title: Levels of cyclic-AMP and cyclic-GMP in porcine oocyte-cumulus complexes and cumulus-free oocytes derived from small and middle follicles during the first 24-hour period of in vitro maturation.
abstract: The objective of this study was to compare the cAMP and cGMP levels in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) derived from the middle follicles (MFs, 3-6 mm in diameter) and small follicles (SFs, 1-3 mm in diameter) of pre-pubertal gilts during the first 24-h period of maturation in vitro (IVM). Both cAMP and cGMP levels in MF- and SF-derived oocytes did not change during this period. Although the cAMP levels increased in the COCs at 10 and 20 h after the start of IVM, the levels of cAMP were significantly higher in MF-derived COCs than in SF-derived COCs at 20 h after the start of IVM. On the other hand, the cGMP levels in COCs decreased to basal levels between 10 and 20 h after the start of the IVM, whereas cGMP levels were lower in SF-derived COCs than in MF-derived COCs during the first 10 h. The number of cumulus cells was larger in the MF-derived COCs than in the SF-derived COCs during the first 20-h period of IVM. The estimated cAMP level per cumulus cell at 10 h after the start of the IVM was higher in SF-derived COCs than in MF-derived COCs, whereas the estimated cGMP level per cumulus cell was no different between MF- and SF-derived COCs. From these results, we conclude that cAMP and cGMP levels in COCs, but not in oocytes, drastically change during the first 20-h period of IVM, and that both cAMP and cGMP levels significantly differ between MF- and SF-derived COCs.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan.
authors.forename: Yuichi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Okudaira
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan.
authors.forename: Takuya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wakai
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Graduate School of Environment and Life Science, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530 Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Funahashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054885:Cumulus Cells / Q000378:metabolism*; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D006152:Cyclic GMP / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D059471:In Vitro Oocyte Maturation Techniques; D009865:Oocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP; D006152:Cyclic GMP
keywords: Cumulus cells; Maturation in vitro ; Pigs; cAMP; cGMP