title: Oocyte maturation and quality: role of cyclic nucleotides.
abstract: The cyclic nucleotides, cAMP and cGMP, are the key molecules controlling mammalian oocyte meiosis. Their roles in oocyte biology have been at the forefront of oocyte research for decades, and many of the long-standing controversies in relation to the regulation of oocyte meiotic maturation are now resolved. It is now clear that the follicle prevents meiotic resumption through the actions of natriuretic peptides and cGMP - inhibiting the hydrolysis of intra-oocyte cAMP - and that the pre-ovulatory gonadotrophin surge reverses these processes. The gonadotrophin surge also leads to a transient spike in cAMP in the somatic compartment of the follicle. Research over the past two decades has conclusively demonstrated that this surge in cAMP is important for the subsequent developmental capacity of the oocyte. This is important, as oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) systems practised clinically do not recapitulate this cAMP surge in vitro, possibly accounting for the lower efficiency of IVM compared with clinical IVF. This review particularly focuses on this latter aspect - the role of cAMP/cGMP in the regulation of oocyte quality. We conclude that clinical practice of IVM should reflect this new understanding of the role of cyclic nucleotides, thereby creating a new generation of ART and fertility treatment options.
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Obstetrics and GynaecologySchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia r.gilchrist@unsw.edu.au.
authors.forename: R B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Gilchrist
authors.affiliation: Reproductive and Developmental Biology LaboratoryDepartment of Health, Animal Science and Food Safety, University of Milan, Milano, Italy.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Obstetrics and GynaecologySchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richani
authors.affiliation: Center for Reproductive MedicineSixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Obstetrics and GynaecologySchool of Women's and Children's Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Department of Obstetrics and GynaecologySt George Public Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Follicle Biology LaboratoryUniversity Hospital UZBrussel, Medical School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: M De
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.affiliation: Institute of AgricultureDepartment of Biological Production, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sugimura
authors.affiliation: Follicle Biology LaboratoryUniversity Hospital UZBrussel, Medical School, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Smitz
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherche en Biologie de la ReproductionDépartement des Sciences Animales, Faculté des sciences de l'agriculture et de l'alimentation, Université Laval, Québec, Canada.
authors.forename: F J
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Richard
authors.affiliation: School of MedicineRobinson Research Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence for Nanoscale BioPhotonics, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques; D009712:Nucleotides, Cyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology* / Q000187:drug effects; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D009712:Nucleotides, Cyclic