Effects of melatonin on morphology and development of primordial follicles during in vitro culture of bovine ovarian tissue

2019 ◽  
Vol 54 (12) ◽  
pp. 1567-1573 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara N. Cavalcante ◽  
Bruno G. Matos‐Brito ◽  
Lais R. F. M. Paulino ◽  
Bianca R. Silva ◽  
Antonio Wesley Melo Aguiar ◽  
...  
2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 259
Author(s):  
E. R. Andrade ◽  
R. van den Hurk ◽  
L. A. Lisboa ◽  
M. F. Hertel ◽  
F. A. Melo-Sterza ◽  
...  

The mechanisms that regulate the gradual exit of ovarian follicles from the nongrowing, primordial pool are poorly understood. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of adding ascorbic acid to the media for in vitro culture of cattle ovarian fragments and to determine the effects of this addition on the growth activation and viability of preantral follicles. The ovarian cortex was divided into small fragments; 1 fragment was immediately fixed in Bouin’s solution (control). The other fragments were cultured for 2, 4, 6, or 8 days on culture plates in minimum essential medium (MEM) supplemented with insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS), pyruvate, glutamine, hypoxantine, BSA, and antibiotics (MEM+) or in MEM+ plus ascorbic acid (5, 25, 50, 100, or 200 μg mL-1). Ovarian tissue was processed for classical histology, TEM, and immunohistochemical demonstration of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Preantral follicles were classified according to their development stage (primordial, intermediate, primary, and secondary) and on the basis of morphological features (normal or degenerated). Pair-wise comparisons were done using Tukey’s procedure. Chi-square test was used to compare percentages of follicles with PCNA-positive granulosa cells. All analyses were done with Statistical Analysis System (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA); P ≤ 0.05 was considered significant. Compared with control fragments, the percentage of primordial follicles was reduced (P ≤ 0.05) and the percentage of growing follicles was increased (P ≤ 0.05) in cultured cortical fragments, independent of the tested medium or incubation time. Furthermore, compared with control tissue, culture of ovarian cortex for 8 days reduced the percentages of healthy, viable follicles (P ≤0.05), but not when cultures were supplemented with 25, 50, and 100 μg mL-1 of ascorbic acid. Ultrastructural and immunohistochemical analysis of ovarian cortical fragments cultured for 8 days, however, showed the integrity and viability of follicles only when fragments were cultured in the presence of 50 μg mL-1 of ascorbic acid. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that addition of ascorbic acid to MEM at a concentration of 50 μg mL-1 not only stimulates the activation and subsequent growth of cattle primordial follicles that are cultured in vitro for 8 days but also safeguards the viability of these preantral follicles. E. R. Andrade and A. A. Alfieri are recipients of the PRODOC/CAPES fellowship.


2016 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 193
Author(s):  
A. Seisenbayeva ◽  
Y. Toishibekov ◽  
U. Iglmanov ◽  
B. Valiyeva ◽  
B. Katubayeva

