Heterotopic autotransplantation of equine ovarian tissue using intramuscular versus subvulvar grafting sites: Preliminary results.
Abstract: Ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT) is a technique well established and successfully applied in humans using mainly orthotopic or heterotopic transplantation sites. In livestock, OTT is still in its infancy and, therefore, different aspects of the technique, including the efficiency of different heterotopic OTT sites as well as the potential effect of age (i.e., young vs. old mares) in the ovarian graft quality, need to be investigated. The present study investigated the efficacy of the intramuscular (IM) or the novel subvulvar mucosa (SV) heterotopic autotransplantation sites to maintain the survivability of the grafts for 3 and 7 days post-OTT. Ovarian biopsy fragments were obtained in vivo and distributed to the following treatments: Fresh control group (ovarian fragments immediately fixed), SV-3, IM-3, SV-7, and IM-7. During and after graft harvesting, the macroscopic characteristics of the grafts (i.e., adherence, morphology, and bleeding) were scored, and the percentages of morphologically normal and developing preantral follicles as well as the follicular and stromal cell densities of the grafts were evaluated. The results were that similar (P > 0.05) macroscopic scores were observed between both transplantation sites 7 days post-OTT, with positive correlations (P < 0.01) found among adherence, morphology, and bleeding of the grafts. A lower (P 0.05) between both transplantation sites 7 days post-OTT (30-43%). Although similar (P > 0.05) follicular densities were found in both transplantation sites in young and old mares at 3 and 7 days post-OTT, large individual variation in the follicular depletion rate was observed regardless of transplantation site. The Fresh control group and SV-7 treatments had higher (P < 0.05) stromal cell densities in young and old mares compared with both IM-7 treatments. When comparing transplant sites between young and old mares, the follicular density in old mares and the stromal cell density in young mares were greater (P < 0.05) in the SV than in the IM site. In conclusion, even though the transplantation sites differentially affected some end points, overall comparable findings of the OTT technique using both heterotopic autotransplantation sites (i.e., IM and SV) for equine ovarian tissue were observed.
Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2021-05-20 PubMed ID: 34237633DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.05.015Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research investigates the efficiency of two different sites for the transplantation of ovarian tissue in horses and examines if the age of the horse affects the quality of the graft. Results showed that while certain outcomes varied depending on the transplantation site, overall both tested sites – intramuscular and subvulvar mucosa – provided comparable results.
Study Context and Objectives
- This study is based on ovarian tissue transplantation (OTT), a technique that’s proven successful in humans. In livestock, it is still a developing field and requires more research into various aspects.
- The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of two different heterotopic (locations other than an organ’s natural location) sites for autotransplants of equine ovarian tissues – the traditional intramuscular (IM) site and the newer subvulvar mucosa (SV) site.
- The impact of age (young vs. old mares) on the quality of the ovarian graft was also assessed.
Methodology
- Ovarian biopsy fragments were gathered and assigned to various treatment groups, including a fresh control group, SV-3, IM-3, SV-7, and IM-7, which reflect the location and days post-OTT.
- The grafts were monitored, and various properties like adherence, morphology, bleeding, and the percentage of normally developing follicles were recorded.
Results
- Comparable macroscopic scores (visual examination of graft characteristics) were observed at both transplant sites seven days post-OTT.
- A lower percentage of morphologically normal follicles was observed at the SV site compared to the fresh control group and IM site at 7 days post-OTT.
- Similar rates of follicle development were noted at both transplantation sites at 7 days post-OTT.
- Follicular densities obtained from young and old mares were also similar at both sites at 3 and 7 days post-OTT. However, considerable individual variations in follicular depletion rate were also noticed.
- The SV site showed higher stromal cell densities than the IM site in both young and old mares. In a comparison of young and old mares, the older ones had higher follicular density at the SV site, and the young ones had higher stromal cell density.
Conclusions
- The study concluded that despite some differences based on the transplantation site, both IM and SV sites showed overall comparable outcomes for equine OTT.
- This suggests further exploration of these techniques could be beneficial for advancing OTT in equines.
Cite This Article
APA
Alves BG, Alves KA, Hyde KA, Aguiar FLN, Souza SS, Brandão FAS, Garcia EC, Pinto Y, Gastal MO, Figueiredo JR, Teixeira DIA, Gastal EL.
(2021).
Heterotopic autotransplantation of equine ovarian tissue using intramuscular versus subvulvar grafting sites: Preliminary results.
Theriogenology, 172, 123-132.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2021.05.015 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA; Postgraduate Program in Animal Bioscience, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, GO, Brazil; Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA; Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA.
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Sousa Campus, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Paraíba, Sousa, Paraíba, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Diagnostic Imaging Applied to Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Diagnostic Imaging Applied to Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Postgraduate Program in Animal Bioscience, Federal University of Goiás, Jataí, GO, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Diagnostic Imaging Applied to Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA.
- Laboratory of Manipulation of Oocytes and Preantral Follicles, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Laboratory of Diagnostic Imaging Applied to Animal Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, State University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Animal Science, School of Agricultural Sciences, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL, USA. Electronic address: egastal@siu.edu.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cryopreservation / veterinary
- Female
- Horses
- Ovarian Follicle
- Ovary
- Stromal Cells
- Transplantation, Autologous / veterinary
Conflict of Interest Statement
Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest that could be perceived as prejudicing the impartiality of this work.
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