Can young ovarian tissue keep women healthier longer?

Women live longer than men but tend to spend nearly half their lives suffering from poor health that results from reproductive decline.

A new study published in the journal “Frontiers in Endocrinology,” suggests that transplanted young ovarian tissue may potentially improve immune function compromised by that decline.

As an article in Lifespan.io reports, reproductive decline begins when women are in their 30s and continues as they experience menopause, typically in their 50s. Menopause is associated with increased frailty and a higher risk of developing other diseases. Menopause caused by premature ovarian failure in younger women also increases mortality rates.

But the new research, which was done in mice, suggests that transplanting young ovarian tissue may improve the immune function – and health – of older individuals. It also provides insight about why hormone replacement therapy, the most common approach to menopause management, is not reliably effective.

The result suggests that reducing hormone levels may be just part of a bigger solution needed to restore protective immune function.

Researchers focused on the link between immunosenescence, particularly the decline of naïve T-cells, and reproductive failure in mice. As individuals age the number of naïve T-cells declines. Since these cells respond to new pathogens, the immune system cannot defend adequately against novel bacteria and viruses.

The study found that transplanting ovaries from young, 60-day-old mice in old, post-reproductive mice reversed naïve T-cell decline and improved several measures of health. What was most interesting is the fact that the transplanted tissue did not raise estrogen levels in the transplant recipient mice – calling into question the benefits of hormone replacement therapies.

To test the impact of hormone replacement, depleted young ovaries of hormones and then transplanted those ovaries into the old mice. They found these recipient mice demonstrated even better recovery of naïve T-cells than old mice that received fully functional young ovaries. A similar result occurred when researchers transplanted only somatic cells isolated from young ovaries into the ovaries of post-reproductive mice.

The study concludes that exposure to young ovarian tissue is enough to improve T-cell function, which suggests that immune function restoration requires factors beyond estrogen. 

We are a long way from creating a therapy to rejuvenate women’s reproductive systems. But the findings so far appear to be an example of one of our strategies for supporting longevity research. Our “Restock the shelves” strategy recognizes that each person is constantly being dismantled, destroyed and rebuilt at the cellular level.

As we age, our ability to successfully "retire" harmful cells weakens, as does our ability to rebuild. This strategy addresses the need to provide the aged body with the tools it needs to rebuild and protect. 

“Restock the shelves” is one of the seven strategies that guide Methuselah Foundation investments, planning and policies. We came up with our seven strategies because there is no single solution that will lengthen the healthy human lifespan. It will take a combination of things to help us reach our goal of making 90 the new 50 by 2030.

Join us to bring this dream to life.  Donate to Methuselah Foundation.