scholarly journals 352 THE USE OF PLASMA ANTI-MÜLLERIAN HORMONE IN SHEEP AS AN ENDOCRINE MARKER OF THE OVARIAN RESPONSE TO FOLLICLE-STIMULATING HORMONE IN MULTIPLE-OVULATION EMBRYO TRANSFER PROGRAMS

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 264
Author(s):  
B. Lahoz ◽  
J. L. Alabart ◽  
M. J. Cocero ◽  
D. Monniaux ◽  
S. Fabre ◽  
...  

The performance of MOET (multiple-ovulation embryo transfer) programs in sheep is limited, mainly due to variable ovarian responses to FSH superovulation treatments. In several mammalian species, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has been demonstrated to be a good predictor of the ovarian follicle population able to respond to gonadotropins. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate its usefulness in ovine MOET programs. With this goal, two MOET trials involving 24 adult ewes in total were performed. Each ewe received a fluorogestone acetate sponge (Sincropart 30 mg, CEVA Animal Health SA, Barcelona, Spain) which was replaced by a new one after 6 days (T–4). Four days later (T0), the first FSH injection (Folltropin-V, Minitub Ibérica SL, Tarragona, Spain) of a superovulation treatment consisting in 280 IU of FSH administered in 8 decreasing doses was applied. Blood samples were taken at T–4 and T0 using lithium heparin tubes for AMH measurement. Ewes were inseminated 51 h after sponge removal. Eight days after sponge removal, ovulation rate was recorded and embryo recovery was carried out under general anaesthesia. After morphological evaluation, 2 embryos were transferred to each recipient previously synchronized. The plasma concentrations of AMH were determined using the AMH equine ELISA kit (AnshLab, Webster, TX, USA). The sensibility of the assay was 27.8 pg mL–1, and the intra-assay coefficient of variation was 4.8%. Relationships between the AMH concentration of each animal and the number of corpora lutea (CL), embryo recovered and lambs born per donor ewe were tested using the Pearson correlation coefficient. Normality of the variables was assessed by Kolmogorov–Smirnov test. The plasma AMH concentrations at T–4 were highly correlated with those at T0 (r = 0.95; P < 0.01), so both sampling times could be used indistinctly. The plasma AMH concentration at T0 was highly variable between animals, ranging from 0 to 309.1 pg mL–1 (mean ± s.e.m.: 98.4 ± 18.4 pg mL–1). Similarly, the number of CL ranged from 2 to 29 (12.2 ± 1.5), recovered embryos from 0 to 17 (7.6 ± 1.2), and lambs born per donor and session from 0 to 13 (4.5 ± 0.9). The AMH concentration at the beginning of the FSH treatment (T0) was highly correlated with the total number of CL (r = 0.70; P < 0.01), but significance was not attained for AMH with the other variables. The number of CL was also correlated with the number of recovered embryos (r = 0.69; P < 0.01) and lambs born (r = 0.58; P < 0.01). In conclusion, AMH concentrations measured in blood plasma before the FSH treatment could be used to predict the number of CL per donor ewe, and so to improve the efficiency of MOET programs. Further studies are necessary to assess the individual repeatability of a given ewe from session to session as well as the relationship of AMH with other embryo-related variables.

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 226
Author(s):  
I. Singh ◽  
R. K. Sharma ◽  
S. K. Phulia ◽  
D. Kumar ◽  
O. Saxena ◽  
...  

