15 research outputs found
Assessment of fertility protection and ovarian reserve with GnRH antagonist in rats undergoing chemotherapy with cyclophosphamide
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Reproductive function following chemotherapy is of increasing importance given that survival rates are improving. We assessed whether a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRHant; cetrorelix) could promote ovarian protection against damage due to chemotherapy.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Forty-two female Wistar rats were used in this study. Animals were divided into four groups: group I (n = 9) received placebo twice; group II (n = 12) received placebo + cyclophosphamide (CPA); group III (n = 12) received GnRHant + CPA; and group IV (n = 9) received GnRHant + placebo. After medication, the estrous cycle was studied through vaginal smears. Rats were mated, pregnancy was documented and the number of live pups evaluated. Afterwards, rat ovaries were removed and prepared for histological studies. The ovarian cross-sectional area was measured and follicles were counted.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Cyclic changes in vaginal smears were observed in all but one animal after treatment, but group II had a significantly lower rate of animals with proestrus or estrus (p < 0.01). The offspring was markedly reduced by CPA treatment (group II, 3.00 +/- 1.33 pups vs. group I, 11.44 +/- 0.78 pups, p < 0.01) and this effect was partly reversed by pre-treatment with GnRHant (group III, 7.00 +/- 1.31 pups). The ovarian cross-sectional area was not significantly different between groups, neither was the number of individual follicle types. However, rats in Group IV had a higher total number of ovarian follicles than those in the control group (17.1 +/- 1.22 vs. 10.9 +/- 0.70, p < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The use of a GnRHant before CPA chemotherapy provided protection of fertility.</p
Spontaneous inflammatory pelvic disease in adult non-castrated female rats treated with estrogen
Stem cells: Are they the answer to the puzzling etiology of endometriosis?
Endometriosis is a chronic bening disease characterizaed by the presence of abnormally located tissue resembling the endometrium with glands and
stroma. This disease has a high degree of morbidity due
to chronic pelvic pain and infertility. The disease is
likely to be polygenic and multifactorial, but the exact
pathogenic mechanisms are still not entirely clear.
Recently, adult stem cells have been identified in several
tissues, including the endometrium. These cells are
probably involved in the regenerative ability of the
endometrial cycle, and also in the pathogenesis of
proliferative gynaecological diseases, such as
endometriosis. The identification of stem cells in animal
and human tissues is very complex and the putative stem
cells are supposed to be found through several assays
such as clonogenicity, label-retaining cells, “side-
population” cells, undifferentiation markers, and cellular
differentiation. Bone marrow-derived stem cells
transplanted into humans and animals have also been
identified in eutopic endometrium and endometriotic
implants. This review evaluates the available evidence
regarding stem/progenitor cells in the human
endometrium and explores the possible involvement of
these cells in the etiology of endometriosis