OBJECTIVE: To evaluate recovery of endocrine function and fertility after transplantation and vitrification of whole ovaries. DESIGN: Animal study. SETTING: Lyon Veterinary School, France. ANIMAL(S): Ewes. INTERVENTION(S): In group 1 (n = 5), the left ovary was removed with its vascular pedicle and was transplanted onto the contralateral pedicle. In group 2 (n = 5), the left ovary with its pedicle was cryopreserved after a vitrification procedure. After thawing, transplantation was performed by microvascular anastomosis to the contralateral ovarian pedicle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Median ischemia time, progesterone levels, histologic examination. RESULT(S): Successful microsurgical transplantation was performed in both groups. The median ischemia time was statistically significantly longer in group 2 (287 minutes, range: 226 to 349] versus 129 minutes [range: 125 to 130]) in group 1. In group 1, four sheep recovered spontaneous ovarian endocrine function about 2.5 (range: 2.00 to 3.75) months after transplantation. Two ewes gave healthy live births at 12 and 25 months, respectively, after transplantation. In group 2, one ewe recovered ovarian endocrine function 6 months after transplantation. However, histologic evaluation showed a follicular survival rate of 6% in group 1, and total follicle loss in group 2. CONCLUSION(S): Autograft of whole sheep ovaries with microvascular anastomosis seems technically feasible but resulted in a very poor follicle survival rate (6%), in spite of endocrine function recovery and birth of two lambs. Attempts at cryopreservation with vitrification resulted in no follicle survival at all.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate recovery of endocrine function and fertility after transplantation and vitrification of whole ovaries. DESIGN: Animal study. SETTING: Lyon Veterinary School, France. ANIMAL(S): Ewes. INTERVENTION(S): In group 1 (n = 5), the left ovary was removed with its vascular pedicle and was transplanted onto the contralateral pedicle. In group 2 (n = 5), the left ovary with its pedicle was cryopreserved after a vitrification procedure. After thawing, transplantation was performed by microvascular anastomosis to the contralateral ovarian pedicle. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Median ischemia time, progesterone levels, histologic examination. RESULT(S): Successful microsurgical transplantation was performed in both groups. The median ischemia time was statistically significantly longer in group 2 (287 minutes, range: 226 to 349] versus 129 minutes [range: 125 to 130]) in group 1. In group 1, four sheep recovered spontaneous ovarian endocrine function about 2.5 (range: 2.00 to 3.75) months after transplantation. Two ewes gave healthy live births at 12 and 25 months, respectively, after transplantation. In group 2, one ewe recovered ovarian endocrine function 6 months after transplantation. However, histologic evaluation showed a follicular survival rate of 6% in group 1, and total follicle loss in group 2. CONCLUSION(S): Autograft of whole sheep ovaries with microvascular anastomosis seems technically feasible but resulted in a very poor follicle survival rate (6%), in spite of endocrine function recovery and birth of two lambs. Attempts at cryopreservation with vitrification resulted in no follicle survival at all.
Authors: Sebastian Giwa; Jedediah K Lewis; Luis Alvarez; Robert Langer; Alvin E Roth; George M Church; James F Markmann; David H Sachs; Anil Chandraker; Jason A Wertheim; Martine Rothblatt; Edward S Boyden; Elling Eidbo; W P Andrew Lee; Bohdan Pomahac; Gerald Brandacher; David M Weinstock; Gloria Elliott; David Nelson; Jason P Acker; Korkut Uygun; Boris Schmalz; Brad P Weegman; Alessandro Tocchio; Greg M Fahy; Kenneth B Storey; Boris Rubinsky; John Bischof; Janet A W Elliott; Teresa K Woodruff; G John Morris; Utkan Demirci; Kelvin G M Brockbank; Erik J Woods; Robert N Ben; John G Baust; Dayong Gao; Barry Fuller; Yoed Rabin; David C Kravitz; Michael J Taylor; Mehmet Toner Journal: Nat Biotechnol Date: 2017-06-07 Impact factor: 54.908