Enhancement of Bovine oocyte maturation by leptin is accompanied by an upregulation in mRNA expression of leptin receptor isoforms in cumulus cells.
In this study, the mechanisms of supposed leptin action on oocyte maturation were examined. Expression of leptin mRNA, as determined with RT-PCR, was present in oocytes but not in cumulus cells. The long isoform of the leptin receptor (ObR-L) was expressed exclusively in cumulus cells after 7 and 23 hr of maturation. In oocytes the expression of the short receptor isoform (ObR-S) and all the receptor isoforms combined (ObR-T) did not change during maturation, as determined by quantitative RT-PCR, but in cumulus cells there was a significant increase in ObR-S transcripts after 7 hr of maturation. To determine if leptin plays a role in resumption of meiosis, oocytes meiotically arrested by the connection of the cumulus to a piece of granulosa layer were exposed to leptin. After 23 hr of culture, the proportion of oocytes that had resumed meiosis did not differ from the control. Exposure of COCs to leptin (1,000 ng/ml) resulted after 17 hr of maturation in a smaller proportion of oocytes that was still in metaphase-I stage (M-I) compared to the control group. Fertilization of oocytes after maturation in the presence of leptin resulted in a larger proportion of embryos that had developed to the 8-cell stage on Day 5 compared to the control group and in more blastocysts on Day 8 of culture. It is concluded that leptin enhances meiotic maturation of bovine oocytes, and that this effect is cumulus cell-mediated.
van Tol
Helena T A
HT
Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands. H.T.A.vanTol@vet.uu.nl
van Eerdenburg
Frank J C M
FJ
Colenbrander
Ben
B
Roelen
Bernard A J
BA
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D020738:Leptin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D010766:Phosphorylation / Q000187:drug effects; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D054411:Receptors, Leptin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics*; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
D020738:Leptin; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D054411:Receptors, Leptin; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D019950:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1; D048052:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3