Endometriosis impairs ovarian reserve and ovulation in a rat model.

BENGOECHEA T; ABRAMOVICH D; BARAÑAO RI; OLIVARES C.; MERESMAN G.; RICCI A.; PARBORELL F; BILOTAS M.

C.A.B.A.

Jornada; XVIII Jornadas Anuales de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología.; 2016

Sociedad Argentina de Biología

One of the main symptoms of endometriosis is infertility. Several studies have shown a decrease in ovarian reserve (OR) related to the presence of ovarian endometriomas. Other works state that this reduction is due to the surgery performed to remove them. However little is known about the effect of peritoneal endometriosis on OR. Antimüllerian hormone (AMH) levels are used as OR biomarker. Kit ligand (KL) is involved in primordial, primary and preovulatory follicle development. Growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9) plays a role in follicle growth since primary stage. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of peritoneal endometriosis on follicles, ovulated oocytes and ovarian levels of AMH, KL and GDF-9 in a rat model. Endometriosis was surgically induced in Sprague Dawley rats by autotransplantation of uterine horn pieces to the bowel mesothelium. Sham animals were used as controls. Rats were sacrificed one month after surgery. Follicles were counted in ovary sections and oocytes were isolated from the oviductal ampulla. AMH, KL and GDF-9 expression were assessed by western blot. Rats with endometriosis showed a reduced number of primordial, primary and preantral follicles (p