title: Follicular size is associated with the levels of transcripts and proteins of selected molecules responsible for the fertilization ability of oocytes of puberal gilts.
abstract: The maturation and developmental competence of the oocyte is acquired during folliculogenesis. It is still unclear whether follicle size is associated with the levels of transcript and protein encoding molecules contributing to the fertilization ability of the porcine oocyte. Follicles were dissected from porcine ovaries after slaughter and classified as small (< 3 mm), medium (3-5 mm) or large (>5 mm), aspirated cumulus-oocyte complexes were cultured in standard porcine IVM culture medium (TCM 199) for 44 h. In developmentally competent oocytes, assessed by determining the activity of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) using a brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) test, real-time quantitative PCR reaction methods, western-blot and confocal microscopy analysis were applied to determine the transcript levels of porcine zona pellucida glycoproteins pZP1, pZP2, pZP3, pZP3 alpha and integrins beta 1 and beta 2, as well as the levels of pZP3 and integrin beta 2 proteins. We observed significantly higher levels of pZP1, pZP3 and integrin beta1 and beta2 transcripts in oocytes collected from medium follicles as compared with small follicles (P<0.001). Moreover, we found an increased content of all investigated mRNAs in oocytes isolated from large follicles as compared with small follicles (P<0.001). Western-blot analysis demonstrated a higher level of pZP3 protein in oocytes isolated from large and medium follicles as compared with small follicles (P<0.001). Our results suggest that the levels of transcripts and proteins for selected molecules contributing to the fertilization ability of oocytes are associated with follicular size in puberal gilts.
authors: Department of Agricultural Veterinary, University of Life Sciences, Poznań, Poland.
authors: Pawel
authors: P
authors: Antosik
authors: Bartosz
authors: B
authors: Kempisty
authors: Dorota
authors: D
authors: Bukowska
authors: Marta
authors: M
authors: Jackowska
authors: Renata
authors: R
authors: Włodarczyk
authors: Joanna
authors: J
authors: Budna
authors: Klaus-Peter
authors: KP
authors: Brüssow
authors: Margarita
authors: M
authors: Lianeri
authors: Pawel P
authors: PP
authors: Jagodziński
authors: Jedrzej M
authors: JM
authors: Jaśkowski
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000235:genetics*; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental; D016023:Integrins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D016023:Integrins; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D012333:RNA, Messenger