Histone lysine-specific demethylase 4A (KDM4A) plays a critical role in the embryonic development of mammals such as mouse and goat, however its function in zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryogenesis remains poorly understood, due to the existence of two kdm4a paralogs (kdm4aa and kdm4ab) in zebrafish. The current study revealed that kdm4aa–/– embryos exhibited dramatically increased mortality during gastrulation. RT-qPCR showed that RNA-binding motif protein 46 (rbm46) was downregulated after kdm4aa knockout. CUT&Tag-qPCR revealed that kdm4aa knockout significantly decreased H3K4me3, while increasing H3K9me3 and H3K36me3 at rbm46 promoter. kdm4aa–/– embryos displayed elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and reduced adenosine triphosphate (ATP). And rbm46 mRNA injection alleviated ROS accumulation and increased ATP level, thereby rescuing the lethal phenotype in kdm4aa–/– embryos. Our findings demonstrate that kdm4aa knockout disturbs zebrafish embryogenesis by suppressing rbm46 mRNA expression.

Oocyte maturation is regulated by well-orchestrated molecular mechanisms and any abnormalities during these events could result in an oocyte that cannot be fertilized or develop into normal embryos. Recently, MOS gene variants were reported to result in oocytes with large polar body (PB) or early embryonic arrest in humans leading to infertility. A thirty-year-old woman with 12 years of infertility underwent two in vitro fertilization cycles, and in both she had oocytes with large PBs and parthenogenetic activation. Clinical exome sequence was performed and revealed a novel homozygous variant in MOS (NM_005372.1):c.573C > A;p.(Phe191Leu). These findings might indicate that MOS mutation results in oocytes with a large PB and parthenogenesis in this patient. In conclusion, our data further confirms that MOS is important in proper oocyte maturation, and variant c 573 C > A results in the formation of a large PB and parthenogenetic activation as reported in animal models earlier. Patients with MOS variants need to be counselled about their fertility status.

Infertility is found in approximately 15% of couples all over the world and male factors alone are responsible for approximately 50% of infertility. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) supplementation on sperm mobility, morphology and reactive oxygen species (ROS) content and to assess its bioaccessibility in selected dietary sources relevant to human nutrition. The bioaccessibility of CoQ10 in several food samples was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Based on these bioaccessible concentrations, the effects of CoQ10 (10, 50 and 100 µM) on sperm motility and morphology were evaluated in infertile patients. To evaluate the cellular response to CoQ10, MTT assay was employed for cytotoxicity assessment, while flow cytometry was utilized to quantify intracellular ROS production. In vitro gastrointestinal digestion analysis confirmed the high bioaccessibility of CoQ10, with the 50 µM concentration identified as the optimal dose for therapeutic application. This concentration exhibited superior biocompatibility in L929 cells, maintaining high cell viability without cytotoxic effects. Treatment with 50 µM CoQ10 significantly improved both total and progressive sperm motility compared to the control group. Moreover, the 50 µM CoQ10 significantly reduced intracellular ROS levels, which was associated with the preservation of sperm structural integrity by reducing acrosomal, nuclear and tail anomalies (p < 0.05). Our results suggested that dietary intake and supplementation of CoQ10-enriched foods may exert beneficial therapeutic effects on low sperm motility. While CoQ10 significantly improves sperm motility at optimal concentrations (50 µM), high doses may exert cytotoxic effects on cells.

This study investigates the effects of psychopharmacological drug on male reproductive health, with a specific focus on sperm parameters, DNA integrity, and chromatin structure. The aim is to understand the potential risks these medications pose to fertility. A comparative analysis was conducted involving 14 individuals undergoing psychopharmacological treatment and 15 non-users. Key seminal parameters, including volume, concentration, count, morphology, and motility, were evaluated to assess the impact on overall sperm quality. Additionally, genetic markers such as DNA fragmentation and chromatin structural integrity were measured to determine the extent of damage to genetic material. The study also analysed Protein Kinase A (PKA) expression, a critical enzyme in the cAMP-mediated signalling pathway, to explore its role in regulating sperm function. Significant statistical differences were observed in semen parameters, DNA fragmentation, chromatin integrity, and PKA protein expression between the two groups. Individuals using psychopharmacological drugs exhibited marked impairments in sperm quality and genetic markers compared to non-users. These findings suggest a potential link between psychopharmacological drug use and adverse effects on male reproductive health. The study underscores the importance of understanding the reproductive risks associated with these medications. It highlights the need for increased awareness among healthcare professionals and patients about the potential consequences of psychopharmacological treatment on fertility. Further research is essential to explore the underlying mechanisms and develop strategies to mitigate these adverse effects, ensuring better reproductive outcomes for individuals undergoing such treatments.

