• Effect of granulosa secreted factors on oocyte development and blastocyst quality in goat
  • Nazanin Assareh,1 Mahya Shahem Abadi,2 Shiva Rouhollahi Varnosfaderani,3 Farnoosh Jafarpour,4 Mohammad Hossein Nasr-Esfahani,5 Mehdi Hajian,6,*
    1. 1- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, ACECR Institute of Higher Education (Isfahan), Isfahan, Iran 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
    2. 1- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, ACECR Institute of Higher Education (Isfahan), Isfahan, Iran 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
    3. 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
    4. 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
    5. 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran
    6. 2- Department of Reproductive Biotechnology, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Biotechnology, ACECR, Isfahan, Iran


  • Introduction: Natriuretic peptide type C (NPPC) is synthetized by granulosa cells and binds to natriuretic peptide receptor 2 (NPR2) that mostly present in cumulus cells. NPR2 activation induces the synthesis of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), which is transferred via gap junctions from cumulus cells to the oocyte. cyclic guanosine monophosphate has inhibitory action over phosphodiesterase 3A (PDE3A), maintaining high concentrations of cAMP in the oocyte and sustaining meiotic arrest. In the other hand, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) belongs to a group of signaling molecules that mediate many important reproductive processes, including ovulation, implantation, maintenance of luteal function, and establishment of pregnancy. Prostaglandin E2 is also involved in ovulation cascade events, including the expansion of cumulus cells and the expression of proteases associated with follicle rupture. In these processes, PGE2 indirectly mediates LH action or directly acts on the expression of ovulatory genes, including Amphiregulin (AREG), act on EGF receptor (EGFR) and activate the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), protein kinase C (PKC) pathways and other signaling pathways in granulosa and cumulus cells (CCs), which make the COCs competent to respond to Luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. The aim of this study is whether critical deficiencies of in vitro maturation related to a lack of granulosa cell-COC communication in human and other species like goat.
  • Methods: In this study we evaluated the effect of NPPC, AREG and PGE2 on goat oocyte to in vitro development and embryo quality. At first, goat COCs were aspirated from slaughterhouse ovary, washed and exposed for 8 hours to NP (1000 nM), after that exposed to different concentration of PGE2 (0.1nM, 1nM and 10nM) + AREG (300 nM). TCM and conventional medium were considered as control groups. We assessed in vitro development of these goat oocyte by in vitro fertilization and blastocyst quality with differential staining.
  • Results: In this study, the proportion of oocytes reaching the blastocyst stage on Day 7 in NPPGE2 (1nM) + AREG showed no difference with control and other groups. In contrast, we indicated that blastocyst rate in the 0.1 nM and 10 nM PGE2 and TCM dramatically decreased compared with conventional group. The analysis of the cell number of blastocyst showed that there were not significantly differences in the treated groups NP (1000 nM)  PGE2 (0.1, 1 and 10 nM) + AREG (300nM) compared to the control groups.
  • Conclusion: According to our previous study PGE2 solely might not control the processes which occurs during oocyte maturation in the goat. This study indicated that selection of the best concentration of NP, PGE2 and AREG could be positive effect on maturation, development rate and blastocyst quality compare with TCM and/or conventional group.
  • Keywords: Goat, Oocyte, Natriuretic peptide, Prostaglandin E2, Amphiregulin.