Interactions between oocytes and cumulus cells during in vitro maturation of porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes in a chemically defined medium: effect of denuded oocytes on cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation.

The aim of the present study was to clarify interactions between oocytes and cumulus cells (CCs) on the level of cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation during IVM of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) in a chemically defined medium using a system that allows individual tracking of oocytes. Especially, the influence of oocyte-secreted factors was investigated by the aid of addition of denuded oocytes (DOs) as a possible approach to improve the IVM system. The basic maturation medium was porcine oocyte medium with addition of gonadotropins only during the first 20 hours of IVM. During IVM, COCs were kept fixed to the bottom of culture dish by adhesive Cell-Tak coating, which enabled individual tracking of COCs during IVM. Size changes in COCs during IVM were measured by digital image analysis. Cumulus expansion in a porcine oocyte medium of intact COCs increased in a typical manner until 20 hours and decreased in size subsequently until 48 hours of IVM (P < 0.05). Removal of oocytes from COCs by oocytectomy allowed the expansion of CCs to some extent, although their expansion ability was lower than that of COCs (P < 0.05). Addition of DOs (COCs to DOs ratio of 9:16) did not improve cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation rates of intact COCs (P > 0.05) but did enhance cumulus expansion of oocytectomized complexes (P < 0.05). Furthermore, removal of CCs before IVM increased oocyte maturation rates compared with COCs (52.3% and 32.9%, respectively) (P < 0.05) and a similar effect was observed in COCs when the gap junction inhibitor carbenoxolone was added to the IVM medium: carbenoxolone repressed the expansion of COCs at 20 hours of IVM. In conclusion, the porcine oocyte enhances cumulus expansion both by gap junctional communications and presumably by oocyte-secreted factor production. Nevertheless, the presence of oocytes is not a prerequisite for this process. In return, CCs maintain meiotic arrest in cumulus-enclosed oocytes during the initial culture through gap junctions. On the basis of these findings, future research could investigate if coculture with DOs during IVM is beneficial for fertilization and embryo development.

Appeltant R ，Somfai T ，Nakai M ，Bodó S ，Maes D ，Kikuchi K ，Van Soom A ... -  《-》

Effects of cumulus cells on rabbit oocyte in vitro maturation.

Cumulus cells (CCs) are of great importance in oocyte development and maturation in many species, but detailed influence of CCs has not been extensively examined, especially on rabbit. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of CCs and the elongation of in vitro maturation (IVM) time on rabbit oocyte nuclear and ooplasmic maturation and survival. Cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) and naked oocytes (NOs) were recovered directly from rabbits super-ovulated with eCG. Corona-enclosed oocytes (COs) and denuded oocytes (DOs) were obtained from COCs after removing a part or whole of CCs. The oocytes were cultured in the following seven groups. (i) Cumulus cell enclosed oocytes (CEOs) were cultured alone (CEOs); (ii) COs were cultured alone (COs); (iii) DOs were cultured alone (DOs); (iv) NOs were cultured alone; (v) DOs were co-cultured with COCs [DOs(COCs)]; (vi) DOs were co-cultured with CCs [DOs(CCs)]; (vii) NOs were co-cultured with CCs [NOs(CCs)]. After the oocytes were cultured for 24 and 30 h, the nuclear maturation was evaluated by first polar body (PB1) extrusion while the ooplasmic maturation was evaluated by the cleavage rate after parthenogenetic activation. The results showed that the nuclear maturation rate of CEOs, COs, DOs(COCs) and DOs(CCs) after 24 h incubation were significantly different from each other (p < or = 0.05), the rate of DOs(CCs) was similar to that of DOs (p > or = 0.05). The cleavage rates in the first two groups were significantly higher than those of the others (p < 0.05). For oocytes cultured for 30 h, the nuclear maturation rates were significantly different for each culture model (p < 0.05). The cleavage rates in first two groups were significantly higher than those of others (p < 0.05). Both the nuclear and cleavage rates significantly increased when the culture time of DOs(COCs) was prolonged from 24 to 30 h. DOs(CCs) nuclear maturation was significantly improved when the culture time was prolonged from 24 to 30 h, but the ooplasmic maturation was not. Few NOs incubated with or without CCs accomplished nuclear maturation (approximately 2% both), even when the culture time was prolonged from 24 to 30 h. The oocyte degeneration rates were significantly different for each culture model after both 24 and 30 h incubation (p < or = 0.05). There was no significant difference in oocyte degeneration in the same groups between 24 and 30 h incubation (p > 0.05). The results suggest that rabbit CCs affect oocyte nuclear and ooplasmic maturation, and their survival. The prolongation of the culture time of rabbit oocyte from 24 to 30 h improves the nuclear and ooplasmic maturation differently in the present system. Rabbit oocytes free of CCs, especially NOs, show weak meiotic resumption potential and compromised viability, which cannot be improved by co-culture with dispersed CCs. The degeneration mostly happens at early time of IVM.

Tao Y ，Cao C ，Zhang M ，Fang F ，Liu Y ，Zhang Y ，Ding J ，Zhang X ... -  《-》

Influence of co-culture with denuded oocytes during in vitro maturation on fertilization and developmental competence of cumulus-enclosed porcine oocytes in a defined system.

