Fibroblast growth factor 17 and bone morphogenetic protein 15 enhance cumulus expansion and improve quality of in vitro-produced embryos in cattle.
Bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) and members of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF) family are expressed by the oocyte and are involved in the control of cumulus cell function. We tested the hypothesis that FGF17, alone or combined with BMP15 in the maturation medium, enhances cumulus expansion, meiosis progression, embryonic development, and expression of mRNA encoding key genes regulating expansion (prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 [PTGS2], hyaluronan synthase 2 [HAS2], tumor necrosis factor-stimulated gene 6 [TNFAIP6], and pentraxin 3 [PTX3]) and markers of oocyte developmental competence (phosphofructokinase [PFKP], gremlin [GREM1], versican [VCAN], and the genomic progesterone receptor [nPR]) in cumulus cells. Fibroblast growth factor 17 and BMP15 increased the percentage of fully expanded cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs), but there was no additive effect when both were combined. Neither FGF17 nor BMP15 altered the percentage of oocytes reaching meiosis II at the end of COC culture or cleavage and blastocyst rates after IVF. However, embryo quality, as assessed by the number of cells in the inner cell mass, was improved by the combination of FGF17 with BMP15. Fibroblast growth factor 17 alone did not alter gene expression in cumulus cells at the end of IVM, whereas BMP15 increased PTGS2 and PTX3 mRNA levels. The combination of FGF17 and BMP15 increased nPR mRNA abundance in cumulus cells but did not change the expression of other markers of developmental competence. This study provides novel evidence that FGF17 enhances cumulus expansion in bovine COCs submitted to IVM and that the supplementation of the IVM medium with FGF17 and BMP15 may improve embryo quality.
Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
Mariana Fernandes
MF
Machado
Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
Ester Siqueira
ES
Caixeta
The Robinson Institute, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Jaqueline
J
Sudiman
School of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Robert B
RB
Gilchrist
The Robinson Institute, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
Jeremy G
JG
Thompson
Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil.
Paula Fernanda
PF
Lima
Centre de Recherche en Reproduction Animale, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada.
Christopher A
CA
Price
Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista, São Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: buratini@ibb.unesp.br.
José
J
Buratini
D000818:Animals; D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002417:Cattle / Q000196:embryology*; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques / Q000662:veterinary*; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D008297:Male
D055430:Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors
Bone morphogenetic protein15; Cumulus expansion; Embryo quality; Fibroblast growth factor 17; Oocyte maturation