Metabolism and fertility, effects of fatty acids at the ovarian level

The team works on interactions between metabolism, especially lipid metabolism, and fertility, not only at the whole animal level, but also at the ovarian level when studying mechanisms of action. Lipid metabolism is an important source of energy for the oocyte in cows and sows contrary to rodents. Moreover, provided as fatty acid supplement in the diet, lipids can exert both positive and negative impact on fertility, depending on several factors (quantity, type of fatty acids…). We are working on lipid metabolism effects on ovarian cells, including oocytes, cumulus cells and granulosa cells. Indeed, key enzymes of lipid metabolism are expressed and active in these cells, and for example an inhibition of fatty acid oxidation leads to a delay in in vitro oocyte maturation.
Several research projects of the team are especially focused on n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid effects: i) on dairy cow reproduction in vivo (fertility after first service, ovum pick-up) and on ovarian cells and embryo development in vitro (Fertinut, funding by Apis-Gène, 2011-2013 and Bovoméga3, funding by Région Centre-Val de Loire APR IR, 2015-2017), and ii) on the prevention of male-induced infertile short cycles in small ruminants (Synchroméga , funding by Apis-Gène, 2018-2019). The team is also interested in the relationships between food efficiency, body condition and reproduction in dairy cows through its participation in the projects Deffilait (funding by ANR / Apis-Gène, 2015-2020) and CowPilot (funding by CASDAR, 2019-2021).

Contact : svetlana.uzbekova[@]inrae.fr et sebastien.elis[@]inrae.fr

5 Publications

Bertevello, P.S., Teixeira-Gomes, A.P., Seyer, A., Vitorino Carvalho, A., Labas, V., Blache, M.C., Banliat, C., Cordeiro, L.A.V., Duranthon, V., Papillier, P., Maillard, V., Elis, S., Uzbekova, S. (2018). Lipid Identification and Transcriptional Analysis of Controlling Enzymes in Bovine Ovarian Follicle. Int J Mol Sci. 2018 Oct 20;19(10). pii: E3261.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30347829

Maillard, V., Desmarchais, A., Durcin, M., Uzbekova, S., Elis, S. (2018). Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) effects on proliferation and steroidogenesis of bovine granulosa cells. Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology, 16 (1), 1-18.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29699561
http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/430729

Elis, S., Oseikria, M., Vitorino Carvalho, A., Bertevello, P. S., Corbin, E., Teixeira Gomes, A. P., Lecardonnel, J., Archilla, C., Duranthon, V., Labas, V., Uzbekova, S. (2017). Docosahexaenoic acid mechanisms of action on the bovine oocyte-cumulus complex. Journal of Ovarian Research, 10 (1), 1-14.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29122003
http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/412554

Elis, S., Fréret, S., Desmarchais, A., Maillard, V., Cognié, J., Briant, E., Touze, J.-L., Dupont, M., Faverdin, P., Chajès, V., Uzbekova, S., Monget, P., Dupont, J. (2016). Effect of a long chain n-3 PUFA-enriched diet on production and reproduction variables in Holstein dairy cows. Animal Reproduction Science, 164, 121-132.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26651949
http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/334180

Sanchez-Lazo, L., Brisard, D., Elis, S., Maillard, V., Uzbekov, R., Labas, V., Desmarchais, A., Papillier, P., Monget, P., Uzbekova, S. (2014). Fatty acid synthesis and oxidation in cumulus cells support oocyte maturation in bovine. Molecular Endocrinology, 28 (9), 1502-1521.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25058602
http://prodinra.inra.fr/record/266153