The In Vitro Effect of Adiponectin on Early Bovine Embryonic Development and Transcriptomic Markers of Oocyte Competence

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the in vitro effects of physiologic concentration of adiponectin in follicular fluid of pre-ovulatory bovine ovarian follicles on: 1) the bovine oocyte maturation and the early developmental rates of bovine embryos in vitro; 2) the expression profiles of some developmentally important marker genes in the bovine cumulus cells and oocytes. Materials and Methods: The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were aspirated from abattoir ovaries and cultured in vitro in the presence/absence of the recombinant human (rh) adiponectin (5 μg/mL) and used for real time RT-QPCR and in vitro embryo production assays. Results: Adiponection had no significant effects on nuclear maturation and cumulus expansion rates (p > 0.05). The expression levels of hyaluronic synthase 2 gene (Has2) was significantly higher in the adiponection group compared to the control group (p = 0.014). However, the early embryonic development was not affected significantly in the presence of adiponectin. Adiponectin did not change the expression rates of adiponectin receptors or other markers of oocyte competence. Also, the expression rates of two important oocyte secreted factors (OSFs), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15) and growth/differentiation factor 9 (Gdf9) were not affected (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Adiponection did not affect the bovine oocyte developmental competence and early embryo development in spite of a significant increase in the expression level of Has2 gene, a biomarker of the future oocyte developmental competence.