Serum anti-Müllerian hormone dynamics in mares following immunocontraception with anti-zona pellucida or -GnRH vaccines.
Abstract: Circulating anti-Müllerian hormone concentration (AMH) is positively correlated to the number of small growing follicles in the mare and may reflect ovarian function. Dynamics of AMH during immunocontraception have not previously been investigated. This study aimed to compare serum AMH in mares following treatment with native porcine zona pellucida (pZP), recombinant pZP3 and pZP4 (reZP) or gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccines, and saline-treated controls. Stored sera collected during two previous studies examining ovarian activity in mares during zona pellucida (ZP) or GnRH immunocontraception were analysed for serum AMH. Data were compared among treatment groups using mixed-effects linear regression and one-way ANOVA with post hoc testing. Correlations between AMH and previously reported clinical variables were estimated using Spearman's rho. Mares immunized against GnRH showed variable but detectable AMH throughout successive breeding and non-breeding seasons that were not significantly different to unvaccinated control mares. Mares treated with pZP demonstrated marked, reversible suppression of AMH. Mares immunized using reZP showed an intermediate effect. In the ZP study, AMH was positively correlated to serum progesterone concentrations, mean ovarian volumes and antral follicle counts, whereas no correlations between AMH and serum progesterone concentrations, mean ovarian volumes, or the presence of one or more follicles ≥20 mm in diameter were detected in the GnRH study. In conclusion, marked suppression of AMH during pZP immunocontraception, but not during GnRH immunocontraception, suggested enhanced suppression of ovarian follicular development and, or follicular function during pZP immunocontraception. Serum AMH concentrations may provide a novel tool for the assessment of ovarian function during ZP-based immunocontraception.
Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Publication Date: 2017-10-05 PubMed ID: 29096268DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.10.004Google Scholar: Lookup
The Equine Research Bank provides access to a large database of publicly available scientific literature. Inclusion in the Research Bank does not imply endorsement of study methods or findings by Mad Barn.
- Journal Article
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 involved exploring the effects of immunocontraception with anti-zona pellucida or -GnRH vaccines on Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) concentration in mares’ serum. The study found that AMH was significantly decreased during pZP immunocontraception, indicating possible suppression of ovarian follicular development or function, a pattern not observed with GnRH immunocontraception.
Overview of the Study
- The research aimed to investigate how the immunization of mares with native porcine zona pellucida (pZP), recombinant pZP3, and pZP4 (reZP), or gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) vaccines affected the serum AMH. A control group was treated with saline.
- The researchers used sera samples that were previously collected for two other studies. These studies were centered around the ovarian activity of mares during zona pellucida (ZP) or GnRH immunocontraception.
- AMH is considered a reliable marker of ovarian function, as its concentration in serum correlates positively with the number of small growing follicles.
- Various statistical tools were used to compare data, including mixed-effects linear regression and one-way ANOVA with post hoc testing. To establish associations between AMH and reported clinical variables, Spearman’s rho was utilized.
Findings of the Research
- Mares immunized against GnRH showed varying, but detectable, levels of AMH throughout breeding and non-breeding seasons. These levels were not significantly different compared to the untreated control group.
- However, those mares treated with pZP showed a strong, but reversible, suppression of AMH, while mares immunized using reZP showed an intermediate effect.
- In the ZP study, AMH was positively linked to serum progesterone concentrations, mean ovarian volumes, and antral follicle counts. However, no such correlations were found in the GnRH study.
Conclusions of the Study
- The considerable suppression of AMH during pZP immunocontraception, but not during GnRH immunocontraception, suggests a more pronounced suppression of ovarian follicular development and/ or follicular function during pZP immunocontraception.
- The findings suggest that serum AMH concentrations could provide a novel tool for assessing ovarian function during ZP-based immunocontraception.
Cite This Article
APA
Joonè CJ, Schulman ML, Fosgate GT, Claes ANJ, Gupta SK, Botha AE, Human A, Bertschinger HJ.
(2017).
Serum anti-Müllerian hormone dynamics in mares following immunocontraception with anti-zona pellucida or -GnRH vaccines.
Theriogenology, 106, 214-220.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.10.004 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa. Electronic address: carolynne.joone@jcu.edu.au.
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
- Reproductive Cell Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Immunology, New Delhi, India.
- Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Veterinary Population Management Laboratory, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
- Veterinary Population Management Laboratory, Department of Production Animal Studies, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone / blood
- Anti-Mullerian Hormone / metabolism
- Contraception, Immunologic / veterinary
- Female
- Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / immunology
- Horses / blood
- Horses / physiology
- Vaccines, Contraceptive / immunology
- Zona Pellucida / immunology
Citations
This article has been cited 2 times.- French H, Segabinazzi L, Middlebrooks B, Peterson E, Schulman M, Roth R, Crampton M, Conan A, Marchi S, Gilbert T, Knobel D, Bertschinger H. Efficacy and Safety of Native and Recombinant Zona Pellucida Immunocontraceptive Vaccines Formulated with Non-Freund's Adjuvants in Donkeys.. Vaccines (Basel) 2022 Nov 24;10(12).
- Papas M, Govaere J, Peere S, Gerits I, Van de Velde M, Angel-Velez D, De Coster T, Van Soom A, Smits K. Anti-Müllerian Hormone and OPU-ICSI Outcome in the Mare.. Animals (Basel) 2021 Jul 5;11(7).
Use Nutrition Calculator
Check if your horse's diet meets their nutrition requirements with our easy-to-use tool Check your horse's diet with our easy-to-use tool
Talk to a Nutritionist
Discuss your horse's feeding plan with our experts over a free phone consultation Discuss your horse's diet over a phone consultation
Submit Diet Evaluation
Get a customized feeding plan for your horse formulated by our equine nutritionists Get a custom feeding plan formulated by our nutritionists
