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Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Induction and Analysis of Oxidative Stress in Sleeping Beauty Transposon-Transfected Human Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cells
Published on: December 11, 2020
Putrescine alleviates the oxidative damage of cumulus-oocyte complex via improving fatty acid oxidation
Hongyan Jia1, Huaiyun Tang2, Wei Wu3
1State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Clinical Center of Reproductive Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210029, China; Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Hospital, Kangda College of Nanjing Medical University, Lianyungang City, 222000, China.
Background:
Fatty acid oxidation of cumulus-oocyte complex (COC) provides sufficient energy for oocyte maturation. But, the relationship between fatty acid oxidation and oxidative stress in aging follicles, as well as the effect of putrescine, is still unclear.
Methods:
The porcine COCs were randomly divided into four groups and cultured in in vitro maturation (IVM) medium with or without 1 mmol/L putrescine, with 50 μmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or with 50 μmol/L H2O2 plus 1 mmol/L putrescine. Oocyte maturation was assessed by the first polar body extrusion. The expressions of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation were detected, and the mitochondrial function was analyzed by themembrane potential.
Results:
The maturation rate of oocyte was significantly lower in the H2O2 group when compared with the control group (P<0.001), and putrescine significantly increased this rate in the H2O2 plus putrescine group when compared with the H2O2 group (P<0.001). The expressions of LKB1, STRAD, ACC2, AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 mRNAs in cumulus cells (CCs) were significantly downregulated by H2O2 treatment, and partly rescued by putrescine addition (P<0.05-0.001). However, the changes of LKB1, STRAD, ACC2, AMPKα1 and AMPKα2 mRNAs in oocytes were inapparent. The mitochondrial membrane potential of CCs in the H2O2 group was significantly lower than that in the control group, while putrescine addition significantly increased the mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.001).
Conclusion:
The decrease of oocyte maturation due to oxidative stress is related with the decreased fatty acid oxidation, and putrescine may alleviate the COCs damage via improving fatty acid oxidation.
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