Fig. 5: HEP14 enhances h-hADSC-mediated anti-fibrotic, pro-angiogenic, retention, and transdifferentiation effects in POI and aging ovaries.

A Representative IF-stained ovarian sections showing vimentin co-localized with CM-Dil in four groups of normal control ovaries, vehicle-treated (POI)-, h-hADSCs-treated (h-hADSCs)-, and h-hADSCs/HEP14-treated (h-hADSCs/HEP14) POI ovaries from POI mice at 4 weeks post-treatment. B Representative IF-stained ovarian sections showing Vimentin co-localized with QTracker in three groups of control aging (aging)-, h-hADSCs-treated (h-hADSCs)- and h-hADSCs/HEP14-treated (h-hADSCs/HEP14) aging ovaries in mice with ARNA-OI. C PSR-stained ovarian sections and quantification of fibrotic areas in four groups of POI ovaries. Polarized light microscopy images depict collagen I (red) and collagen III (green) fibrils. D PSR-stained ovarian sections and quantification of fibrotic areas in three groups of aging ovaries. Polarized light microscopy images depict collagen I (red) and collagen III (green) fibrils. E Representative IHC images of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and quantification in four groups of POI ovaries. F Representative IHC images of α-SMA and quantification in three groups of aging ovaries. G Representative IF-stained images of CD31 and quantification in four groups of POI ovaries. H Representative IF-stained images of CD31 and quantification in three groups of aging ovaries. Data are presented as means ± SEM. n = 6 for (C), n = 3 for (D), n = 3 for (E to F) and (H), n = 4 for (G). P values were calculated by one-way ANOVA, followed by Tukey-Kramer post hoc test. Changes were considered statistically significant when P < 0.05. Scale bar = 100 μm.