Abstract
To analyze the effects of melatonin on vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression and follicle reserve in rat ovary. A total of 45 female Wistar rats were used in the present study. Rats were divided into three groups: group 1 (control), group 2 (vehicle), and group 3 (melatonin). Rats in the melatonin group were treated with an intraperitoneal injection of melatonin at a dose of 50 mg/kg/day for 56 days. We investigated VEGF-A expression in rat ovary in all the groups using Western blot and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Histopathological parameters were evaluated using light microscopy. The number of atretic follicles was significantly lower in the melatonin treatment rats than in the control rats (p<0.05); however, the number of antral follicles was significantly higher in the former (p<0.05). Additionally, we observed a weak immunoblot stain in the melatonin group for VEGF-A protein. Interestingly, melatonin treatment induced a significant decrease in VEGF-A expression in the ovary of group 3 rats (p<0.05), whereas no such difference was observed between group 1 and group 2 rats (p>0.05). The present study demonstrates that the protective effect of melatonin on the degeneration of follicles in rat ovary is reduced by decreasing the VEGF-A expression. These results suggest that melatonin is effective against follicular atresia and preserves antral follicles, thus, offering a therapeutic advantage in clinical use.
Highlights
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an important lipophilic amine hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland and considered a powerful free radical scavenger
The number of atretic follicles was significantly lower in the melatonin treatment rats than in the control rats (p
Melatonin treatment induced a significant decrease in vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) expression in the ovary of group 3 rats (p0.05)
Summary
Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is an important lipophilic amine hormone that is secreted by the pineal gland and considered a powerful free radical scavenger It plays a critical role in the physiology of the ovary in the reproductive system [1]. The VEGF system comprises ligands and receptors that play critical roles in tissue vascularization and endothelial cell growth [6]. It is a greater component of the family of angiogenic factors, which contains the placental growth factor, angiopoietin, basic fibroblast growth factor, and the VEGF family (A, B, C, D, and E) [7, 8]. We aimed to evaluate the effects of melatonin on the ovarian histology and VEGF expression and on the quantity of follicle selection in adult female rat ovaries
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