Human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells improved premature ovarian failure

Figure 4 Human embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells and/or bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells transplantation improved premature ovarian failure conditions. A and B: Apoptosis was reduced after both cell transplantations. The green stain color indicates terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated 2-deoxyuridine 5-triphosphate nick end labelling-positive cells. Data at 4 wk showed decreased levels of apoptosis following transplantation of embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ES-MSCs) and/or bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs); C: Gene expression analysis showed that the expressions of B-cell lymphoma 2, vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 2, anti-Müllerian hormone and growth/differentiation factor 9 significantly increased in both cell transplanted groups compared with the vehicle group, whereas cysteine-aspartic proteases 3 (caspase 3) significantly decreased in both cell transplanted groups compared to the vehicle group; D, E: Western blot analysis for cleaved-caspase 3 expression in the ovarian tissue. The results showed that cleaved-caspase 3 in ovarian tissue of the vehicle group significantly increased compared to the intact group. Cleaved-caspase 3 protein expression levels decreased in the ovaries from the ES-MSCs and BM-MSCs transplantation groups compared with the vehicle group; F: ELISA assessment of conditioned media of ES-MSCs and BM-MSCs for vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 2 and hepatocyte growth factor. The results showed that ES-MSCs and BM-MSCs secreted vascular endothelial growth factor, insulin-like growth factor 2,and hepatocyte growth factor in vitro. All data are presented as mean ± standard error. Small letters (a, c) indicate the significance (P < 0.05) compared to groups labeled by similar capital letters (A, C), ^aP < 0.05, significance of experimental groups vs the intact group. ^cP < 0.05, significance of ES-MSC and BM-MSC groups vs the vehicle group. For Figure 4C:^aP < 0.05 significance of ES-MSC and BM-MSC groups vs the vehicle group, n = 3. ES-MSCs: Embryonic stem cell-derived mesenchymal stem cells; BM-MSCs: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells; POF: Premature ovarian failure; Bcl-2: B-cell lymphoma 2; Caspase 3: Cysteine-aspartic proteases 3; Vegf: Vascular endothelial growth factor; Igf-2: Insulin-like growth factor 2; Amh: Anti-Müllerian hormone; Gdf9: Growth/differentiation factor 9.