A gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist and an activator of protein kinase C improve in vitro oocyte maturation in Macaca fascicularis.

Cynomolgus monkey oocytes were recovered from follicles greater than 1,000 microns in diameter at day 8 in gonadotropin-stimulated cycles and cultured in vitro for 2 days. Germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) occurred in 30.3% of control oocytes (n = 76) compared with 54.0% and 55.0% of oocytes cultured in presence of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa), Buserelin (n = 50), or a protein kinase C activator, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-racglycerol (OAG, n = 40), respective (P less than .01). As similar results were obtained using OAG or Buserelin, we hypothesize that the action of Buserelin upon the primate oocyte is protein-kinase-C dependent. The possible effects of Buserelin on in vivo oocyte maturation have to be determined.