Engineered endothelium provides angiogenic and paracrine stimulus to grafted human ovarian tissue

Sci Rep. 2017 Aug 15;7(1):8203. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-08491-z.

Abstract

Despite major advances in tissue cryopreservation and auto-transplantation, reperfusion ischemia and hypoxia have been reported as major obstacles to successful recovery of the follicular pool within grafted ovarian tissue. We demonstrate a benefit to follicular survival and function in human ovarian tissue that is co-transplanted with exogenous endothelial cells (ExEC). ExECs were capable of forming functionally perfused vessels at the host/graft interface and increased both viability and follicular volume in ExEC-assisted grafts with resumption of antral follicle development in long-term grafts. ExECs that were engineered to constitutively express anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) induced a greater proportion of quiescent primordial follicles than control ExECs, indicating suppression of premature mobilization that has been noted in the context of ovarian tissue transplantation. These findings present a cell-based strategy that combines accelerated perfusion with direct paracrine delivery of a bioactive payload to transplanted ovarian tissue.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Animals
  • Biomarkers
  • Child
  • Cryopreservation
  • Endothelial Cells / metabolism*
  • Endothelium / metabolism*
  • Female
  • Fertility Preservation
  • Fluorescent Antibody Technique
  • Graft Survival
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic*
  • Ovary / physiology*
  • Paracrine Communication*
  • Tissue Engineering*
  • Transplants
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Biomarkers