Pretreatment with Lycopene Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells

Human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been used in cell-based therapy to promote revascularization after peripheral or myocardial ischemia. High levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in the senescence and apoptosis of MSCs, causing defective neovascularization. Here, we examined the effect of the natural antioxidant lycopene on oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in MSCs. Although H2O2 (200 muM) increased intracellular ROS levels in human MSCs, lycopene (10 muM) pretreatment suppressed H2O2-induced ROS generation and increased survival. H2O2-induced ROS increased the levels of phosphorylated p38 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK), Jun-N-terminal kinase (JNK), ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM), and p53, which were inhibited by lycopene pretreatment. Furthermore, lycopene pretreatment decreased the expression of cleaved poly (ADP ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) and caspase-3 and increased the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), which were induced by H2O2 treatment. Moreover, lycopene significantly increased manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) expression and decreased cellular ROS levels via the PI3K-Akt pathway. Our findings show that lycopene pretreatment prevents ischemic injury by suppressing apoptosis-associated signal pathway and enhancing anti-oxidant protein, suggesting that lycopene could be developed as a beneficial broad-spectrum agent for the successful MSC transplantation in ischemic diseases.

Effect of Hysterectomy on Conserved Ovarian Function

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of premenopausal Total Abdominal Hysterectomy (TAH) on the function of the remaining ovaries by reviewing the menopausal age in TAH treated patients. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 510 women who had previously undergone TAH, either with or without unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, due to benign disease at the department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, between Jan 1989 and Dec 1992. Out of the 510 women, the 94 who were throughly followed up were included in the study, and their menopausal age based on patient symptoms was compared to that of the control group. The mean menopausal age in TAH treated patients was significantly lower than that of the control group (P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between age at operation and menopausal age. From this study, we could conclude that TAH accelerated ovarian dysfunction, and that the younger the patient was at the time of operation, the earlier the onset of menopause. It is hence apparent that women treated with TAH are at risk of early menopause and should receive adequate hormone replacement therapy.

Effect of Hysterectomy on conserved Ovarian function / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of premenopausal total abdominal hysterectomy (TAH) on the function of remaining ovaries by reviewing the menopausal age in patients treated with total abdominal hysterectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of 510 women previously treated with TAH or TAH with unilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (USO) due to benign disease at the department of Obstetric and Gynecology, Yonsei University College of Medicine, between Jan, 1989 and Dec, 1992. Out of 510 women, 94 women who were thoroughly follwed up were included in the study, and their meopausal age based on patients symptoms were compared to those of the control group. RESULT: Mean menopausal age in patients treated with TAH was 46.3+/-3.0 years and in the normal control group was 49.1+/-3.2 years. The mean age of menopause was significantly lowered in patients treated with TAH/TAH with USO (P< 0.001). There was positive correlation between age at operation and menopausal age. CONCLUSION: According to this study, TAH accelerated ovarian dysfunction, and younger the patient is at the time of operation, earlier the menopause. Therefore, woman treated with TAH is at risk of early menopause and should receive adequate hormone replacement therapy.