Cumulus Cell Transcriptome after Cumulus-Oocyte Complex Exposure to Nanomolar Cadmium in an In Vitro Animal Model of Prepubertal and Adult Age.

ABSTRACT: Cadmium (Cd), a highly toxic pollutant, impairs oocyte fertilization, through oxidative damage on cumulus cells (CCs). This study analysed the transcriptomic profile of CCs of cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) from adult and prepubertal sheep, exposed to Cd nanomolar concentration during in vitro maturation. In both age-groups, CCs of matured oocytes underwent RNA-seq, data analysis and validation. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in adult (n = 99 DEGs) and prepubertal (n = 18 DEGs) CCs upon Cd exposure. Transcriptomes of adult CCs clustered separately between Cd-exposed and control samples, whereas prepubertal ones did not as observed by Principal Component Analysis. The transcriptomic signature of Cd-induced CC toxicity was identified by gene annotation a

SUBMITTER: Martino NA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9953098 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature