Increased ovulation rates in mares after immunisation against recombinant bovine inhibin alpha-subunit.
Abstract: THE name inhibin was first used around 60 years ago for a water-soluble. non-steroidal, gonadal factor that would regulate follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) secretion through negative feedback McUullagh 1930. Inhihin is now defined as a glycoprotein hormone, consisting of two dissimilar, disulphide-linked, subunits termed at and 13 1 Burger and Igarashi 1988). Effective methods for blocking inhibin production could provide useful means by which FSH secretion, and therefore ovarian function and fertility, could be improved in the female. Increased ovulation rates have been demonstrated in sheep (Henderson et a! 1984; O'Shea et al 1984, Cummins et a! 1986) and cattle (Bindon et a! 1988) immunised against inhibin. enriched fractions of bovine or ovine follicular fluid respectively. Furthermore, this has led to an increased number of progeny horn (O'Shea et al 19841. Immunisation with a highly purified fusion protein of the a-subunit of bovine inhibin, produced by recombinant DNA methods, has been used to obtain a c-4-fold increase in ovulation rate in sheep (Forage et al 1987) and increased ovulation rates in gilts (Brown et al 1990). Findlay, Doughton. Robertson and Forage (1989) and Mizumachi et al (1990) showed that the increased ovulation rate in immunised ewes was due to increases in circulating FSH. Tsonis et a1(1989) found that the subunit could he used as a fecundity vaccine in sheep. The purpose of this study was to examine the passibility of increasing ovulation rate in mares by immunisation with a fusion protein of the ct-subunit of bovine inhibin.
Publication Date: 1992-03-01 PubMed ID: 1582394DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb02800.xGoogle Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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This research investigated the possibility of increasing ovulation rates in mares using a vaccine against a portion of bovine inhibin, a hormone regulating reproduction in mammals.
Study Context
- Inhibin is a hormone, first identified approximately 60 years ago and known to regulate the secretion of another hormone—follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)—through a negative feedback mechanism. This hormone consists of two diverse subunits connected by disulphide bonds.
- Particularly, this study takes a look at the potential benefits of inhibiting inhibin, as it could provide an opportunity to enhance FSH secretion, and by extension, improve ovarian function as well as fertility in the female animal.
Prior Research
- Previous research had demonstrated that inhibiting inhibin production increased ovulation rates in sheep and cattle. This was achieved by immunizing these animals against inhibin.
- In addition, these studies showed that such immunization not only boosted ovulation but also resulted in a greater number of offspring being born.
- Previously, sheep and pigs (gilts) had been successfully immunized using a highly purified protein of the alpha-subunit of bovine inhibin, produced using recombinant DNA techniques, leading to an increase in ovulation rate.
- Two notable studies found that this heightened ovulation rate was due to an increase in circulating FSH after immunization.
Purpose of this Current Study
- Based on this background, the researchers took on the task to check whether immunizing mares using a fusion protein of the alpha-subunit of bovine inhibin could heighten their ovulation rate—replicating the successes recorded in other animals.
Cite This Article
APA
McKinnon AO, Brown RW, Pashen RL, Greenwood PE, Vasey JR.
(1992).
Increased ovulation rates in mares after immunisation against recombinant bovine inhibin alpha-subunit.
Equine Vet J, 24(2), 144-146.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2042-3306.1992.tb02800.x Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Goulburn Valley Equine Hospital, Victoria, Australia.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Cattle
- Female
- Horses / immunology
- Horses / physiology
- Immunization / veterinary
- Immunization, Secondary / veterinary
- Inhibins / immunology
- Ovulation / immunology
- Recombinant Proteins / immunology
Citations
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