Regulation of meiotic prophase arrest in mouse oocytes by GPR3, a constitutive activator of the G(s) G protein

The arrest of meiotic prophase in mouse oocytes within antral follicles requires the G protein G(s) and an orphan member of the G protein-coupled receptor family, GPR3. To determine whether GPR3 activates G(s), the localization of G(alpha s) in follicle-enclosed oocytes from Gpr3(+/+) and Gpr3(-/-) mice was compared by using immunofluorescence and G(alpha s) GFP. GPR3 decreased the ratio of G(alpha s) in the oocyte plasma membrane versus the cytoplasm and also decreased the amount of G(alpha s) in the oocyte. Both of these properties indicate that GPR3 activates G(s). The follicle cells around the oocyte are also necessary to keep the oocyte in prophase, suggesting that they might activate GPR3. However, GPR3-dependent G(s) activity was similar in follicle-enclosed and follicle-free oocytes. Thus, the maintenance of prophase arrest depends on the constitutive activity of GPR3 in the oocyte, and the follicle cell signal acts by a means other than increasing GPR3 activity.