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Li B, Wang W, Huang Y, Han L, Li J, Zheng N, Wu Z, Zhang X, Li X, Deng L, Lin M, Chen X, Zhang M. Lithium treatment promotes the activation of primordial follicles through PI3K/Akt signaling. Biol Reprod 2022; 107:1059-1071. [PMID: 35871551 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioac150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2021] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In mammals, dormant primordial follicles represent the ovarian reserve throughout reproductive life. In vitro activation of dormant primordial follicles has been used to treat patients with premature ovarian insufficiency (POI). However, there remains a lack of effective strategies to stimulate follicle activation in vivo. In this study, we used an in vitro ovarian culture system and intraperitoneal injection to study the effect of lithium treatment on primordial follicle activation. Lithium increased the number of growing follicles in cultured mouse ovaries and promoted pre-granulosa cell proliferation. Furthermore, lithium significantly increased the levels of phosphorylated protein kinase B (Akt) and the number of oocytes with forkhead Box O3a (FOXO3a) nuclear export. Inhibition of the phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway by LY294002 reversed lithium-promoted mouse primordial follicle activation. These results suggest that lithium promotes mouse primordial follicle activation by the PI3K/Akt signaling. Lithium also promoted primordial follicle activation and increased the levels of p-Akt in mouse ovaries in vivo and in human ovarian tissue cultured in vitro. Taken together, lithium promotes primordial follicle activation in mice and humans by the PI3K/Akt signaling. Lithium might be a potential oral drug for treating infertility in POI patients with residual dormant primordial follicles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Biao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology , College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 , China
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Weiyong Wang
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Yingying Huang
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Lincheng Han
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology , College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 , China
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Nana Zheng
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology , College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 , China
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Zhanying Wu
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology , College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 , China
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Xiaodan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory for Agrobiotechnology , College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193 , China
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
| | - Xuelan Li
- The Center for Reproductive Medicine , Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan 528300, Guangdong , China
| | - Ling Deng
- The Center for Reproductive Medicine , Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan 528300, Guangdong , China
| | - Min Lin
- The Center for Reproductive Medicine , Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan 528300, Guangdong , China
| | - Xin Chen
- The Center for Reproductive Medicine , Shunde Hospital, Southern Medical University (The First People's Hospital of Shunde), Foshan 528300, Guangdong , China
| | - Meijia Zhang
- Division of Cell , Developmental and Integrative Biology, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006 , China
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