Actinomycin D causes oocyte maturation failure by inhibiting chromosome separation and spindle assembly. Issue 1 (21st September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, Tianjie; Liu, Changyu; Zhen, Xiumei; Yu, Yang; Qiao, Jie
• Is Part Of: Biology of reproduction. Volume 104:Issue 1(2021)
• Page Start: 94
• Page End: 105
• Publication Date: 2020-09-21
• Subjects: actinomycin D -- oocyte -- maturation -- spindle -- oxidative stress -- mitochondrial function; Reproduction -- Periodicals; Biology; Reproduction; Reproduction; Electronic journals; Periodicals; Periodicals; 571.805
• DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa170
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0006-3363

Abstract

Abstract: Actinomycin D (ActD) has been considered as one of the most effective and safe chemotherapeutic medications for treating a number of cancers. Although ActD has been used in the treatment of gynecological tumors and pediatric tumors for more than 50 years, the toxic effects of ActD on mammalian oocytes remain unknown. In this study, the influence of ActD on mouse and human oocyte maturation and the possible mechanisms were investigated. Notably, ActD inhibited oocyte maturation and arrested oocytes at the metaphase I (MI) stage in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, ActD arrested oocyte maturation when the oocytes were treated at different successive stages, including the germinal vesicle (GV), germinal vesicle breakdown, and MI stages. In ActD-treated oocytes, disordered chromosome condensation and irregular spindle assembly occurred, resulting in incomplete chromosome segregation and oocytes arresting at the MI phase; these results possibly occurred because ActD triggered the formation of reactive oxygen species, resulting in DNA damage and decreased ATP in mouse GV oocytes. Besides, in vivo treatment with ActD also inhibited mouse oocyte maturation. Similar effects were seen in human oocytes. Collectively, our results indicated that ActD exposure disrupted oocyte maturation by increasing DNA damage, which is a finding that might help with optimizing future methods for female fertility preservation before undergoing chemotherapy. Abstract : Summary Sentence ActD blocks oocyte maturation at MI stage by inhibiting chromosome separation and spindle assembly, perhaps through inducing nuclear DNA damage and disruption of the mitochondrial function in oocytes.