Department of Animal Biotechnology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China.
DNA Cell Biol. 2012 Jul;31(7):1198-204. doi: 10.1089/dna.2011.1396. Epub 2012 Feb 22.
The generation of oocyte-like cells (OLCs) from stem cell differentiation in vitro provides an optimal approach for studying the mechanism of oocyte development and maturation. The aim of this study was to investigate the activation of bone morphogenetic protein 15 gene (BMP15) during the differentiation of human amniotic fluid stem cells (hAFSCs) into OLCs. After 15 days of differentiation, OLCs with a diameter of 50-60 μm and zona pellucida (ZP)-like morphology were observed. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed the BMP15 was activated from approximately day 10 of differentiating hAFSCs and thereafter. The reporter construct pBMP15-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) was transiently transfected into the differentiated hAFSCs and the EGFP expression driven by the BMP15 promoter was positive in the OLCs. Moreover, RT-PCR analysis showed that the oocyte-specific markers including ZP1, ZP2, ZP3, and c-kit were expressed in the differentiated hAFSCs, and the immunofluorescence assay confirmed that the ZP2 was detected in the OLCs. Quantitative RT-PCR revealed that ZP2 and ZP3 were significantly elevated in the differentiated hAFSCs. Further, in the OLCs derived from hAFSCs, the BMP15 promoter directing the EGFP reporter was colocalized with ZP2. Together, these results illustrated that the BMP15 could be used as an oogenesis marker to track hAFSCs differentiation into the OLCs.
从干细胞体外分化生成卵母细胞样细胞(OLC)为研究卵母细胞发育和成熟的机制提供了一种理想的方法。本研究旨在探讨骨形态发生蛋白 15 基因(BMP15)在人羊水干细胞(hAFSCs)分化为 OLC 过程中的激活情况。分化 15 天后,观察到直径为 50-60μm 且具有透明带(ZP)样形态的 OLC。逆转录-聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)分析显示,BMP15 从 hAFSCs 分化的第 10 天左右开始激活,此后持续激活。瞬时转染报告基因构建体 pBMP15-增强型绿色荧光蛋白(EGFP)到分化的 hAFSCs 中,BMP15 启动子驱动的 EGFP 表达在 OLC 中呈阳性。此外,RT-PCR 分析显示,卵母细胞特异性标记物包括 ZP1、ZP2、ZP3 和 c-kit 在分化的 hAFSCs 中表达,免疫荧光检测证实 ZP2 在 OLC 中检测到。定量 RT-PCR 显示,分化的 hAFSCs 中 ZP2 和 ZP3 显著升高。此外,在 hAFSCs 来源的 OLC 中,BMP15 启动子指导的 EGFP 报告基因与 ZP2 共定位。总之,这些结果表明 BMP15 可作为卵发生的标志物,用于追踪 hAFSCs 分化为 OLC。