Fig. 6

Dietary NAC supplementation alleviates the endometrial overproliferation and enhances pregnancy outcomes in gilts. A Schematic illustration of experimental design where gilts were supplemented with or without NAC. B and C The pregnancy rate (B) and litter size (C) in gilts supplemented with different doses of NAC. D and E The number of ovulated oocytes after GnRH administration (D) determined by counting the number of corpora lutea, and conceptuses (E) on d 12 of pregnancy. F Immunohistochemical analysis of PCNA in the endometrium of gilts on d 12 of pregnancy in OS and OS + NAC groups. Scale bar: 20 μm. G The percentage of gilts with morphologically abnormal conceptuses on d 12 of pregnancy. H The morphology of conceptuses from gilts on d 17 of pregnancy in OS and OS + NAC groups. Right panel: the percentage of gilts with morphologically abnormal conceptuses. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. n value represents the number of gilts. ^*P < 0.05, ^**P < 0.01. ns, not significant. OS, ovarian stimulation; NAC, N-acetyl-L-cysteine; PMSG, pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin; GnRH, gonadotropin-releasing hormone; AI, artificial insemination; D12, d 12 of pregnancy; D17, d 17 of pregnancy; PCNA, proliferating cell nuclear antigen