Leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) is a multipotent cytokine of the IL-6 family which plays a critical role in the maturation and development of oocytes. This study evaluated the influence of LIF on the maturation and development ability of yak oocytes, and the quality of subsequent blastocysts under in vitro culture settings. Different concentrations of LIF (0, 25, 50, and 100 ng/mL) were added during the in vitro culture of oocytes to detect the maturation rate of oocytes, levels of mitochondria, reactive oxygen species (ROS), actin, and apoptosis in oocytes, mRNA transcription levels of apoptosis and antioxidant-related genes in oocytes, and total cell number and apoptosis levels in subsequent blastocysts. The findings revealed that 50 ng/mL LIF could significantly increase the maturation rate (p < 0.01), levels of mitochondria (p < 0.01) and actin (p < 0.01), and mRNA transcription levels of anti-apoptotic and antioxidant-related genes in yak oocytes. Also, 50 ng/mL LIF could significantly lower the generation of ROS (p < 0.01) and apoptosis levels of oocytes (p < 0.01). In addition, blastocysts formed from 50 ng/mL LIF-treated oocytes showed significantly larger total cell numbers (p < 0.01) and lower apoptosis rates (p < 0.01) than the control group. In conclusion, the addition of LIF during the in vitro maturation of yak oocytes improved the quality and the competence of maturation and development in oocytes, as well as the quality of subsequent blastocysts. The result of this study provided some insights into the role and function of LIF in vitro yak oocytes maturation, as well as provided fundamental knowledge for assisted reproductive technologies in the yak.

白血病抑制因子 (LIF) 是 IL-6 家族的一种多能细胞因子，在卵母细胞的成熟和发育中起关键作用。本研究评估了 LIF 对牦牛卵母细胞成熟和发育能力以及后续囊胚质量的影响。体外文化设置。在实验过程中添加了不同浓度的 LIF（0、25、50 和 100 ng/mL）体外培养卵母细胞，检测卵母细胞成熟率、线粒体、活性氧（ROS）、肌动蛋白和细胞凋亡水平，卵母细胞凋亡和抗氧化相关基因mRNA转录水平，总细胞数和细胞凋亡水平。随后的囊胚。研究结果表明，50 ng/mL LIF 可以显着提高成熟率（p< 0.01), 线粒体水平 (p< 0.01) 和肌动蛋白 (p< 0.01)，以及牦牛卵母细胞中抗凋亡和抗氧化相关基因的 mRNA 转录水平。此外，50 ng/mL LIF 可以显着降低 ROS 的产生（p< 0.01) 和卵母细胞凋亡水平 (p< 0.01)。此外，由 50 ng/mL LIF 处理的卵母细胞形成的囊胚显示出明显更大的总细胞数（p< 0.01) 和较低的细胞凋亡率 (p< 0.01) 高于对照组。总之，在体外牦牛卵母细胞的成熟提高了卵母细胞成熟和发育的质量和能力，以及后续囊胚的质量。这项研究的结果为 LIF 的作用和功能提供了一些见解体外牦牛卵母细胞成熟，并为牦牛辅助生殖技术提供了基础知识。