EFFECTS OF OVARIAN ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION ON LUTEAL FUNCTION IN PREGNANT RATS

An involvement of reactive oxygen species in CL regression has been re ported. We have shown that a decrease in serum progesterone concentrat ions coincides with a decrease in superoxide dismutase (SOD) activitie s and an increase in lipid peroxide levels in the CL after Day 15 of p regnancy. Recently it has been found that ischemia-reperfusion stimula tes reactive oxygen species production and causes tissue damage in var ious organs. We therefore tested the effect of ischemia-reperfusion in the ovary on CL function in pregnant rats. On Day 15 of pregnancy, af ter clamping of the bilateral ovarian vessels for 30 min, the ovaries were reperfused for 90 min by declamping. The ischemia-reperfusion dec reased serum progesterone concentration and SOD activity in the CL and increased lipid peroxide in the CL 90 min after reperfusion. The effe cts of ischemia-reperfusion, including the decrease in serum progester one concentrations, were completely blocked by simultaneous injection of SOD and catalase, but not by indomethacin administration. The prese nt study shows that CL function was inhibited by reactive oxygen speci es produced by ischemia-reperfusion in the ovary and that the effect w as not mediated through prostaglandins.