Effect of the removal of inhibitory consequences of a dominant follicle (DF) on the recruitment, growth and ovulation of follicles in cyclic buffaloes induced to superovulate, was evaluated. Eight elite, multiparous, donor Murrah buffaloes, 80 to 120 days postpartum, were included in an integrated single-ovulation embryo transfer–multiple-ovulation embryo transfer (SOET-MOET) schedule. Superovulation with FSH (Folltropin® NIH-FSH-P1, Bioniche Animal Health, Belleville, ON, Canada) was preceded by nonsurgical single embryo (SOET) recovery on Day 5 or 6 after prostaglandin F2α (Lutalyse®, Pfizer, Madison, NJ, USA)-induced oestrus and AI (Day 0). For MOET, Folltropin was administered from Day 9 p.m. through to Day 13 p.m. in a twice-daily descending dose schedule (0–5, 5–4, 4–3, 3–2, 2–1 mL; total dose of 580 mg of NIH-FSH-P1). A dose of 25 mg of Lutalyse was administered on Day 12 a.m. and p.m. Donors were inseminated with proven semen on Day 14 a.m. and p.m. and Day 15 a.m. Nonsurgical embryo collection was carried out on Day 19 or 20 followed by administration of Lutalyse on Day 25. Following sexual rest for one complete oestrous cycle, Day 5 or 6 SOET was repeated. On Day 9, ultrasound-guided follicle aspiration was used to ablate the DF and the second MOET treatment was initiated at the same time. Mean diameter of DF at the start of superovulation treatment on Day 9 was similar between the first (12.5 ± 0.66 mm) and second (12.2 ± 0.33 mm) MOET cycles. At AI, mean number (9.6 ± 1.43 vs 13.4 ± 1.87) of follicles >9 mm were higher (P < 0.05) in the second (ablation) MOET cycle, though their mean diameters were similar (11.7 ± 0.21 vs 12.3 ± 0.21 mm; P = 0.17). On the day of ova/embryo collection, almost similar numbers of large follicles (4.1 ± 0.93 and 4.4 ± 0.84), with mean diameters of 12.9 ± 0.74 and 13.4 ± 0.83 mm, were observed for the first and second MOET, respectively. Mean (± SEM) numbers of corpora lutea (3.9 ± 0.81 and 4.9 ± 0.61; P = 0.19) and transferable quality embryos (0.6 ± 0.37 and 1.6 ± 0.37; P = 0.077) were counted in the first and second (ablation) MOET cycles, respectively. These preliminary findings suggest that ablation of DF before start of superovulatory treatment may be beneficial in improving the yield of transferable embryos in a buffalo MOET program. Director, CIRB, is acknowledged for the experimental facilities.


2014 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 168
Author(s):  
H. W. Vivanco-Mackie ◽  
M. D. Ponce Salazar ◽  
M. M. Gonzales ◽  
M. A. Tapia

Alpacas are induced ovulators, responding to copulation and (or) exogenous application of ovulation-inducing hormones. The objective of this study was to determine the efficiency of the injection of a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist versus LH in the induction of ovulation and the presence and size of non-ovulated follicles at the time of embryo collection and its relationship to the yield of transferable embryos in superovulated alpacas. Twenty-one adult (3 to 7 years old) female alpacas under extensive grazing at 4300 m elevation in the Peruvian Andes that had been synchronized and treated for superovulation were induced to ovulate 6 days after the application of the superovulatory hormone (1000 IU of eCG, Folligon®, Intervet International BV, Boxmeer, the Netherlands) by mating with fertile males and injection immediately after copulation of either an IM dose of 0.0084 mg of buserelin acetate (Buserelina Zoovet®, Laboratorio Zoovet, Santa Fe, Argentina) to 10 alpacas (T1) or an IM dose of 5-mg Armour standard of LH (Lutropin®, Bioniche Animal Health, Belleville, ON, Canada) to 11 alpacas (T2). All alpacas had a second mating 12 h after the first mating and were subjected to ovarian inspection by ultrasonography and previous embryo collection by nonsurgical transcervical embryo flushing 6.5 days after the first mating. On average, the embryo recovery rate for T1 was 34.6% and there were 7.8 ± 3.99 corpora lutea (CL), 2.7 ± 4.08 collected embryos, and 3.6 ± 2.95 total, 0.5 ± 0.85 small (<6 mm), 1.8 ± 1.99 medium (≥6 but ≤14 mm), and 1.3 ± 2.11 large (≥15 mm) non-ovulated follicles. For T2, the embryo recovery rate was 59.4% and there were 6.73 ± 1.49 CL, 4.0 ± 2.57 collected embryos, and 0.64 ± 0.81 total, 0.0 ± 0.0 small, 0.36 ± 0.67 medium, and 0.27 ± 0.47 large non-ovulated follicles. The differences between treatments were nonsignificant (P > 0.05) for all the parameters; however, there was a clear tendency for a better recovery rate, more embryos collected, and lower number of non-ovulated follicles in T2. The Pearson correlation coefficient between the presence of large follicles in the ovaries at the time of embryo collection and the total number of embryos collected was negative (r = –0.26) and highly significant (P ≤ 0.001). The use of LH for ovulation induction of superovulated alpacas seems to be more advisable than the use of GnRH agonist; further comparisons with larger number of observations per treatment are recommended. This study was financed by the Peruvian Fund for Innovation, Science and Technology (FINCYT).


2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 241
Author(s):  
M. Pupin ◽  
G. Vergani ◽  
M. Lima ◽  
K. Silva ◽  
A. Monteiro ◽  
...  

