l-Carnitine improves follicular survival and function in ovarian grafts in the mouse
Khadijeh Sanamiri
A , Malek Soleimani Mehranjani A * , Maryam Shahhoseini B and Mohammad Ali Shariatzadeh A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran.
B Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran.
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 34(10) 713-721 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD21287
Published online: 3 May 2022
© 2022 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
Context: Ovarian tissue transplantation is performed to preserve fertility in patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the ischemia-reperfusion injury which occurs after the ovarian tissue transplantation causes follicular depletion and apoptosis. l-Carnitine has antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties.
Aims: Therefore, we aimed to investigate the beneficial effect of l-carnitine on mouse ovaries following heterotopic autotransplantation.
Methods: Mice were randomly divided into three groups (six mice per group): control, autografted and autografted + l-carnitine (200 mg/kg daily intraperitoneal injections). Seven days after ovary autografting, the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 were measured. Ovary histology, serum concentrations of progesterone and estradiol were also measured 28 days after autotransplantation. Data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey test, and the means were considered significantly different at P < 0.05.
Key results: In the autografted + l-carnitine group, the total volume of the ovary, the volume of the cortex, the number of follicles, the serum concentrations of IL-10, estradiol and progesterone significantly increased compared to the autografted group. In the autografted + l-carnitine group, serum concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α and MDA were significantly decreased compared to the autografted group.
Conclusions: Our results indicated that l-carnitine can ameliorate the consequences of ischemia-reperfusion on the mice ovarian tissue following autotransplantation.
Implications: l-carnitine improves the structure and function of transplanted ovaries.
Keywords: folliculogenesis, inflammation, ischemia–reperfusion, L-carnitine, mouse, ovary transplantation, oxidative stress, stereology.
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