title: Isoform 165 of vascular endothelial growth factor in collagen matrix improves ovine cryopreserved ovarian tissue revascularisation after xenotransplantation in mice.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Aggressive anti-cancer treatments can result in ovarian failure. Ovarian cryopreservation has been developed to preserve the fertility of young women, but early graft revascularisation still requires improvement.
  
  
  METHODS
  Frozen/thawed sheep ovarian cortical biopsies were embedded in collagen matrix with or without isoform 165 of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF165) and transplanted into ovaries of immunodeficient mice. Ovaries were chosen as transplantation sites to more closely resemble clinical conditions in which orthotopic transplantation has previously allowed several spontaneous pregnancies.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that VEGF165 significantly increased the number of Dextran-FITC positive functional vessels 3 days after grafting. Dextran- fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) positive vessels were detectable in 53% and 29% of the mice in the VEGF-treated and control groups, respectively. Among these positive fragments, 50% in the treated group displayed mature smooth-muscle-actin-alpha (alpha-SMA) positive functional vessels compared with 0% in the control group. CD31 positive murine blood vessels were observed in 40% of the VEGF165 transplants compared with 21% of the controls. After 3 weeks, the density of murine vessels was significantly higher in the VEGF165 group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The encapsulation of ovarian tissue in collagen matrix in the presence of VEGF165 before grafting has a positive effect on functional blood vessel recruitment. It can be considered as a useful technique to be improved and further developed before human clinical applications in female cancer patients in the context of fertility preservation.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. laurie.henry@ulg.ac.be.|Department of Gynecology, University of Liège, Boulevard du XIIème de Ligne, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. laurie.henry@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Henry
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. soraya.labied@chrcitadelle.be.|Department of Gynecology, University of Liège, Boulevard du XIIème de Ligne, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. soraya.labied@chrcitadelle.be.
authors.forename: Soraya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Labied
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. mfransolet@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Maïté
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fransolet
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Integrated Research Unit, University of Namur, Rue de Bruxelles 61, B-5000, Namur, Belgium. nathalie.kirschvink@fundp.ac.be.
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kirschvink
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. silvia.blacher@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blacher
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. agnes.noel@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Agnès
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Noel
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. jmfoidart@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Foidart
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. michelle.nisolle@chu.ulg.ac.be.|Department of Gynecology, University of Liège, Boulevard du XIIème de Ligne, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. michelle.nisolle@chu.ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Nisolle
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Tumor and Development Biology, Groupe Interdisciplinaire de Génoprotéomique Appliquée (GIGA-R), University of Liège (B23) Sart-Tilman, B-4000, Liège, Belgium. c.munaut@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Carine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Munaut
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003094:Collagen; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000145:classification / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000379:methods*; D051379:Mice; D016513:Mice, SCID; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D010053:Ovary / Q000098:blood supply / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation*; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000378:metabolism; D012756:Sheep; D046509:Tissue Culture Techniques; D014183:Transplantation, Heterologous; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D020033:Protein Isoforms; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; D003094:Collagen