The objective of this study was to characterize macroscopically the female gametes, evaluate the survival rates, as well as describe in detail the embryonic development of Prosomyleus rhomboidalis. Three adult females from the Xingu River, presenting promptly ovulation were fertilized by the dry method using sperm from adult males. Egg incubation was set at 27.5°C, and oocyte characteristics and the main developmental stages were described. The results showed that the non-hydrated oocyte has an average diameter of 2.12 mm, yellow colour, spherical shape, is non-adhesive and the diameter increased after hydration at 0.36 mm, referring to the perivitelline space(PS). The fertilization rates (96.79 ± 9.52%) and hatching of normal larvae (96.21 ± 2.40%) were analysed, with hatching above 96%. After hydration of the eggs the PS arose and formed a visible animal pole ending with the hatching of the larvae 69 h and 39 min after fertilization. The description of developmental stages following fertilization was described for the first time in this species. The information presented in this work will serve as a basic support for new possibilities in conservation strategies, re-stocking and genebanking.

Naproxen is a widely used nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, and previous studies have shown that its administration in mice influenced antral follicle growth and ovulation. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the reversibility of these effects following treatment interruption and to evaluate their impact across different mouse backgrounds. For Experiment I, C57BL/6 females (n = 20, 6 weeks of age) were treated with 10 mg/kg (low, n = 7) or 50 mg/kg (high, n = 7) of naproxen, while animals of the vehicle group received PBS + DMSO 5% (n = 6), followed by 21 days of rest. After euthanasia, the ovaries were histologically analysed. For Experiment II (C57BL/6) and Experiment III (Swiss and BALB/c), animals were treated for eight days with the same protocol, receiving 20 IU of eCG and 20 IU of hCG for ovulation induction. Recovered oocytes were collected and quantified. Results demonstrated that the treatment affected the percentage of primary follicles, which increased in the high-dose group compared with the vehicle group. Additionally, the rate of antral follicles was higher in the high group than in the vehicle and low-dose groups. The number of ovulated oocytes was not altered in BALB/c and Swiss females, as well as the number of corpora haemorrhagica and corpus luteum (p > 0.05). Overall, our findings indicate that naproxen treatment may have transient effects on folliculogenesis in C57BL/6 mice, with no impact in BALB/c or Swiss mice.

Long-term trophectoderm (TE) cell culture provides a powerful model to investigate placenta-specific factors to better understand mechanisms relevant to pregnancy establishment and placental development. However, current TE culture systems rely on costly commercial media and extracellular matrix (ECM) components, which limit their scalability and accessibility. This study evaluated cost-effective alternatives to established conditions by testing modified DMEM/F-12 and a biphasic TE culture system as substitutes for commercial Advanced DMEM/F-12 and for continuous TE culture, and by assessing 0.1% gelatine as an ECM alternative to collagen IV. Trophectoderm outgrowths cultured on collagen IV or gelatine did not differ in attachment timing (P = 0.78) or in expression of placental and differentiation markers PLAC8 (P = 0.78), GATA2 (P = 0.18), and PAG10 (P = 0.39). Similarly, blastocysts cultured in commercial Advanced DMEM/F-12 or base DMEM/F-12 exhibited no differences in attachment day (P = 0.98), TE growth area from days 10–20 (P > 0.05), or expression of PLAC8 (P = 0.35) and PAG10 (P = 0.08), although PAG7 differed between treatments (P < 0.05). Embryos cultured in continuous TE attached later (P = 0.01) than those cultured in TE media, but no differences were observed in TE growth area or expression of PLAC8, PAG7, or PAG10 (P > 0.05). Collectively, these results indicate that affordable media formulations and gelatine-coated cultureware support TE attachment, proliferation, and differentiation. This cost-effective culture framework enables broader application of TE models and supports extended studies of trophoblast function, placental signalling, and early conceptus development.