HDAC1 in the Ovarian Granulosa Cells of Tan Sheep Improves Cumulus Cell Expansion and Oocyte Maturation Independently of the EGF-like Growth Factors
Yaxiu Xu,
Shanshan Fan,
Yujun Liu,
Jiaqi Shi,
Xianguo Xie,
Xiangyan Wang,
Chao Wang,
Xinfeng Liu,
Guoliang Xia
Affiliations
Yaxiu Xu
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Shanshan Fan
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Yujun Liu
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Jiaqi Shi
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Xianguo Xie
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Xiangyan Wang
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Chao Wang
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Xinfeng Liu
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Guoliang Xia
Key Laboratory of Conservation and Utilization of Characteristic Biological Resources in Western China, Ministry of Education, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
Previous studies have shown that some of the histone deacetylases (HDACs) play diverse roles in the regulation of ovarian somatic cell development, oocyte maturation and early embryonic development in different species including sheep. This study aimed to clarify whether HDAC1 also played pivotal roles in regulating oocyte maturation in Tan sheep. The results showed that HDAC1 was expressed in the nuclei of both the granulosa cells and oocytes of the growing follicles in the Tan sheep’s ovaries. However, the level of HDAC1 was unaffected by luteinizing hormone (LH) induction in cultured granulosa cells. Meanwhile, the specific inhibition of HDAC1 using pyroxamide did not induce significant changes in the expression levels of EGF-like growth factors in vitro, whereas both the cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation of the cultured cumulus oocyte complexes (COCs) were significantly inhibited by pyroxamide. Additionally, the numbers of histone acetylation sites (H4K5, H4K12, H3K14 and H3K9) in ovarian granulosa cells were significantly increased. In conclusion, a constant expression of HDAC1 in the growing follicles of Tan sheep may be pivotal for supporting oocyte growth and maturation, although its action may not be closely correlated with LH induction, nor does it directly affect the expression of the EGF-like factors. Our study implies that there may exist diverse functions of the respective HDACs in modulating female reproduction in sheep.
