Maturação oocitária: Eventos que suportam etapas subsequentes do desenvolvimento

A competência de desenvolvimento do oócito há estádio embrionário avançado é dependente das transformações ocorridas durante a maturação oocitária. Em bovino a maturação oocitária in vivo inicia-se na fase que precede a ovulação e é caracterizada por uma série de mudanças morfológicas, moleculares e bioquímicas no oócito e nas células somáticas que o envolvem. Estas mudanças vão tornar o oócito apto a ser fecundado e ter um desenvolvimento embrionário subsequente. Esta revisão enfoca os princípios básicos da maturação nuclear e citoplasmática de oócitos, através dos quais eles adquirem competência meiótica e capacidade para o subsequente desenvolvimento embrionário.

Maturação in vitro de oócitos bovinos em meios suplementados com quercetina e seu efeito sobre o desenvolvimento embrionário

A quercetina é um flavonoide, amplamente encontrada em frutas, vegetais, grãos, flores, com elevada concentração no vinho tinto, e tem sido caracterizada funcionalmente pela atividade antioxidante. Para avaliação da maturação nuclear e do desenvolvimento embrionário bovino, os oócitos foram maturados por 22h na presença de quercetina (0,4, 2, 10 e 50µM), cisteamina (100µM) e na ausência dos antioxidantes. Os oócitos maturados foram corados com Hoechst para avaliação da maturação in vitro. Para avaliação do desenvolvimento embrionário, os oócitos foram fertilizados e cultivados in vitro, as taxas de desenvolvimento embrionário foram determinadas no sétimo dia de cultivo e o percentual de eclosão e o número de células dos embriões no oitavo dia. Os níveis de glutationa (GSH) dos oócitos foram mensurados por emissão de fluorescência com CMF2HC. A porcentagem de maturação nuclear (±89%) não diferiu entre os grupos. O desenvolvimento embrionário variou entre os tratamentos, o percentual de blastocisto foi superior (P<0,05) nos grupos tratados com 0,4, 2, 10 e 50∝M de quercetina (56,9, 59,5, 53,6 e 49,6%, respectivamente) e com 100∝M de cisteamina (50,4%) em relação ao grupo controle (42,3%). Na comparação entre os dois antioxidantes, a quercetina (0,4 e 2µM) foi superior na produção de embriões (56,9 e 59,5%, respectivamente) em comparação com cisteamina (50,4%). As taxas de embriões eclodidos foram similares (P>0,05) entre os grupos (±63,0%). O número médio de células dos embriões também foi similar entre os grupos (±233). Os níveis intracelulares de GSH foram superiores nos oócitos maturados com cisteamina, mas similares entre os oócitos tratados com quercetina e o controle. A suplementação da maturação in vitro com antioxidantes melhora as taxas de blastocistos. A quercetina foi superior à cisteamina, que, por sua vez, foi superior ao controle. Mas os níveis de GSH foram superiores somente nos oócitos tratados com cisteamina.

Effect of concentration and exposure period to butyrolactone I on meiosis progression in bovine oocytes

The effect of concentration and exposure period of bovine oocytes to butyrolactone I (BLI) on meiotic block and in vitro maturation (IVM) kinetics was studied. In experiment 1, all oocytes were at germinal vesicle stage (GV), after 6h in culture with 0, 50 and 100µM BLI. After 12h, all oocytes cultured with 50 and 100µM BLI remained in GV. After 24h, less oocytes were in GV with 50µM (82%) than with 100µM BLI (99%, P<0.05). In experiment 2, after 6h IVM, 93% of control oocytes (IVM only) were in GV, while treated oocytes (100µM BLI for 6, 12 or 24h prior to IVM) showed less oocytes in GV with increased exposure period to BLI prior to IVM (83 and 73%, for 6h and 12h, P<0.05). For a 24h inhibition, GV rates were similar to 12h (70%, P>0.05). After 18h IVM, metaphase II (MII) rates were similar for all groups (76-81%). In experiment 3, after 6h IVM, 74% of treated oocytes (50 or 100µM BLI for 12h) were in GV. This rate was lower than for control oocytes (97.3%, P<0.05). After 18h IVM more oocytes (~80%, P>0.05) were in MII with BLI than for control (73%, P<0.05). Shorter culture periods require lower BLI concentration for meiotic block; initial nuclear maturation kinetics of oocytes cultured with BLI is accelerated, and this is affected by culture period but not by drug concentration.

274 NUCLEAR MATURATION KINETICS AND IN VITRO EMBRYO DEVELOPMENT OF BOVINE OOCYTES TREATED WITH BUTYROLACTONE I COMBINED OR NOT WITH ROSCOVITINE

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) have been used for prematuration culture the aim at improving oocyte competence. However, CDKIs seem to accelerate nuclear maturation (Hashimoto et al., 2002 Biol. Reprod. 66, 1696–1701). The aim of the present work was to compare the effect of butyrolactone I (BLI) alone or combined with roscovitine (ROS) at low dose (Ponderato et al, 2001 Mol. Reprod. Dev. 60, 579–585) on nuclear maturation kinetics and embryo development. To assess maturation kinetics (Experiment 1), oocytes were cultured in 100 μM BLI (B) or 6.25 μM BLI + 12.5 μM ROS (BR) in TCM-199 for 24 h. After prematuration, oocytes were submitted to in vitro maturation (IVM in TCM-199 + 0.5 μg mL−1 FSH, 50 μg mL−1 LH, 10% FCS) for another 24 h. Oocytes were fixed every 3 h (40–50 oocytes/time point/group in 4 replicates) to assess nuclear status. In Experiment 2, oocytes were submitted to prematuration, but the inhibitors were diluted in TCM-199 or DMEM. IVM lasted 21 h in DMEM (same hormone supplementation as in TCM-199 + 5% FCS and 50 ng mL−1 EGF). After IVM, all groups (140–150 oocytes/group in 7 replicates) were in vitro fertilized. Oocytes and sperm (2 × 106 sperm cells mL−1) were co-cultured for 18 h. Embryos were cultured in CR2aa in co-culture with granulosa cells for 8 days. All cultures were in microdrops under oil, at 38.5°C under 5% CO2 in air. In both experiments, control oocytes (C) were submitted only to IVM. Data were analyzed by GLM and GENMOD procedures (SAS program; SAS Institute, Inc., Cary, NC, USA), for Experiments 1 (4 replicates) and 2 (7 replicates), respectively. Cell numbers were analyzed by ANOVA and Tukey test. In Experiment 1, at 0 h, C and B oocytes were all (100%) at germinal vesicle stage (GV). BR had less GV oocytes (89 ± 1%, P < 0.05), indicating that BR was less effective in maintaining meiotic block for 24 h. After 3 h IVM, B and BR had less oocytes in GV (85 ± 2 and 80 ± 1%, respectively; P > 0.05) than C (100%, P < 0.05), suggesting an acceleration of oocyte maturation. At 12 h, however, most oocytes were at intermediate stages (metaphase I to telophase I) in all groups (78 ± 1–83 ± 2%, P > 0.05). After 21 and 24 h, all groups had similar metaphase II (MII) rates (77 ± 1–89 ± 1 for 21 h and 85 ± 2–96 ± 8 for 24 h P > 0.05). These results suggest that after 12 h, meiosis acceleration was less evident and oocytes proceeded nuclear maturation at similar rates. In Experiment 2, cleavage (79 ± 3–84 ± 3%, P > 0.05) and Day 7 blastocyst rates (26 ± 4–37 ± 4%, P > 0.05) were similar for all groups. After 8 days in culture, all groups presented similar blastocyst rates (35 ± 4–40 ± 4%, P > 0.05), except for the group prematured with BR in DMEM, which presented lower blastocyst rates (32.3 ± 4%) only when compared with C (40 ± 4%, P < 0.05). Hatching rates were similar (10 ± 3–16 ± %3, P > 0.05) as were total cell numbers (141 ± 5–170 ± 10). In conclusion: (a) BR is less effective in maintaining meiosis block; (b) B and BR accelerate the first half of meiosis progression in about 3 h; and (c) BR used in DMEM during prematuration may negatively affect developmental rates. Financial support was provided by Fapesp, Brazil.