173 MELATONIN ALLEVIATES THE ENDOPLASMIC RETICULUM STRESS THROUGH THE REGULATING OF UNFOLDING PROTEIN RESPONSE SIGNALING DURING PORCINE OOCYTE MATURATION IN VITRO
J.-Y. Park A , H.-J. Park A , J.-W. Kim A , S.-Y. Park A , S.-G. Yang A , J.-M. Jung A , M.-J. Kim A and D.-B. Koo ADepartment of Biotechnology, Daegu University, Gyeongbuk, Republic of Korea
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 29(1) 195-195 https://doi.org/10.1071/RDv29n1Ab173
Published: 2 December 2016
Abstract
Unfolding protein response (UPR) is a defence mechanism during endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in mammalian cells. Especially, UPR genes and regulation of reactive oxygen species is involved in ER stress response on porcine oocyte maturation in vitro. Some studies have shown that melatonin treatment results in reducing oxidative stress, a protective function of free radical damage in oocyte maturation and embryo development. Also, melatonin has an important role in reducing reactive oxygen species and ER stress. However, it is unknown how the changes of UPR genes expression levels are affected the porcine oocyte maturation. In addition, there are no reports about ER stress recovery mechanism by melatonin during porcine oocyte maturation. Here, we investigated the UPR signal genes (Bip/Grp78, Atf4, p90/p50Atf6, and Xbp1) and ER-stress mediated apoptosis factors (Chop and Cleaved caspase 3) in porcine oocyte maturation in vitro. Expression of Chop and Cleaved caspase 3 mRNA levels were significantly increased (P < 0.01) in matured oocytes (metaphase II; 44 h) in vitro. Porcine oocytes were cultured in maturation medium with ER stress inducer, tunicamycin (Tm), and supplemented with various concentrations (1, 5, and 10 μg mL−1) of Tm for 0 to 44 h. Our results indicated that the proportion of matured oocytes was significantly decreased in Tm-treated groups in a dose-dependent manner (60.1 ± 1.3, 46.5 ± 2.1, and 38.9 ± 5.1% at 1, 5, and 10 μg mL−1 of Tm) compared with the control group (76.6 ± 1.9%). Likewise, mRNA expression of UPR regulator genes (Grp78/Bip, Aft4, Xbp1, Chop, and Cleaved caspase 3) was decreased by melatonin treatment (0.1 μM, 22–44 h) after pretreatment of Tm (5 μg mL−1, 0–22 h) during oocyte maturation. Our results demonstrated that the roles of melatonin as UPR signaling regulator for reducing ER stress are essential for promotion of porcine oocyte maturation and cumulus cell expansion of cumulus-oocyte complex. Moreover, the current study was initiated to confirm a functional link between effect of melatonin and regulating of UPR signaling in porcine oocytes maturation. These results suggest that melatonin improve the oocyte maturation and cumulus cells expansion by regulating of UPR signal genes against the ER stress during the porcine in vitro maturation process.
This work was supported by grants from the Next-Generation BioGreen 21 Program (PJ01117604) and the Bio-industry Technology Development Program (316037–04–1-HD020) through the Rural Development Administration, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, Republic of Korea.
