Effect of Kisspeptin on the Developmental Competence and Early Transcript Expression in Porcine Oocytes Parthenogenetically Activated with Different Methods

Abstract

Recent studies showed the modulatory effect of kisspeptin (KP) on calcium waves through the cell membrane and inside the cell. Spermatozoon can induce similar ooplasmic calcium oscillations at fertilization to trigger meiosis II. Here, we evaluated the effect of KP supplementation with 6-dimethylaminopurine (6-DMAP) for 4 h on embryonic development after oocyte activation with single electric pulse, 5 <i>µ</i>M ionomycin, or 8% ethanol. Compared to control nonsupplemented groups, KP significantly improved embryo developmental competence electric- and ethanol-activated oocytes in terms of cleavage (75.3% and 58.6% versus 64% and 48%, respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.05) and blastocyst development (31.3% and 10% versus 19.3% and 4%, respectively, <i>p</i> < 0.05). <i>MOS</i> expression was increased in electrically activated oocytes in presence of KP while it significantly reduced <i>CCNB1</i> expression. In ionomycin treated group, both <i>MOS</i> and <i>CCNB1</i> showed significant increase with no difference between KP and control groups. In ethanol-treated group, KP significantly reduced <i>CCNB1</i> but no effect was observed on <i>MOS</i> expression. The early alterations in <i>MOS</i> and <i>CCNB1</i> mRNA transcripts caused by KP may explain the significant differences in the developmental competence between the experimental groups. Kisspeptin supplementation may be adopted in protocols for porcine oocyte activation through electric current and ethanol to improve embryonic developmental competence.