Folliculogenesis-Associated Genes Expression in Human Vitrified Ovarian Tissue after Xenotransplantation in γ-Irradiated Mice

Nanowarming improves survival of vitrified ovarian tissue and follicular development in a sheep model

Tissue cryopreservation has allowed long term banking of biomaterials in medicine. Ovarian tissue cryopreservation in particular helps patients by extending their fertility window. However, protection against tissue injury during the thawing process has proven to be challenging. This is mainly due to the heterogenous and slow distribution of the thermal energy across the vitrified tissue during a conventional warming process. Nanowarming is a technique that utilizes hyperthermia of magnetic nanoparticles to accelerate this process. Herein, hyperthermia of synthesized PEGylated silica-coated iron oxide nanoparticles was used to deter the injury of cryopreserved ovarian tissue in a sheep model. When compared to the conventional technique, our findings suggest that follicular development and gene expression in tissues warmed by the proposed technique have been improved. In addition, Nanowarming prevented cellular apoptosis and oxidative stress. We therefore conclude that Nanowarming is a potential complementary candidate to increase efficiency in the ovarian cryopreservation field.

Left Ventricular Geometry and Angiogenesis Improvement in Rat Chronic Ischemic Cardiomyopathy following Injection of Encapsulated Mesenchymal Stem Cells

OBJECTIVE

Injection of hydrogel and cells into myocardial infarction (MI) patients is one of the emerging treatment techniques, however, it has some limitations such as a lack of electromechanical properties and neovascularization. We investigated the therapeutic potential of new electroactive hydrogel [reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/Alginate (ALG)] encapsulated human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The experimental study involved ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in rat models of chronic ischemic cardiomyopathy. Echocardiograms were analyzed at 4 and 8 weeks after MI treatment. In the eighth week after injection in the heart, the rats were sacrificed. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed using Hematoxylin and Eosin (H and E) staining, Masson's trichrome staining and anti-CD31 antibody to analyze tissue structure and detect neovascularization.

RESULTS

In comparison to the control and other treatment groups, MSCs encapsulated in rGO-ALG showed significant improvements in fractional shortening (FS), ejection fraction (EF), wall thickness and internal diameters (P<0.05). The morphological observation showed several small blood vessels formed around the transplantation site in all treated groups especially in the MSC-ALG-rGO group 8 weeks after the transplantation. Also, Masson's trichrome staining indicated an increased amount of collagen fibers in rGO-ALG-MSC. Microvessel density was significantly higher using MSC-ALG-rGO compared to controls (P<0.01).

CONCLUSION

This study demonstrates that intramyocardial injection of rGO/ALG, a bio-electroactive hydrogel, is safe for increasing LV function, neovascularization, and adjusting electrical characteristics following MI. The results confirm ALG promising capability as a natural therapeutic for cardiac regeneration.

Rescue of caprine fetal ovaries, vitrification and follicular development after xenotransplantation in two immunodeficient mice models

Domestic and wild goats are very susceptible animals to predation, specially when pregnancy occurs. This study aimed to evaluate the use of goat fetal ovarian tissue for vitrification followed by xenotransplantation and fresh xenotransplantation in two immunosuppressed mice models (C57BL/6 SCID and Balb-C NUDE). Goat fetus ovaries were collected in slaughterhouses, divided into small cortical pieces and were destined for fresh xenotransplantation (FX) and cryopreservation followed by xenotransplantation (CX). Five recipients from each lineage were used for FX and 10 animals from each lineage for CX. The mice were euthanized after 65 postoperative days, and the transplants were collected for microscopic assessment. The blood plasma was collected for estradiol measurement. Independently of mice strain, all recipients presented complete estrus cycle in FX and 80% after CX groups. Follicles were observed at all development stages without morphological changes. The volume density and total vessel surface observed in the transplants were different (p <0.01) between groups. The estradiol levels in the recipients did not differ (p <0.05) among the treatments. Thus, it is possible to activate the preantral follicles in the ovaries of fetuses by optimizing germplasm utilization and conservation of domestic and endangered wild goats that are in predatory situations, undesirable drowning or accidental death, since provided conditions for xenotransplantation are performed.