P-135: Effect of Oxidative Stress on Follicular Growth Using Morphological Criteria

Background: Infertility problem affect more than 15% of young couples in different societies. One of the known causes of ovulation disorder is chemotherapy in patients with cancer. This side effect may last from ten years up to the end of the life. Antioxidents and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are in balance in the body. Oxidative stress is mainly insert their effect through decreasing of cell proliferation and viability. The aim of the present study is to investigate, adverse effect of oxidative stress on folliculogenesis using electron and light microscopy. Materials and Methods: For this purpose, 30 adult female and 5 adult male bulb/c mice were kept in standard condition and divided into 3 groups of experimental, sham and control. In the experimental group, oxidative stress was induced by injection of 2 mmol/kg BSO daily for 2 weeks as IP injection. The sham group was received the solvent of BSO and the control group did not received any. The mice were killed by cervical dislocation. The mice were sacrificed and ovarian specimens were removed, fixed in formaldehyde fixative and 2.5% Glutaraldehide then prepared for light and electronmicroscopic study. Results: light microscopy showed that the ovarian antral follicles was decreased in experimental group and many follicles have abnormal structure with decreased granulosa cellular layers, and electron microscopy revealed that in experimental group several vacuolated or ruptured mitochondria, nuclear chromatin was marginated and condensed with apoptotic cell features. Conclusion: The results indicate that oxidative stress affects ovulation by both cytotoxic effect and decreasing of cell proliferation and differentiation.