Long-Term In Vitro Culture Alters Gene Expression Pattern of Genes Involved in Ontological Groups Representing...

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Cell Biology
• Genomics

Background:

• The oviduct is vital for gamete function, fertilization, and early embryonic development.
• In vitro cell culture models, like porcine oviduct epithelial cells (POECs), are essential for studying reproductive processes.
• Previous research indicated significant gene expression related to cell development in long-term POEC cultures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish the transcriptomic profile of porcine oviduct epithelial cells (POECs) during in vitro culture.
• To characterize comprehensive changes in gene expression over time (7, 15, and 30 days).
• To compare gene expression patterns with a 24-hour control group and analyze specific gene ontology (GO) groups.

Main Methods:

• Collection and in vitro cultivation of POECs for 7, 15, and 30 days.
• Transcriptomic profiling to analyze gene expression patterns.
• Statistical comparison of gene expression between cultured cells and a 24-hour control group (p < 0.05).

Main Results:

• Significant alterations in gene expression were observed in POECs cultured in vitro over time.
• Expression of COL1A2 and LOX genes was upregulated.
• Expression of FGFBP1, SERPINB2, and OVGP1 genes was downregulated compared to the 24-hour control.

Conclusions:

• Long-term in vitro culture of POECs leads to a diversified transcriptome profile.
• These findings provide valuable insights into oviduct cell function and gene expression dynamics.
• Understanding these changes may enhance future infertility treatments and assisted reproductive techniques (ART).