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TAp73 is downregulated in oocytes from women of advanced reproductive age

Maria Rosa Guglielmino1, Manuela Santonocito, Marilena Vento

  • 1Dipartimento Gian Filippo Ingrassia, Biologia, Genetica, Genomica Cellulare e Molecolare Giovanni Sichel, Università degli Studi di Catania, Italy.

Cell Cycle (Georgetown, Tex.)
|September 28, 2011
PubMed

Insights

The p73 protein (p73) is crucial for egg quality and reproductive aging. Its reduced levels in older women

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive biology
  • Molecular genetics
  • Cellular aging

Background:

  • Oocyte transcriptome studies illuminate oogenesis and early development.
  • Genes in gametes are key to reproductive disorders.
  • p53 family members, including p73, influence cell cycle, apoptosis, and genome stability.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the role of p73 in female reproductive aging.
  • Determine p73 expression levels in oocytes from women of different reproductive ages.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of single mature MII oocytes from women younger than 35 and older than 38.
  • Confirmation of findings in pooled mouse oocytes.

Main Results:

  • TAp73 isoforms were found to be downregulated in oocytes from women over 38.
  • This downregulation was confirmed in mouse oocytes.

Conclusions:

  • Reduced TAp73 levels in oocytes from older women may explain decreased fertility.
  • TAp73 downregulation could also contribute to increased chromosomal abnormalities in newborns.

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