1. Progesterone improves the maturation of male-induced preovulatory follicles in anoestrous ewes
- Author
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Pascal Papillier, Jean-Luc Touzé, Maria-Teresa Pellicer-Rubio, Didier Lomet, Achraf Adib, Sandrine Freret, Anthony Estienne, Danielle Monniaux, Lionel Lardic, Didier Chesneau, Physiologie de la reproduction et des comportements [Nouzilly] (PRC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation [Saumur]-Université de Tours-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation [Saumur]-Université de Tours (UT)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Tours-Institut Français du Cheval et de l'Equitation [Saumur]-Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)
- Subjects
Male ,Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ,Embryology ,Time Factors ,[SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio] ,Anestrus ,Follicle-stimulating hormone ,[SCCO]Cognitive science ,Endocrinology ,Ovarian Follicle ,Follicular phase ,Progesterone ,media_common ,seasonal reproduction ,Ultrasonography ,0303 health sciences ,Estradiol ,Obstetrics and Gynecology ,Steroid 17-alpha-Hydroxylase ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,Receptors, LH ,medicine.anatomical_structure ,Theca ,Receptors, FSH ,Female ,Seasons ,Luteinizing hormone ,Corpus luteum ,Ovulation ,medicine.medical_specialty ,endocrine system ,[SDV.OT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Other [q-bio.OT] ,Reproductive Techniques, Assisted ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Biology ,03 medical and health sciences ,Internal medicine ,male effect ,medicine ,Animals ,Inhibins ,Cholesterol Side-Chain Cleavage Enzyme ,RNA, Messenger ,Ovarian follicle ,030304 developmental biology ,Estrous cycle ,Sheep ,0402 animal and dairy science ,oestrus cycle ,Cell Biology ,Fertility Agents, Female ,Luteinizing Hormone ,Phosphoproteins ,040201 dairy & animal science ,Reproductive Medicine ,Gene Expression Regulation ,follicular maturation ,Follicle Stimulating Hormone - Abstract
The first ovulation induced by male effect in sheep during seasonal anoestrus usually results in the development of a short cycle that can be avoided by progesterone priming before ram introduction. In elucidating the involvement of the hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis in the occurrence of short cycles, the effects of progesterone and the time of anoestrus on the development of male-induced preovulatory follicles were investigated in anoestrous ewes using morphological, endocrine and molecular approaches. Ewes were primed with progesterone for 2 (CIDR2) or 12 days (CIDR12) and untreated ewes used as controls during early (April) and late (June) anoestrus. The duration of follicular growth and the lifespan of the male-induced preovulatory follicles were prolonged by ∼1.6 days in CIDR12 ewes compared with the controls. These changes were accompanied by a delay in the preovulatory LH and FSH surges and ovulation. Intra-follicular oestradiol concentration and mRNA levels ofLHCGRandSTARin the granulosa and theca cells of the preovulatory follicles were higher in CIDR12 ewes than the control ewes. The expression of mRNA levels ofCYP11A1andCYP17A1also increased in theca cells of CIDR12 ewes. CIDR2 ewes gave intermediate results. Moreover, ewes ovulated earlier in June than in April, without changes in the duration of follicular growth, but these effects were unrelated to the lifespan of corpus luteum. Our results give the first evidence supporting the positive effect of progesterone priming on the completion of growth and maturation of preovulatory follicles induced by male effect in seasonal anoestrous ewes, thereby preventing short cycles.
- Published
- 2014
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