Wdr62 is involved in female meiotic initiation via activating JNK signaling and associated with POI in humans
Fig 2
The expression of meiosis-related genes was dramatically reduced in germ cells from Wdr62−/− ovaries.
The expression of meiosis-related genes in germ cells from control and Wdr62-deficient ovaries was examined by immunofluorescence and real-time PCR analysis. In control ovaries, STRA8 protein (red) was detected in a few germ cells (green, white arrows) at (A) E12.5 and in most of germ cells at (B) E13.5. No STRA8 protein was expressed in germ cells (green) from Wdr62−/− ovaries at (E) E12.5 and (F) E13.5. (C, red) SYCP3 and (D, red) γH2AX proteins were detected in most of germ cells (green, white arrows) in control ovaries at E13.5. No (G) SYCP3 or (H) γH2AX proteins were detected in germ cells (green, white arrowheads) from Wdr62−/− ovaries at E13.5. (I) Quantitative analyses of meiotic germ cells in control and Wdr62−/− ovaries at E13.5. (J) The expression of meiotic genes was analyzed by RT-PCR using purified germ cells. The mRNA levels of meiotic genes were also significantly reduced in purified Wdr62−/− germ cells at E13.5, whereas the expression of Dazl and Mvh was not changed. The expression of the pluripotent genes Oct4, Nanog, Sox2 and Stella was dramatically increased in purified Wdr62-deficient germ cells. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM. ns, p > 0.05, *p < 0.05; and **p < 0.01.