HnRNPU Safeguards Oocyte Development and Female Fertility via Regulation of Alternative Splicing.

ABSTRACT: RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are essential for oocyte development, folliculogenesis, and ovarian homeostasis by regulating RNA metabolism. Heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein U (hnRNPU) plays critical roles in the regulation of multiple physiological processes as a key RBP, yet its function in mammalian oocytes remains poorly understood. Here, we generated two oocyte-specific Hnrnpu knockout mouse models by using Zp3-Cre and Gdf9-Cre transgenic mouse lines to dissect its role in female reproduction. Both models exhibited severe follicular developmental arrest and complete female infertility. Zp3-Cre-mediated deletion caused oocyte arrest at the germinal vesicle (GV) stage, whereas Gdf9-Cre-mediated deletion nearly abolished GV oocyte retrieval, indicating a more severe developmental blo

SUBMITTER: Li J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12794171 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature