Organs don’t all age at the same rate, and the ovaries are unfortunately one of the fastest to do so, but scientists aren’t exactly sure why. Therefore, leading to a decline in ovary production of eggs starting at age 35. Researchers at Zhengzhou University in China investigated the biological mechanisms that might be behind this decline. They analyzed patterns of gene expression in young mice about two months of age, and middle-aged mice around eight months old, in the ovaries and other organs.
It was delineated that the gene CD38 can potentially cause anti-aging effects in the ovaries of women. The Research had shown that CD38 deletion mitigated ovarian aging, preserved fertility, and follicle reserve in aged mice. It was found that CD38 deficiency enhances ovarian reserves and reproductive capacity in young female animals, and it can alleviate ovarian inflammation in aging animals. This is associated with increased ovarian NAD+ levels, which is beneficial for ovarian health. The study also demonstrated that CD38 is a key determinant of ovarian aging, and its deletion can mitigate ovarian aging, preserving fertility and follicle reserve in aged mice. These findings suggest that targeting CD38 or its downstream effects on NAD+ metabolism may offer new approaches to enhance female fertility and mitigate age-related ovarian decline which could, increase fertility via IVF in later stages of life.
