Anti-HOOK1 monoclonal antibody, clone FQS21213

Objective: To investigate the effect of antifreeze protein (AFP) supplementation during mouse oocyte vitrification on the survival, fertilization and embryonic development. Design: Animal study. Setting: University laboratory. Animal(s): BDF-1 mice. Intervention(s): In vivo-matured metaphase II oocytes were vitrified with the use of CryoTop by two-step exposure to equilibrium and vitrification solution supplemented or not with 500 ng/mL AFP III. Main Outcome Measure(s): Postwarming survival, fertilization, embryonic development up to blastocyst in vitro, morphology of spindle and chromosome, membrane integrity, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) contents, and several gene expressions. Result(s): In the AFP-treated group, blastocyst formation rate was significantly higher and blastomere count with positive caspase was significantly lower compared with the nontreated group. Rate of intact spindle/chromosome, stable membrane, and ATP contents were significantly higher in AFP group. AFP group showed higher Mad2 and lower Eg5 gene expression. Both vitrification groups showed increased Hsf1, Zar1, and Zp1/Zp2 expression and decreased Hook1 and Zp3 expression compared with fresh control samples. Conclusion(s): Supplementation of AFP in vitrification medium has a protective effect on mouse oocytes for chilling injury; it can preserve spindle/membrane integrity and intracellular ATP contents. More stable spindle integrity in the AFP group may be associated with higher Mad2 and lower Eg5 gene expression. (Fertil Steril (R) 2011; 96: 1239-45. (C) 2011 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)

The high mobility group AT-hook1 (HMGA1) proteins are known to be related to the regulation of gene transcription, replication and promotion of metastatic progression in cancer cells. The loss of expression by disrupting the HMGA1 gene affects insulin signaling and causes diabetes in the mouse. Previously identified single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of HMGA1 was significantly associated with fat deposition traits in the pig. In this study, we identified 3,935 bp nucleotide sequences from exon 5 to exon 8 of the bovine HMGA1 gene and its mRNA expression was observed by quantitative real-time PCR. Six single nucleotide polymorphisms in the bovine HMGA1 gene were detected and the allele frequencies of these SNPs were investigated using the PCR-RFLP method in nine cattle breeds including Limousin, Simmental, Brown Swiss, Hereford, Angus, Charolais, Hanwoo, Brahman and Red Chittagong cattle. The map location showed that the bovine HMGA1 gene was also closely located with a previously identified meat quality QTL region indicating this gene is the most likely positional candidate for meat quality traits in cattle.