title: Effect of vascular endothelial growth factor on maturation, fertilization and developmental competence of bovine oocytes.
abstract: To examine the effect of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) on the maturation of bovine oocytes, human recombinant VEGF(165) was used in 3 experiments. In Exp. 1, bovine cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were matured for 22 hr in modified Synthetic Oviduct Fluid (m-SOF) supplemented with 0 (control) or 5 ng/ml of VEGF. Maturation rate increased (P<0.05) from 78.2% in the control to 90.5% in the VEGF treated group. In Exp. 2, bovine COCs were matured in m-SOF and co-incubated with sperm in modified BO medium, each supplemented with or without 5 ng/ml VEGF. Normal fertilization rate was improved (P<0.05) from 63.0% (control) to 79.8% or 82.3% with VEGF during maturation or both maturation and fertilization. In Exp. 3, bovine COCs were matured the same way as in Exp. 1, then co-incubated with sperm for 6 hr and cultured for 162 hr in m-SOF without VEGF. Cleavage rate and development rate to the 4- to 8-cell stage were examined at 42 hr post-co-incubation and development rate to blastocyst was examined at 162 hr post-co-incubation. Cleavage, the development to the 4- to 8-cell stage and blastocyst rates (82.0%, 70.3% and 45.1%, respectively) were significantly higher (P<0.05) in the VEGF group than those in the control (67.3%, 52.5% and 33.3%, respectively). These results indicate that VEGF has a beneficial effect on the maturation of bovine oocytes.
authors.affiliation: Animal Science Department, Gansu Agricultural University, Lanzhou, China.
authors.forename: Hailing
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Koji
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Mari
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: Makoto
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirako
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D005314:Embryonic and Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects*; D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008222:Lymphokines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors
chemical_list: D016228:Endothelial Growth Factors; D036341:Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins; D008222:Lymphokines; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D042442:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors