ABSTRACT
Objective: Although stem cell transplantation has beneficial effects on tissue regeneration, but there are still problems such as high cost and safety issues. Since stem cell therapy is largely dependent on paracrine activity, in this study, utilization of transplantation of bone marrow stromal cells [BMSCs]-secretome instead of the cells, into damaged ovaries was evaluated to overcome the limitations of stem cell transplantation
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, BMSCs were cultured and 25-fold concentrated conditioned medium [CM] from BMSCs was prepared. Female rats were injected intraperitoneally with cyclophosphamide [CTX] for 14 days. Then, BMSCs and CM were individually transplanted into bilateral ovaries, and the ovaries were excised after four weeks of treatment. The follicle count was performed using hematoxylin and eosin [H and E] staining and the apoptotic cells were counted using TUNEL assay. Ovarian function was evaluated by monitoring the ability of ovulation and the levels of serum estradiol [E2] and follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH]
Results: Evaluation of the ovarian function and structure showed that results of secretome transplantation were almost similar to those of BMSCs transplantation and there was no significant differences between them
Conclusion: BMSCs-secretome is likely responsible for the therapeutic paracrine effect of BMSCs. Stem cell- secretome is expected to overcome the limitations of stem cell transplantation and become the basis of a novel therapy for ovarian damage
ABSTRACT
Background: Quercetin is a flavonoid with the ability to improve the growth of embryos in vitro, and actinomycin D is an inducer of apoptosis in embryonic cells
Objective: The aim was to evaluate the effect of quercetin on the number of viable and apoptotic cells, the zona pellucida [ZP] thickness and the hatching rate of preimplantation embryos exposed to actinomycin D in mice
Materials and Methods: Two-cell embryos were randomly divided into four groups [Control, Quercetin, actinomycin D, and Quercetin + actinomycin D group]. Blastocysts percentage, hatched blastocysts, and ZP thickness of blastocysts was measured. The number of blastomeres was counted by Hoechst and propidium iodide staining and the apoptotic cells number was counted by TUNEL assay
Results: The results showed that the use of quercetin significantly improved the growth of embryos compared to the control group [p=0.037]. Moreover, quercetin reduced the destructive effects of actinomycin D on the growth of embryos significantly [p=0.026]
Conclusion: quercetin may protect the embryos against actinomycin D so that increases the number of viable cells and decreases the number of apoptotic cells, which can help the expansion of the blastocysts, thinning of the ZP thickness and increasing the hatching rate in mouse embryos
ABSTRACT
Background: Apigenin is a plant-derived compound belonging to the flavonoids category and bears protective effects on different cells. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of apigenin on the number of viable and apoptotic blastomeres, the zona pellucida [ZP] thickness and hatching rate of pre-implantation mouse embryos exposed to H2O2 and actinomycin D
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, 420 two-cell embryos were randomly divided into six groups: i. Control, ii. Apigenin, iii. H2O2, iv. Apigenin+H2O2, v. Actinomycin D, and vi. Apigenin+Actinomycin D. The percentage of blastocysts and hatched blastocysts was calculated. Blastocyst ZP thickness was also measured. In addition, viable blastomeres quantity was counted by Hoechst and propidium iodide staining and the number of apoptotic blastomeres was counted by TUNEL assay
Results: The results of viable and apoptotic blastomeres quantity, the ZP thickness, and the percentage of blastocysts and hatched blastocysts were significantly more favorable in the apigenin group, rather than the control group [P<0.05]. The results of the apigenin+H2O2 group were significantly more favorable than the H2O2 group [P<0.05]; and the results of apigenin+actinomycin D group were significantly more favorable than actinomycin D group [P<0.05]
Conclusion: The results suggest that apigenin may protect mouse embryos against H2O2 and actinomycin D. So that it increases the number of viable blastomeres and decreases the number of apoptotic blastomeres, which may cause expanding the blastocysts, thinning of the ZP thickness and increasing the rate of hatching in mouse embryos
ABSTRACT
Objective: Bone marrow and umbilical cord stromal cells are multipotential stem cells that have the ability to produce growth factors that play an important role in survival and generation of axons. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of the two different mesenchymal stem cells on peripheral nerve regeneration
Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, a 10 mm segment of the left sciatic nerve of male Wistar rats [250-300 g] was removed with a silicone tube interposed into this nerve gap. Bone marrow stromal cells [BMSCs] and human umbilical cord stromal cells [HUCSCs] were respectively obtained from rat and human. The cells were separately cultured and transplanted into the nerve gap. The sciatic nerve regeneration was evaluated by immunohistochemistry, and light and electron microscopy. Moreover, histomorphology of the gastrocnemius muscle was observed
Results: The nerve regeneration in the BMSCs and HUCSCs groups that had received the stem cells was significantly more favorable than the control group. In addition, the BMSCs group was significantly more favorable than the HUCSCs group [P<0.05]
Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that both homograft BMSCs and heterograft HUCSCs may have the potential to regenerate peripheral nerve injury and transplantation of BMSCs may be more effective than HUCSCs in rat
ABSTRACT
Objective: The goal was to evaluate the effect of LC on some indicators of embryo development and blastocyst quality including zona pellucid [ZP] thickness, the hatching of blastocysts and their cell numbers
Materials and Methods: Mouse embryos were randomly divided into five groups and incubated with different concentrations of LC [I; 0, II; 0.5, III; 1, IV; 2 and V; 4 mg/ml] from 2-cell to hatched blastocyst
The percentage of blastocysts and hatched blastocysts was calculated. Blastocysts ZP thickness was measured and the number of blastocyst cells was counted using Hoechst and propidium iodide [PI] staining
Results: The results showed concentration of 0.5 mg/ml of LC had an antioxidant effect as in this group, the percentage of blastocysts and hatched blactocysts [p=0.01], the ZP thickness [p=0.00] and the number of blastocyst inner cell mass were significantly more favorable than the control group [p=0.03]; and concentration of 4 mg/ml of LC had a toxic effect on embryo development and blastocyst quality [p=0.00]
Conclusion: The results suggest that LC may increase the number of blastocyst cells, which probably helps to expand the blastocyst and thinning of the ZP thickness and, therefore, creating a successful hatching for implantation