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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 65(14)

Effects of microRNA-21-5p treatment of porcine sperm before and after capacitation on in vitro oocyte fertilization and embryo development

Shao-Yu Peng A , Kai-Xuan Liu A , Chun-Chih Chang A , Yu-Chen Huang A , Chen-Yu Wang A , Xiu-An Tang A , Perng-Chih Shen A , Shen-Chang Chang B , Chih-Jen Chou C , Chao-Wei Huang D , Min-Jung Lin E and Yu-Hsiang Yu https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9629-8478 F *
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Department of Animal Science, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan.

B Department of Animal Science, National Chiayi University, Chiayi County 600, Taiwan.

C Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan.

D Department of Tropical Agriculture and International Cooperation, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan.

E Bachelor of Scientific Agriculture, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912301, Taiwan.

F Department of Biotechnology and Animal Science, National Ilan University, Yilan 26047, Taiwan.

* Correspondence to: yuyh@niu.edu.tw

Handling Editor: Joanna Souza-Fabjan

Animal Production Science 65, AN25002 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN25002
Submitted: 3 January 2025  Accepted: 21 August 2025  Published: 9 September 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing

Abstract

Context

During in vitro fertilization (IVF), polyspermy occurs more frequently in pigs than in other species. Sperm function and embryo development are influenced by the paracrine effects of microRNAs.

Aims

In this study, we investigated the effects of microRNA-21-5p (miR-21-5p) treatment of porcine sperm on IVF efficiency and embryo development.

Methods

Porcine sperm were treated with no miR-21-5p (control group), 50 nM miR-21-5p (miRNA group) or 100 nM miR-21-5p inhibitor (inhibitor group) for 0–12 h.

Key results

Notably, miR-21-5p and its inhibitor exerted no significant effect on acrosome integrity or sperm viability. Sperm viability at different time points during treatment showed no significant change from 0 to 4 h, but decreased significantly by 12 h (P < 0.05). No significant difference in fertilization parameters was observed among sperm treated with miR-21-5p or its inhibitor during capacitation, those treated during IVF, or those treated during both capacitation and IVF. The rates of cleavage formation, two-cell stage development and blastocyst formation were significantly elevated (indicating accelerated development) for embryos derived from sperm treated with miR-21-5p inhibitor during IVF (P < 0.05).

Conclusions

The treatment of porcine sperm with miRNA-21-5p inhibitor at the stage of IVF could enhance the development of porcine embryos.

Implications

Our findings may inform interventions for enhancing embryo development during IVF in pigs.

Keywords: capacitation, embryo development, in vitro fertilization, in vitro maturation, miRNA, oocyte, pig, sperm.

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