Abstract
Cumulus cells secreting steroid hormones have important functions in oocyte development. Several members of the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) family are critical to the biosynthesis of steroid hormones. NADPH‐dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase ( NRDR), a member of the SDR superfamily, is overexpressed in pig breeds that also show high levels of androstenone. However, the potential functions and regulatory mechanisms of NRDR in pig ovaries have not been reported to date. The present study demonstrated that NRDR is highly expressed in pig ovaries and is specifically located in cumulus granulosa cells. Functional studies showed that NRDR inhibition increased estradiol synthesis. Both pregnant mare serum gonadotropin and human chorionic gonadotropin downregulated the expression of NRDR in pig cumulus granulosa cells. When the relationship between reproductive traits and single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the NRDR gene was examined, we found that two SNPs affected reproductive traits. SNP rs701332503 was significantly associated with a decrease in the total number of piglets born during multiparity, and rs326982309 was significantly associated with an increase in the average birth weight during primiparity. Thus, NRDR has an important role in steroid hormone biosynthesis in cumulus granulosa cells, and NRDR SNPs are associated with changes in porcine reproduction traits.
Highlights
In mammals, oocyte development is carefully regulated by the surrounding somatic cells (Hoffmann & Maser, 2007; Park et al, 2004; Robinson et al, 2012)
One single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was significantly associated with the total number of piglets born during multiparity, and a second SNP was significantly associated with changes in the average birth weight (ABW) during primiparity
The present work showed that NADPH‐ dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase (NRDR) is expressed in pig cumulus granulosa cells and is involved in the regulation of E2 synthesis
Summary
Oocyte development is carefully regulated by the surrounding somatic cells (Hoffmann & Maser, 2007; Park et al, 2004; Robinson et al, 2012). The NADPH‐dependent retinol dehydrogenase/reductase (NRDR) gene, known as dehydrogenase/reductase short‐chain alcohol dehydrogenase/reductase family member 4 (DHRS4), is located on the 14q11.2 chromosome (GenBank accession number AB045131) in the human genome, and it was initially purified from rabbit liver (Huang & Ichikawa, 1997). This gene is a member of the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily, and it shares the basic structural and functional features of the SDR superfamily (Du et al, 2004; Usami et al, 2003). The results pertaining to SNPs may be useful for marker‐assisted selection and genomic selection strategies for genetic improvement programs in pigs
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