Procyanidin B2 improves the in vitro maturation of porcine oocytes and subsequent embryonic development

Lipogenic and catabolic processes constitute fundamental metabolic pathways that govern energy homeostasis during oocyte maturation and subsequent embryonic development. Although emerging evidence has highlighted the regulatory potential of Procyanidin B2 (PB2) in modulating meiotic progression and developmental competence of mammalian oocytes, the underlying mechanisms remain elusive, particularly in porcine oocytes. The present study was designed to systematically evaluate the therapeutic potential of PB2 in porcine oocyte in vitro maturation (IVM) and delineate its underlying mechanisms. Our findings reveal that supplementation with 5 μg/mL PB2 during IVM significantly improves meiotic competence, as evidenced by enhanced polar body extrusion rates, while concurrently boosting the developmental capacity of subsequent parthenogenetic embryos. PB2 reduced the incorrect distribution of cortical granules and improved the cytoplasmic maturation rate of the oocytes. Further analysis revealed that this treatment significantly enhanced the efficiency of lipid catabolism and fatty acid β-oxidation, increased the mitochondrial content and ATP levels, while reducing intra-oocyte ROS production. Notably, PB2 supplementation significantly increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK); the inhibition of AMPK activity (Compound C, AMPK inhibitor) suppressed the ability of PB2 to promote lipid metabolism and increase mitochondrial content in oocytes. Besides, inhibition of AMPK lowered the oocyte maturation rate and the subsequent zygote cleavage and blastocyst formation rate when compared to that of the PB2 treatment. These results suggest that PB2 can promote lipid catabolism by activating AMPK, thereby enhancing the developmental potential of porcine oocytes.