Is caspase inhibition a valid therapeutic strategy in cryopreservation of ovarian tissue?
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to determine whether inclusion of caspase inhibitor can improve the efficacy of cryopreservation of ovarian tissue.


METHODS
Mice were randomly assigned to the Group A (fresh control group) Group B (inclusion of caspase inhibitor) and Group C (non-inclusion of caspase inhibitor). Ovarian tissue in Group B and Group C was vitrified-thawed. TUNEL assay and Bax protein detection were measured after cryopreservation. The mice in all groups received autotransplantation. The number of days before the resumption of estrous cycles was measured daily from the 5th day after surgery, and the percentage of cells expressing PCNA in grafts was measured one month following transplantation.


RESULTS
The incidence of TUNEL positive follicles in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group C. Similarly, the percentage of follicles expressing Bax protein in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group C. The number of days before the resumption of estrous cycles in Group B was significantly less than that in Group C. In addition, the percentage of follicular and stromal cells expressing PCNA of grafts in Group B was significantly higher than that in Group C.


CONCLUSIONS
The global caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK decreases the incidence of apoptosis of ovarian tissue induced by cryopreservation, and inclusion of caspase inhibitor improves the efficacy of cryopreservation of ovarian tissue.
Zhang
Jian-Min
JM
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200080, China.
Li
Lin-Xia
LX
Yang
Yi-Xia
YX
Liu
Xue-Lian
XL
Wan
Xiao-Ping
XP
D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003470:Culture Media; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen / Q000378:metabolism; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
D000590:Amino Acid Chloromethyl Ketones; C494827:Bax protein, mouse; D061945:Caspase Inhibitors; D003470:Culture Media; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D018809:Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; C096713:benzyloxycarbonylvalyl-alanyl-aspartyl fluoromethyl ketone
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