Understanding the Aging Process in Women's Reproductive Systems Via a NOD/SCID Mouse Model
Researchers have developed a new animal model to better understand and potentially treat age-related infertility in women. The study, published in the journal Aging, utilized NOD/SCID mice to mimic ovarian aging phenotypes found in women at different reproductive stages.
The team, composed of researchers from IVIRMA, University of Valencia, and Instituto Investigacion Sanitaria La Fe, aimed to establish a mouse model that could help evaluate potential therapeutic interventions derived from human origin.
To achieve this, the researchers employed NOD/SCID mice of various ages to represent young, advanced maternal age (AMA), and old women. Oocytes and embryos were recovered from these mice after stimulation, mating, and sacrifice. Subsequent analysis focused on ovarian reserve, follicular growth, ovarian stroma, mitochondrial dysfunction, and proteomics.
Researchers found that as the mice aged, the quantity and quality of oocytes decreased. These age-related effects were associated with spindle and chromosome abnormalities, decreased developmental competence to blastocyst stage, fewer follicles, impaired follicle activation and growth, an unconducive ovarian stroma for growth, and increased mitochondrial dysfunctions. These findings were corroborated by proteomic analysis.
The study revealed that the NOD/SCID mouse model can be used to model different ovarian aging phenotypes and potentially test human anti-aging treatments.
The NOD/SCID mouse, while not naturally replicating ovarian aging in women, can provide a platform for studying human ovarian aging and its responses to treatments. Its ability to support human ovarian tissues makes it ideal for preclinical testing of anti-aging therapies, particularly those targeting ovarian tissue.
The researchers concluded that this model adequately mimics the characteristics of the reproductive stages in women, making it an essential tool in the development and testing of anti-aging therapies.
This study, using the NOD/SCID mouse model, could aid in the exploration of health-and-wellness issues related to aging, specifically focusing on women's reproductive health and age-related medical-conditions, such as infertility. The resulting data could potentially facilitate the understanding of and treatments for these conditions, contributing significantly to the field of science and the broader aspect of health-and-wellness in aging women.
