Localization of the urokinasetype plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) in the bovine cumulus/oocyte complexes

ROLDÁN OLARTE, M; GARCÍA, DANIELA C; GARCÍA, ELINA VANESA; RIZO, GABRIELA; MICELI, DORA C.

Horco Molle

Jornada; XXIX Jornadas Científicas de la Asociación de Biología de Tucumán; 2012

Asociación de Biología de Tucumán

The urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA) is a serine protease involved in extracellular matrix remodeling through plasmin generation. When uPA is bound to uPAR, its proteolytic activity increases and it can also activate intracellular signaling pathways. The aim of this work was to study the localization and expression of uPAR in immature and in vitro matured (IVM) cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). Bovine ovaries were collected during slaughter and COCs were obtained by aspiration of ovarian follicles. After selection, COCs were separated into two groups, one of them being IVM. Detection of uPAR in immature and IVM COCs was performed by indirect immunofl uorescence. To study the expression of uPAR, groups of 50 immature and IVM COCs were treated with hyaluronidase. Oocytes and follicular cells were separated to obtain total RNA; then they were analyzed by RT-PCR. uPAR was observed in follicular cells and oocytes plasma membrane using confocal microscopy. The RT-PCR assays showed a fragment of 164 bp corresponding to uPAR in follicular cells and oocytes, before and after IVM. These results suggest that the uPA/ uPAR interaction would allow the generation of plasmin on the surface of the oocyte and/or the activation of intracellular signals that would promote their maturation and fertilization.