ATPase6 participates in pig oocyte maturation in vitro

Abstract

Oocyte maturation involves several complex events which are partially regulated by the gonadotropins. However, in order to fully understand these events it is necessary to identify all those genes whith roles in maturation. One of these genes is the protein ATPase6, which is a component of ATP synthase and is upregulated during oocyte maturation, nevertheless, its participation has not been experimentally evaluated. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine if ATPase6 has a relevant role in pig oocyte maturation, by conforming two groups of oocytes:  The experimental, oocytes microinjected with ATPase6-interfering RNA (RNAi) in order to silence its expression, and the control, oocytes microinjected with an invertebrate gene-RNAi. After microinjection, both groups of oocytes were cultured in maturation medium for 48 h.  ATPase6 expression was reduced 71% in ATPase6-RNAi microinjected oocytes, while the percentage of matured oocytes was reduced 51% in this group (67.5% in control oocytes vs 33% in ATPase6-RNAi microinjected oocytes; p<0.05 with Student’s t test). These results allow us to conclude that ATPase6 has an important role in the maturation of pig oocytes.