Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ege University School of Medicine, Bornova, 35100, Izmir, Turkey.
Department of Stem Cell, Ege University Institute of Health Sciences, Bornova, 35100, Izmir, Turkey.
Arch Gynecol Obstet. 2021 Apr;303(4):1099-1108. doi: 10.1007/s00404-020-05855-1. Epub 2020 Nov 2.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) is a life-threatening complication of ovarian stimulation in reproductive medicine. Here, we aimed to investigate the role of oxytocin (OT) and cabergoline in the prevention and alleviation of the OHSS in an animal model.
Thirty-five female immature Wistar rats were randomly assigned to five groups. The control group (n = 7) received saline only for five consecutive days. Remaining twenty-eight rats received 10 IU of pregnant mare serum gonadotropin (PMSG) followed by 30 IU of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) to induce OHSS. Group 2 (n = 7) was managed with no additional intervention after the induction of OHSS. Group 3 (n = 7) received 100 μg/kg cabergoline 2 h before the PMSG injection for four consecutive days and 2 h before the hCG injection on the fifth day. Group 4 (n = 7) and group 5 (n = 7) received 80 μg/kg and 160 μg/kg OT after induction of OHSS, respectively. Oxytocin was administered 2 h before the PMSG injection for four consecutive days and 2 h before the hCG injection on the fifth day. Body and ovary weight, vascular permeability (VP), VEGF expression in the ovaries, and levels of VEGF in the peritoneal fluids were examined in all animals.
Cabergoline and OT reduced body weight, ovary weight, and VP compared to that of the OHSS group (p < 0.05). VEGF expressions in ovaries and peritoneal VEGF levels were decreased in cabergoline and OT groups compared to that of the OHSS groups (p < 0.001 for cabergoline and OT-80 μg/kg; p < 0.00001 for OT-160 μg/kg). However, there was no statistically significant difference in these parameters between the OT and cabergoline groups.
Both OT and cabergoline were active in the alleviation of OHSS through suppression of VEGF and VP. Overall, we conclude that OT is effective for downregulation for VEGF and improvement in vascular permeability in OHSS.
卵巢过度刺激综合征（OHSS）是生殖医学中卵巢刺激的一种危及生命的并发症。在这里，我们旨在研究催产素（OT）和卡麦角林在动物模型中预防和缓解 OHSS 中的作用。
35 只雌性未成熟 Wistar 大鼠被随机分为五组。对照组（n=7）连续 5 天仅接受生理盐水。其余 28 只大鼠接受 10 IU 孕马血清促性腺激素（PMSG），然后接受 30 IU 人绒毛膜促性腺激素（hCG）诱导 OHSS。第 2 组（n=7）在诱导 OHSS 后不进行额外干预。第 3 组（n=7）在 PMSG 注射前 2 小时连续 4 天给予 100μg/kg 卡麦角林，在 hCG 注射前 2 小时给予 5 天。第 4 组（n=7）和第 5 组（n=7）在诱导 OHSS 后分别给予 80μg/kg 和 160μg/kg OT。OT 在 PMSG 注射前 2 小时连续 4 天，hCG 注射前 2 小时给予 5 天。所有动物均检查体重、卵巢重量、血管通透性（VP）、卵巢中 VEGF 表达和腹腔液中 VEGF 水平。
与 OHSS 组相比，卡麦角林和 OT 降低了体重、卵巢重量和 VP（p<0.05）。卡麦角林和 OT 组卵巢中 VEGF 表达和腹腔液中 VEGF 水平均低于 OHSS 组（卡麦角林和 OT-80μg/kg 组 p<0.001；OT-160μg/kg 组 p<0.00001）。然而，OT 组和卡麦角林组之间这些参数无统计学差异。
OT 和卡麦角林均通过抑制 VEGF 和 VP 缓解 OHSS。总之，我们得出结论，OT 通过下调 VEGF 和改善 OHSS 中的血管通透性来发挥作用。
