Expression of mRNA for growth factor receptors in porcine cumulus-oocyte complexes during in vitro maturation.

摘要

The expression of mRNA for growth factor receptors with receptor tyrosine kinases [epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), ErbB3 (a member of EGFR subfamily), insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-IR), basic fibroblast growth factor receptor (bFGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRalpha)] by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in pig cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) during oocyte maturation in vitro. Pig oocytes or their surrounding cumulus cells were analysed immediately after collection (0 h), and 12, 24, 36 and 42 h after in vitro maturation. Whereas EGFR transcript was not observed in oocytes and cumulus cells throughout in vitro maturation, ErbB3, IGF-IR, bFGFR and PDGFRalpha mRNAs were detectable in oocytes and cumulus cells at all stages of in vitro maturation. The intensity of bands for ErbB3, IGF-IR and bFGFR transcripts in oocytes was higher than that for PDGFRalpha transcript in oocytes at all stages of in vitro maturation. The results provide evidence that several growth factor receptor mRNAs are present in oocytes and cumulus cells during in vitro maturation, and support the concept that these factors are involved in the regulation of oocyte maturation.