Aberrant epigenetic reprogramming often results in developmental defects in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) embryos during embryonic genome activation (EGA). Bovine eight-cell SCNT embryos exhibit global hypermethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 tri- and di-methylation (H3K9me3/2), but the intrinsic reason for this remains elusive. Here, we provide evidence that two H3K9 demethylase genes, lysine-specific demethylase 4D () and 4E (), are related to active H3K9me3/2 demethylation in fertilized (IVF) embryos and are deficiently expressed in cloned embryos at the time of EGA. Moreover, KDM4E plays a more crucial role in IVF and SCNT embryonic development, and overexpression of KDM4E can restore the global transcriptome, improve blastocyst formation and increase the cloning efficiency of SCNT embryos. Our results thereby indicate that KDM4E can function as a crucial epigenetic regulator of EGA and as an internal defective factor responsible for persistent H3K9me3/2 barriers to SCNT-mediated reprogramming. Furthermore, we show that interactions between RNA and KDM4E are essential for H3K9 demethylation during EGA. These observations advance the understanding of incomplete nuclear reprogramming and are of great importance for transgenic cattle procreation.

Purpose The purpose of this study is to establish the psychometric properties of 22 measures from a community-based participatory research (CBPR) conceptual model. Design On-line, cross-sectional survey of academic and community partners involved in a CPBR project Setting 294 CPBR projects in the U.S. with federal funding in 2009 Subjects 312 (77.2% of 404 invited) academic and community partners and 138 principal investigators/project directors (69.0% of 200 invited) Measures 22 measures of CBPR context, group dynamics, methods, and health-related outcomes Analysis Confirmatory factor analysis to establish factorial validity and Pearson correlations to establish convergent and divergent validity Results Confirmatory factor analysis demonstrated strong factorial validity for the 22 constructs. Pearson correlations (p < .001) supported the convergent and divergent validity of the measures. Internal consistency was strong with 18 of 22 measures achieving at least a .78 Cronbach’s alpha. Conclusion CBPR is a key approach for health promotion in underserved communities and/or communities of color and yet the basic psychometric properties of CBPR constructs have not been well established. This study provides evidence of the factorial, convergent, and discriminant validity, and internal consistency of 22 measures related to the CBPR conceptual model. Thus, these measures can be used with confidence by both CBPR practitioners and researchers to evaluate their own CBPR partnerships and advance the science of CBPR.

The shift from maternal to embryonic control is a critical developmental milestone in preimplantation development. Widespread transcriptomic and epigenetic remodeling facilitate this transition from terminally differentiated gametes to totipotent blastomeres, but the identity of transcription factors (TF) and genomic elements regulating embryonic genome activation (EGA) are poorly defined. The timing of EGA is species-specific, e.g., the timing of murine and human EGA differ significantly. To deepen our understanding of mammalian EGA, here we profile changes in open chromatin during bovine preimplantation development. Before EGA, open chromatin is enriched for maternal TF binding, similar to that observed in humans and mice. During EGA, homeobox factor binding becomes more prevalent and requires embryonic transcription. A cross-species comparison of open chromatin during preimplantation development reveals strong similarity in the regulatory circuitry underlying bovine and human EGA compared to mouse. Moreover, TFs associated with murine EGA are not enriched in cattle or humans, indicating that cattle may be a more informative model for human preimplantation development than mice.

ObjectiveAberrant expression of the immune checkpoint molecule, CD276, also known as B7-H3, is associated with tumorigenesis. In this review, we aim to comprehensively describe the role of CD276 in malignancies and its potential therapeutic effect.Data SourcesDatabase including PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and Clinical Trails.gov were searched for eligible studies and reviews. Study selection: Original studies and review articles on the topic of CD276 in tumors were retrieved.ResultsCD276 is an immune checkpoint molecule in the epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) pathway. In this review, we evaluated the available evidence on the expression and regulation of CD276. We also assessed the role of CD276 within the immune micro-environment, effect on tumor progression, and the potential therapeutic effect of CD276 targeted therapy for malignancies.ConclusionCD276 plays an essential role in cell proliferation, invasion, and migration in malignancies. Results from most recent studies indicate CD276 could be a promising therapeutic target for malignant tumors.

Oocyte quality, which is directly related to reprogramming competence, is a major important limiting factor in animal cloning efficiency. Compared with oocytes matured in vivo, in vitro matured oocytes exhibit lower oocyte quality and reprogramming competence primarily because of their higher levels of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we investigate whether supplementing the oocyte maturation medium with melatonin, a free radical scavenger, could improve oocyte quality and reprogramming competence. We found that 10−9 M melatonin effectively alleviated oxidative stress, markedly decreased early apoptosis levels, recovered the integrity of mitochondria, ameliorated the spindle assembly and chromosome alignment in oocytes, and significantly promoted subsequent cloned embryo development in vitro. We also analyzed the effects of melatonin on epigenetic modifications in bovine oocytes. Melatonin increased the global H3K9 acetylation levels, reduced the H3K9 methylation levels, and minimally affected DNA methylation and hydroxymethylation. Genome‐wide expression analysis of genes in melatonin‐treated and nontreated oocytes was also conducted by high‐throughput RNA sequencing. Our results indicated that melatonin ameliorates oocyte oxidative stress and improves subsequent in vitro development of bovine cloned embryos.