AUTHOR=Lin Xiaoyuan , Pavani Krishna Chaitanya , Smits Katrien , Deforce Dieter , Heindryckx Björn , Van Soom Ann , Peelman Luc 

TITLE=Bta-miR-10b Secreted by Bovine Embryos Negatively Impacts Preimplantation Embryo Quality

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics

VOLUME=10

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2019.00757

DOI=10.3389/fgene.2019.00757

ISSN=1664-8021

ABSTRACT=<p>In a previous study, we found miR-10b to be more abundant in a conditioned culture medium of degenerate embryos compared to that of blastocysts. Here, we show that miR-10b mimics added to the culture medium can be taken up by embryos. This uptake results in an increase in embryonic cell apoptosis and aberrant expression of DNA methyltransferases (<italic>DNMTs</italic>). Using several algorithms, Homeobox A1 (<italic>HOXA1</italic>) was identified as one of the potential miR-10b target genes and dual-luciferase assay confirmed <italic>HOXA1</italic> as a direct target of miR-10b. Microinjection of si-<italic>HOXA1</italic> into embryos also resulted in an increase in embryonic cell apoptosis and downregulation of <italic>DNMTs</italic>. Cell progression analysis using Madin–Darby bovine kidney cells (MDBKs) showed that miR-10b overexpression and <italic>HOXA1</italic> knockdown results in suppressed cell cycle progression and decreased cell viability. Overall, this work demonstrates that miR-10b negatively influences embryo quality and might do this through targeting <italic>HOXA1</italic> and/or influencing DNA methylation.</p>