» Articles » PMID: 34650276

Metabolic Remodelling During Early Mouse Embryo Development

Abstract

During early mammalian embryogenesis, changes in cell growth and proliferation depend on strict genetic and metabolic instructions. However, our understanding of metabolic reprogramming and its influence on epigenetic regulation in early embryo development remains elusive. Here we show a comprehensive metabolomics profiling of key stages in mouse early development and the two-cell and blastocyst embryos, and we reconstructed the metabolic landscape through the transition from totipotency to pluripotency. Our integrated metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis shows that while two-cell embryos favour methionine, polyamine and glutathione metabolism and stay in a more reductive state, blastocyst embryos have higher metabolites related to the mitochondrial tricarboxylic acid cycle, and present a more oxidative state. Moreover, we identify a reciprocal relationship between α-ketoglutarate (α-KG) and the competitive inhibitor of α-KG-dependent dioxygenases, L-2-hydroxyglutarate (L-2-HG), where two-cell embryos inherited from oocytes and one-cell zygotes display higher L-2-HG, whereas blastocysts show higher α-KG. Lastly, increasing 2-HG availability impedes erasure of global histone methylation markers after fertilization. Together, our data demonstrate dynamic and interconnected metabolic, transcriptional and epigenetic network remodelling during early mouse embryo development.

Citing Articles

Lipid Metabolic Heterogeneity during Early Embryogenesis Revealed by Hyper-3D Stimulated Raman Imaging.

Huang J, Zhang L, Shao N, Zhang Y, Xu Y, Zhou Y Chem Biomed Imaging. 2025; 3(1):15-24.

PMID: 39886225 PMC: 11775849. DOI: 10.1021/cbmi.4c00055.


Lipidomic remodeling during mammalian preimplantation embryonic development.

Kong Q, Gao S Life Metab. 2025; 3(2):loae005.

PMID: 39872213 PMC: 11749269. DOI: 10.1093/lifemeta/loae005.


Key glycometabolism during oocyte maturation and early embryonic development.

Zhang Y, Li T, Wang Y, Yu Y Reproduction. 2025; 169(3).

PMID: 39846956 PMC: 11840835. DOI: 10.1530/REP-24-0275.


Metabolism-driven chromatin dynamics: Molecular principles and technological advances.

Sahu V, Lu C Mol Cell. 2025; 85(2):262-275.

PMID: 39824167 PMC: 11750176. DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.12.012.


New Frontiers: Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells Uncover Developmental Roots and Biological Underpinnings of Obesity Susceptibility.

Gyllenhammer L, Boyle K Curr Obes Rep. 2025; 14(1):10.

PMID: 39814984 PMC: 11735562. DOI: 10.1007/s13679-024-00599-4.


References
1.
Zhang J, Zhao J, Dahan P, Lu V, Zhang C, Li H . Metabolism in Pluripotent Stem Cells and Early Mammalian Development. Cell Metab. 2018; 27(2):332-338. DOI: 10.1016/j.cmet.2018.01.008. View

2.
Chronopoulou E, Harper J . IVF culture media: past, present and future. Hum Reprod Update. 2014; 21(1):39-55. DOI: 10.1093/humupd/dmu040. View

3.
Conaghan J, Handyside A, Winston R, Leese H . Effects of pyruvate and glucose on the development of human preimplantation embryos in vitro. J Reprod Fertil. 1993; 99(1):87-95. DOI: 10.1530/jrf.0.0990087. View

4.
Brinster R . STUDIES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF MOUSE EMBRYOS IN VITRO. II. THE EFFECT OF ENERGY SOURCE. J Exp Zool. 1965; 158:59-68. PMC: 4943454. DOI: 10.1002/jez.1401580106. View

5.
Brown J, WHITTINGHAM D . The roles of pyruvate, lactate and glucose during preimplantation development of embryos from F1 hybrid mice in vitro. Development. 1991; 112(1):99-105. DOI: 10.1242/dev.112.1.99. View