Cyclooxygenase-1 inhibition prolongs postnatal ovarian follicle lifespan in mice

Elizabeth R. Smith, Wan Lin Yang, Toni Yeasky, Jennifer Smedberg, Kathy Q. Cai, Xiang Xi Xu

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    6 Scopus citations

    Abstract

    Menopause is the permanent cessation of menstruation that results from depletion of ovarian germ cells and follicles. Although most animals experience reproductive senescence, the mechanisms differ from that in women, who may live more than one-third of their lives after menopause and consequently face the risk of a number of menopause-associated health problems. Understanding factors that influence ovarian aging may provide strategies to delay or alleviate physiological alterations that take place in postmenopausal women. The germ cell-deficient Wv mice recapitulate follicle loss, prolong postreproductive lifespan, and model many physiological changes that take place in postmenopausal women. Here, using genetic and pharmacological approaches, we found that inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 but not cyclooxygenase-2 in Wv mice delays germ cell depletion and preserves ovarian follicles. Cyclooxygenase-1 inhibition slows down follicle maturation at the conversion of primary to secondary follicles and prolongs postnatal ovarian follicle lifespan. The current study suggests that inhibition of cyclooxygenase-1 may be able to delay ovarian aging and modulate menopausal timing.

    Original languageEnglish
    Article numberArticle 103
    Pages (from-to)103
    JournalBiology of Reproduction
    Volume89
    Issue number4
    DOIs
    StatePublished - Oct 2013

    Keywords

    • Aging
    • Animals
    • Celecoxib
    • Crosses, Genetic
    • Cyclooxygenase 1/genetics
    • Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors/therapeutic use
    • Cyclooxygenase 2/chemistry
    • Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors/therapeutic use
    • Female
    • Indomethacin/therapeutic use
    • Membrane Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors
    • Menopause/drug effects
    • Mice
    • Mice, Inbred C57BL
    • Mice, Knockout
    • Mice, Mutant Strains
    • Ovarian Follicle/drug effects
    • Primary Ovarian Insufficiency/metabolism
    • Pyrazoles/therapeutic use
    • Random Allocation
    • Sexual Development/drug effects
    • Sulfonamides/therapeutic use

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