The processes underlying maturation of mammalian oocytes are considered crucial for the oocytes ability to undergo monospermic fertilization. The same factors of influence are suggested to impact the development of sex associated characteristics, allowing sex differentiation to progress during embryonic growth. The primary aim of the study was to analyze the gene ontology groups involved in regulation of porcine oocytes' response to endogenous stimuli. The results obtained would indicate potential genes influencing sex differentiation. Additionally, they could help to determine new genetic markers, expression profile of which is substantially regulated during porcine oocytes' in vitro maturation. To achieve that, porcine oocytes were collected for analysis before and after in vitro maturation. Pigs were used as they are a readily available model that presents significant similarity to humans in terms of physiology and anatomy. Microarray analysis of oocytes, before and after in vitro maturation was performed and later validated by RT-qPCR. We have particularly detected and analyzed genes belonging to gene ontology groups associated with hormonal stimulation during maturation of the oocytes, that exhibited significant change in expression (fold change ≥ |2|; p < 0.05) namely "Female sex differentiation" (CCND2, MMP14, VEGFA, FST, INHBA, NR5A1), "Response to endogenous stimulus" (INSR, ESR1, CCND2, TXNIP, TACR3, MMP14, FOS, AR, EGR2, IGFBP7, TGFBR3, BTG2, PLD1, PHIP, UBE2B) and "Response to estrogen stimulus" (INSR, ESR1, CCND2, IHH, TXNIP, TACR3, MMP14). Some of them were characteristic for just one of the described ontologies, while some belonged into multiple ontological terms. The genes were analyzed, with their relation to the processes of interest explained. Overall, the study provides us with a range of genes that might serve as molecular markers of in vitro maturation associated processes of the oocytes. This knowledge might serve as a reference for further studies and, after further validation, as a potentially useful knowledge in assessment of the oocytes during assisted reproduction processes.

Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Animal Physiology University of Warmia and Mazury Olsztyn Poland

Department of Biomaterials and Experimental Dentistry Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznań Poland; Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland; Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland; Department of Anatomy Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital and Masaryk University Czech Republic

Department of Histology and Embryology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland; Department of Histology and Embryology Wroclaw Medical University Wroclaw Poland

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology University Hospital and Masaryk University Czech Republic

Department of Pathophysiology Poznań University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Division of Infertility and Reproductive Endocrinology Department of Gynecology Obstetrics and Gynecological Oncology Poznan University of Medical Sciences Poznan Poland

Veterinary Center Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun Torun Poland

Citace poskytuje Crossref.org

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