Autophagy phenomenon in mice ovaries following transplantation

Ovarian cryopreservation and transplantation is a fertility preservation option, but a majority of follicles were lost due to grafting process. Accelerated activation of primordial follicle and follicle apoptosis are responsible for follicle depletion following grafting. Since apoptosis and autophagy share common up-stream signals, and cell switches between apoptosis and autophagy, the aim of this study was to investigate whether autophagy took place in ovaries following transplantation. Transmission electron microscopy and immunofluorescence were used to detect autophagic changes in grafted mice ovaries. Results shown that autophagosomes increased rapidly at 2 days following ovarian transplantation in granulosa cells of growing follicles, and stromal cells. The study indicated that autophagy is actively involved during ovarian grafting. Manipulation of autophagy might provide another way to improve ovarian reserved during grafting.(c) 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.