Flavia Pizzi

Italian National Research Council | CNR · Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology IBBA

Introduction Freeze-drying techniques give alternative preservation mammalian spermatozoa without liquid nitrogen. However, most of the work has been conducted in the laboratory mouse, while little information has been gathered on large animals that could also benefit from this kind of storage. Methods This work adapted a technique known as vacuum...

Background During epididymal transit spermatozoa acquire specific morphological features which enhance their ability to swim in a progressive manner and interact with the oocytes. At the same time, sperm cells undergo specific molecular rearrangements essential for the fertilizing sperm to drive a correct embryo development. To assess epigenetic sp...

Soil is a fundamental component of the biosphere, whose properties and quality are affected by human activities, such as agriculture. Soil health is fundamental for different ecosystem services and soil biota has a crucial role in maintaining it. Elucidating how different crops and agricultural practices affect soil invertebrates communities is of...

In buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reproductive seasonality, causing cycles of milk production, is one of the major factors affecting farming profitability. Follicular fluid (FF) contains extracellular vesicles (EVs) playing an important role in modulating oocyte developmental competence and carrying microRNAs (miRNAs) essential for in vitro fertilizatio...

The quality of the honeybee queen has an important effect on a colony’s development, productivity, and survival. Queen failure or loss is considered a leading cause for colonies’ mortality worldwide. The queen’s quality, resulting from her genetic background, developmental conditions, mating success, and environment, can be assessed by some morphol...

Predicting bull fertility is one of the main challenges for the dairy breeding industry and artificial insemination (AI) centers. Semen evaluation performed in the AI center is not fully reliable to determine the level of bull fertility. Spermatozoa are rich in active miRNA. Specific sperm-borne miRNAs can be linked to fertility. The aim of our stu...

Historic Rebel (HR) cheese is an Italian heritage cheese, produced from raw milk during the summer grazing period in the Alps. The aim of this work was (i) to characterize the cheese microbiota, by 16S rRNA gene amplicons sequencing, and the volatile and non-volatile lipophilic fraction, by Gas Chromatography and Dynamic Headspace Extraction-Gas Ch...

A wide range of mammalian hybrids has recently been found by chance or through population-screening programs, but studies about their fertilizing capacity remain scarce and incomplete. Most of them are assumed to be sterile due to meiotic arrest caused by the failure of chromosome pairings. In this study, we evaluated both sperm meiotic segregation...

In situ conservation of local breeds requires populations in economically sustainable and resilient production systems. In those countries where the market recognizes the quality of the products of local breeds, the traditional relationship between local breeds and products can be used to improve breed profitability. We analyze sales data from year...

Historic Rebel ( HR ) cheese is an Italian heritage cheese, produced from raw milk during the summer grazing period in the Alps. The aim of this work was i) to characterize the cheese microbiota, by 16S rRNA gene amplicons sequencing and the volatile and non-volatile lipophilic fraction, by Gas Chromatography and Dynamic Headspace - Extraction Gas...

Abstract Freeze-dried spermatozoa typically shows a reduction in fertility primarily due to the DNA damage resulting from the sublimation process. In order to minimize the physical/mechanical damage resulting from lyophilization, here we focused on the freezing phase, comparing two cooling protocols: (i) rapid-freezing, where ram sperm sample is di...

The genotype of an organism is stable throughout its life; however, its epigenome is dynamic and can be altered in response to environmental factors, such as diet. Inheritance of acquired epigenetic modifications by the next generation occurs through the germline, although the precise mechanisms remain to be elucidated. Here, we used a sheep model...

Embryo development and implantation are dynamic processes, responsive to external signals, and can potentially be influenced by many environmental factors. The aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of a culture medium supplemented with amniotic-derived microvesicles (MVs) on in vitro embryo hatching after cryopreservation, and pregnancy r...

The absence of maternal-embryo signals could be an important cause of the poor pregnancy rates of invitro-produced embryos, compared with those collected invivo. In the context of paracrine communication, co-culture of embryo with amniotic-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) improved their quality compared with control (CTR) (Perrini and Lange Con...

Background: Sperm epigenetics is an emerging area of study supported by observations reporting that abnormal sperm DNA methylation patterns are associated with infertility. Here, we explore cytosine-guanine dinucleotides (CpGs) methylation in high (HM) and low motile (LM) Bos taurus sperm populations separated by Percoll gradient. HM and LM methyl...

Whereas an organism’s genotype is relatively static throughout life, the epigenome is highly dynamic and can adapt, or be altered, in response to the external environment such as diet. Intrauterine exposure to nutrient availability can alter the establishment of epigenetic marks, not only in the exposed individuals, but also in their offspring. Inh...

Conditioned medium (CM) and microvesicles (MVs) are produced using different protocols: CM is collected following 12-96 hours of cell culture without renewal of tissue culture medium, whilst MVs are collected after overnight cell culture. For future comparative studies in regenerative medicine looking at efficacy of CM and MVs, it is important to u...

Biological diversities of multiple kingdoms potentially respond in similar ways to environmental changes. However, studies either compare details of microbial diversity across general vegetation or land use classes or relate details of plant community diversity with the extent of microbially governed soil processes, via physiological profiling. Her...

characterizing Arthropods communities inhabiting soil of organic and conventional farms, by Using DNA metabarcoding approach,

Cell-derived microvesicles (MVs) are a recently discovered mechanism of cell-to-cell communication. Our previous data show that MVs secreted by equine amniotic mesenchymal-derived cells (AMCs) are involved in downregulation of proinflammatory genes in lipopolysaccharide-stressed equine tendon and endometrial cells. The aim of the present study was...

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) were found to secrete many factors with therapeutic relevance for their antioxidants, antiapoptotic, antifibrotic, angiogenic, immunomodulatory, and chemiotactic activities. The culture supernatant of MSC (in our case, of equine amniotic-derived cells) is defined secretome or conditioned medium (CM) and it is compose...

DNA metabarcoding, a promising new technology, involves the direct extraction of DNA from soil samples, PCR amplification of the extracted DNA with specific primers, followed by libraries preparation with sample-specific tags and sequencing through Next Generation Sequencing technologies (Hamilton et al., 2009). In the present study, two combinatio...

Within recent years, there has been growing interest in the prediction of bull fertility through in vitro assessment of semen quality. A model for fertility prediction based on early evaluation of semen quality parameters, to exclude sires with potentially low fertility from breeding programs, would therefore be useful. The aim of the present study...

The paper analyses expected costs and benefits of closed nucleus selection in 1100 females of local goat breed Verzaschese. Returns are based on income from the sale of milk per unit of genetic gain. Costs include milk and pedigree recording, housing and maintenance of males and their transport from nucleus to commercial herds, semen production and...

Background Small RNAs present in bovine ejaculate can be linked to sperm abnormalities and fertility disorders. At present, quality parameters routinely used in semen evaluation are not fully reliable to predict bull fertility. In order to provide additional quality measurements for cryopreserved semen used for breeding, a method based on deep sequ...

Background It is known that a paracrine mechanism exists between mesenchymal stem cells and target cells. This process may involve microvesicles (MVs) as an integral component of cell-to-cell communication. Methods In this context, this study aims to understand the efficacy of MVs in in-vitro endometrial stressed cells in view of potential healing...

Reliable evaluations of soil biodiversity represent a key factor in understanding ecosystem services. To date, species-discriminating barcodes efficiently describe bacterial and fungal communities associated with environmental samples, whereas investigations of soil microfauna are often hampered by the lack of a marker region encompassing the taxon...

Testicular ultrasonographic monitoring and sperm freezability in Angora Bucks Daşkın Ali1, Koray Tekin2, Federica Turri3, Juri Vencato4, Fatma Stelletta4, Calogero Stelletta4, Flavia Pizzi3 1 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey 2 Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ankara University, Turkey 3 Institue of agricultural Biology a...

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are known to control several reproductive functions, including oocyte maturation, implantation and early embryonic development. Recent advances in deep sequencing have allowed the analysis of all miRNAs of a sample. However, when working with embryos, due to the low RNA content, miRNA profiling is challenging because of the relat...

Concerning FKB test, a comparison between the standard FKB test and a new variant (FKB*) of this method has been performed in order to optimize the methodology in terms of time, costs, feasibility and safety for the operator and to choose the best option for large scale phenotypic characterization.

MicroRNAs (miRNA) act as modulators of the bovine genome and epigenome in the oocyte and early embryo and their alteration may result in early embryonic death [1]. Spermatozoa are also rich in miRNAs but the role of such paternal miRNAs during early embryogenesis is unclear [2]. This study investigated if there is a paternal influence on early bovi...

Scientific and technical reports on farm animal genetic resources (AnGR) cryoconservation activities, and related costs, are needed to optimise conservation programmes. In this paper, we presented the recent Italian AnGR gene banking development, including the creation of the first regional animal cryobank, the ‘Lombardia Farm Animal Genetic Resour...

