Reduction of ovarian reserves and activation of necroptosis to in vivo air pollution exposures

ABSTRACT

We investigated the association between air pollution and changes in ovarian follicles, anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels, the occurrence of necroptosis cell death by activation of receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) and, the activation of mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL) proteins. Forty-two female Wistar rats were divided into three groups of 14 each, which were exposed to real-ambient air, filtered air and purified air (control) in two periods of 3 and 5 months. The results showed that the number of ovarian follicles decreased in the group exposed to real-ambient air versus the control group (P < 0.0001). The trend of age-related AMH changes with respect to exposure to air pollutants was affected and its levels decreased after 3 months of exposure. The MLKL increased in the group exposed to the real-ambient air compared to the control group (P = 0.033). Apparently long-term exposure to air pollution can reduce ovarian reserves.

KEYWORDS:

• Air pollution
• Anti-mullerian hormone
• necroptosis
• ovarian follicles

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences for financially supporting this research.

Disclosure statement

There is no actual or potential conflict of interest among the authors.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2023.2210109

Data availability statement

The data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article and its supplementary information files.

Ethics approval and consent to participate

Ethics code (IR.SBMU.RETECH.REC.1398.701) was approved by the ethics committee of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran (grant number # 21880).