Antral follicle count (AFC) performed after an oestrus synchronization protocol has been studied as a tool to select ewes with high potential for invivo embryo production (Pinto et al. 2018 Theriogenology 113, 146-152). However, it would be interesting to know whether AFC assessed on a random day of the oestrous cycle correlates with the superovulatory response. The present study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between AFC at the beginning of progesterone (P4)-based oestrus synchronization protocol used as basis of superovulatory treatment and the number of corpora lutea (CL) 12h before recovery of embryos in Santa Inês ewes. The study was conducted during September and October in northeast Brazil (03°40′26″S and 40°14′20″W) using 8 adult Santa Inês ewes. On a random day of oestrous cycle (Day 0) all ewes received an intravaginal device (CIDR) of progesterone (0.3g, Eazi-breed, Zoetis), which remained for 9 days. On Day 7, the pFSH (133mg, Folltropin V, Vetoquinol) treatment began, with 6 decreasing doses (25, 25, 15, 15, 10, and 10%) injected IM at 12-h intervals. On Day 9, 2 equal doses of D-cloprostenol were injected at a 12-h interval (37.5µg, Prolise, Agener União). All ewes showed oestrus and were mated by fertile rams. Flunixin meglumine (24.9 mg; Banamine, MSD Animal Health) was administered IM on Days 12, 13, and 15. On Day 16, non-surgical embryo recovery (NSER) was performed after cervical dilation using D-cloprostenol and oestradiol benzoate at 16h and oxytocin 20min before. Transrectal B-mode ultrasound evaluations (Z5 Vet, Mindray), frequency 7.5MHz, were performed on Day 0 and 7 and 12h before NSER to evaluate the ovarian population present. Pearson correlation analysis (P&lt;0.05) was performed using Bioestat 5.3 software. The number of AFC per ewe at the beginning of the protocol and on Day 7 were 9.9±2.7 and 11±3.2, respectively. The numbers of CL, recovered embryos, and viable embryos were 14.0±3.5, 8.2±10.9, and 6.0±11.0, respectively. There was no correlation of AFC on a random day of oestrous cycle with the number of AFC on Day 7 (P=0.42), number of corpora lutea (P=0.44), number of recovered embryos (P=0.18), or number of viable embryos (P=0.11) in superovulated ewes. In conclusion, we did not find significant correlations between AFC on a random day of oestrous cycle and the superovulatory/embryos response in Santa Inês ewes. Financial support for this study was provided by Embrapa (02.13.06.026.00.02 and 02.13.06.026.00.04) and FAPEMIG (PPM 00201-17).


2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Giovanna Serpa Maciel ◽  
Mariana Garcia Kako Rodriguez ◽  
Priscila Del Aguila Da Silva ◽  
Ricardo Perecin Nociti ◽  
Ricardo Andres Ramirez Uscategui ◽  
...  

2015 ◽  
Vol 84 (5) ◽  
pp. 784-790 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Bruno-Galarraga ◽  
M. Cueto ◽  
A. Gibbons ◽  
F. Pereyra-Bonnet ◽  
M. Subiabre ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEFAN CIORNEI ◽  
Dan DRUGOCIU ◽  
Liliana Margareta Ciornei ◽  
Petru ROŞCA

Abstract BackgroundThe success of an embryo transfer protocol in sheep depends on many factors, but the choice of drugs for the desired superovulation as well as the conception rate are most essential. Reproductive activity in sheep is characterized by a seasonality influenced by several factors such as photoperiod, latitude, temperature, nutrition and breed. Reproductive seasonality and nutritional condition are the main factors that influence embryo production in sheep. In sheep, some anatomical peculiarities limit the application of traditional reproductive biotechnologies used in cattle. MethodsIn vivo embryo production is often referred to as “multiple ovulation and embryo transfer” and involves ovarian superstimulation of the donor female, insemination or mating, uterine flushing for embryo recovery, and either cryopreservation or transfer of collected embryos to recipients. A total number of 60 sheep and 3 rams were included in this study, divided into 2 groups (receptors/donors). Donor Suffolk sheep were treated for superovulation using the P4‐PGF‐FSH protocol while the cross-bred recipients’ group was synchronized with P4-PGF-PMSG. ResultsOn the first day after superovulation, all ovaries had more than 5 dominant follicles, while corpora lutea were later observed in 83.3% sheep. The recovery rate was 83.3% while 72,9% embryos were transferable. Embryos were transferred directly into recipients. Fertility after 30 days was 68.57%, lambing rate was 91.6%, and CR 62.85%. This study showed that veterinary drugs (P4, FSH, LH, PMSG, PGF) used for superovulation were capable to induce estrus and synchronize ovulation in sheep, are topical and in increasing use worldwide. ConclusionsThe aim of this study was to conclude on the effectiveness of a wider on farm in vivo embryo transfer development program in Suffolk sheep, using several veterinary hormones. The application of a multiple ovulation embryo transfer (MOET) protocol has a positive effect in the production of in vivo derived embryos in Suffolk sheep and can guarantee the success of embryo transfer activity to ewes with lower genetic merit. Our research aimed at representing a model for sheep farms for a rapid improvement of productive traits.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shauna Kehoe ◽  
Katarina Jewgenow ◽  
Paul R. Johnston ◽  
Susan Mbedi ◽  
Beate C. Braun

