GGPP-Mediated Protein Geranylgeranylation in Oocyte Is Essential for the Establishment of Oocyte-Granulosa Cell Communication and Primary-Secondary Follicle Transition in Mouse Ovary

PLoS Genet. 2017 Jan 10;13(1):e1006535. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1006535. eCollection 2017 Jan.

Abstract

Folliculogenesis is a progressive and highly regulated process, which is essential to provide ova for later reproductive life, requires the bidirectional communication between the oocyte and granulosa cells. This physical connection-mediated communication conveys not only the signals from the oocyte to granulosa cells that regulate their proliferation but also metabolites from the granulosa cells to the oocyte for biosynthesis. However, the underlying mechanism of establishing this communication is largely unknown. Here, we report that oocyte geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), a metabolic intermediate involved in protein geranylgeranylation, is required to establish the oocyte-granulosa cell communication. GGPP and geranylgeranyl diphosphate synthase (Ggpps) levels in oocytes increased during early follicular development. The selective depletion of GGPP in mouse oocytes impaired the proliferation of granulosa cells, primary-secondary follicle transition and female fertility. Mechanistically, GGPP depletion inhibited Rho GTPase geranylgeranylation and its GTPase activity, which was responsible for the accumulation of cell junction proteins in the oocyte cytoplasm and the failure to maintain physical connection between oocyte and granulosa cells. GGPP ablation also blocked Rab27a geranylgeranylation, which might account for the impaired secretion of oocyte materials such as Gdf9. Moreover, GGPP administration restored the defects in oocyte-granulosa cell contact, granulosa cell proliferation and primary-secondary follicle transition in Ggpps depletion mice. Our study provides the evidence that GGPP-mediated protein geranylgeranylation contributes to the establishment of oocyte-granulosa cell communication and then regulates the primary-secondary follicle transition, a key phase of folliculogenesis essential for female reproductive function.

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Communication*
  • Cells, Cultured
  • Farnesyltranstransferase / genetics
  • Farnesyltranstransferase / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Granulosa Cells / metabolism*
  • Growth Differentiation Factor 9 / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Multienzyme Complexes / genetics
  • Multienzyme Complexes / metabolism*
  • Oocytes / metabolism*
  • Ovarian Follicle / cytology
  • Ovarian Follicle / growth & development*
  • Ovarian Follicle / metabolism
  • Polyisoprenyl Phosphates / metabolism
  • Protein Processing, Post-Translational
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins / metabolism
  • rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins

Substances

  • Gdf9 protein, mouse
  • Ggps1 protein, mouse
  • Growth Differentiation Factor 9
  • Multienzyme Complexes
  • Polyisoprenyl Phosphates
  • rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins
  • Farnesyltranstransferase
  • Rab27a protein, mouse
  • rab GTP-Binding Proteins
  • geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate

Grants and funding

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 31530046 and No. 31271540, http://www.nsfc.gov.cn, to CJL). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.