Biology session

Due to the antiapoptotic effect of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide (PACAP) and its widespread presence in the organ system, PACAP is considered as a general cytoprotective peptide. The peptide was found in the gonads in high levels, that is what drew attention to the peptide might play a central role in the reproduction.

The aim of our study is to assess the effect of the endogen peptide on embryo development and quality compared with PACAP KO mice. Moreover we examine the role of the PACAP to the production of progesterone and estradiol with radioimmunoassay (RIA) analysis.

Our investigations were carried out on CD1 mouse strain, wild type and PACAP KO mice. Female mice were superovulated (7.5 IU eCGi.p., followed by 7.5 IU hCGi.p. 48 hours later). After the hCG injection the PACAP KO females were paired with PACAP KO males, and wild females were paired with wild males for a night. The zygotes were collected on the subsequent morning, then they were cultured in G1medium for 96 hours. After that we examined the developmental stage, the blastocyst rate, the number of cells with SYBR14 staining, and verified the number of chromatins in the appropriate developmental stage embryos. Another study of our research was the female cycle diagnostics. We collected the faeces daily,for 21 days and evaluated the progesterone and estradiol daily level with RIA analysis.

There was a difference between the hormones in the females of the two groups. While the estradiol levels were nearly equal, the progesterone levels in KO mice were in higher values compared to the wild mice’s.

Our further tests are embryo implantation and analysing implantation markers to determine the cause and the effect of the higher level of progesterone in PACAP KO mice.