Momordica charantia reduced ovarian ischemia – reperfusion injury by suppressing APAF-1 expression

F. Aşır, Ç. Özgökce

Department of Histology and Embryology, Medical Faculty, Dicle University, Diyarbakır, Turkey. firatasir@gmail.com

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• Plant biology

OBJECTIVE: We investigate the effect of Momordica charantia (MC) against ovarian ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty-eight Sprague Dawley female rats were divided into 6 groups. 3 hours ischemia/3 hours reperfusion was conducted. Before and/or after IR, 600 mg/kg MC were introduced to rats via an orogastric tube. At the end of the experiment, total serum antioxidant/oxidant status (TAS/TOS) and Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) level were measured. Ovarian histopathology and APAF-1 expression level were analyzed.

RESULTS: TAS and AMH levels were the lowest, while TOS level and OSI were the highest in the IR group. TAS and AMH levels were higher, and TOS levels and OSI were lower in MC-treated groups compared to IR group. Follicular degeneration, granulosa and stromal cell degeneration, mononuclear cell infiltration and vascular congestion and dilatation were observed in the IR group. Ovarian histopathology was improved in groups that received MC extract. APAF-1 immune activity was intense in IR and MC+IR groups while decreased in the groups treated with MC extract after IRI. MC treatment downregulated APAF-1 protein after IRI.

CONCLUSIONS: MC extract restored negative biochemical and histochemical changes caused by IRI due to its antioxidant properties and supported cell survival by suppressing APAF-1 expression.

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