Hostname: page-component-77c89778f8-n9wrp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-21T15:34:40.794Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Effect of bovine follicular fluid treatment and progesterone priming on luteal function in GnRH-treated seasonally anoestrous ewes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. F. Basiouni
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
M. Khalid
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
W. Haresign
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, University of Nottingham, Sutton Bonington Campus, Loughborough LE12 5RD
Get access

Abstract

The main objective of the present experiment was to investigate whether progesterone priming eliminates defective luteal function in seasonally anoestrous ewes induced to ovulate with pulsatile GnRH treatment by synchronizing the early stages of follicle development. This was achieved by suppressing and synchronizing the early stages of follicle development with bovine follicular fluid (bFF) and then investigating whether this was sufficient to eliminate defective luteal function following the induction of ovulation with GnRH. Ewes in group 1 (no. = 10) were injected s.c. with 2 ml bFF at 8-h intervals for a period of 3 days before the start of GnRH treatment. Animals in group 2 (no. = 10), ivhich served as positive controls, were given a single i.m. injection of 20 mg progesterone 3 days before the start of GnRH treatment, while those in group 3 (no. = 10), which served as negative controls, were injected with corn oil alone at this time. Ewes in all the three groups were induced to ovulate by administration of 2-hourly injections of GnRH (250 ng per injection) for 54 h. Frequent blood samples for LH, FSH, and oestradiol were collected around the time of both progesterone/bFF injections and GnRH treatment, as well as daily thereafter to monitor luteal function.

The bFF injections given to animals in group 1 resulted in a significant (P<0·001) suppression of FSH concentrations, followed by a rebound rise in concentrations after the cessation of treatment. GnRH treatment significantly (P < 0·05) increased both mean LH pulse amplitude and overall mean LH concentrations in all the three groups, while LH pulse frequency was increased only in non-bFF-treated ewes. Plasma oestradiol concentrations 24 h after the start of GnRH treatment were significantly (P < 0·05) higher in groups 2 and 3 compared with group 1. These differences in the patterns of oestradiol concentrations over time were associated with a significant (P <0·05) delay in the onset of the pre-ovulatory LH surge in ewes treated witli bFF (group 1). However, there was no difference in either the duration or the height of pre-ovulatory LH surge between the three treatment groups. Ewes in all three treatment groups ovulated in response to GnRH treatment. However, both laparoscopic examination and plasma progesterone concentrations revealed that the incidence of normal luteal function was significantly (P < 0·05) higher in group 2 (10/10) compared with groups 1 (2/10) and 3 (4/10), with no difference between groups 1 and 3. Overall, these results suggest that progesterone priming does not eliminate defective luteal function through synchronizing early stages offollicle development.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1996

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Adashi, E. Y., Resnick, C. E., Hernandez, E. R., Svoboda, M. E. and Van Wykk, J. J. 1989. Potential relevance of insulin-like growth factor 1 to ovarian physiology: from basic science to clinical application. Seminars in Reproductive Endocrinology 7:9499.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baird, D. T. and McNeilly, A. S. 1981. Gonadotrophic control of follicular development and function during the oestrous cycle of the ewe. journal of Reproduction and Fertility 30:(supplement)119123.Google Scholar
Beard, A. P., Hunter, M. G. and Lamming, G. E. 1994. Quantitative control of oxytocin-induced PGF2a release by progesterone and oestradiol in ewes, journal of Reproduction and Fertility 100:143150.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Foster, J. P. and Crighton, D. B. 1974. Luteinizing hormone (LH) release after single injections of a synthetic LH-releasing hormone (LH-RH) in the ewe at three different reproductive stages and comparison with natural LH release at oestrus. Theriogcnology 2:87100.Google Scholar
Goodman, R. L. and Karsch, F. J. 1980. Pulsatile secretion of luteinizing hormone: differential suppression by ovarian steroids. Endocrinology 107:12861290.Google Scholar
Haresign, W., Basiouni, G. F. and Khalid, M. 1996. Effect of progesterone priming on gondadtropin secretion and luteal function in GnRH-treated seasonally anoestrous ewes. Animal Science 62:97103.Google Scholar
Haresign, W., Cooper, A. C., Khalid, M. and Hanrahan, J. P. 1995. Patterns of gonadotropin secretion in cyclic Finn ewes selected for and against high ovulation rate. Animal Science 61:251257.Google Scholar
Haresign, W., Foster, J. P., Haynes, N. B., Crighton, D. B. and Lamming, G. E. 1975. Progesterone levels following treatment of seasonally anoestrous ewes with synthetic LH-releasing hormone. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 43:269279.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Henderson, K. M., Prisk, M. D., Hudson, N., Ball, K., McNatty, K. P., Lun, S., Heath, D., Kieboom, L. E. and McDiarmid, J. 1986. Use of bovine follicular fluid to increase ovulation rate or prevent ovulation in sheep. journal of Reproduction and Fertility 76:623635.Google Scholar
Hunter, M. G., Hindle, J. E., McLeod, B. J. and McNeilly, A. S. 1988. Treatment with bovine follicular fluid suppresses follicular development in gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-treated anoestrous ewes. Journal of Endocrinology 119:95100.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hunter, M. G., Southee, J. A., McLeod, B. J. and Haresign, W. 1986. Progesterone pretreatment has a direct effect on GnRH-induced preovulatory follicles to determine their ability to develop into normal corpora lutea in anoestrous ewes. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 76:349363.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McLeod, B. J., Haresign, W. and Lamming, G. E. 1982a. The induction of ovulation and luteal function in seasonally anoestrous ewes treated with small-dose multiple injections of Gn-RH. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 65:215221.Google Scholar
McLeod, B. J., Haresign, W. and Lamming, G. E. 1982b. Response of seasonally anoestrous ewes to small-dose multiple injections of Gn-RH with and without progesterone pretreatment. journal of Reproduction and Fertility 65:223230.Google Scholar
McLeod, B. J. and McNeilly, A. S. 1987. Suppression of plasma FSH concentrations with bovine follicular fluid blocks ovulation in GnRH-treated seasonally anoestrous ewes. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 81:187194.Google Scholar
McLeod, B. J. and McNeilly, A. S. 1991. Manipulation of plasma FSH concentrations by administration of bFF affects LH secretion in seasonally anoestrous ewes. Animal Reproduction Science 25:115124.Google Scholar
McNeilly, A. S., Picton, H. M., Campbell, B. K. and Baird, D. T. 1991. Gonadotrophic control of follicle growth in the ewe. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 43:(supplement) 177186.Google Scholar
Miller, K. F., Critser, J. K. and Ginther, O. J. 1982. Inhibition and subsequent rebound of FSH secretion following treatment with bovine follicular fluid in the ewe. Theriogenology 18:4553.Google Scholar
Pearce, D. T., Oldham, C. M., Haresign, W. and Gray, S. J. 1987. Effects of duration and timing of progesterone priming on the incidence of corpora lutea with a normal life-span in Merino ewes induced to ovulate by the introduction of rams. Animal Reproduction Science 13:8189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Southee, J. A., Hunter, M. G. and Haresign, W. 1988. Function of abnormal corpora lutea in vivo after GnRH-induced ovulation in the anoestrous ewe. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 84:131137.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallace, J. M. and McNeilly, A. S. 1985. Increase in ovulation rate after treatment of ewes with bovine follicular fluid in the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 73:505515.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wallace, J. M. and McNeilly, A. S. 1986. Changes in FSH and the pulsatile secretion of LH during treatment of ewes with bovine follicular fluid throughout the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle. Journal of Endocrinology 111:317327.Google Scholar
Wallace, J. M., McNeilly, A. S. and Baird, D. T. 1985a. Ovulation rate and embryo survival in Damline ewes after treatment with bovin e follicular fluid in the luteal phase of the oestrous cycle. Journal of Reproduction and Fertility 75:101109.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wallace, J. M., McNeilly, A. S. and Tsonis, C. G. 1985b. Effect of bovine follicular fluid (bFF) treatment throughout the luteal phase on LH, FSH and ovarian follicular development in the ewe. Annual conference of the Society for the Study of Fertility, Aberdeen, July, abstract no. 79.Google Scholar
Wallace, J. M., Martin, G. B. and McNeilly, A. S. 1988. Changes in the secretion of LH pulses, FSH and prolactin during the preovulatory phase of the oestrous cycle of the ewe and the influence of treatment with bovine follicular fluid during the luteal phase. Journal of Endocrinology 116:123135.Google Scholar