alwis, Sally Beard, Natalie K. Binder, Natasha Pritchard, Tu'uhevaha J. Kaitu'u-Lino, Susan P. Walker, Owen Stock, Katie Groom, Scott Petersen, Amanda Henry, Joanne M. Said, Sean Seeho, Stefan C. Kane, Stephen Tong, Lisa Hui, Natalie J. Hannan
Summary: Elevated levels of OLAH in the placenta may be associated with placental dysfunction in pregnancies complicated by preterm preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Further research is required to understand the role of OLAH in the placenta, and whether these changes are a maternal adaptation or consequence of disease.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Marco Antonio Paula de Sousa, Sergio Novita Esteves, Luciara Celi Chaves Daher, Sarita Bonagurio Gallo, Veronica Schinaider do Amaral Pereira, Jeferson Ferreira da Fonseca, Andre Guimaraes Maciel e Silva, Felipe Zandonadi Brandao, Maria Emilia Franco Oliveira, Andrea do Nascimento Barreto, Gabriel Brun Vergani, Alexandre Rossetto Garcia
Summary: The study aimed to evaluate the effects of energy or energy/protein supplementation in the ewe's diet during the last third of gestation on maternal placental and endocrine characteristics, as well as on the behavior of neonatal lambs and productive performance until weaning.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Sara Succu, Efisiangelo Contu, Daniela Bebbere, Sergio Domenico Gadau, Laura Falchi, Stefano Mario Nieddu, Sergio Ledda
Summary: Our study used ultrasonography and differential staining to describe the development of the fetal skeleton in sheep during the first part of gestation. We found that the timing of ossification and the growth rate of skeletal components are important factors for assessing normal prenatal growth. Our study provides valuable information on gestational management and early diagnosis of skeletal diseases. We also examined the ovine conceptus between the 20th and 70th day of gestation using uterus ultrasound examination, direct measurement, and osteo-cartilage dynamics analysis. Our results showed that CRL and BPD are accurate parameters for estimating gestational age in the first part of sheep pregnancy and provided an overview of the temporal dynamics of osteochondral development.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
A. Freitas-de-Melo, F. Sales, R. Ungerfeld, V. H. Parraguez
Summary: The study found that melatonin treatment for undernourished ewes during the last third of gestation slightly increased the surface temperature of lambs at birth, but did not impact the interaction behavior between ewes and lambs after birth.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Nesrein M. Hashem, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: This review discusses the relationship between reproductive tract dysbiosis and reproductive health and proposes the use of probiotics as an alternative for maintaining and restoring reproductive balance and function. Further research is needed to understand the mechanisms and safety of probiotics, as well as the regulatory requirements for marketing these therapies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Yeste, Jorge Perez-Valle, Marta Vazquez-Gomez, Consolacion Garcia-Contreras, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Anna Bassols
Summary: Supplementation of a mother's diet with hydroxytyrosol (HTX) can improve adverse phenotypes of foetuses affected by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) by regulating the hippocampal proteome. HTX has regulatory effects on protein synthesis and RNA metabolism, which may lead to differences in neuron differentiation. Additionally, HTX can exert neuroprotective effects through cell detoxification.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Victor H. Parraguez, Francisco Sales, Oscar Peralta, Monica de los Reyes, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes
Summary: Hypoxemia and oxidative stress, resulting from undernourished twin sheep pregnancies, can be improved by maternal supplementation of antioxidants and concentrate feed, leading to better fetal redox status.
Article
Biology
Diego Castillo-Gutierrez, Luisa E. S. Hernandez-Arteaga, Manuel J. Flores-Najera, Venancio Cuevas-Reyes, Juan M. Vazquez-Garcia, Catarina Loredo-Osti, Sergio Beltran-Lopez, Gilberto Ballesteros-Rodea, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cesar A. Meza-Herrera, Cesar A. Rosales-Nieto
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementation with Optimethione (R) on pregnant goats and their offspring. The results showed that maternal intake of Optimethione (R) did not affect the live weight and milk yield of the dams, but had positive effects on the birth weight, body mass index, and postnatal growth pattern of the offspring.
