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Furin-mediated cleavage of zona pellucida proteins maintains oocyte integrity and supports oocyte survival

ABSTRACT: Zona pellucida (ZP) proteins, which play an important role in oocyte development, undergo post-translational regulation through furin-mediated cleavage. However, our understanding of the functional significance of furin-mediated cleavage of ZP proteins in female reproduction remains limited. Here, using mouse models with disrupted furin cleavage sites in ZP1, ZP2, and ZP3, we found that loss of the furin site in ZP2 caused female infertility associated with empty follicle syndrome (EFS), characterized by the absence of oocyte retrieval after ovarian hyperstimulation. In contrast, female mice carrying cleavage-resistant variants at the furin sites of ZP1 and ZP3 exhibited defective zona pellucidae in a subset of oocytes, leading to reduced fecundity. Mechanistically, disruption of the furin cleavage site in ZP2 impaired the transmembrane transport of the non-cleaved ZP2 protein and subsequently reduced the levels of SNARE proteins, ultimately triggering oocyte apoptosis through activation of the p53 and PI3K signaling pathways. Collectively, we uncovered the essential role of furin-mediated cleavage of ZP proteins in female fertility and provided new mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of EFS. These findings open new avenues for investigating the contribution of post-translational modifications to female reproduction and for developing potential therapeutic strategies to treat female infertility.

ORGANISM(S): Mus Musculus

SUBMITTER: Shen Ying

PROVIDER: PXD070013 | iProX | Wed Oct 29 00:00:00 GMT 2025

REPOSITORIES: iProX

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