Today, ovarian tissue cryopreservation is used for preserving the reproductive function of women, as well as the genetic material of rare and endangered species or domestic animals breeds. In the last 20 years genetic diversity of farm animals breeds suffered considerable losses in Kazakhstan; therefore, genetic preservation of valuable local breeds is desirable. The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of different in vitro culture media on morphology of ovine ovarian tissue cryopreserved by a slow-freezing protocol with 1.5 M dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Ovaries were collected from indigenous Chuyi breed and immediately transported to the laboratory at 30°C within 1 h. Ovaries were rinsed several times in PBS supplemented with antibiotics (75 mg L–1 of penicillin-G, 50 mg L–1 of streptomycin sulfate). In Hepes-buffered medium 199, halved and the medulla removed with curved iris. Using a scalpel, the cortex was cut into 5- × 3- × 1-mm strips. Ovarian strips were equilibrated sequentially in freezing medium containing 0.25, 0.75, and 1.5 M DMSO with 0.5 M sucrose (5 min each). Then, ovarian strips were frozen in plastic straws using a programmable freezer Planer Kryo-360 3,3 (Planer, UK) and cooled as follows: stabilised at 20°C for 5 min, cooled from 20°C to –70°C at 5°C min–1, seeded to the temperature –7°C, cooled again to –30°C at 0.3°C min–1, cooled to –150°C at 35°C min–1, and finally plunged into liquid nitrogen and stored for 10 days. The straws were thawed at room temperature for 1 min, and then immersed in a water bath at 37°C for 2 min, warmed at room temperature with Dulbecco’s PBS (DPBS), supplemented with 10% FCS and 0.75 M sucrose (15 min), then DPBS + 10% FCS (30 min), and finally placed in the culture media for 10 min. Fresh and frozen tissue pieces were randomly distributed into 12 groups for further culture: 1) TCM 199 + 10% FBS; 2) TCM 199 + 10% native ovine serum (NOS); 3) TCM-Hepes + 10% FBS; 4) TCM-Hepes + 10% NOS; 5) DMEM + 10% FBS; 6) DMEM + 10% NOS; with and without 7.5 mg mL–1 of FSH. After 7 days of culture, the effects of different culture media on ovarian tissue morphology was evaluated by light microscopy after hematoxylin and eosin staining of tissue sections. The best result was observed when frozen ovarian tissue was cultured in the presence of FSH. The best result was observed in group 3 and 4 with FSH. The percentages of normal primordial, primary, and preantral follicles were: 1) TCM 199 + 10% FBS + FSH = 53.5 ± 3.1, 39.7 ± 3.8a, 28.5 ± 3.2; 2) TCM 199 + 10% NOS + FSH = 49.4 ± 2.3a, 36.7 ± 3.3a, 25.3 ± 4.1; 3) TCM-Hepes + 10% FBS + FSH = 66.3 ± 2.5, 45.7 ± 3.9, 35.1 ± 3.8; 4) TCM-Hepes + 10% NOS + FSH = 86.5 ± 3.8b, 75.4 ± 4.2b, 45.7 ± 3.5; 5) DMEM + 10% FBS + FSH = 42.1 ± 3.5a, 33.7 ± 2.9a, 21.3 ± 4.9, 20.7 ± 3.9; 6) DMEM + 10% NOS + FSH = 41.3 ± 3.9a, 32.9 ± 2.5a; control group = 98.2 ± 1.1, 93.7 ± 1.7, 90.3 ± 1.9 (ab, P < 0.01). The majority of follicles in groups without FSH were degenerated. In group 4) TCM-Hepes + 10% NOS without FSH, a damaged structure of primordial follicles was observed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 318 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. A. Lisboa ◽  
E. R. Andrade ◽  
M. F. Hertel ◽  
F. A. Melo-Sterza ◽  
K. Moreno ◽  
...  

The development of culture systems to support the initiation of growth of primordial follicles is important to the study of the factors that control the earliest stages of folliculogenesis. The aims of the present study were to investigate the effects of α-tocopherol on survival, activation, and growth of cattle preantral follicles using histological and immunohistochemistry proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) studies. The ovarian cortex was divided into small fragments; one fragment was immediately fixed in Bouin (control). The other fragments were cultured for 2, 4, 6, or 8 d in culture plates with Minimum Essential Medium supplemented with insulin-transferrin-selenium (ITS), pyruvate, glutamine, hypoxanthine, BSA, and antibiotics (MEM+); and MEM+ plus α-tocopherol (5, 25, 50, 100, or 200 ng mL-1). Preantral follicles were classified according to their developmental stage (primordial, intermediate, primary, or secondary) and on the basis of morphological features (normal or degenerated). Pair-wise comparisons were done using Tukey’s procedure. Chi-square test was used to compare the percentage of follicles with PCNA-positive granulosa cells. All analyses were done with the SAS software (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA), and P < 0.05 was considered significant. The results showed that, compared with non-cultured cortical tissue (Day 0), the culture of ovarian tissue significantly reduced (P < 0.05) the percentage of normal follicles in all media tested, except for tissue cultured in the presence of 200 ng mL-1 of a-tocopherol. Furthermore, in all media tested, the percentage of primordial follicles was significantly reduced (P < 0.05), with a concomitant increase in the percentage of developing follicles. The highest percentage of secondary follicles was observed after 6 days of culture in MEM plus 200 ng mL-1 of a-tocopherol. The PCNA analysis confirmed the viability of follicles cultured with 200 ng mL-1 of a-tocopherol after 6 d. After 8 days of in vitro culture, we observed severe follicular degeneration in all media tested, suggesting that other supplements are recommended for longer periods of culture. In conclusion, the results of the present study indicate that 200 ng mL-1 of a-tocopherol maintains the survival of cattle preantral follicles and promotes activation of primordial follicles after 6 days of in vitro culture. Financial support: L. A. Lisboa is a recipient of CAPES support; E. R. Andrade and A. A. Alfieri are recipients of PRODOC/CAPES fellowships.


