Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor decreases the extent of ovarian damage caused by cisplatin in an experimental rat model

Objective: To investigate whether granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) can decrease the extent of ovarian follicle loss caused by cisplatin treatment. Methods: Twenty-one adult female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Fourteen rats were administered 2 mg/kg/day cisplatin by intraperitoneal injection twice per week for five weeks (total of 20 mg/kg). Half of the rats (n=7) were treated with 1 mL/kg/day physiological saline, and the other half (n=7) were treated with 100 mu g/kg/day G-CSF. The remaining rats (n=7, control group) received no therapy. The animals were then euthanized, and both ovaries were obtained from all animals, fixed in 10% formalin, and stored at 4 degrees C for paraffin sectioning. Blood samples were collected by cardiac puncture and stored at 30 degrees C for hormone assays. Results: All follicle counts (primordial, primary, secondary, and tertiary) and serum anti-Mullerian hormone levels were significantly increased in the cisplatin+G-CSF group compared to the cisplatin+physiological saline group. Conclusion: G-CSF was beneficial in decreasing the severity of follicle loss in an experimental rat model of cisplatin chemotherapy.