title: Leptin and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) in oocytes of sows and gilts.
abstract: Leptin is a modulator of oocyte maturation and follicular development in swine. The MAPK are serine/threonine kinases that act as signal transduction pathways in swine ovaries. This study evaluated the presence of leptin, activated MAPK ERK 1/2 and p38 in oocytes of primordial/primary, secondary and tertiary follicles of gilts and sows. Ovaries from ten gilts and ten sows were collected in an abattoir, fixed in 10% formalin and prepared with classical histology methods. For immunohistochemistry, slides were incubated with polyclonal antibodies anti-leptin, anti-phospho ERK1/2 MAPK and anti-phospho p38 MAPK. Leptin immuno-labeling and the presence of activated ERK 1/2 MAPK were more intense for oocytes of sows (P<0.05), whereas p38 MAPK was more active for oocytes of gilts (P<0.05). Although no differences in immunolabeling for leptin and p38 MAPK were observed for oocytes of gilts at distinct follicle developmental stages (P>0.05), immunolabeling was intense for oocytes of sows included in primordial/primary follicles (P<0.05). Thus, leptin and p38 MAPK may be important to start oocyte development.
authors.affiliation: ReproPel, Campus Capão do Leão, Universidade Federal de Pelotas, 96010-900, Pelotas-RS, Brazil.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: C D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Corcini
authors.forename: R G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Mondadori
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gevehr-Fernandes
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Mendes
authors.forename: E G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Araújo
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lucia
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D020738:Leptin / Q000378:metabolism*; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000166:cytology / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D013552:Swine / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D020928:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases