Reproduction
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REPRODUCTIONRESEARCH Focus on Mammalian Embryogenomics Molecular and subcellular characterisation of oocytes screened for their developmental competence based on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity Helmut Torner2, Nasser Ghanem, Christina Ambros2, Michael Ho¨lker, Wolfgang Tomek2, Chirawath Phatsara, Hannelore Alm2, Marc-Andre´ Sirard1, Wilhelm Kanitz2, Karl Schellander and Dawit Tesfaye Animal Breeding and Husbandry Group, Department of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, Institute of Animal Science, University of Bonn, Endenicher allee 15, 53115 Bonn, Germany, 1De´partement des Sciences Animales, Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la Reproduction, Universite´ Laval, Pav. Comtois, Laval, Sainte-Foy, Que´bec, G1K 7P4, Canada and 2Research Institute for the Biology of Farm Animals, Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany Correspondence should be addressed to D Tesfaye; Email: [email protected] Abstract Oocyte selection based on glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activity has been successfully used to differentiate between competent and incompetent bovine oocytes. However, the intrinsic molecular and subcellular characteristics of these oocytes have not yet been investigated. Here, we aim to identify molecular and functional markers associated with oocyte developmental potential when selected based on G6PDH activity. Immature compact cumulus–oocyte complexes were stained with brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) for 90 min. Based on K C their colouration, oocytes were divided into BCB (colourless cytoplasm, high G6PDH activity) and BCB (coloured cytoplasm, low G6PDH activity). The chromatin configuration of the nucleus and the mitochondrial activityof oocytes were determined by fluorescence labelling and photometric measurement. The abundance and phosphorylation pattern of protein kinases Akt and MAP were estimated by Western blot C K analysis. A bovine cDNA microarray was used to analyse the gene expression profiles of BCB and BCB oocytes. Consequently, marked C K C differences were found in blastocyst rate at day 8 between BCB (33.1G3.1%) and BCB (12.1G1.5%) oocytes. Moreover, BCB oocytes were found to show higher phosphorylation levels of Akt and MAP kinases and are enriched with genes regulating transcription (SMARCA5), K cell cycle (nuclear autoantigenic sperm protein, NASP ) and protein biosynthesis (RPS274A and mRNA for elongation factor 1a, EF1A). BCB oocytes, which revealed higher mitochondrial activity and still nucleoli in their germinal vesicles, were enriched with genes involved in ATP synthesis (ATP5A1), mitochondrial electron transport (FL405), calcium ion binding (S100A10) and growth factor activity (bone morphogenetic protein 15, BMP15). This study has evidenced molecular and subcellular organisational differences of oocytes with different G6PDH activity. Reproduction (2008) 135 197–212 Introduction dairy cows leading to higher economic loss (Macmillan et al. 1996). This decline in fertility can be explained by In modern animal agriculture, with increasing milk management changes within the dairy industry and also production there is a continuous decline in the fertility of negative genetic correlations between milk production and reproduction. One of the primary mechanisms that This article was presented at the 2nd International Meeting on depresses fertility in lactating cows is abnormal pre- Mammalian Embryogenomics, 17–20 October 2007. The Co-operative implantation embryo development, which that may be a Research Programme: Biological Resource Management for Sustain- result of poor oocyte quality (Snijders et al. 2000, Lucy able Agricultural Systems of The Organisation for Economic Co- 2007). Oocyte developmental competence is defined operation and Development (OECD) has supported the publication of as the ability of an oocyte to resume meiosis, to cleave this article. The meeting was also sponsored by Le conseil Re´gional Ile- de-France, the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), following fertilisation, to develop to the blastocyst stage, Cogenics-Genome Express, Eurogentec, Proteigene, Sigma-Aldrich to induce a pregnancy and bring offspring to term in a France and Diagenode sa. good health (Krisher 2004, Sirard et al. 2006). This q 2008 Society for Reproduction and Fertility DOI: 10.1530/REP-07-0348 ISSN 1470–1626 (paper) 1741–7899 (online) Online version via www.reproduction-online.org Downloaded from Bioscientifica.com at 09/30/2021 08:04:27AM via free access 198 H Torner and others competency is acquired gradually during the course of molecular and the subcellular characteristics of these folliculogenesis as the oocyte grows and its companion oocytes. Therefore, the aim of this study was to somatic cells