Article
Nutrition & Dietetics
Natalia Yeste, Jorge Perez-Valle, Ana Heras-Molina, Jose Luis Pesantez-Pacheco, Esteban Porrini, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Anna Bassols
Summary: Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR) affects the normal growth of the fetus during pregnancy and can lead to neurological and cognitive deficits. A high-fat diet has harmful effects on brain function. Research using a pig model of IUGR found that the susceptibility to a high-fat diet may differ between animals with IUGR and normal birth-weight animals in adulthood, with the high-fat diet affecting the serotoninergic pathway. However, the morphology of the hippocampus was not significantly changed.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Jahaira Cortez, Barbara Leiva, Cristian G. Torres, Victor H. Parraguez, Monica De los Reyes, Albert Carrasco, Oscar A. Peralta
Summary: This study presents the first report on the generation and characterization of bovine testicular organoids (TOs), which could be useful tools for evaluating the impact of exogenous factors on reproductive physiology in domestic and wild cattle.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Moises N. Segunda, Carlos Diaz, Cristian G. Torres, Victor H. Parraguez, Monica de los Reyes, Oscar A. Peralta
Summary: The study compared the potential of peripheral blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (PB-MSC) and spermatogonial stem cells (SSC) in producing germ cells (GC) in a three-dimensional co-culture system with Sertoli cells (SC). The results showed that SSC exhibited a more robust GC differentiation profile compared to PB-MSC in the 3D co-culture with SC.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Giorgio Castellaro, Isai Ochoa, Consuelo Borie, Victor H. Parraguez
Summary: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two types of nutritional supplementation during late gestation on the chemical composition, energy value, and IgG concentration in the colostrum and blood serum of lambs. The results indicate that supplementation with oat grain can improve the quality of colostrum and the immunological status of the newborn lambs.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Igor Astudillo, Karla Aspee, Jaime Palomino, Oscar A. Peralta, Victor H. Parraguez, Monica de los Reyes
Summary: Mammalian ovaries typically contain one oocyte in each follicle, but poly-ovular follicles with more than one oocyte are observed in some species, especially canines. Oocytes from poly-ovular follicles have different morphologies and meiotic potentials, which affects their in vitro maturation. Evaluating the maturity potential of oocytes according to follicle type and estrous cycle is crucial for improving in vitro maturation and reproductive biotechnologies in canines. This study found that oocytes from poly-ovular follicles have slower meiotic development compared to those from mono-ovular follicles, but in vitro maturation is still possible.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hernan D. Laviano, Gerardo Gomez, Maria Munoz, Juan M. Garcia-Casco, Yolanda Nunez, Rosa Escudero, Ana Heras Molina, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cristina Ovilo, Clemente Lopez-Bote, Ana I. Rey
Summary: Modifying the composition of a sow's milk, specifically by supplementing with vitamin E and/or hydroxytyrosol, can improve the intestinal health and growth of piglets. The study found that vitamin E supplementation increased the levels of C18:1n-7 in colostrum, while hydroxytyrosol increased the levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Vitamin E supplementation also decreased certain fatty acids and increased ?-6-desaturase activity in 7-day milk. The lowest levels of milk lipid oxidation were observed in the vitamin E supplemented group, while hydroxytyrosol supplementation increased oxidation.
Article
Biology
Nesrein M. M. Hashem, Ahmed S. S. El-Hawy, Moharram E. F. El-Bassiony, Ibrahim S. Abd El-Hamid, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Paula Martinez-Ros
Summary: Sheep are seasonal breeders and require effective estrus induction protocols. This study compared the effects of two doses of nanoencapsulated GnRH with eCG in a progesterone-based estrus induction protocol in anestrous ewes. The results showed that the high dose of nanoencapsulated GnRH improved progesterone concentrations and pregnancy outcomes compared with low dose GnRH and eCG treatments. Therefore, high dose nanoencapsulated GnRH can be used as an alternative to eCG in progesterone-based protocols for seasonally anestrous ewes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Gerardo Gomez, Hernan D. Laviano, Juan M. Garcia-Casco, Rosa Escudero, Maria Munoz, Ana Heras-Molina, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Cristina Ovilo, Clemente Lopez-Bote, Ana I. Rey
Summary: Different feeding strategies are being applied to sows in order to obtain homogeneous piglets' weights and improved health status. This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation of vitamin E (VE), hydroxytyrosol (HXT), or their combination on the growth pattern and oxidative status of piglets, as well as the factors contributing to these effects. The results showed that both VE and HXT improved the oxidative status of sows and piglets, and modified the growth pattern of the piglets depending on the growing period. The study also found that colostrum composition played a significant role in the growth patterns of the piglets.
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Zurisaday Santos-Jimenez, Paula Martinez-Ros, Teresa Encinas, Juan Luis Morales-Cruz, Hugo Zuriel Guerrero-Gallegos, Ramiro Gonzalez-Avalos, Antonio Gonzalez-Bulnes, Juan Manuel Guillen-Munoz
Summary: There are significant differences in the response to CIDR/eCG protocols for estrus induction and synchronization between maiden sheep and multiparous sheep during the non-breeding season. Short-term treatments are effective, but maiden sheep show lower estrus activity and fertility rates.
VETERINARY SCIENCES
(2022)