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CFP1-dependent histone H3K4 trimethylation in murine oocytes facilitates ovarian follicle recruitment and ovulation in a cell-nonautonomous manner

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Abstract

CxxC-finger protein 1 (CFP1)-mediated trimethylated histone H3 at lysine-4 (H3K4me3) during oocyte development enables the oocyte genome to establish the competence to generate a new organism. Nevertheless, it remains unclear to which extent this epigenetic modification forms an instructive component of ovarian follicle development. We investigated the ovarian functions using an oocyte-specific Cxxc1 knockout mouse model, in which the H3K4me3 accumulation is downregulated in oocytes of developing follicles. CFP1-dependent H3K4 trimethylation in oocytes was necessary to maintain the expression of key paracrine factors and to facilitate the communication between an oocyte and the surrounding granulosa cells. The distinct gene expression patterns in cumulus cells within preovulatory follicles were disrupted by the Cxxc1 deletion in oocytes. Both follicle growth and ovulation were compromised after CFP1 deletion, because Cxxc1 deletion in oocytes indirectly impaired essential signaling pathways in granulosa cells that mediate the functions of follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone. Therefore, CFP1-regulated epigenetic modification of the oocyte genome influences the responses of ovarian follicles to gonadotropin in a cell-nonautonomous manner.

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Acknowledgements

This study is funded by the National Key Research and Developmental Program of China (2017YFC1001500, 2016YFC1000600), National Natural Science Foundation of China (31528016, 31371449, 31671558), and The Key Research and Development Program of Zhejiang Province (2017C03022).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Life Sciences Institute, Zhejiang University, 866 Yuhangtang Rd, Hangzhou, 310058, China

    Qian-Qian Sha, Yu Jiang, Chao Yu, Xing-Xing Dai, Jun-Chao Jiang & Heng-Yu Fan

  2. Fertility Preservation Laboratory, Reproductive Medicine Center, Guangdong Second Provincial General Hospital, Guangzhou, 510317, China

    Qian-Qian Sha & Xiang-Hong Ou

  3. Center for Stem Cell Biology and Regenerative Medicine, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioinformatics, THU-PKU Center for Life Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China

    Yunlong Xiang

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Sha, QQ., Jiang, Y., Yu, C. et al. CFP1-dependent histone H3K4 trimethylation in murine oocytes facilitates ovarian follicle recruitment and ovulation in a cell-nonautonomous manner. Cell. Mol. Life Sci. 77, 2997–3012 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-019-03322-y

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