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The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of an activator of AMPK (5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-beta-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR)) on bovine oocyte nuclear maturation in vitro. After 7 hr of culture, AICAR (1 mM) significantly increased the percentages of cumulus-enclosed oocytes (CEO) and denuded oocytes (DO) remaining at the germinal vesicle stage. After 22 hr of culture, AICAR significantly reduced the percentage of CEO reaching metaphase II (MII). AICAR at 1.0 mM also increased the inhibitory effect of the adenylate cyclase activator forskolin in CEO; however, at 0.05 mM, AICAR increased the percentage of oocytes at MII after 22 hr of culture compared to forskolin alone. The adenosine kinase inhibitor 5'-aminodeoxyadenosine reversed the effect of AICAR in CEO and DO showing that phosphorylation of AICAR by adenosine kinase is required for its inhibitory activity. GMP, but not AMP, inhibited meiosis in CEO and DO; however, inhibition of guanyl and adenyl nucleotides synthesis did not reverse the effect of AICAR suggesting that the inhibitory effect of AICAR is not due to increased synthesis of these nucleotides. Metformin, another activator of AMPK, also inhibited GVBD in CEO and DO. The alpha-1 isoform of the catalytic subunit of AMPK was detected in oocytes and cumulus cells, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction experiments showed the presence of transcripts for alpha-1, alpha-2, beta-1, and gamma-3 isoforms of the regulatory subunits in cumulus cells and oocytes. These data show that the AMPK activator AICAR is inhibitory to nuclear maturation in bovine oocytes due to activation of AMPK.

Meiotic maturation in mammalian oocytes is initiated during fetal development, and is then arrested at the dictyate stage - possibly for several years. Oocyte meiosis resumes in preovulatory follicles in response to the lutenizing hormone (LH) surge or spontaneously when competent oocytes are removed from follicles and cultured. The mechanisms involved in meiotic arrest and resumption in bovine oocytes are not fully understood, and several studies point to important differences between oocytes from rodent and livestock species. This paper reviews earlier and contemporary studies on the effects of cAMP-elevating agents and phosphodiesterase (PDE) enzyme inhibitors on the maintenance of meiotic arrest in bovine oocytes in vitro. Contrary to results obtained with mouse oocytes, bovine oocyte meiosis is inhibited by activators of the energy sensor adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK, mammalian gene PRKA), which is activated by AMP, the degradation product of cAMP. It is not clear whether or not the effects were due to AMPK activation, and they may depend on culture conditions. Evidence suggests that other signaling pathways (for example, the cGMP/nitric oxide pathway) are involved in bovine oocyte meiotic arrest, but further studies are needed to understand the interactions between the signaling pathways that lead to maturation promoting factor (MPF) being inactive or active. An improved understanding of the mechanisms involved in the control of bovine oocyte meiosis will facilitate better control of the process in vitro, resulting in increased developmental competence and increased efficiency of in vitro embryo production procedures.