The role of retinoic acid in ovarian follicle development isolated from vitrified ovary

Background: Ovarian vitrification is a strategy for conservation of fertility of young female patients suffering from infertility due to iatrogenic loss of ovarian function, resulting from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The present study investigated whether retinoic acid administration in vitro could influence the developmental rate of perantral follicles isolated from vitrified ovary.Methods: Mice pre-antral follicles derived from fresh and vitrified-warmed ovarian tissues were cultured individually in α-MEM medium supplemented with or without retinoic acid, followed by adding human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) to induce ovulation. The follicle development parameters and ovulated oocyte maturation were assessed in four groups; non vitrified and non RA (NVNR), non vitrified and RA (NVR), vitrified and non RA (VNR), vitrified and RA (VR).Result: The addition of retinoic acid increased antral formation and the mean diameter of follicles in vitrified and nonvitrified group (p=0.001). Also, oocyte maturation rates were significantly higher in RA groups of both vitrified and fresh samples compared to the respective RA free groups. There were no significant differences in survival rate of follicles between different groups.Conclusion: Retinoic acid improves in vitro maturation rates, but not survival rate in isolated follicle from vitrified and fresh ovaries.

Keywords:

Culture , Ovary , Retinoic acid , Vitrification