The Hippo pathway effectors YAP and TAZ interact with EGF-like signaling to regulate expansion-related events in bovine cumulus cells in vitro

Purpose To determine if the inhibition of the interaction between the Hippo effector YAP or its transcriptional co-activator TAZ with the TEAD family of transcription factors is critical for the cumulus expansion–related events induced by the EGF network in cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs). Methods We performed a series of experiments using immature bovine COCs subjected to an IVM protocol for up 24 h in which cumulus expansion was stimulated with EGF recombinant protein or FSH. Results The main results indicated that EGFR activity stimulation in bovine cumulus cells (CC) increases mRNA levels encoding the classic YAP/TAZ-TEAD target gene CTGF . To determine if important genes for cumulus expansion are transcriptional targets of YAP/TAZ-TEAD interaction in CC, COCs were then subjected to IVM in the presence of FSH with or without distinct concentrations of Verteporfin (VP; a small molecule inhibitor that interferes with YAP/TAZ binding to TEADs). COCs were then collected at 6, 12, 18, and 24 h for total RNA extraction and RT-qPCR analyses. This experiment indicated that VP inhibits in a time- and concentration-dependent manner distinct cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation–related genes, by regulating EGFR and CTGF expression in CC. Conclusions Taken together, the results presented herein represent considerable insight into the functional relevance of a completely novel signaling pathway underlying cumulus expansion and oocyte maturation in monovulatory species. YAP/TAZ or CTGF may represent potential targets to improve the efficiency of IVM systems, not only for monovulatory species of agricultural importance as the cow, but for human embryo production.