title: Exposing bovine cumulus-oocyte complexes to aromatizable androgen restore serum-induced low estradiol production in vitro.
abstract: We aimed in this study to assess whether serum-decreased bovine cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) steroidogenesis during in vitro maturation (IVM) is caused by deficient androgen milieu. For this approach, bovine COCs were cultured in serum-supplemented IVM medium in the presence or absence of 1 μM androstenedione. After 24 h of culture, medium was collected and analyzed for its content of estradiol-17β (E2) and progesterone (P4). Medium E2 content markedly increased after incubation of COCs with androstenedione (17.52 ± 1.86 ng/ml to the androgen group; 0.32 ± 0.05 ng/ml to the non-androgen group). No significant difference in the P4 content was detected despite the presence of androstenedione (21.83 ± 1.61 ng/ml to the androgen group; 21.73 ± 1.67 ng/ml to the non-androgen group). Our data provide compelling evidence that bovine COCs steroidogenesis remains functional during culture in serum-supplemented medium and suggest that serum-induced decreased COCs estradiol secretion is caused by deficiency of an aromatizable androgen source.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,Ribeirão Preto,Brazil.
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Bernuci
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,14049-900 Ribeirão Preto,SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Bulgareli
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,14049-900 Ribeirão Preto,SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Vireque
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,14049-900 Ribeirão Preto,SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Pitangui
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,14049-900 Ribeirão Preto,SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: M F S
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: de Sa
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto,University of São Paulo,14049-900 Ribeirão Preto,SP,Brazil.
authors.forename: A C J S
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Rosa-e-Silva
mesh_terms: D000735:Androstenedione / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003470:Culture Media / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D004958:Estradiol / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques / Q000379:methods; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle; D011374:Progesterone / Q000378:metabolism; D044967:Serum
chemical_list: D003470:Culture Media; D000735:Androstenedione; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol