Meiotic resumption and intracellular cAMP levels in mouse oocytes treated with compounds which act on cAMP metabolism

We have studied the effect of agents known to stimulate adenylate cyclase on spontaneous meiotic resumption in vitro by mouse oocytes. We have found that cholera toxin (CT) (up to 1 microM) and prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) (up to 160 microM) are not able to prevent meiotic resumption, but a clear dose-dependent delay in meiosis resumption was observed during the first 3 h of incubation in medium containing CT or PGE1. The effect became clearer when a small concentration of isobutylmethylxanthine (MIX) (1 microM) was added to the medium. We have also measured the cAMP content of the oocyte: the basal content is 2.1 fmol; this value drops to 0.9 fmol during a 2-h culture period. The decrease is partially prevented if CT is present in the incubation medium, while total cAMP content increases to 3.1 fmol in the presence of 1 mM MIX. The results suggest that isolated mouse oocytes contain toxin and prostaglandin sensitive adenylate cyclase and also an active phosphodiesterase system.