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Dynamic of expression and localization of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes FAAH and MGLL in relation to CB1 during meiotic maturation of human oocytes

Cell and Tissue Research volume 365, pages 393–401 (2016)Cite this article

Abstract

The endogenous cannabinoid system has been characterized in some female reproductive organs but little is known about the expression and localization pattern of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes in relation to the CB1 cannabinoid receptor in human oocytes. In this study, we focus on the investigation of the presence and differential distribution of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoglyceride lipase (MGLL) in relation to CB1 during the maturation of human oocytes. We used a total of 290 human oocytes not suitable for in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): germinal-vesicle (GV) and metaphase-I (MI) stages and metaphase-II (MII) oocytes that had not developed into an embryo after ICSI. Cannabinoid-degrading enzymes and the cannabinoid CB1 receptor were present in human oocytes. Specifically, FAAH was detected in the periphery of the oocyte from the GV to MI stage and co-localized with CB1. Later, by the MII stage, FAAH was spread within the oocyte, whereas MGLL immunostaining was homogeneous across the oocyte at all stages of maturation and only overlapped with CB1 at the GV stage. This coordinated redistribution of cannabinoid system proteins suggests a role for this system in the maturation of the female gamete.

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Acknowledgments

We thank SGIker (UPV/EHU) for personal and technical support and particularly Ricardo Andrade for his assistance with the confocal microscopy analysis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of the Basque Country, Barrio Sarriena s/n, Leioa, 48940, Bizkaia, Spain

    Ekaitz Agirregoitia, Lide Totorikaguena & Naiara Agirregoitia

  2. Human Reproduction Unit, Cruces University Hospital, University of the Basque Country, Plaza de Cruces s/n, Barakaldo, 48903, Bizkaia, Spain

    Antonia Expósito, Rosario Mendoza & Roberto Matorras

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  1. Ekaitz Agirregoitia
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  2. Lide Totorikaguena
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  3. Antonia Expósito
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  6. Naiara Agirregoitia
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Correspondence to Ekaitz Agirregoitia.

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Additional information

This work was supported by a grant from the University of the Basque Country (GIU14/26).

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Supplementary figure 1

Immunofluorescence analysis of Z-stack images of cannabinoid-degrading enzyme FAAH in human oocytes. Distribution of FAAH is shown in green at germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII) stages. Hoechst-labeled DNA is shown in blue. Bar 20 μm. (GIF 257 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1971 kb)

Supplementary figure 2

Immunofluorescence analysis of Z-stack images of cannabinoid-degrading enzyme MGLL in human oocytes. Distribution of MGLL is shown in green at germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII) stages. Hoechst-labeled DNA is shown in blue. Bar 20 μm. (GIF 255 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1983 kb)

Supplementary figure 3

Immunofluorescence analysis of Z-stack images of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes compared with CB1 cannabinoid receptor in human oocytes. The distributions of FAAH, CB1, and their overlap are shown in green, red, and yellow, respectively, at germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII) stages. Bar 20 μm. (GIF 247 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 2560 kb)

Supplementary figure 4

Immunofluorescence analysis of Z-stack images of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes compared with CB1 cannabinoid receptor in human oocytes. The distributions of MGLL, CB1, and their overlap are shown in green, red, and yellow, respectively, at germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI), and metaphase II (MII) stages. Bar 20 μm. (GIF 238 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 3215 kb)

Supplementary figure 5

Immunofluorescence analysis of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes in human oocytes to verify the similar distributions in non-sperm-exposed MII oocytes and in sperm-exposed but unfertilized MII oocytes. The distributions of FAAH and MGLL are shown in green. Hoechst-labeled DNA is shown in blue. Bar 20 μm. (GIF 100 kb)

High resolution image (TIF 1311 kb)

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Agirregoitia, E., Totorikaguena, L., Expósito, A. et al. Dynamic of expression and localization of cannabinoid-degrading enzymes FAAH and MGLL in relation to CB1 during meiotic maturation of human oocytes. Cell Tissue Res 365, 393–401 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-016-2381-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-016-2381-2

Keywords

  • Meiosis
  • Resumption
  • Enzyme
  • Maturation
  • Gamete