• L-carnitine Improves Function and Follicular Survival in Mice Ovarian Grafts through Inhibition of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation: A Stereological and Biochemical Analysis
  • Khadijeh Sanamiri,1,* Malek Soleimani Mehranjani,2 Maryam Shahhoseini,3 Seyed Mohammad Ali Shariatzadeh,4
    1. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran
    2. Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Arak University, Arak, Iran
    3. Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran


  • Introduction: Transplantation of ovarian tissue is a fertility restoration technique in patients undergoing chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A major issue associated with ovarian transplantation is ischemia/reperfusion injury that leads to depletion and apoptosis of follicles. L-carnitine has antioxidant and anti-inflammation properties and can therefore be used to improve follicular survival and ovarian structure following transplantation.
  • Methods: Naval Medical Research Institute (NMRI) mice (at the age of 4–5 weeks) were divided into 3 groups: control, autograft and autograft + L-carnitine (200mg/kg daily intraperitoneal injections). Seven days after ovary autografting, the serum levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), total antioxidant capacity, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-10 were measured. Ovary histology, serum concentrations of progesterone and estradiol were also measured 28 days after autotransplantation. Data were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey's test, and the means were considered significantly different at P<0.05.
  • Results: In the autografted + L-carnitine group, the total volume of the ovary, the volume of the cortex, the number of follicles, the serum concentrations of IL-10, estradiol and progesterone significantly increased compared to the autografted group. In the autografted + L-carnitine group, serum concentrations of IL-6, TNF-α and MDA were significantly decreased compared to the autografted group.
  • Conclusion: Our results indicated that L-carnitine can ameliorate the consequences of ischemia-reperfusion on the mice ovarian tissue following autotransplantation.
  • Keywords: Ovary, Transplantation, L-carnitine.