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Martinez CA, Rizos D, Rodriguez-Martinez H, Funahashi H. Oocyte-cumulus cells crosstalk: New comparative insights. Theriogenology 2023; 205:87-93. [PMID: 37105091 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2023.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Mammalian follicles are constituted of a complex structure composed of several layers of granulosa cells surrounding the oocyte and of theca cells that reside beneath its basement membrane. During folliculogenesis, granulosa cells separate into two anatomically and functionally distinct sub-types; the mural cells lining the follicle wall and the oocyte-surrounding cumulus cells, i.e. those in intimate metabolic contact with the oocyte. The cumulus cells connecting with the oocyte have trans-zonal cytoplasmic projections which, penetrating the zona pellucida, form the cumulus-oocyte complex. The connections through gap junctions allow the transfer of small molecules between oocyte and cumulus cells, such as ions, metabolites, and amino acids necessary for oocyte growth, as well as small regulatory molecules that control oocyte development. The bi-directional communication between the oocyte and cumulus cells is crucial for the development and functions of both cell types. Our current knowledge of the relationship between the oocyte and its surrounding cumulus cells continues to change as we gain a greater understanding of factors regulating oocyte development and folliculogenesis. This review will mainly focus on the reciprocal interaction between oocytes and cumulus cells during the latter stages of follicle development i.e. through antral development to periovulatory events including oocyte maturation, expansion, and degradation of the cumulus matrix.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina A Martinez
- Department of Animal Science, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan; Department of Animal Reproduction, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain; Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.
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2
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Wang C, Zhao Y, Yuan Z, Wu Y, Zhao Z, Wu C, Hou J, Zhang M. Genome-Wide Identification of mRNAs, lncRNAs, and Proteins, and Their Relationship With Sheep Fecundity. Front Genet 2022; 12:750947. [PMID: 35211149 PMCID: PMC8861438 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.750947] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The exploration of multiple birth-related genes has always been a significant focus in sheep breeding. This study aimed to find more genes and proteins related to the litter size in sheep. Ovarian specimens of Small Tail Han sheep (multiple births) and Xinji Fine Wool sheep (singleton) were collected during the natural estrus cycle. Transcriptome and proteome of ovarian specimens were analyzed. The transcriptome results showed that "steroid hormone biosynthesis" and "ovarian steroidogenesis" were significantly enriched, in which HSD17B1 played an important role. The proteome data also confirmed that the differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were enriched in the ovarian steroidogenesis pathway, and the CYP17A1 was the candidate DEP. Furthermore, lncRNA MSTRG.28645 was highly expressed in Small Tailed Han sheep but lowly expressed in Xinji fine wool sheep. In addition, MSTRG.28645, a hub gene in the co-expression network between mRNAs and lncRNAs, was selected as one of the candidate genes for subsequent verification. Expectedly, the overexpression and interference of HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 showed a significant effect on hormone secretion in granulosa cells. Therefore, this study confirmed that HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 might be potential genes related to the fecundity of sheep. It was concluded that both HSD17B1 and MSTRG.28645 were critical regulators in the secretion of hormones that affect the fecundity of the sheep.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunxin Wang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yunhui Zhao
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - ZhiYu Yuan
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Yujin Wu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Zhuo Zhao
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Cuiling Wu
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
| | - Jian Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Agrobiotechnology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Mingxin Zhang
- Institute of Animal Sciences, Jilin Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Changchun, China
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Nagyová E, Němcová L, Camaioni A. Cumulus Extracellular Matrix Is an Important Part of Oocyte Microenvironment in Ovarian Follicles: Its Remodeling and Proteolytic Degradation. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 23:54. [PMID: 35008478 PMCID: PMC8744823 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23010054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential structure with biological activities. It has been shown that the ECM influences gene expression via cytoskeletal components and the gene expression is dependent upon cell interactions with molecules and hormones. The development of ovarian follicles is a hormone dependent process. The surge in the luteinizing hormone triggers ovulatory changes in oocyte microenvironment. In this review, we discuss how proteolytic cleavage affects formation of cumulus ECM following hormonal stimulation; in particular, how the specific proteasome inhibitor MG132 affects gonadotropin-induced cytoskeletal structure, the organization of cumulus ECM, steroidogenesis, and nuclear maturation. We found that after the inhibition of proteolytic cleavage, gonadotropin-stimulated oocyte-cumulus complexes (OCCs) were without any signs of cumulus expansion; they remained compact with preserved cytoskeletal F-actin-rich transzonal projections through the oocyte investments. Concomitantly, a significant decrease was detected in progesterone secretion and in the expression of gonadotropin-stimulated cumulus expansion-related transcripts, such as HAS2 and TNFAIP6. In agreement, the covalent binding between hyaluronan and the heavy chains of serum-derived the inter-alpha-trypsin inhibitor, essential for the organization of cumulus ECM, was missing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Nagyová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 27721 Libechov, Czech Republic;
