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Effects of premating nutrition on mRNA levels of developmentally-relevant genes in sheep oocytes and granulosa cells.

L Pisani, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
S Antonini, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
P Pocar, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milano, Milano, Italy
S Ferrari, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
T Brevini, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milan, Milano, Italy
S Rhind, The Macaulay Institute, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
F Gandolfi, Dept. of Animal Science, University of Milan, Milano, Italy

Correspondence: Fulvio Gandolfi, Email: fulvio.gandolfi{at}unimi.it

Abstract

The present study was designed to investigate the relationship between pre-mating nutrition and the relative amounts of a panel of developmentally-relevant genes in ovine oocytes and granulosa cells. Cast age ewes were fed a ration providing 0.5 x (0.5 M) or 1.5 x (1.5 M) live weight maintenance requirements, for two weeks before slaughter. The ewes were synchronized and superovulated with FSH and PMSG. At slaughter, oocytes and granulosa cells were aspirated from follicles > 2 mm in diameter and the relative abundance of 8 and 17 transcripts in oocytes and granulosa cells, respectively, were analyzed by semiquantitative RT-PCR. In the oocytes, no differences between groups were observed for 5 transcripts (GDF-9, BMP15, c-Kit, Glucose-transporter 1, and Hexokinase 1), but a lower amount of Glucose-transporter 3, Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-1, and Na+/K+ ATPase mRNAs was detected in the 0.5M group. Increased expression of Cox2, Has2, and the leptin receptor long form was observed in granulosa cells from the 0.5M group. No differences between groups were observed for the other transcripts (Early growth response factor-1, Estrogen receptor alpha, LH- and FSH-receptor, Gremlin-1, Pentraxin-3, Kit-Ligand, Glucose-transporter-1, Glucose-transporter-3, Glucose-transporter-8, IGF-1, IGF1-receptor, and Leptin-receptor, Tumour necrosis factor-stimulated gene-6). Expression of Leptin and Sodium Glucose Cotransporter-1 were not detected in both groups. The present data indicate that pre-mating nutrition is associated with alteration in the mRNA content in oocytes and surrounding follicle cells in ewes, which may account for the reduced reproductive performance typical of ewes that are fed a restricted ration for a short period of time before mating.