Melatonin suppresses ovarian follicle atresia and increases the number of growing follicles.

2018 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 16K11091
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Obstetrics and gynecology
• Research Institution: Yamaguchi University
• Principal Investigator: TAMURA Hiroshi 山口大学, 大学院医学系研究科, 准教授 (50379947)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 竹谷 俊明 山口大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (70464328)
• Project Period (FY): 2016-04-01 – 2019-03-31
• Keywords: メラトニン / 卵胞閉鎖 / 体外受精胚移植

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The present study was undertaken to examine whether melatonin treatment suppresses ovarian follicle atresia and increases the number of growing follicles. Female ICR mice (10 weeks old) were supplemented with melatonin for 4 weeks. Their oocytes were recovered from the oviduct, and in vitro fertilization was performed. The ovaries were used for a histological and transcriptome analysis. The number of secondary follicles in ovary was increased in melatonin group compared with control group. The fertilization rate and blastocyst rate were higher in melatonin group. The genes relevant to activation of primordial follicles and follicle growth were extracted in melatonin group by genome wide gene analysis using microarray. Melatonin may reduce follicle atresia and accelerate follicle growth by its multiple actions.

Free Research Field

産婦人科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

不妊症治療で行う体外受精胚移植では、排卵誘発剤を使用しても十分な数の卵胞発育、卵子が得られない高齢婦人症例が増加している。メラトニンを体外受精時に併用することで閉鎖卵胞を減らすことができれば、FSHやHMGに反応できる卵胞数が増えて成熟卵胞や卵子数の増加、体外受精胚移植の成績の向上が期待できる。本研究は、この不妊治療におけるメラトニンの臨床応用の有用性を検証するための基礎的な裏付けとなるものである。