Resveratrol ameliorates the defects of meiotic maturation in lipopolysaccharide exposed porcine oocytes

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a significant virulence factor of gram-negative bacteria, adversely affects female reproduction, especially the maturation and early embryonic development of oocytes, through inducing of inflammatory and oxidative stress-associated toxic responses. Resveratrol (Res), a potent antioxidant, exhibits many beneficial effects on the maturation and developmental competence of oocytes. However, it is unclear whether Res can restore LPS-induced defects in the maturation of oocytes during meiosis. In this study, we used porcine oocytes to explore the protective effects of Res and its underlying mechanism against the toxic impacts of LPS exposure on meiotic maturation and developmental competence of oocytes during meiosis. The oocytes were randomly assigned to a control, LPS-exposed or Res-supplemented group. Nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation was assessed after 26 h (MI) or 44 h (MII) of in vitro maturation (IVM). Our results showed that 10 µM Res significantly improved the rates of oocyte maturation and blastocyst formation after exposure to 15 µg/mL LPS. In addition, Res preserved the normal spindle/chromosome structure and maintained acetylated tubulin levels, actin polymerization and cortical granules (CGs) distribution. Additionally, Res protected mitochondrial content and function, scavenges reactive oxygen species (ROS), and reduced DNA damage and apoptosis in LPS-exposed oocytes. Furthermore, inhibition of SIRT1 by its specific inhibitor EX527 suppressed the recovery of ROS levels, mitochondrial content, and spindle/chromosome structure by Res supplementation. In summary, this study shows that Res can alleviate the impacts of LPS-induced toxicity on meiosis in porcine oocytes by upregulating SIRT1, which ameliorates oxidative stress and increasing mitochondrial content.