Scientists have presented new research at the 71st Annual Meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine which shows that adult stem cells restore function to ovaries in mice.
Researchers restored ovarian function in mice who had chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure with an injection of stem cells directly into the ovaries. Two groups of mice received drugs that led to ovarian failure, then one group were injected with human bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), while the other group was injected with saline.
One week after the procedure, the mice who had received the stem cells were shown to have improved estrogenic function. A fortnight after the stem cell transplant, those mice were gaining weight and mass in their oestrogen-dependent organs including the uterus and liver. The number of follicles in their uterus increased and blood tests showed an improvement in ovarian function compared to the other group of mice.
Researchers used immunohistochemistry to examine hormone levels in the ovaries of treated mice. Cell tracking studies confirmed that the number of ovarian follicles increased in mice who had received the stem cells. The mice were later bred, with higher levels of pregnancies and pups per litter being recorded in mice who had the stem cell treatment.
Owen Davis, MD, President of ASRM, said of the results “If this experimental treatment can be translated to women who have lost ovarian function from chemotherapy, it will be a great advance. Restoring ovarian hormone production, follicle development and fertility to chemotherapy patients is a potential new application for bone marrow donation that could help many women.”
Research showing that adult stem cells restore function to ovaries in mice is a critical step forward to developing a treatment that helps women to regain their fertility after cancer treatments.
Source: Adult Stem Cells Restore Function to Ovaries Damaged by Chemotherapy
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