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Role of Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterases in Oocyte Maturation
Wen Cao, Ling-Mei Pan1, Kazuyoshi Taya1, Fang-Xiong Shi*
Laboratory of Animal Reproduction, College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095, China; 1Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine,Tokyo University of Agriculture and Tech
Abstract: Oocyte maturation is a complex set of endocrine， paracrine， and autocrine inputs that are translated into the regulation of cyclic nucleotide levels. Phosphodiesteras (PDEs)， the enzymes that degrade and inactivate cAMP， show compartmentalized expression in ovary. The PDE3 is mainly expressed in the oocytes while PDE4s are expressed in granulosa cells. Inhibition of the mammalian oocyte PDE3 completely blocked meiosis in vitro and in vivo， expression of an active PDE3A in Xenopus oocyte causes resumption of meiosis to the same extent as progesterone or insulin. PI-3K/Akt pathway mediates IGF-1/insulin but not progesterone-induced oocyte maturation. PDE3， as downstream factor of PKB/Akt， mediates oocyte maturation by controlling cAMP level. Furthermore， a similar regulatory module may exist in mammalian oocytes. Thus， PDE3 plays an essential role in the signaling pathway that controls resumption of meiosis in amphibians and mammals. Understanding the regulation of this enzyme may shed some light on the signals that trigger oocyte maturation.
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