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Animals : an open access journal from MDPI2020; 10(12); 2249; doi: 10.3390/ani10122249

Diestrous Ovulations in Pregnant Mares as a Response to Low Early Postovulatory Progestogen Concentration.

Abstract: Spontaneous prolongation of the luteal phase has been described in horses, but the underlying causes are still unclear. The present study investigated details of gonadotrophin and progestogen secretion in pregnant mares (n = 11) with or without experimentally reduced early postovulatory luteal function. From days 0 to 3 after ovulation, they were treated with the prostaglandin F (PGF) analogue cloprostenol or left untreated. After conceptus collection on day 34, they were assigned to the opposite treatment. Mares were affiliated to the group primary corpus luteum (n = 6) or diestrous corpus luteum (n = 5) depending on diestrous corpus luteum (CL) detection in the PGF pregnancy. For statistical comparisons, a -value < 0.05 was significant. There was an effect of treatment ( < 0.01), but not of group on progestogen concentration. The concentration of LH was higher in PGF-treated than in untreated pregnancies ( < 0.05), but did not differ between groups. The FSH concentration did not differ between groups nor treatments. The total luteal tissue area was greater in mares with a diestrous ovulation during the PGF treatment pregnancy. Low progestogen concentration in the early postovulatory phase diminish the negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in early pregnancy and, thus, stimulate a luteal tissue response. Detection of secondary CL at the time of pregnancy examination in mares may reflect that early post-ovulatory progestogen concentrations were low.
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Publication Date: 2020-11-30 PubMed ID: 33266083PubMed Central: PMC7761349DOI: 10.3390/ani10122249Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

The research article investigates the patterns of gonadotrophin and progestogen secretion in pregnant mares with an emphasis on the causes of extended luteal phase. The study tested the effects of reducing early postovulatory luteal function and found that lower progestogen levels led to stimulated luteal tissue response and the possibility of a secondary Corpus Luteum during early pregnancy.

Experiment and Methodology

  • The experiment involved a set of 11 mares who were either subjected to an experimentally reduced early postovulatory luteal function or left untreated
  • This was done by administering prostaglandin F (PGF) analogue cloprostenol to the mares from days 0 to 3 following their ovulation
  • On the 34th day after ovulation, the conceptus was collected from the mares, after which they were subjected to the opposite treatment of the initial phase, thus giving the researchers a clear idea about changes in hormonal secretion

Groups and Findings

  • The mares were then sorted into two groups – ‘primary corpus luteum’ and ‘diestrous corpus luteum’ – depending on the detection of diestrous corpus luteum in the PGF pregnancy
  • The researchers found that the applied treatment significantly affected progestogen concentration, but the group allocation appeared to have no significant impact
  • Additionally, the levels of Luteinizing Hormone (LH) were found to be higher in pregnancies that were treated with PGF than in those that were untreated
  • However, there were no noted differences between the group assigned and the concentration of Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) in either the treated or untreated horses
  • Mares who had a diestrous ovulation during the PGF treatment pregnancy exhibited a greater total luteal tissue area

Conclusion

  • The findings suggest that a low progestogen concentration during the early postovulatory phase can limit the negative feedback on the hypothalamic-pituitary axis in early pregnancy, thereby stimulating a luteal tissue response
  • The presence of secondary Corpus Luteum at the time of pregnancy examination in mares might be an indication that the early post-ovulatory progestogen concentrations were low

Cite This Article

APA
Okada CTC, Kaps M, Perez Quesada J, Gautier C, Aurich J, Aurich C. (2020). Diestrous Ovulations in Pregnant Mares as a Response to Low Early Postovulatory Progestogen Concentration. Animals (Basel), 10(12), 2249. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10122249

Publication

Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
ISSN: 2076-2615
NlmUniqueID: 101635614
Country: Switzerland
Language: English
Volume: 10
Issue: 12
PII: 2249

Researcher Affiliations

Okada, Carolina T C
  • Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Kaps, Martim
  • Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Perez Quesada, Javier
  • Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Gautier, Camille
  • Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Aurich, Jörg
  • Section for Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Andrology, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.
Aurich, Christine
  • Platform Artificial Insemination and Embryo Transfer, Department for Small Animals and Horses, Vetmeduni Vienna, Veterinärplatz 1, 1210 Vienna, Austria.

Conflict of Interest Statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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