title: Exposure to Brefeldin A promotes initiation of meiosis in murine female germ cells.
abstract: In mammals, ontogenesis starts from a fusion of spermatozoon and oocyte, which are produced by reductive nuclear division of a diploid germ cell in a specialised but complex biological process known as meiosis. However, little is known about the mechanism of meiotic initiation in germ cells, although many factors may be responsible for meiosis both in male and female gonads. In this study, 11.5 days post coitum (dpc) female fetal mouse genital ridges were cultured in vitro with exposure to Brefeldin A (BFA) for 6h, and the changes in meiosis were detected. Synaptonemal-complex analysis implied that BFA played a positive role in meiosis initiation and this hypothesis was confirmed by quantitative PCR of meiosis-specific genes: stimulated by retinoic acid gene 8 (Stra8) and deleted in a zoospermia-like (DAZL). At the same time, mRNA expression of retinoic acid synthetase (Raldh2) and retinoic acid (RA) receptors increased in female gonads with in vitro exposure to BFA. Transplanting genital ridges treated with BFA into the kidney capsule of immunodeficient mice demonstrated that the development capacity of female germ cells was normal, while formation of primordial follicles was seen to be a result of accelerated meiosis after exposure to BFA. In conclusion, the study indicated that BFA stimulated meiosis initiation partly by RA signalling and then promoted the development of follicles.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Lian-Jun
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Xin-Lei
authors.initials: XL
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Biology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, 261041, China.
authors.forename: Hua-Gang
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive Biology, Weifang People's Hospital, Weifang, 261041, China.
authors.forename: Li-Lan
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Gui-Jin
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Shun-Feng
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Animal Reproduction and Germplasm Enhancement in Universities of Shandong, Qingdao Agricultural University, Qingdao, 266109, China.
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Shen
mesh_terms: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing / Q000378:metabolism; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases / Q000378:metabolism; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015153:Blotting, Western; D020126:Brefeldin A / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018929:Cell Culture Techniques; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D005854:Germ Cells / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008540:Meiosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D051379:Mice; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D048868:Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing; C508515:DAZL protein, mouse; D017931:DNA Primers; D016601:RNA-Binding Proteins; D018168:Receptors, Retinoic Acid; C102019:Stra8 protein, mouse; D020126:Brefeldin A; D014212:Tretinoin; D000445:Aldehyde Oxidoreductases; C470579:RALDH2 protein, mouse