Achillea biebersteinii-Mediated Gold Nanoparticles on Oocyte Gene Expression and Follicular Development in Mice

This study investigated the effects of chemically synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) and green gold nanoparticles (gGNPs) derived from Achillea biebersteinii extract on antrum diameter and the expression of genes associated with follicular development in NMRI mice. Female mice were treated with GNPs and gGNPs at concentrations of 10, 50, and 100 µg/mL. Antrum diameter in ovarian follicles was measured using ImageJ software. Gene expression levels of BMP-15, GDF-9, SOD, and GPx were quantified via real-time PCR.Treatment with gGNPs at 100 µg/mL significantly increased the antrum diameter of secondary follicles compared to GNPs (p ≤ 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in grafted follicles. A dose-dependent upregulation of BMP-15, GDF-9, GPx, and SOD was observed in both GNP and gGNP groups, with gGNPs eliciting stronger effects across all genes (p ≤ 0.05). The findings suggest that A. biebersteinii-mediated green synthesis enhances the biological activity of GNPs, particularly in promoting follicular development and antioxidant gene expression. Although mechanistic pathways were not explored in this study, future research should address these gaps and evaluate long-term safety and therapeutic potential.