2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carmen Terren ◽  
Michelle Nisolle ◽  
Carine Munaut

Abstract Background Cryopreservation and transplantation of ovarian tissue (OTCTP) represent a promising fertility preservation technique for prepubertal patients or for patients requiring urgent oncological management. However, a major obstacle of this technique is follicle loss due to, among others, accelerated recruitment of primordial follicles during the transplantation process, leading to follicular reserve loss in the graft and thereby potentially reducing its lifespan. This study aimed to assess how cryopreservation itself impacts follicle activation. Results Western blot analysis of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt and mTOR signalling pathways showed that they were activated in mature or juvenile slow-frozen murine ovaries compared to control fresh ovaries. The use of pharmacological inhibitors of follicle signalling pathways during the cryopreservation process decreased cryopreservation-induced follicle recruitment. The second aim of this study was to use in vitro organotypic culture of cryopreserved ovaries and to test pharmacological inhibitors of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt and mTOR pathways. In vitro organotypic culture-induced activation of the PI3K/PTEN/Akt pathway is counteracted by cryopreservation with rapamycin and in vitro culture in the presence of LY294002. These results were confirmed by follicle density quantifications. Indeed, follicle development is affected by in vitro organotypic culture, and PI3K/PTEN/Akt and mTOR pharmacological inhibitors preserve primordial follicle reserve. Conclusions Our findings support the hypothesis that inhibitors of mTOR and PI3K might be an attractive tool to delay primordial follicle activation induced by cryopreservation and culture, thus preserving the ovarian reserve while retaining follicles in a functionally integrated state.


2019 ◽  
Vol 171 ◽  
pp. 82-86
Author(s):  
A.S. Seisenbayeva ◽  
V. Isachenko ◽  
Y.A. Assanova ◽  
X.X. Du ◽  
D.Y. Toishybek ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
C De Roo ◽  
S Lierman ◽  
K Tilleman ◽  
P De Sutter

Abstract STUDY QUESTION What is the role of the Hippo and PI3K/Akt pathway in follicles during ovarian tissue culture in tissue derived from oncological patients and transgender men? SUMMARY ANSWER Results highlight a Hippo pathway driven primordial follicle activation in vitro, predominantly from Day 0 to Day 4. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY In-vitro ovarian tissue culture aims at activating and maturing primordial follicles for fertility restoration in patients with a threatened ovarian reserve. Not all patients are eligible for ovarian cortex transplantation and therefore several groups are attempting to culture ovarian tissue in-vitro. Cortex fragmentation disrupts the Hippo pathway, leading to increased expression of downstream growth factors and follicle growth. The PI3K/Akt pathway is considered the intracellular pathway to where different extracellular factors involved in primordial follicle activation in-vivo converge. In order to optimise current ovarian tissue culture models, information on progression of these pathways during tissue culture is mandatory. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION The first step of a multistep cortex culture system was performed using 144 ovarian cortex pieces from a total of six patients. Per patient, 24 cortical strips were cultured for 6 days and six pieces per patient were collected for downstream analysis of follicle development and Hippo and PI3K/Akt pathway targets every second day. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS Ovarian tissue was obtained from oncological (N = 3; 28.67 ± 4.51 years) and transgender (N = 3; 23.33 ± 1.53 years) patients. Follicles were analysed using haematoxylin-eosin staining and pathways were studied using immunohistochemistry and precise follicle excision by laser capture micro-dissection for RT-qPCR analysis. MIQE guidelines for RT-qPCR were pursued. Reference gene selection (GAPDH, RPL3A, 18s rRNA) was performed using GeNorm Reference Gene Selection Kit. Statistical analysis was conducted with IBM SPSS Statistics 23 (Poisson regression, negative binomial regression, ANOVA and paired t-test). MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed a Hippo pathway driven primordial follicle activation due to mechanical manipulation of the cortical strips. Ovarian tissue preparation and culture induced the inhibitory phosphorylated Yes-associated protein (pYAP) to disappear in granulosa cells of primordial follicles on Day 2. The stimulatory YAP on the contrary appeared in primordial granulosa cells over increasing culture days. Looking at the YAP target connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), a significantly up-regulated CTGF was noted in primordial follicles when comparing Day 2 and Day 4 (ratio Day 2/4 = 0.082; P &lt; 0.05), clearly showing an effect on the Hippo pathway in primordial follicles during tissue culture. Follicle classification showed a significant drop in estimated primordial follicle counts in the oncological cohort (−78%; P = 0.021) on Day 2 and in the transgender cohort on Day 4 (−634%; P = 0.008). Intermediate follicle counts showed a non-significant increasing trend to during culture and this follicle recruitment and growth resulted in a significant rise in estimated primary follicle counts on Day 6 in oncological patients (170%; P = 0.025) and, although limited in absolute numbers, a significant increase in secondary follicles on Day 4 (367%; P = 0.021) in the transgender cohort. Subsequent antral follicle development could not be observed. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION A limitation is the small sample size, inherent to this study subject, especially as a large amount of tissue was needed per patient to reduce inter-patient variation in different downstream analysis techniques. A particular and specific weakness of this study is the inability to include an age-matched control group. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS These findings support an adapted tissue preparation for Hippo pathway disruption and a shorter first phase of tissue culture. This work may also have implications for transplantation of cryopreserved tissue as larger strips (and thus slower burnout due to less Hippo pathway disruption) could be a benefit. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) This research was financially supported by the Foundation Against Cancer (Stichting tegen Kanker, TBMT001816N), the Flemish Foundation of Scientific Research (FWO Vlaanderen, FWO G0.065.11N10) and the Gender Identity Research and Education Society (GIRES) foundation. The authors declare no competing interests. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER N/A.


2018 ◽  
Vol 110 (7) ◽  
pp. 1356-1366 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vincenza Barbato ◽  
Roberto Gualtieri ◽  
Teresa Capriglione ◽  
Maria Michela Pallotta ◽  
Sabrina Braun ◽  
...  

Reproduction ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. F59-F73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anamaria C Herta ◽  
Francesca Lolicato ◽  
Johan E J Smitz

The currently available assisted reproduction techniques for fertility preservation (i.e.in vitromaturation (IVM) andin vitrofertilization) are insufficient as stand-alone procedures as only few reproductive cells can be conserved with these techniques. Oocytes in primordial follicles are well suited to survive the cryopreservation procedure and of use as valuable starting material for fertilization, on the condition that these could be grown up to fully matured oocytes. Our understanding of the biological mechanisms directing primordial follicle activation has increased over the last years and this knowledge has paved the way toward clinical applications. New multistepin vitrosystems are making use of purified precursor cells and extracellular matrix components and by applying bio-printing technologies, an adequate follicular niche can be built. IVM of human oocytes is clinically applied in patients with polycystic ovary/polycystic ovary syndrome; related knowhow could become useful for fertility preservation and for patients with maturation failure and follicle-stimulating hormone resistance. The expectations from the research on human ovarian tissue and immature oocytes cultures, in combination with the improved vitrification methods, are high as these technologies can offer realistic potential for fertility preservation.


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