AbstractIn vitro growth (IVG) of dormant primordial ovarian follicles aims to produce mature competent oocytes for assisted reproduction. Success is dependent on optimal in vitro conditions complemented with an understanding of oocyte and ovarian follicle development in vivo. Complete IVG has not been achieved in any other mammalian species besides mice. Furthermore, ovarian folliculogenesis remains sparsely understood overall. Here, gene expression patterns were characterised by RNA-sequencing in primordial (PrF), primary (PF), and secondary (SF) ovarian follicles from Felis catus (domestic cat) ovaries. Two major transitions were investigated: PrF-PF and PF-SF. Transcriptional analysis revealed a higher proportion in gene expression changes during the PrF-PF transition. Key influencing factors during this transition included the interaction between the extracellular matrix (ECM) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMPs) along with nuclear components such as, histone HIST1H1T (H1.6). Conserved signalling factors and expression patterns previously described during mammalian ovarian folliculogenesis were observed. Species-specific features during domestic cat ovarian folliculogenesis were also found. The signalling pathway terms “PI3K-Akt”, “transforming growth factor-β receptor”, “ErbB”, and “HIF-1” from the functional annotation analysis were studied. Some results highlighted mechanistic cues potentially involved in PrF development in the domestic cat. Overall, this study provides an insight into regulatory factors and pathways during preantral ovarian folliculogenesis in domestic cat.


Reproduction ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 147 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Noriyuki Takahashi ◽  
Wataru Tarumi ◽  
Bunpei Ishizuka

Most of the previous studies on ovarian hyaluronan (HA) have focused on mature antral follicles or corpora lutea, but scarcely on small preantral follicles. Moreover, the origin of follicular HA is unknown. To clarify the localization of HA and its synthases in small growing follicles, involvement of HA in follicle growth, and gonadotropin regulation of HA synthase (Has) gene expression, in this study, perinatal, immature, and adult ovaries of Wistar-Imamichi rats were examined histologically and biochemically and byin vitrofollicle culture. HA was detected in the extracellular matrix of granulosa and theca cell layers of primary follicles and more advanced follicles. Ovarian HA accumulation ontogenetically started in the sex cords of perinatal rats, and its primary site shifted to the intrafollicular region of primary follicles within 5 days of birth. TheHas1–3mRNAs were expressed in the ovaries of perinatal, prepubertal, and adult rats, and the expression levels ofHas1andHas2genes were modulated during the estrous cycle in adult rats and following administration of exogenous gonadotropins in immature acyclic rats. TheHas1andHas2mRNAs were predominantly localized in the theca and granulosa cell layers of growing follicles respectively. Treatments with chemicals known to reduce ovarian HA synthesis induced follicular atresia. More directly, the addition ofStreptomyceshyaluronidase, which specifically degrades HA, induced the arrest of follicle growth in anin vitroculture system. These results indicate that gonadotropin-regulated HA synthesis is involved in normal follicle growth.


Biologics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-69
Author(s):  
Catarina Vinhas Jota Baptista ◽  
Fernanda Seixas ◽  
José Manuel Gonzalo-Orden ◽  
Paula A. Oliveira

Erinaceus europaeus is a cosmopolitan mammalian species broadly distributed in Europe, from natural to suburban areas. Due to its ecological role and susceptibility to distinct zoonotic agents, E. europaeus could be a suitable sentinel candidate for many global problems that negatively affect human and animal health. Hedgehogs can work as bioindicators to environmental contamination and can be hosts for multiple tickborne zoonotic agents. Thus, people who directly or indirectly make physical contact with this species are exposed to a variety of threats. Moreover, it has also been studied as an indicator for antibiotic resistance, which was already confirmed for tetracyclines. Additionally, it was also reported as a reservoir for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). More recently, hedgehogs have been recently recognised as potential reservoirs of MERS-CoV-like strains. Among other animals, this species can possibly represent an intermediate reservoir for SARS-CoV-2. The aim of this review is to briefly expose the scientific attainments about hedgehog health, namely agents, diseases, and threats that significantly affect general health concerns and that contribute to achieve One Health principles.


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