C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 improves the developmental potential of bovine oocytes by activating SH2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 during maturation

In vitro maturation of mammalian oocytes is an important means in assisted reproductive technology. Most bovine immature oocytes complete nuclear maturation, but less than half develop to the blastocyst stage after fertilization. Thus, inefficient in vitro production is mainly caused by a suboptimal in vitro culture process, in which oocyte quality appears to be the limiting factor. In our study, a potential maternal regulator, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12, was identified by analyzing transcriptome data. C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 supplementation promoted the developmental potential of oocytes by improving protein synthesis and reorganizing cortical granules and mitochondria during in vitro maturation, which eventually increased blastocyst formation efficiency and cell number after parthenogenesis, fertilization, and cloning. All these promoting effects by C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 were achieved by activating SH2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2, thereby promoting the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. These findings provide an in vitro maturation system that closely resembles the maternal environment to provide high-quality oocytes for in vitro production. [GRAPHICS]

Automated summary

In vitro maturation is an important technique in assisted reproductive technology, but its efficiency is currently low due to suboptimal in vitro culture process and low oocyte quality. This study identified a potential maternal regulator, C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12, which improved oocyte developmental potential by enhancing protein synthesis and reorganizing cellular structures. Activation of SH2 domain-containing tyrosine phosphatase 2 and the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway mediated these effects. These findings provide an in vitro maturation system that mimics the maternal environment and produces high-quality oocytes.