Interleukin-6 supplementation improves bovine conceptus elongation and transcriptomic indicators of developmental competence

Biol Reprod. 2024 Mar 22:ioae045. doi: 10.1093/biolre/ioae045. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTA high incidence of pregnancy failures occurs in cattle during the second week of pregnancy as blastocysts transition into an elongated conceptus. This work explored whether interleukin-6 (IL6) supplementation during in vitro embryo production would improve subsequent conceptus development. Bovine embryos were treated with 0 or 100 ng/mL recombinant bovine IL6 beginning on day 5 post-fertilization. At day 7.5 post-fertilization, blastocysts were transferred into estrus synchronized beef cows (n = 5 recipients/treatment, 10 embryos/recipient). Seven days after transfer (day 14.5), cows were euthanized to harvest reproductive tracts and collect conceptuses. Individual conceptus lengths and stages were recorded before processing for RNA-sequencing. Increases in conceptus recovery, length, and the proportion of tubular and filamentous conceptuses were detected in conceptuses derived from IL6-treated embryos. The IL6 treatment generated 591 differentially expressed genes (DEG) in conceptuses (n = 9-10/treatment). Gene ontology enrichment analyses revealed changes in transcriptional regulation, DNA-binding, and antiviral actions. Only a few DEG were associated with extraembryonic development, but several DEG were associated with embryonic regulation of transcription, mesoderm and ectoderm development, organogenesis, limb formation, and somatogenesis. To conclude, this work provides evidence...
Source: Biology of Reproduction - Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Source Type: research