Lysophosphatidic Acid Effect on Improvement of Follicular Development and Increasing the Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor during Human Tissue Culture and after Transplantation

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) supplementation of human ovarian tissue culture media on the morphology of tissue and alteration in angiogenesis by expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) after transplantation.

In the present experimental study, the human ovarian tissues (n=8) after collection from female-to-male transsexual people, were cut into small fragments (n=98). Then, vitrified-warmed and cultured 24 hours in two groups in the presence and absence of LPA, and finally they were transplanted to γ-irradiated mice (n=13). After two weeks the morphology of tissues was studied by hematoxylin and eosin staining and VEGF protein was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of VEGF gene was evaluated by real time RT-PCR.

The morphology of both transplanted tissues was well preserved and follicles at different developmental stages were seen in all studied groups. Significantly a higher expression of VEGF gene was observed in the LPA-treated group compared to the non-treated once (p<0.05). Several blood vessels were shown positive reactions for VEGF antibody as green color in stroma of ovarian tissue sections in all studied groups.

Supplementation of human ovarian tissue culture media with LPA before transplantation could increase the expression of VEGF gene related to angiogenesis.