title: Hydrogen-rich Water Exerting a Protective Effect on Ovarian Reserve Function in a Mouse Model of Immune Premature Ovarian Failure Induced by Zona Pellucida 3.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Premature ovarian failure (POF) is a disease that affects female fertility but has few effective treatments. Ovarian reserve function plays an important role in female fertility. Recent studies have reported that hydrogen can protect male fertility. Therefore, we explored the potential protective effect of hydrogen-rich water on ovarian reserve function through a mouse immune POF model.
  
  
  METHODS
  To set up immune POF model, fifty female BALB/c mice were randomly divided into four groups: Control (mice consumed normal water, n = 10), hydrogen (mice consumed hydrogen-rich water, n = 10), model (mice were immunized with zona pellucida glycoprotein 3 [ZP3] and consumed normal water, n = 15), and model-hydrogen (mice were immunized with ZP3 and consumed hydrogen-rich water, n = 15) groups. After 5 weeks, mice were sacrificed. Serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels, granulosa cell (GC) apoptotic index (AI), B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), and BCL2-associated X protein (Bax) expression were examined. Analyses were performed using SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Immune POF model, model group exhibited markedly reduced serum AMH levels compared with those of the control group (5.41 ± 0.91 ng/ml vs. 16.23 ± 1.97 ng/ml, P = 0.033) and the hydrogen group (19.65 ± 7.82 ng/ml, P = 0.006). The model-hydrogen group displayed significantly higher AMH concentrations compared with that of the model group (15.03 ± 2.75 ng/ml vs. 5.41 ± 0.91 ng/ml, P = 0.021). The GC AI was significantly higher in the model group (21.30 ± 1.74%) than those in the control (7.06 ± 0.27%), hydrogen (5.17 ± 0.41%), and model-hydrogen groups (11.24 ± 0.58%) (all P < 0.001). The GC AI was significantly higher in the model-hydrogen group compared with that of the hydrogen group (11.24 ± 0.58% vs. 5.17 ± 0.41%, P = 0.021). Compared with those of the model group, ovarian tissue Bcl-2 levels increased (2.18 ± 0.30 vs. 3.01 ± 0.33, P = 0.045) and the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio decreased in the model-hydrogen group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hydrogen-rich water may improve serum AMH levels and reduce ovarian GC apoptosis in a mouse immune POF model induced by ZP3.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Xin
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Shu-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Cheng-Hong
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Tong
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Chan-Wei
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Center, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100026, China.
authors.forename: Yan-Min
authors.initials: YM
authors.lastname: Ma
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone / Q000097:blood; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006107:Granulosa Cells / Q000166:cytology; D006859:Hydrogen / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D065851:Ovarian Reserve / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D016649:Primary Ovarian Insufficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D014867:Water / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D014867:Water; D006859:Hydrogen; D054304:Anti-Mullerian Hormone