| | - Lucie Němcová
- Institute of Animal Physiology and Genetics, Czech Academy of Sciences, 27721 Libechov, Czech Republic;
| | - Antonella Camaioni
- Department of Biomedicine and Prevention, University of Rome Tor Vergata, Via Montpelier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy;
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Moros-Nicolás C, Izquierdo-Rico MJ, Li Y, González-Brusi L, Romar R, Funahashi H. Relative transcript abundance in porcine cumulus cells collected from different sized follicles. Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 56:374-380. [PMID: 33320378 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Crosstalk between the oocyte and surrounding cumulus cells (CCs) is essential for the production of competent oocytes. Previous studies have analysed the relative transcript abundance in oocytes derived from small (SF: <3 mm diameter)- and medium-sized (MF: 3-6 mm diameter) follicles to determine the potential use of SF-derived oocytes in assisted reproductive technologies (ART). The aim of this study was to examine the relative transcript abundance of CCs obtained from cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) derived from SF and MF. Nine genes were selected according to their importance for developmental competence: AT-rich interaction domain 1B (ARID1B), bone morphogenic protein receptor 2 (BMPR2), CD44, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR), follistatin (FST), inhibin beta-A (INHBA), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), nuclear receptor subfamily 2 group F member 6 (NR2F6) and vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA). The expression of these genes was analysed by RT-qPCR. The results pointed to significant differences in five genes, and the relative transcript abundance of SF-derived CCs was lower in the case of INHBA, but higher in FSHR, FST, LHR and NR2F6 compared with MF-derived CCs. We provide information of gene activity in the porcine CCs from different sized follicles, thus improving our understanding of oocyte biology and providing new markers that identify viable and competent oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla Moros-Nicolás
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Mª José Izquierdo-Rico
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain.,Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Yang Li
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
| | - Leopoldo González-Brusi
- Department of Cell Biology and Histology, School of Medicine, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Raquel Romar
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Murcia, Spain
| | - Hiroaki Funahashi
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama, Japan
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Su X, Chen W, Cai Q, Liang P, Chen Y, Cong P, Huang J. Effective generation of maternal genome point mutated porcine embryos by injection of cytosine base editor into germinal vesicle oocytes. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2020; 63:996-1005. [PMID: 31974864 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-019-1611-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Cytosine and adenine base editors are promising new tools for introducing precise genetic modifications that are required to generate disease models and to improve traits in pigs. Base editors can catalyze the conversion of C→T (C>T) or A→G (A>G) in the target site through a single guide RNA. Injection of base editors into the zygote cytoplasm can result in the production of offspring with precise point mutations, but most F0 are mosaic, and breeding of F1 heterozygous pigs is time-intensive. Here, we developed a method called germinal vesicle oocyte base editing (GVBE) to produce point mutant F0 porcine embryos by editing the maternal alleles during the GV to MII transition. Injection of cytosine base editor 3 (BE3) mRNA and X-linked Dmd-specific guide RNAs into GVoocytes efficiently edited maternal Dmd during in vitro maturation and did not affect the maturation potential of the oocytes. The edited MII oocytes developed into blastocysts after parthenogenetic activation (PA) or in vitro fertilization (IVF). However, BE3 may reduce the developmental potential of IVF blastocysts from 31.5%±0.8% to 20.4% ±2.1%. There 40%-78.3% diploid PA blastocysts had no more than two different alleles, including up to 10% embryos that had only C>T mutation alleles. Genotyping of IVF blastocysts indicated that over 70% of the edited embryos had one allele or two different alleles of Dmd. Since the male embryos had only a copy of Dmd allele, all five (5/19) F0 male embryos are homozygous and three of them were Dmd precise C>T mutation. Nine (9/19) female IVF embryos had two different alleles including a WT and a C>T mutation. DNA sequencing showed that some of them might be heterozygous embryos. In conclusion, the GVBE method is a valuable method for generating F0 embryos with maternal point mutated alleles in a single step.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohu Su
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Wei Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Qingqing Cai
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Puping Liang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Yaosheng Chen
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China
| | - Peiqing Cong
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
| | - Junjiu Huang
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the First Affiliated Hospital and School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
- MOE Key Laboratory of Gene Function and Regulation, State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, China.
- Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine of Guangdong Province, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510150, China.
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Ferré-Pujol P, Nguyen XK, Nagahara T, Bui TTM, Wakai T, Funahashi H. Removal of cumulus cells around 20 h after the start of in vitro maturation improves the meiotic competence of porcine oocytes via reduction in cAMP and cGMP levels. J Reprod Dev 2019; 65:177-182. [PMID: 30745497 PMCID: PMC6473111 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2018-130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
We examined the effect of the timing of removing cumulus cells surrounding porcine oocytes from small follicles (SFs, < 3 mm in diameter) and medium follicles (MFs; 3–6 mm in diameter)
on the meiotic and developmental competence of the oocytes. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from SFs and MFs, and the oocytes were denuded at 0, 20, and 44 h after the start
of in vitro maturation (IVM), and the meiotic progression of the oocytes was assessed at the end of the IVM period. The incidence of mature oocytes was significantly
affected by both the origin of the COCs and the time when the oocytes were denuded. Although the percentage of mature oocytes was always higher when the COCs were collected from MFs than
that when the COCs were collected from SFs, the maturation rate was significantly higher when the oocytes were denuded at 20 h than when they were denuded at 44 h after the start of IVM.
When the mature oocytes were activated electrically, the developmental competence of the oocytes denuded at 20 and 44 h to reach the blastocyst stage did not differ, whereas the competence
of the MF-derived oocytes was significantly higher than that of SF-derived oocytes. When the intracellular cAMP and cGMP levels in SF-derived oocytes were examined at 24 h of IVM, the levels
of both were significantly decreased only in the oocytes denuded at 20 h. In conclusion, denuding oocytes at 20 h of IVM caused a significant reduction in ooplasmic cAMP and cGMP levels and
increased the meiotic competence of the oocytes without any reduction in blastocyst formation, even in the case of SF-derived oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Ferré-Pujol
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Xuan Khanh Nguyen
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.,Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Tomoki Nagahara
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Thi Tra Mi Bui
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.,Department of Veterinary and Animal Science, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
| | - Takuya Wakai
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Funahashi
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environmental and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
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Okudaira Y, Wakai T, Funahashi H. Levels of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP in porcine oocyte-cumulus complexes and cumulus-free oocytes derived from small and middle follicles during the first 24-hour period of in vitro maturation. J Reprod Dev 2017; 63:191-197. [PMID: 28228615 PMCID: PMC5401813 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2016-156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to compare the cAMP and cGMP levels in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) derived from the middle follicles (MFs, 3-6 mm in diameter) and small follicles (SFs, 1-3 mm in diameter) of pre-pubertal gilts during the first 24-h period of maturation in vitro (IVM). Both cAMP and cGMP levels in MF- and SF-derived oocytes did not change during this period. Although the cAMP levels increased in the COCs at 10 and 20 h after the start of IVM, the levels of cAMP were significantly higher in MF-derived COCs than in SF-derived COCs at 20 h after the start of IVM. On the other hand, the cGMP levels in COCs decreased to basal levels between 10 and 20 h after the start of the IVM, whereas cGMP levels were lower in SF-derived COCs than in MF-derived COCs during the first 10 h. The number of cumulus cells was larger in the MF-derived COCs than in the SF-derived COCs during the first 20-h period of IVM. The estimated cAMP level per cumulus cell at 10 h after the start of the IVM was higher in SF-derived COCs than in MF-derived COCs, whereas the estimated cGMP level per cumulus cell was no different between MF- and SF-derived COCs. From these results, we conclude that cAMP and cGMP levels in COCs, but not in oocytes, drastically change during the first 20-h period of IVM, and that both cAMP and cGMP levels significantly differ between MF- and SF-derived COCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuichi Okudaira
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan
| | - Takuya Wakai
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan
| | - Hiroaki Funahashi
- Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan
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