Authors
Hortensia Ferrero, Ph.D., Carmen M. García-Pascual, Ph.D., María Gaytán, Ph.D., Concepción Morales, Ph.D., Carlos Simón, M.D., Francisco Gaytán, M.D., Antonio Pellicer, M.D., Raúl Gómez, Ph.D.
Volume 102, Issue 5, Pages 1468–1476.e1
Abstract
Objective:
To explore whether a dopamine receptor 2 agonist (D2-ag) can prevent ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) in a rat model by decreasing ovarian vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production.
Design:
Experimental study in an OHSS animal model.
Setting:
University-affiliated infertility center.
Patient(s):
Immature Wistar rats.
Intervention(s):
Immature rats were stimulated with gonadotropins to mimic OHSS and treated with a D2-ag and/or D2-antagonists (D2-ant). Vascular permeability (VP) was measured at the endpoint, and ovaries were collected to assess the effects of these drugs on VEGF production.
Main Outcome Measure(s):
VP was estimated by measuring the peritoneal extravasation of a previously injected dye. Ovarian VEGF mRNA expression and VEGF protein levels were assessed by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blots, respectively.
Result(s):
The D2-ag exerted a reduction in VP that was associated with a drastic decrease in VEGF protein production in OHSS rat ovaries. The effects of this D2-ag on VP and VEGF protein levels were partially reversed by concomitant administration of a D2-ant. Ovarian VEGF mRNA expression levels were unaffected by these drugs in OHSS rats.
Conclusion(s):
D2-ags prevent increased VP in OHSS rats by decreasing ovarian VEGF production, very likely through a D2-mediated post-transcriptional mechanism. Given the dose-dependent inhibitory effect of D2-ags on ovarian VEGF production reported herein, we infer that current OHSS therapies used in humans may be improved by increasing the intraovarian concentration of D2-ags in these patients.
Read the full text at: http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(14)01881-0/fulltext