Salidroside Improves Oocyte Competence of Reproductively Old Mice by Enhancing Mitophagy

Abstract

The decline of oocyte quality with advanced maternal age has a detrimental effect on female fertility. However, there is limited knowledge of therapeutic options and their mechanisms to improve oocyte quality in reproductively older women. In this study, we demonstrated that supplementation of salidroside improves the oocyte quality of reproductively old mice. Salidroside improved the maturation, fertilization, and developmental competence of oocytes from reproductively old mice by maintaining the normal spindle/chromosome structure and mitochondrial function. Oocyte transcriptomic and micro-proteomic analysis revealed that salidroside restores oocyte quality by enhancing mitophagy in reproductively old mice. Our studies provide a new theoretical foundation for utilizing salidroside to improve oocyte quality in reproductively old females in the context of natural fertility or assisted reproduction.