title: Ganglioside GD1a promotes oocyte maturation, furthers preimplantation development, and increases blastocyst quality in pigs.
abstract: Gangliosides are key lipid molecules required for the regulation of cellular processes such as proliferation, differentiation, and cell signaling, including signaling of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Epidermal growth factor (EGF) has long been considered a potential regulator of meiotic and cytoplasmic maturation in mammalian oocytes. However, there is no report on the direct effect of ganglioside GD1a in porcine oocyte maturation. In this study, we first investigated a functional link between GD1a and meiotic maturation during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine embryos. Moreover, we confirmed the effect of exogenous GD1a treatment on blastocyst development, quality, and fertilization rate in early embryonic development. First, we observed that the protein level of ST3GAL2, a GD1a synthesizing enzyme, significantly increased (P < 0.01) in cumulus-oocyte-complexes (COCs) during IVM progress. The proportion of arrested germinal vesicles (GV) increased in oocytes treated with EGF+GD1a (41.6 ± 1.5%) at the IVM I stage. Upon completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion of metaphase II (M II) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.9 ± 3.6%) treated group. After IVF, the percentage of penetrated oocytes was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the EGF+GD1a (89.1 ± 2.3%) treated group than in the control group. Furthermore, exogenous GD1a treatment improved the developmental competence and quality of blastocysts during preimplantation embryo development stage. These results suggest that ganglioside GD1a may play an important role in IVM mechanisms of porcine maturation capacity. Furthermore, our findings will be helpful for better promoting the embryo development and blastocyst quality in pigs.
authors: Department of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongbuk 712-714, Republic of Korea.
authors: Jin-Woo
authors: JW
authors: Kim
authors: Hyo-Jin
authors: HJ
authors: Park
authors: Sung-Kyu
authors: SK
authors: Chae
authors: Jae-Hyun
authors: JH
authors: Ahn
authors: Geon-Yeop
authors: GY
authors: DO
authors: Young-Kug
authors: YK
authors: Choo
authors: Joung Jun
authors: JJ
authors: Park
authors: Bae Dong
authors: BD
authors: Jung
authors: Sun-Uk
authors: SU
authors: Kim
authors: Kyu-Tae
authors: KT
authors: Chang
authors: Deog-Bon
authors: DB
authors: Koo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002970:Cleavage Stage, Ovum; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000166:cytology; D047108:Embryonic Development; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000502:physiology; D008540:Meiosis; D008677:Metaphase; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D010053:Ovary / Q000378:metabolism; D012799:Sialyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D000094663:beta-Galactoside alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase
chemical_list: C064020:ganglioside GD1alpha; D005677:G(M1) Ganglioside; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D012799:Sialyltransferases; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000094663:beta-Galactoside alpha-2,3-Sialyltransferase