Co-culture of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) with denuded oocytes (DOs) during in vitro maturation (IVM) was reported to improve the developmental competence of oocytes via oocyte-secreted factors in cattle. The aim of the present study was to investigate if addition of DOs during IVM can improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) and in vitro culture (IVC) results for oocytes in a defined in vitro production system in pigs. The maturation medium was porcine oocyte medium supplemented with gonadotropins, dbcAMP and β-mercaptoethanol. Cumulus-oocyte complexes were matured without DOs or with DOs in different ratios (9 COC, 9 COC+16 DO and 9 COC+36 DO). Consequently; oocytes were subjected to IVF as intact COCs or after denudation to examine if DO addition during IVM would affect cumulus or oocyte properties. After fertilization, penetration and normal fertilization rates of zygotes were not different between all tested groups irrespective of denudation before IVF. When zygotes were cultured for 6 days, no difference could be observed between all treatment groups in cleavage rate, blastocyst rate and cell number per blastocyst. In conclusion, irrespective of the ratio, co-culture with DOs during IVM did not improve fertilization parameters and embryo development of cumulus-enclosed porcine oocytes in a defined system.

Appeltant R ，Somfai T ，Kikuchi K ，Maes D ，Van Soom A ... -  《-》

The importance of having zinc during in vitro maturation of cattle cumulus-oocyte complex: role of cumulus cells.

The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of zinc (Zn) on the health of cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) during in vitro maturation (IVM). Experiments were designed to evaluate the effect of Zn added to IVM medium on: DNA integrity, apoptosis, cumulus expansion and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of cumulus cells (CC). Also, role of CC on Zn transport during IVM was evaluated on oocyte developmental capacity. DNA damage and early apoptosis were higher in CC matured with 0 μg/ml Zn compared with 0.7, 1.1 and 1.5 μg/ml Zn (p < 0.05). Cumulus expansion did not show differences in COC matured with or without Zn supplementation (p > 0.05). Superoxide dismutase activity was higher in COC matured with 1.5 μg/ml Zn than with 0 μg/ml Zn (p < 0.05). Cleavage and blastocyst rates were recorded after IVM in three maturation systems: intact COCs, denuded oocytes with cumulus cells monolayer (DO + CC) and denuded oocytes (DO). Cleavage rates were similar when COC, DO + CC or DO were matured with 1.5 μg/ml Zn compared with control group (p > 0.05). Blastocyst rates were significantly higher in COC than in DO + CC and DO with the addition of 1.5 μg/ml Zn during IVM (p < 0.01). Blastocyst quality was enhanced in COC and DO + CC compared with DO when Zn was added to IVM medium (p < 0.001). The results of this study indicate that Zn supplementation to IVM medium (i) decreased DNA damage and apoptosis in CC; (ii) increased SOD activity in CC; (iii) did not modify cumulus expansion and cleavage rates after in vitro fertilization; (iv) improved subsequent embryo development up to blastocyst stage; and (v) enhanced blastocyst quality when CC were present either in intact COC or in coculture during IVM.

Anchordoquy JM ，Anchordoquy JP ，Sirini MA ，Picco SJ ，Peral-García P ，Furnus CC ... -  《-》

Effect of removing cumulus cells from porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes derived from small and medium follicles during IVM on the apoptotic status and meiotic progression of the oocytes.

The present study was undertaken to examine the apoptotic status and meiotic progression of oocytes from small follicle (SF; 0.5-2 mm in diameter) and medium follicle (MF; 3-6 mm in diameter) when the oocytes were denuded before, during, and after IVM. Cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were collected from SF or MF of prepubertal gilt ovaries. Before or 20 hours after the start of IVM culture, some oocytes were denuded and cultured for IVM. At the end of IVM, apoptotic status and meiotic progression of the oocytes were compared with oocytes matured in the presence of cumulus cells (CCs) by Annexin-V/PI assay and 4',6-Diamidino-2-phenylindole staining. Apoptotic status of the oocytes was only affected by time when the oocytes were denuded. In both oocytes from SF and MF, although the incidence of early and late apoptotic oocytes was significantly higher when the CCs were removed before IVM, the rate was significantly lower when CCs were removed 20 and 44 hours after the start of IVM. The incidence of mature oocytes was significantly affected by both the origin of COCs and time when oocytes were denuded from the COCs. Although the percentage of mature oocytes was higher in MF than SF, maturation rates were significantly higher when oocytes were denuded 20 hours, as compared with 0 and 44 hours after the start of IVM. However, the percentage of mature oocytes with a morphologically normal spindle was significantly higher when oocytes were denuded 44 hours, rather than 22 hours of IVM. In conclusion, removing CCs 20 hours after the start of IVM seems to promote meiotic progression of the oocytes to the metaphase-II stage even when the COCs were collected from SF, although factor(s) from or communication with CCs during IVM may need to obtain a morphologically normal spindle in mature oocytes.

Ferré P ，Bui TM ，Wakai T ，Funahashi H ... -  《-》