Molecular Human Reproduction, Vol. 9, No. 3, 133-141,
March 2003
© 2003 European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology
Article |
Expression of apoptosis-related genes during human preimplantation embryo development: potential roles for the Harakiri gene product and Caspase-3 in blastomere fragmentation
Submitted on April 4, 2002; resubmitted on August 14, 2002. accepted on November 26, 2002
1 Division of Reproductive Sciences, Departments of Obstetrics and Gynecology and 2 Department of Zoology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada and 3 Vincent Center for Reproductive Biology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
4 To whom correspondence should be addressed at: Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute, Room 876, 600 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1X5, Canada. e-mail: jurisicova{at}mshri.on.ca
In order to resolve the mechanisms and reasons of cellular fragmentation it is crucial to understand what genes may be responsible for regulation of this process. We report herein that human oocytes and preimplantation embryos possess abundant levels of transcripts encoding cell death suppressors, Mcl-1, Bcl-x and Bag-1, and the cell death inducer genes, Bax and Caspase-2. Lower but detectable levels of mRNA expression for the Bfl-1/a1, Bcl-w, Harakiri (Hrk) and Caspase-3 genes were also detected during all developmental stages. We also performed analysis of gene expression in single human embryos exhibiting various degrees of fragmentation at the 2-, 4- and 8-cell stages. At the 4-cell stage, embryos displaying 30–50% fragmentation showed a significant increase in Hrk mRNA levels (P = 0.016). Immunostaining with anti-Hrk antibody confirmed increased staining in some, but not all, fragmented embryos. While Caspase-3 transcripts were elevated in both 4- and 8-cell embryos exhibiting a severe degree of fragmentation, this difference did not reach statistical significance. However, accumulation of Caspase-3 mRNA in fragmented embryos was paralleled by an induction of Caspase-3-like activity. These findings suggest that cellular fragmentation in a subset of human preimplantation embryos could be regulated by certain components of a genetic programme of cell death.
Key words: apoptosis/Caspase-3/cell death/embryo/Hrk
CiteULike 
Connotea 
Del.icio.us What's this?
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  L. Vandaele, B. Mateusen, D. G D Maes, A. de Kruif, and A. Van Soom Temporal detection of caspase-3 and -7 in bovine in vitro produced embryos of different developmental capacity Reproduction, April 1, 2007; 133(4): 709 - 718. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 M. Alikani, T. Schimmel, and S. M. Willadsen Cytoplasmic fragmentation in activated eggs occurs in the cytokinetic phase of the cell cycle, in lieu of normal cytokinesis, and in response to cytoskeletal disorder Mol. Hum. Reprod., May 1, 2005; 11(5): 335 - 344. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 Z. Han, Y. G. Chung, S. Gao, and K. E. Latham Maternal Factors Controlling Blastomere Fragmentation in Early Mouse Embryos Biol Reprod, March 1, 2005; 72(3): 612 - 618. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Jurisicova and B. M Acton Deadly decisions: the role of genes regulating programmed cell death in human preimplantation embryo development Reproduction, September 1, 2004; 128(3): 281 - 291. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
W. E. Thompson, E. Asselin, A. Branch, J. K. Stiles, P. Sutovsky, L. Lai, G.-S. Im, R. S. Prather, S. C. Isom, E. Rucker III, et al. Regulation of Prohibitin Expression During Follicular Development and Atresia in the Mammalian Ovary Biol Reprod, July 1, 2004; 71(1): 282 - 290. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
L.A. Favetta, C. Robert, E.J. St.John, D.H. Betts, and W.A. King p66shc, but not p53, is involved in early arrest of in vitro-produced bovine embryos Mol. Hum. Reprod., June 1, 2004; 10(6): 383 - 392. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 R. Levy, K. Elder, and Y. Menezo Cytoplasmic transfer in oocytes: biochemical aspects Hum. Reprod. Update, May 1, 2004; 10(3): 241 - 250. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 E.B. Baart, D. Van Opstal, F.J. Los, B.C.J.M. Fauser, and E. Martini Fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis of two blastomeres from day 3 frozen-thawed embryos followed by analysis of the remaining embryo on day 5 Hum. Reprod., March 1, 2004; 19(3): 685 - 693. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
F. J. Los, D. Van Opstal, and C. van den Berg The development of cytogenetically normal, abnormal and mosaic embryos: a theoretical model Hum. Reprod. Update, January 1, 2004; 10(1): 79 - 94. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|