title: Promotion of EGF receptor signaling improves the quality of low developmental competence oocytes.
abstract: Oocytes acquire developmental competence with progressive folliculogenesis. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) from small antral follicles have inherent low competence and are poorly responsive to amphiregulin (AREG) which normally mediates oocyte maturation and ovulation. Using low competence porcine COCs, in an in vitro AREG-induced oocyte maturation system, the combined exposure to N(6),2'-O-dibutyryladenosine 3':5' cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (B15) and growth differentiation factor 9 (G9) was necessary to enhance the rate of oocyte meiotic maturation and blastocyst formation. Furthermore, the combination of cAMP+B15+G9 enabled AREG-stimulated cumulus expansion and increased expression of the matrix-related genes HAS2, TNFIPA6 and PTGS2. Additionally, the combination enhanced p-ERK1/2 which is downstream of the EGF receptor. The enhanced nuclear maturation and blastocyst formation rates with the combinational treatment were ablated by an EGF receptor phosphorylation inhibitor. These results indicate that cAMP and oocyte-secreted factors cooperate to promote EGF receptor functionality in developing COCs, representing a key component of the acquisition of oocyte developmental competence.
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia; Institute of Agriculture, Department of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Lesley J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Ritter
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Ryan D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: Rose
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia.
authors.forename: Jeremy G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thompson
authors.affiliation: Follicle Biology Research Group, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, 1090 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smitz
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia; Mottasis Oy Ltd., Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Mottershead
authors.affiliation: Robinson Research Institute, and Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Paediatrics and Reproductive Health, The University of Adelaide, South Australia 5005, Australia; School of Women's and Children's Health, Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, University of New South Wales, Barker Street, Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales 2013, Australia. Electronic address: r.gilchrist@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP; D066246:ErbB Receptors
keywords: Amphiregulin; BMP15; GDF9; Oocyte development; cAMP