title: Ovarian function is restored after grafting of cryopreserved immature ovary in ewes.
abstract: As a result of advances in medical treatment, almost 80% of children who are diagnosed with cancer survive long-term. The adverse consequences of cancer treatments include impaired puberty and fertility. In prepubertal girls, the only therapeutic option is the cryopreservation of an ovary. To date, a dozen births have been reported after reimplantation of cryopreserved mature ovaries. To analyze ovarian function after immature grafts, we performed ovarian grafting in a ewe model. Fresh or cryopreserved ovaries from immature ewes were autografted in prepubertal or adult ewes. Cyclic hormonal activity was recovered 3 mo after grafting. Histological analysis demonstrated the presence of all follicle populations and corpora lutea not affected by cryopreservation. After 3 reproductive seasons, births had been observed in all groups, and the follicle-stimulating hormone status was under the limit, which indicated an exhausted ovary. As an indicator of potential imprinting default, the methylation status of the Igf2r gene was analyzed and did not show significant alteration compared with that of nonmanipulated animals. Taken together, these results demonstrate that immature ovarian grafting is able to restore spontaneous puberty and fertility and could guide the reimplantation of immature cortex in women.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de Santé et de Recherche Médicale (INSERM) U693, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France.
authors.forename: Frédérique
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sauvat
authors.forename: Justine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouilly
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Capito
authors.forename: Annick
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lefèvre
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Blachère
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Borenstein
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sarnacki
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dandolo
authors.forename: Nadine
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Binart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology*; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000637:transplantation*; D010053:Ovary / Q000502:physiology / Q000637:transplantation*; D012756:Sheep; D014182:Transplantation, Autologous / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone