Recombinant Fsh and Lh therapy for spawning induction of previtellogenic and early spermatogenic arrested teleost, the flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus)

With the expansion and diversification of global aquaculture, efforts continue to develop new bio-technologies for assisted reproduction in species that present reproductive dysfunctions. Flathead grey mullet (Mugil cephalus) held in intensive conditions in the Mediterranean region, display a severe reproductive dysfunction, where males do not produce fluent milt and females are arrested at previtellogenesis or early stages of vitellogenesis. In the present study, weekly injections of species-specific single-chain recombinant gonadotropins (rGths); follicle stimulating hormone (rFsh) (6 to 12 μg kg-1 doses) and luteinizing hormone (rLh) (2.5 to 24 μg kg-1 doses) were administered to induce vitellogenesis, from previtellogenesis / early vitellogenesis to the completion of vitellogenic growth in females and enhance spermatogenesis to produce adequate volumes of sperm from non-fluent males. During the experiment, all treated females (n = 21) developed oocytes in late vitellogenesis with 603 ± 8 μm diameter and all treated males produced fluent sperm. To induce oocyte maturation, ovulation and spawning, females were treated with either (i) a priming dose of 30 μg kg-1 of rLh and a resolving dose of 40 mg kg-1 of progesterone (P4), (ii) priming and resolving doses of 30 μg kg-1 of rLh, or (iii) priming and resolving doses of 40 mg kg-1 of P4 given 24:05 ± 0:40 h apart. Females were placed in spawning tanks with rGth treated males that had fluent sperm. Spontaneous spawns of fertilised eggs were obtained after inducing with rLh + P4 or rLh + rLh (priming and resolving injections) with a spawning success of the 85% (8 of 9 females) and 100% (n = 6), respectively. The eggs collected from the tanks presented 64 ± 22% fertilization with embryo development and 57 ± 24 % hatching. The treatment P4 + P4 had a lower ovulation success (50 % - 3 of 6 females) and spawning success (17 %) with no fertilised eggs. Success was independent of the initial gonadal stage of females. In comparison, control females did not show any advance in gonadal development from initial stages and control males did not produce fluent sperm. The present results confirm the possibility of controlling oogenesis from previtellogenesis to the completion of maturation and fertilised tank spawning using exclusively rFsh and rLh in a teleost species.

Extended Letrozole Versus Recombinant FSH in Ovulation Induction in Cases of Clomiphene Citrate Resistant Polycystic Ovary

Background: Clomiphene citrate (CC) is still the traditional therapy used for inducing ovulation in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Clomiphene resistance, which refers to persistence of anovulation after standard CC therapy, occurs in 15%–20% of patients. We aimed to compare between extended letrozole versus recombinant FSH in ovulation induction in cases of clomiphene resistant polycystic ovary Methods: Seventy women with PCOS were included then patients were equally randomized to receive one of the two drugs to be given over the next 3 months. In current study Group A: letrozole group 2.5 mg two tablets once daily for 10 days from day 2 of menses. Group B: Recombinant FSH 75 i.u s.c daily from day 2 for 5 days then monitoring dose according to folliculometry. Results: There was non-significant difference between two groups as regard FSH and LH but as regard Serum E2 (pg/mL) at day 5 of HCG administration there was significant higher in FSH recombinant group. There was insignificant difference between two groups as regard Ovulating, Number of follicles >18. There was insignificant difference between two groups as regard Size of dominant follicle, endometrial thickness at hCG (mm). OHSS, discontinuation due to OHSS, clinical pregnancy, multiple pregnancy and abortion was higher in FSH recombinant group but differences didn’t reach significance. Conclusions: There was non-significant difference between two groups in relation to ovulation, Number of follicles, Size of dominant follicle, Endometrial thickness at day of HCG injection however it was reported that OHSS, discontinuation due to OHSS, positive pregnancy test, was higher in FSH recombinant group but differences didn’t reach significance level.