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Interleukin-6 increases inner cell mass numbers in bovine embryos
Lydia K Wooldridge1, Alan D Ealy2
1Department of Animal and Poultry Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 3430 Litton-Reaves Hall (0306), Blacksburg, VA, 24060, USA.
BMC Developmental Biology
|February 3, 2019
Summary
Interleukin-6 (IL6) acts as an embryokine in bovine embryos, significantly increasing inner cell mass cell numbers. IL6 also enhances blastocyst development, particularly in individually cultured bovine embryos.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Biology
- Developmental Biology
- Animal Science
Background:
- Interleukin-6 (IL6) is known to promote early embryo development in other species.
- The role of IL6 as an embryokine in cultured bovine embryos remained unclear.
- This study aimed to clarify the function of IL6 in in vitro bovine embryo production.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of interleukin-6 (IL6) as an embryokine in bovine embryo development.
- To determine the effects of IL6 supplementation on in vitro-produced bovine embryos.
- To assess IL6's impact on key developmental parameters like cell numbers and blastocyst formation.
Main Methods:
- Confirmed the presence of IL6 and its receptor subunits (IL6R, IL6ST) in bovine embryos from 1-cell to blastocyst stages.
- Supplemented in vitro-produced bovine embryos with varying concentrations of recombinant bovine IL6 (1, 10, 100, or 200 ng/ml) at different developmental stages (day 1, 3, or 5).
- Evaluated the effects of IL6 on inner cell mass (ICM) and trophectoderm (TE) cell numbers, ICM:TE ratio, cleavage rates, and blastocyst formation in both group and individual cultures.
Main Results:
- Supplementation with 100 ng/ml IL6 increased ICM cell number and the ICM:TE ratio, but not TE cell number.
- IL6 supplementation did not enhance ICM or TE cell numbers at lower concentrations (1 or 10 ng/ml).
- IL6 increased cleavage and blastocyst formation in individually cultured embryos, but not in group cultures.
Conclusions:
- Interleukin-6 (IL6) functions as an embryokine in bovine embryos.
- IL6 specifically enhances inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers in bovine embryos.
- IL6 facilitates bovine blastocyst development, particularly under individual culture conditions.
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