Multi-omics analysis reveals that arginine protects porcine oocytes from heat stress induced deterioration

Global warming induced heat stress severely impairs porcine oocyte quality due to their high lipid content, disrupting reproductive performance. This study combined transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of heat-stressed porcine oocytes, identifying glutathione metabolism, arginine and proline metabolism, and purine biosynthesis as key perturbed pathways. We focused on arginine due to the significant depletion of arginine and its downstream metabolites in heat stressed oocytes. Exogenous arginine supplementation was applied to heat-stressed immature oocytes. Results showed arginine protects polar body extrusion, normalized spindle/chromosome configuration, and maintained actin cytoskeleton and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) integrity. It also repaired mitochondrial structural and functional impairments, elevated membrane potential, reduced reactive oxygen species accumulation, and alleviated DNA damage and apoptosis. These findings confirm arginine decreases heat stress induced porcine oocyte deterioration by preserving cellular structure, improving mitochondrial function and relieving oxidative stress related damage, highlighting its potential as a targeted nutritional supplement to preserve porcine oocyte quality and improve their developmental potential under heat stress conditions.