The effect of melatonin on expression of p53 and ovarian preantral follicle development isolated from vitrified ovary

Ovarian vitrification is a strategy for conservation of fertility of young female patients, suffering from infertility, due to iatrogenic loss of ovarian function, resulting from chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of melatonin on expression of p53 and the developmental rate of preantral follicles isolated from vitrified and non-vitrified ovaries. This experimental study was carried out on 40, 14-day-old female mice (NMRI). One ovary from each mouse was used randomly for the vitrification procedure. Preantral follicles with a diameter of 120–140 μm derived from vitrified-warmed and non-vitrified ovarian tissues were cultured individually in α-MEM medium supplemented with or without melatonin. The expression of p53, diameter of follicle, survival rate, and number of antral follicles were compared using post hoc LSD, t test, and chi-square test, respectively in four groups: non-vitrified and non-melatonin (NVNM), non-vitrified and melatonin (NVM), vitrified and non-melatonin (VNM), vitrified and melatonin (VM). p53 gene was expressed in four groups and was strongly expressed in the antral follicles of VNM (p = 0.011). The addition of melatonin increased survival rate and the mean diameter of follicles in vitrified group (p = 0.001). There were no significant differences in antral formation of follicles between different groups. Adding melatonin to culture medium reduced expression of p53 apoptotic gene in vitrified group and improves in vitro maturation and survival rate in isolated follicles from vitrified ovaries. © 2017, Springer-Verlag London Ltd