2. Academic Validation
  3. Cordycepin delays postovulatory aging of oocytes through inhibition of maternal mRNAs degradation via DCP1A polyadenylation suppression

Cordycepin delays postovulatory aging of oocytes through inhibition of maternal mRNAs degradation via DCP1A polyadenylation suppression

  • Cell Mol Life Sci. 2023 Nov 25;80(12):372. doi: 10.1007/s00018-023-05030-0.
Chong Li # 1 2,  Ling Zhu # 1 2,  Jun-Xia Liu # 1 2,  Jing Guo 3,  Juan Xie 1 2,  Chun-Meng Shi 4,  Qing-Yuan Sun 5,  Guo-Ning Huang 6 7,  Jing-Yu Li 8 9
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.
  • 2 Chongqing Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China.
  • 3 College of Animal Science and Technology, Jilin Agricultural University, Changchun, China.
  • 4 Institute of Rocket Force Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Trauma, Burns and Combined Injury, Third Military Medical University, Chongqing, China. [email protected].
  • 5 Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases and Reproductive Health, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, China. [email protected].
  • 6 Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. [email protected].
  • 7 Chongqing Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China. [email protected].
  • 8 Chongqing Key Laboratory of Human Embryo Engineering, Center for Reproductive Medicine, Women and Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China. [email protected].
  • 9 Chongqing Clinical Research Center for Reproductive Medicine, Chongqing Health Center for Women and Children, Chongqing, China. [email protected].
  • # Contributed equally.
PMID: 38001238 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-023-05030-0
Abstract

Postovulatory aging leads to the decline in oocyte quality and subsequent impairment of embryonic development, thereby reducing the success rate of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Potential preventative strategies preventing oocytes from aging and the associated underlying mechanisms warrant investigation. In this study, we identified that cordycepin, a natural nucleoside analogue, promoted the quality of oocytes aging in vitro, as indicated by reduced oocyte fragmentation, improved spindle/chromosomes morphology and mitochondrial function, as well as increased embryonic developmental competence. Proteomic and RNA sequencing analyses revealed that cordycepin inhibited the degradation of several crucial maternal proteins and mRNAs caused by aging. Strikingly, cordycepin was found to suppress the elevation of DCP1A protein by inhibiting polyadenylation during postovulatory aging, consequently impeding the decapping of maternal mRNAs. In humans, the increased degradation of DCP1A and total mRNA during postovulatory aging was also inhibited by cordycepin. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that cordycepin prevents postovulatory aging of mammalian oocytes by inhibition of maternal mRNAs degradation via suppressing polyadenylation of DCP1A mRNA, thereby promoting oocyte developmental competence.

Keywords

Cordycepin; DCP1A; Maternal mRNAs; Postovulatory aging.

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