Vitamin C conveys geroprotection on primate ovaries

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Biology
• Gerontology
• Nutritional Science

Background:

• Ovarian aging significantly impacts female reproductive health and quality of life.
• Interventions to mitigate primate ovarian aging are under-explored.
• Understanding the biological mechanisms of ovarian aging is crucial for developing effective treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the geroprotective effects of a single pharmaceutical agent, vitamin C, on primate ovarian aging.
• To evaluate vitamin C's impact on key aging biomarkers in ovarian tissue.
• To explore the molecular pathways involved in vitamin C's potential anti-aging effects in the ovary.

Main Methods:

• A 3.3-year study involving oral administration of vitamin C to monkeys.
• Assessment of ovarian aging biomarkers, including oxidative stress and follicular count.
• Application of a single-cell transcriptomic clock to determine biological age of oocytes and somatic cells.
• Analysis of the NRF2 pathway's role in cellular senescence and inflammation.

Main Results:

• Oral vitamin C demonstrated significant geroprotective effects against ovarian aging in the primate model.
• Vitamin C reduced key aging biomarkers such as oxidative stress and follicular depletion.
• The biological age of oocytes was reduced by 1.35 years and somatic cells by 5.66 years.
• The NRF2 pathway was identified as a key mediator, alleviating ovarian cell senescence and inflammation.

Conclusions:

• Vitamin C exhibits potent geroprotective properties against primate ovarian aging.
• The findings suggest vitamin C can reverse biological aging markers in ovarian cells.
• This study provides a foundation for developing vitamin C-based interventions against human ovarian aging.