Enhancement of porcine in vitro embryonic development through luteolin-mediated activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway

BACKGROUND: Oxidative stress, caused by an imbalance in the production and elimination of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), has been recognized for its detrimental effects on mammalian embryonic development. Luteolin (Lut) has been documented for its protective effects against oxidative stress in various studies. However, its specific role in embryonic development remains unexplored. This study aims to investigate the influence of Lut on porcine embryonic development and to elucidate the underlying mechanism. RESULTS: After undergoing parthenogenetic activation (PA) or in vitro fertilization, embryos supplemented with 0.5 µmol/L Lut displayed a significant enhancement in cleavage and blastocyst formation rates, with an increase in total cell numbers and a decrease in the apoptosis rate compared to the control. Measurements on D2 and D6 revealed that embryos with Lut supplementation had lower ROS levels and higher glutathione levels compared to the control. Moreover, Lut supplementation significantly augmented mitochondrial content and membrane potential. Intriguingly, activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway was observed in embryos supplemented with Lut, leading to the upregulation of antioxidant-related gene transcription levels. To further validate the relationship between the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway and effects of Lut in porcine embryonic development, we cultured PA embryos in a medium supplemented with brusatol, with or without the inclusion of Lut. The positive effects of Lut on developmental competence were negated by brusatol treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that Lut-mediated activation of the Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway contributes to the enhanced production of porcine embryos with high developmental competence, and offers insight into the mechanisms regulating early embryonic development. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-023-00947-9.