Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) reduces apoptosis of preantral follicles through the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathway after in vitro culture of sheep ovarian tissue.

The aims of this study were to analyze the effects of different concentrations of epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on the primordial follicle survival and development after in vitro culture of ovarian tissue, and to verify the possible involvement of the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway in the EGCG actions in the sheep ovary. Ovarian fragments were fixed for histological analysis (fresh control) or cultured in α-minimum essential medium alone (α-MEM: control medium) or with different concentrations of EGCG (0.01; 0.1; 1; 10 or 100 μg/mL) for 7 days. Inhibition of PI3K activity was performed in fragments cultured with 1 μg/mL EGCG plus LY294002. Thereafter, immunohistochemistry was performed to evaluate the expression of cleaved caspase-3 and AKT phosphorylation (p-AKT). The results showed that 1 μg/mL EGCG maintained the follicular survival similar (P > 0.05) to that of the fresh control and higher (P < 0.05) than that of the α-MEM and other EGCG treatments. No difference (P > 0.05) in the follicular activation was observed. However, both follicle and oocyte diameters increased after in vitro culture with 1 μg/mL EGCG compared to other treatments (P < 0.05), except for 10 μg/mL EGCG (P > 0.05). After PI3K inhibition, there was an increase (P < 0.05) of the follicular apoptosis and a reduction of p-AKT immunolocalization. In conclusion, EGCG at 1 μg/mL reduces apoptosis of preantral follicles through the PI3K/AKT pathway after in vitro culture of sheep ovarian tissue.