Gangliosides exist in glycosphingolipid-enriched domains on the cell membrane and regulate various functions such as adhesion, differentiation, and receptor signaling. Ganglioside GM3 by ST3GAL5 enzyme provides an essential function in the biosynthesis of more complex ganglio-series gangliosides. However, the role of gangliosides GM3 in porcine oocytes during in vitro maturation and early embryo development stage has not yet understood clear. Therefore, we examined ganglioside GM3 expression patterns under apoptosis stress during maturation and preimplantation development of porcine oocytes and embryos. First, porcine oocytes cultured in the NCSU-23 medium for 44 h after H2O2 treated groups (0.01, 0.1, 1 mM). After completion of meiotic maturation, the proportion MII (44 h) was significantly different among control and the H2O2 treated groups (76.8±0.3 vs 69.1±0.4; 0.01 mM, 55.7±1.0; 0.1 mM, 38.2±1.6%; 1 mM, P<0.05). The expressions of ST3GAL5 in H2O2 treated groups were gradually decreased compared with control group. Next, changes of ST3GAL5 expression patterns were detected by using immunofluorescene (IF) staining during preimplantation development until blastocyst. As a result, we confirmed that the expressions of ST3GAL5 in cleaving embryos were gradually decreased (P<0.05) according to the early embryo development progress. Based on these results, we suggest that the ganglioside GM3 was used to the marker as pro-apoptotic factor in porcine oocyte of maturation and early embryo production in vitro, respectively. Furthermore, our findings will be helpful for better understanding the basic mechanism of gangliosides GM3 regulating in oocyte maturation and early embryonic development of porcine in vitro.

• Sung-Kyu Chae(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Hyo-Jin Park(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Jin-Woo Kim(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Jae-Hyun Ahn(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Soo-Yong Park(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Jae-Young Park(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Seul-Gi Yang(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)
• Deog-Bon Koo(Dept. of Biotechnology, College of Engineering, Daegu University, Gyeongsan 38453)