The aim of this study was to evaluate relationships among body weight, sexual secondary traits and epididymal semen quality in young bucks.Body weight (BW), scrotal circumference (SC), horns diameter (HD), and horns length (HL) were recorded monthly on 54 young Alpine bucks, from the second to the eighth month of life. After slaughter, testicles we...

Sub area: Embryology, developmental biology and physiology of reproduction Key words: Integrated andrological evaluation, testicular parameters, sperm parameters INTEGREATED ANDROLOGICAL EVALUATION IN ANGORA GOAT DASKIN A1. STELLETTA C3. PASCALE L3. OZTUTAR F3. ALEMDAR H1. TURRI F2. TIRPAN B1. VENCATO J3. TEKIN K1. PIZZI F2. 1Department of Repr...

Mature spermatozoa contain coding and noncoding RNAs, some of them involved in the regulation of many physiological pathways including the control of sperm motility. The presence of miRNA transcripts in sperm is now well acknowledged, but little is known of the function of novel miRNAs in sperm cells or their potential involvement in spermatogenesi...

In the framework of the research program “Integrate knowledge for sustainability and innovation of the agro-food Made in Italy (CISIA)” the genetic reserve of the Nero Siciliano local pig breed was created. This breed is farmed in marginal areas and few males are available for semen collection. In this context epididy- mal sperm extraction was the...

To analyse expected costs and benefits of closed nucleus selec- tion in the Verzaschese goat. A semistocahstic model is used for simulating nucleus selection of a dairy trait, with inbreeding control constrained at 0.3%. Milk and pedigree recording, and artificial insemination, are carried out in the nucleus; the only management constrain in the co...

Ochratoxin A (OTA) exposure during pregnancy in laboratory animals induces delayed/abnormal embryo development. Foetal adnexa-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) could help evaluate the developmental risk of exposure to chemicals in advanced gestational age. We tested the effects of OTA at concentrations ranging from 2.5×10(-4) to 25nM on growth...

Nella specie caprina, in seguito all’aumento dell’utilizzo dell’inseminazione strumentale per la gestione routinaria della riproduzione, si ha la necessità di identificare caratteri che siano indicatori della fertilità del riproduttore. Un metodo utile per avere tali indicazioni è la valutazione del materiale seminale, elemento che diventa essenzia...

Many local breeds, due to their robustness and adaptability to marginal environments propose themselves as candidates for organic livestock production. Furthermore, the use of local breeds could contribute significantly to the conservation of biodiversity, UE 2020 goal. In order to provide information on the breeds best suited to organic farms, a s...

The interest to develop assisted reproductive technologies and cryobanking for farm animal genetic resource conservation has recently increased. However, cryopreservation for ex-situ management of genetic diversity sometimes is not routinely feasible, owing to the lack of facilities (AI centres, laboratories) and expertise near the local breed farm...

Infertility affects ~10-15% of couples trying to have children, in which the rate of male fertility problems is approximately at 30-50%. Copy number variations (CNVs) are DNA sequences greater than or equal to 1 kb in length sharing a high level of similarity and present at a variable number of copies in the genome; in our study, we used the canine...

BioGenRes (www.biogenres.it) is a network with the aim to harmonize all genetic resources available in Italy making them accessible for the entire scientific and business community. Realized in the frame of the project “CISIA- Integrated knowledge for sustainability and innovation of Made in Italy in the agro-alimentary system” to value genetic res...

Camels represent part of the Arab heritage. The interest in developing assisted reproductive technologies and cryobanking for the conservation of animal genetic resources has recently increased. However, semen collections in camelids present many problems as sitting position during copulation, slow ejaculation and difficult animal handling. In thes...

The last decade showed great interest in the application of assisted reproductive technologies in camel reproduction particularly in racing and milking animals which represent part of the Arab heritage. The present work was designed to assessthe cryopreservation and fertilization rates of dromedary camel epididymal spermatozoa using different exten...

In the recent years, the number of endangered animals, both referred to livestock and wild species, has grown enormously. The “livestock” term refers to animals domesticated for pro- ducing commodities for man such as food, fiber and draught. Livestock biodiversity is integral to our culture, history, environment, and economy. Thousands of livestoc...

Recognizing cultural diversity among local breed farmers is crucial for the successful development and implementation of farm animal genetic resources FAnGr conservation policies and programmes. In this study based on survey data collected in the EUropean REgional CAttle breeds project from six European countries, a typology of local breed farmers...

Contents The aim of this study was to compare the effects of two extraction methods in combination with two different extenders in bull epididymal sperm collection. Testes from 23 sexually mature Limousine bulls were collected at the abattoir. Epididymal sperm recovery was performed using both the float‐up (FL) and the retrograde flushing (RF) tech...

Contents Flow cytometry is a useful tool that provides an accurate, objective and rapid evaluation of semen quality. The use of this technique could significantly improve the quality of buffalo semen samples used in artificial insemination. This study was carried out to evaluate, by flow cytometry, frozen–thawed buffalo spermatozoa quality paramete...

To analyze within-/between-subject, in vivo versus in vitro maturation (IVM), and age-related variations of mitochondrial (mt) bioenergy potential and oxidative status of metaphase II (MII) oocytes recovered from hormonally stimulated sheep. Prospective study. Academic basic research laboratory. Ten adult ewes. Estrus synchronization, controlled ov...

The 'livestock' term refers to animals domesticated for producing commodities for man such as food, fiber and draught. Livestock biodiversity is integral to our culture, history, environment, and economy. Thousands of livestock breeds have evolved over time to suit particular environments and farming systems. Conservation of these genetic resources...

The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro effects of the Fusarium fungus-derived mycotoxin, zearalenone and its derivatives alpha-zearalenol and beta-zearalenol on motility parameters and the acrosome reaction of stallion sperm. Since the toxic effects of zearalenone and its derivatives are thought to result from their structural simila...

Within the EURECA project (Towards self-sustainable EUropean REgional CAttle breeds), we interviewed a total of 371 farmers of 15 local cattle breeds in eight European countries. Besides collecting data on farmers, land use, herd composition and economic role of cattle, we aimed at understanding farmers' motives and values in keeping local cattle....

In this in vitro study the effects of mercuric chloride on the motility and structural integrity of rabbit spermatozoa were investigated. The spermatozoa motility was evaluated using CASA method and Annexin analysis was used for detection of structural changes. The concentration of mercury in the medium varied from 5.0 to 83.3 microg HgCl(2)/mL. At...

Methodologies, such as flow cytometry and computer assisted sperm analysis (CASA), provide objective, reproducible, rapid and multi-parametric evaluation of semen quality. In this study, semen samples collected from six stallions were analysed for viability (by propidium iodide), chromatin stability by sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA) and mit...

From 1996 to 1999 a conservation programme was carried out within the framework of EC contract “European gene banking project for the pig genetic resources” (Ollivier et al., 2001) in the Italian local pig breeds. The aims of the program included the primary characterization of the breeds, i.e. information on the organization in charge of the breed...

Description of organisational aspects of cryopreservation programmes in Finland, France, Italy and the Netherlands. Comparison of sampling strategies adopted in the four countries, and the operation of cryopreservation programmes. Identification of internal and external factors affecting cryopreservation programmes, to be used in planning conservat...

In Europe, about 45% of local cattle breeds are categorized “at risk”. In Europe, member states may provide incentive payments to support ‘local breeds in danger of being lost to farming’. However, there is a general aim that incentive payments should not be permanent and making local breeds (self) sustainable should be promoted. The aim of the EC...

The aim of this work was to compare costs, in the horse, cattle, sheep, swine, and rabbit species, for the creation of gene banks for reconstruction of an extinct breed, using different strategies: embryos-only, embryos in combination with semen, and semen-only. Three cost measures were used: time required for population reconstruction, cost for cr...

Abstract The aim of this work was to compare costs, in the horse, cattle, sheep, swine, and rabbit species, for the creation of gene banks for reconstruction of an extinct breed, using different strategies: embryos-only, embryos in combination with semen, and semen-only. Three cost measures were used: time required for population reconstruction, co...

The objective of this study was to compare fertility, longevity, milkability, and profitability of cows from the Reggiana and Holstein breeds in northern Italy. Profitability was gauged for each breed, with consideration of economic incentive programs and alternative milk pricing scenarios. Calving to first service interval, days open, and calving...

The relationship between the number of frozen spermatozoa inseminated and fertility rate and litter size at birth in rabbit does was investigated. Six hundred artificial inseminations (AI) were performed on multiparous lactating does with three spermatozoa concentrations: 10, 25, 50x10(6)spermatozoa/AI. All the does were synchronized with 20 UI of...

The objective of this empirical simulation study was to evaluate the use of a combination of semen and embryos in the creation of gene banks for reconstruction of an extinct breed. Such an approach was compared for banks with varying proportions of embryos on the basis of the amount of the material to be stored, time for reconstruction, maintenance...