Human Menstrual Blood Stem Cell-Derived Granulosa Cells Participate in Ovarian Follicle Formation in a Rat Model of Premature Ovarian Failure .

We recently reported the application of human menstrual blood stem cells' (HuMenSCs) transplantation as a treatment modality in a rat model of premature ovarian failure (POF). We continued to investigate further in this respect. Female rats were injected intraperitoneally with 36 mg/kg busulfan. HuMenSCs were obtained, grown, and analyzed for immunophenotypic features at passage three. The cells were labeled with CM-Dil and infused into the rats. There were four groups: normal, negative control, treatment, and Sham. One month after treatment, the ovaries were collected and weighed. Histological sections were prepared from the ovary and HuMenSCs were tracking. Subsequently, we examined the changes of expression of Bax and B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) genes by real-time polymerase chain reaction assay. One month after HuMenSCs transplantation, these cells were located in the ovarian interstitium and granulosa cells (GCs). The number of TUNEL-positive cells significantly decreased in the treatment group. Also the expression level of Bax genes, unlike Bcl2 gene, significantly decreased compared with negative and sham groups. In our study, HuMenSCs were tracked in ovarian tissues within 2 months after transplantation, and they differentiated into GCs. Therefore, the use of these cells can be a practical and low-cost method for the treatment of POF patients.