Journal Article

Effects of bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) on in vitro development and survival of bovine preantral follicles enclosed in fragments ovarian tissue

Passos, José Renato de Sousa, Saraiva, Márcia Viviane Alves, Lobo, Raimundo Nonato Braga, Silva, José Roberto Viana, de Souza, Glaucinete Borges, Silva, Anderson Weiny Barbalho, Dau, Andressa Minussi, da Cunha, Ellen de Vasconcelos

2017

Overview

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different concentrations of BMP4 on activation, development and mRNA expression of GDF9, BMP15, PCNA, Bax and Bcl2 in cultured bovine follicles enclosed in ovarian tissues. Ovarian tissue fragments were cultured for 6 days in α-MEM+ alone or supplemented with different concentrations of BMP4 (10, 50 or 100 ng/ml). Classical histology was performed to analyze follicle growth and morphology, while real-time PCR was used to analyze mRNA levels in fresh and cultured tissues. After 6 days, the culture of ovarian tissue in α-MEM+ alone or supplemented with 10, 50 or 100 ng/ml BMP4 promoted follicular activation. The different concentrations of BMP4 maintained the percentage of normal follicles similar to results of the control. The presence of 100 ng/ml BMP-4 in culture medium increased oocyte and follicular diameters of primary and secondary follicles when compared with those follicles from uncultured control or cultured in α-MEM+ alone (P < 0.05). The tissues cultured in the presence of increasing concentrations of BMP4 had an increase in mRNA expression of the tested genes, but despite this the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, 100 ng/ml BMP4 promotes an increase in diameters of follicles and oocytes of primary and secondary follicles after 6 days of in vitro culture.

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Subject: Activation / Activation analysis / animal ovaries / Animals / Apoptosis / BAX protein / bcl-2-Associated X Protein - genetics / Bone Morphogenetic Protein 15 - genetics / Bone morphogenetic protein 4 / Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4 - pharmacology / bone morphogenetic proteins / Cattle / culture media / Endocrinology / Female / Females / Follicles / Fragments / Gene expression / Gene Expression Regulation - drug effects / genes / Growth Differentiation Factor 9 - genetics / Histology / in vitro culture / In vitro methods and tests / messenger RNA / Oocytes / Ovarian Follicle - drug effects / Ovarian Follicle - physiology / Ovary - cytology / Polymerase chain reaction / Proliferating cell nuclear antigen / Proteins / Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 - genetics / quantitative polymerase chain reaction / Sheep / Statistical analysis / Survival / Tissue culture / Tissue Culture Techniques - methods / Tissues