title: ROCK inhibitor Y-27632 prevents porcine oocyte maturation.
abstract: The inhibitor Y-27632 is a specific selective inhibitor of Rho-associated protein kinases (ROCKs), which are downstream effectors of Rho guanosine triphosphatease (GTPases) and regulate Rho-associated cellular functions, including actin cytoskeletal organization. Little is known regarding the effects of Y-27632 on mammalian oocyte maturation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of Y-27632 on porcine oocyte meiosis and possible regulatory mechanisms of ROCK during porcine oocyte maturation. We found that ROCK accumulated not only at spindles, but also at the cortex in porcine oocytes. Y-27632 treatment reduced ROCK expression, and inhibited porcine oocyte meiotic maturation, which might be because of the impairment of actin expression and actin-related spindle positioning. Y-27632 treatment also disrupted the formation of actin cap and cortical granule-free domain, which further confirmed a spindle positioning failure. Thus, Y-27632 has significant effects on the meiotic competence of mammalian oocytes by reducing ROCK expression, and the regulation is related to its effects on actin-mediated spindle positioning.
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Xing
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Duan
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Cellular and Developmental Biology, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Bo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: Xiang-Shun
authors.initials: XS
authors.lastname: Cui
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Chungbuk, Korea.
authors.forename: Nam-Hyung
authors.initials: NH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
authors.forename: Rong
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rui
authors.affiliation: College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China. Electronic address: sunsc@njau.edu.cn.
authors.forename: Shao-Chen
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000199:Actins / Q000378:metabolism; D000577:Amides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008540:Meiosis; D009865:Oocytes / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D011725:Pyridines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008941:Spindle Apparatus / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000199:Actins; D000577:Amides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011725:Pyridines; C108830:Y 27632
keywords: Actin; Oocyte maturation; Rho-associated protein kinase; Spindle migration; Y-27632