Follicle survival and oxidative stress in human ovarian tissue xenografts following oral antioxidant treatment: NAC and FERTILIX

OBJECTIVE: To improve ovarian tissue transplantation effectiveness by limiting oxidative stress after transplantation, thus increasing follicle survival. DESIGN: Experimental laboratory-controlled study. Immunodeficient mice were transplanted with frozen-thawed human ovarian cortex pieces received 7 days of oral treatment, grafts were recovered 7 days and 4 weeks after transplantation. SUBJECTS: 2-4 ovarian tissue fragments per patient were donated by the patients (n=26) undergoing ovarian tissue cryopreservation for fertility preservation and transplanted to immunodeficient mice. EXPOSURE: Xenotransplanted mice received 7 days of oral treatment with either 150 mg/kg NAC (NAC 150), 300 mg/kg NAC (NAC 300), FERTILIX, or Control (vehicle). MAIN OUTCOMES MEASURED: Follicle density 1 and 4 weeks after transplantation, malondialdehyde (MDA) immunohistochemistry assay and expression of antioxidant, mitochondrial and apoptotic key genes. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that orally administered FERTILIX and NAC have little to no efficacy in reducing oxidative stress or improving follicle survival in xenotransplanted human ovarian tissue.