O-7: Study of Structure and Follicular Maturation,Angiogenic and Apoptotic Genes Expression of Rat Ovarian Tissue After Vitrification and Autotransplantation

Background: Ovarian tissue cryopreservation and autotransplantation is the only fertility preservation way for prepubertal girls and situations that cytotoxic treatment is urgent. Materials and Methods: The ovaries of premature (5 weeks old) rats were autografted under cervical skin after vitrification. 3 weeks later, transplanted ovaries were removed from the body and structure of ovary, expression changes of follicular maturation, apoptotic and angiogenic genes were investigated. Also the level of gonadotropins (LH and FSH) and steroid hormones (estradiol, progesterone and testosterone) were evaluated in blood serum. Finally, caspase-3 protein expression was studied with immunohistochemistry. Results: This study has shown that fresh and vitrified rat ovaries display restoration of hormonal cycle and ovarian function after autotransplantation. Primordial follicles in both of the fresh and vitrified ovaries can recruit and develop to maturation stage during autotransplantation in cervical subcutaneous region. Also the results showed autotransplantation of vitrified-warmed rat ovaries may survive follicles in an optimum survival rate (74.32%). Conclusion: VIV group (combination of EG + DMSO with sucrose) due to the better primordial follicular preservation and more survivability is still better suited for vitrification of whole ovarian tissue of rats. Both of the fresh and vitrified primordial follicles can recruit and develop to maturation stage under skin of the cervical region. Also this study has shown that fresh and vitrified rat ovaries display restoration of hormonal cycle and ovarian function after transplantation but not close to control group.