1 Culture with choline chloride programs development of the in vitro-produced bovine embryo to increase postnatal bodyweight, growth rate, and testes size
M. L. J. Haimon A , E. Estrada-Cortés A , T. F. Amaral A , S. Jeensuk A , J. Block B , D. Heredia C , M. Venturini C , C. Santos Rojas C , A. Gonella-Diaza C , N. DiLorenzo C and P. J. Hansen AA Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
B Department of Animal Sciences, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA
C North Florida Research and Education Center, University of Florida, Marianna, FL, USA
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 35(2) 125-125 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv35n2Ab1
Published: 5 December 2022
© 2023 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing on behalf of the IETS
Choline is a micronutrient that functions as a methyl donor and precursor of phospholipids and acetylcholine. The addition of 1.8 mM choline chloride to bovine embryo culture media for the first seven days of development resulted in calves who were heavier at birth and weaning (Estrada-Cortés et al. 2021 FASEB J 35, e21926). To confirm and expand on this work, an experiment was conducted to test effects of the addition of 1.8 mM choline chloride on programming of the bovine embryo. In vitro-produced bovine embryos were produced from 20 Brahman donors and one of three Brahman sires in two rounds of oocyte pickup and in vitro embryo production. Donors were randomly assigned to one of two treatment sequences: (1) Treatment of embryos with 1.8 mM choline chloride in round 1 and vehicle (1.8 mM extra NaCl) in round 2 or (2) vehicle in round 1 and choline in round 2. Embryos received choline or vehicle treatments from day 0.5 to 7.5 of embryo culture. Blastocysts were then transferred into suckled beef cow recipients. A total of 55 live calves were produced. Birthweight was greater (P = 0.0464) for choline than vehicle calves (37.4 + 0.8 vs 34.8 + 1.0 kg). Unlike reported previously, choline had no effect on gestation length. Differences in bodyweight were also seen at 4 months (P = 0.0081; 109.6 + 3.7 [choline] vs 82.6 + 7.3 kg [vehicle]) and 6 months of age (P = 0.0366; 179.0 + 3.8 [choline] vs 165.65+ 4.9 kg [vehicle]). There was no effect of choline on hip height at 4 or 6 months of age (P = 0.0828; 88.01 + 1.2 vs 91.9 + 1.8 cm at 4 months; P = 0.2533; 107.6 + 0.7 vs 106.4 + 0.9 cm at 6 months). Average daily gain was higher from birth to 4 months of age for choline (P = 0.0186; 0.776 + 0.02 [choline]; 0.66 + 0.03 [vehicle]) but there was no difference in gain between 4 and 6 months. Paired testes weight at 4 months of age was greater for choline (P = 0.0416; 20.5 + 1.2 [choline] vs 17.3+ 0.9 g [vehicle]). In summary, providing 1.8 mM choline chloride to embryos during culture programmed development to increase postnatal bodyweight, growth rate, and testes weight. Thus, choline can act as a developmental programming agent during the pre-implantation period to affect postnatal phenotype.
This research was supported by USDA-NIFA 2020-67015-30821.
