Effect of carbon monoxide gasotransmitter to meiotic maturation of porcine oocytes

Reproductive biotechnologies, such as in vitro fertilization and embryo production are important fields that affect animal as well as human reproduction. For development of reproductive technologies is important full-fledged course of meiotic maturation. Among signaling molecules that regulate the course of meiotic maturation, belongs nitric oxide and hydrogen sulfide, which are members of gasotransmitters family. Carbon monoxide (CO) is also included to the gasotransmitters. In somatic cells CO regulates cell cycle and has antiapoptotic properties. Endogenously formed CO arises from heme catabolism by heme oxygenase (HO). Since the interaction between gasotransmitters occur, we decided to investigate the importance of CO for meiotic maturation. We detected the presence of mRNA and protein of both isoforms (HO1 and HO2) in porcine oocyte by RT-PCR and immunocytochemistry methods, respectively. We detected significant reductions in the amount of HO2 protein during meiotic maturation of porcine oocyte. Inhibition of HO activity by nonspecific inhibitor Zn protoporphyrin IX leads to a slight reduction in the number of matured oocytes. Cultivation of oocytes with CO donor tricarbonylrutheniumdichloro dimer caused a significant reduction in the number of matured oocytes. Based on the obtained data can be assumed that CO is involved in the regulation of meiotic maturation