Hippo signaling disruption and Akt stimulation of ovarian follicles for infertility treatment
Abstract
Human ovaries hold follicles containing oocytes. When follicles mature, they release eggs for fertilization. Patients with primary ovarian insufficiency develop menopausal symptoms at less than 40 y of age. They have few remaining follicles and their only chance for bearing a baby is through egg donation. Kawamura et al. demonstrated that Hippo and Akt signaling pathways regulate follicle growth. Using an in vitro activation approach, they first removed ovaries from infertile patients, followed by fragmentation to disrupt Hippo signaling and drug treatment to stimulate Akt signaling. After grafting ovarian tissues back to patients, they found rapid follicle growth in some patients and successfully retrieved mature eggs. After in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, a live birth is now reported.
- Publication:
-
Proceedings of the National Academy of Science
- Pub Date:
- October 2013
- DOI:
- 10.1073/pnas.1312830110
- Bibcode:
- 2013PNAS..11017474K