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A Role for the MEK-MAPK Pathway in Okadaic Acid-Induced Meiotic Resumption of Incompetent Growing Mouse Oocytes¹

^a Clinique de Stérilité et d'Endocrinologie Gynécologique, Département de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Maternité, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, 1211 Genève 14, Switzerland

ABSTRACT

Fully grown competent mouse oocytes spontaneously resume meiosis in vitro when released from their follicular environment, in contrast to growing incompetent oocytes, which remain blocked in prophase I. The cell cycle regulators, maturation promoting factor (MPF; [p34^cdc2/cyclin B kinase]) and mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinases (p42^MAPK and p44^MAPK), are implicated in meiotic competence acquisition. Incompetent oocytes contain levels of p42^MAPK, p44^MAPK, and cyclin B proteins that are comparable to those in competent oocytes, but their level of p34^cdc2 is markedly lower. Okadaic acid (OA), an inhibitor of phosphatases 1 and 2A, induces meiotic resumption of incompetent oocytes. The kinetics and the percentage of germinal vesicle breakdown depends on whether or not oocytes have been cultured before OA treatment. We show that the fast kinetics and the high percentage of germinal vesicle breakdown induced by OA following 2 days in culture is neither the result of an accumulation of p34^cdc2 protein, nor to the activation of MPF in incompetent oocytes, but rather by the premature activation of MAP kinases. Indeed, a specific inhibitor of MAPK kinase (MEK) activity, PD98059, inhibits activation of MAP kinases and meiotic resumption. Altogether, these results indicate that the MEK-MAPK pathway is implicated in OA-induced meiotic resumption of incompetent mouse oocytes, and that the MEK-MAPK pathway can induce meiotic resumption in the absence of MPF activation.

FOOTNOTES

First decision: 20 October 1999.

¹ This work is supported by HUG.

² Correspondence: Corinne de Vantéry Arrighi, Clinique de Stérilité et d'Endocrinologie Gynécologique, Département de Gynécologie et Obstétrique, Maternité, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, 32, bd de la Cluse, 1211 Genève 14, Switzerland. FAX: 41 22 382 44 24; corinne.devantery{at}hcuge.ch

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