differentiate (Eppig et al. 1994). characterise these oocytes at the subcellular level Many factors have been shown to affect the oocyte’s (dissolution of nucleoli and mitochondrial activity), developmental potential, including follicle size molecular level (gene expression profile) and function- (Lonergan et al. 1994), health of the follicle (Blondin & ally (activity of protein kinase). The results of the present Sirard 1995, Vassena et al. 2003), phase of follicular study evidence the prevailing differences of these wave (Hagemann 1999, Machatkova´ et al.2004), oocyte groups in relative abundance transcripts and hormonal stimulation (Blondin et al. 2002; for review mitochondrial and MAPK activities contributing to their Sirard et al. 2006), maturation environment (Warzych differences in developmental potential. et al. 2007; for review Sutton et al. 2003), season (Al-Katanani et al. 2002, Sartori et al. 2002), nutrition (Fouladi-Nashta et al. 2007) and age (Rizos et al. 2005). Although previous studies support the notion that oocyte Results competence depends on multiple factors, it remains difficult Chromatin configuration and mitochondrial activity in C K to draw clear and reliable criteria for oocyte selection. BCB and BCB oocytes Morphological assessment of oocytes based on thickness, compactness of the cumulus investment and Because of their importance as parameters for oocyte the homogeneity of the ooplasm (Gordon 2003)isa quality, we investigated the status of nuclei and mito- C K relatively popular and convenient way of evaluating chondria in BCB and BCB oocytes before in vitro oocyte quality in practice. However, results derived from maturation (IVM). A larger proportion of oocytes with K this non-invasive approach are often conflicting, largely high G6PDH activity (BCB ) were found to be in early due to subjectivity and inaccuracy. Morphological stage of diplotene with clear visible nucleoli (DiplCNuc) C evaluation alone is insufficient to distinguish competent in their germinal vesicle than the BCB oocytes (Table 1; oocytes that have the ability to bring about full-term P!0.005). However, a significantly lower number of a K pregnancy (Lonergan et al. 2003, Coticchio et al. 2004, BCB oocytes was found to be in more progressed Krisher 2004). With the urgent need for establishing non- diakinesis stage after germinal vesicle breakdown C invasive and non-perturbing means for oocyte selection, (GVBD) compared with their BCB counterparts. the brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) staining test has been To confirm that the fluorescence intensity of the successfully used to differentiate oocytes with different emission light from the fixed MitoTracker-labelled oocytes developmental capacity in various species, including pig was stable during the time of storage, a preliminary study (Ericsson et al. 1993, Roca et al.1998, Wongsrikeao et al. was conducted to measure the fluorescence intensity of 40 2006), goat (Rodrı´guez-Gonza´lez et al. 2002) and cattle oocytes in intervals of 7 days during 6 weeks. The (Alm et al. 2005, Bhojwani et al. 2007). measured fluorescence intensity was not influenced by During the course of their growth, immature oocytes the storage. are known to synthesise a variety of proteins, including The data in Table 1 demonstrate that the fluorescence glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH; Mangia intensity in the oocytes pre-labelled by the vital & Epstein 1975, Wassarman 1988). The activity of this mitochondrial-specific probe chloromethyl tetramethyl- protein is decreased once this phase has been completed rosamine (CMTM Ros) and measured by fluorescence and oocytes are then likely to have achieved develop- intensity for 570 nm emission/oocyte is associated with mental competence (Wassarman 1988, Tian et al. 1998). their G6PDH activity (P!0.001). The highest fluor- BCB is a dye that can be degraded by G6PDH (Ericsson K escence intensity/oocyte was found in BCB oocytes et al. 1993, Tian et al. 1998); thus, oocytes that have C finished their growth phase show decreased G6PDH compared with the BCB ones. activity and exhibit cytoplasm with a blue colouration C (BCB ), while growing oocytes are expected to have a Detection of abundance and phosphorylation of protein high level of active G6PDH, which results in colourless K kinases Akt and MAP cytoplasm (BCB ). In our previous studies, it has been shown that In order to elucidate the activities of protein kinases that oocytes screened based on BCB staining differ in their contribute in the regulation of gene expression, we have developmental potential to reach blastocyst stage (Alm analysed the abundance and phosphorylation state of et al. 2005) and efficiency in utilisation for somatic cell the MAPKs ERK1, ERK2 and Akt. As indicated in Fig. 1, the abundance of MAPK and Akt1 was not different nuclear transfer (Bhojwani et al.