Efficient production of pronuclear embryos in breeding and nonbreeding season for generating transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4

Background： Brucella is a zoonotic Gram-negative pathogen that causes abortion and infertility in ruminants and humans. TLR4 is the receptor for LPS which can recognize Brucella and initiate antigen-presenting cell activities that affect both innate and adaptive immunity. Consequently, transgenic sheep over-expressing TLR4 are an suitable model to investigate the effects of TLR4 on preventing Brucellosis. In this study, we generated transgenic sheep overexpressing TLR4 and aimed to evaluate the effects of different seasons（breeding and non-breeding season） on superovulation and the imported exogenous gene on growth.Results： In total of 43 donor ewes and 166 recipient ewes in breeding season, 37 donor ewes and 144 recipient ewes in non-breeding season were selected for super-ovulation and injected embryo transfer to generate transgenic sheep.Our results indicated the no. of embryos recovered of donors and the rate of pronuclear embryos did not show any significant difference between breeding and non-breeding seasons（P 〉 0.05）. The positive rate of exogenous TLR4 tested were 21.21 % and 22.58 % in breeding and non-breeding season by Southern blot. The expression level of TLR4 in the transgenic sheep was 1.5 times higher than in the non-transgenic group（P 〈 0.05）. The lambs overexpressing TLR4 had similar growth performance with non-transgenic lambs, and the blood physiological parameters of transgenic and non-transgenic were both in the normal range and did not show any difference.Conclusions： Here we establish an efficient platform for the production of transgenic sheep by the microinjection of pronuclear embryos during the whole year. The over-expression of TLR4 had no adverse effect on the growth of the sheep.

家兔超数排卵和胚胎移植妊娠率的影响因素分析

应用FSH和HCG相结合的不同方法 (递减量与恒量法),对不同兔龄和是否经产的中国家兔进行了超数排卵处理。其中,递减量法超排处理:每间隔12 h依次肌肉注射15、15、10、10、5及5 U/只共60 U的FSH,6次之后间隔12 h,经耳缘静脉注射HCG 100 U/只,合笼;恒量法超排处理:每间隔12 h肌肉注射10 U/只共60 U的FSH,6次之后间隔12 h,经耳缘静脉注射HCG 100 U/只,合笼。17 h后,取卵经显微注射后移植到排卵点分布不同的家兔输卵管中,比较分析了超数排卵及胚胎移植妊娠率的影响因素,旨在优化兔超数排卵和胚胎移植方法。结果显示,①总量为60 U的FSH递减量肌肉注射法超排效果略优于恒量法(688枚、671枚),但差异不显著(P>0.05);②9～11月龄的母兔超排效果明显优于6～8月龄的母兔(794枚、565枚),差异显著(P<0.05);③经产母兔的超排效果明显优于未经产的母兔(887枚、472枚),差异显著(P<0.05);④经显微注射重组DNA的胚胎移植受体时,两侧卵巢均有排卵点的胚胎移植受体妊娠率明显高于一侧卵巢有排卵点和两侧卵巢均无排卵点的受体(81.25%、38.46%、37.50%),差异显著(P<0.05)。试验证明,通过肌肉注射递减总量为60 U的FSH对9～11月龄经产母兔的超排效果最佳,且两侧卵巢均有排卵点的受体胚胎移植妊娠率最高,为胚胎研究工作者提供了一定的参考依据。