Increased Progesterone Production in Cumulus–Oocyte Complexes of Female Mice Sired by Males With the Y-Chromosome Long Arm Deletion and its Potential Influence on Fertilization Efficiency

It was revealed previously that B10.BR(Ydel) females sired by males with the Y-chromosome long arm deletion differ from genetically identical B10.BR females sired by males with the intact Y chromosome. This is interpreted as a result of different epigenetic information which females of both groups inherit from their fathers. In the following study, we show that cumulus–oocyte complexes ovulated by B10.BR(Ydel) females synthesize increased amounts of progesterone, which is important sperm stimulator. Because their extracellular matrix is excessively firm, the increased progesterone secretion belongs presumably to factors that compensate this feature enabling unchanged fertilization ratios. Described compensatory mechanism can act only on sperm of high quality, presenting proper receptors. Indeed, low proportion of sperm of Ydel males that poorly fertilize B10.BR(Ydel) oocytes demonstrates positive staining of membrane progesterone receptors. This proportion is significantly higher for sperm of control males that fertilize B10.BR(Ydel) and B10.BR oocytes with the same efficiency.