The effects of age, season and fertility status on plasma and intratesticular insulin-like growth factor I concentration in stallions.
Abstract: The purposes of this study were to establish the basal plasma and testicular insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) values for stallions ranging in age from 6 months to 23 years and to determine if IGF-I could be used as a marker for declining fertility. Blood and testes were obtained from 28 light horse stallions and colts. Of the 28 stallions, 22 were considered fertile and were categorized by age (<2 y, 5 to 10 y, 11 to 15 y, and 16 to 23 y); 12 age-matched stallions were grouped as to fertility status (fertile, subfertile, infertile); and all 28 stallions were grouped as to season of castration (breeding season vs. non-breeding season). In colts less than 2 years of age, IGF-I concentrations in plasma and testicular extracts were higher (P < 0.01) than in the other age groups and were higher in the breeding season than in the non-breeding season (P < 0.01). No significant differences in plasma or testicular extract concentrations of IGF-I were found among fertility groups. The results of this study demonstrate that plasma and testicular IGF-I levels are high in stallions younger than 2 years of age and then decline and plateau in stallions older than 5 years of age, suggesting that IGF-I may be involved in testicular development. The results allude to a possible seasonal effect on IGF-I production. However, it is difficult to separate true seasonality and the effect of age as only those stallions less than 2 years old exhibited variation between seasons. The IGF-I does not appear to have a direct relationship with declined fertility in the stallions tested, suggesting that IGF-I may not be a reliable biomarker for the diagnosis of subfertility and infertility.
Publication Date: 2001-10-23 PubMed ID: 11665876DOI: 10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00602-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
Summary
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The research investigates the levels of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) in stallions of various ages, in different seasons, and based on fertility status. It aims to understand if IGF-I could be a significant marker for declining fertility in stallions.
Introduction and Methodology
- The study was conducted on 28 light horse stallions and colts ranging in age from 6 months to 23 years.
- Out of the total sample, 22 were considered fertile and were divided into age-based categories: younger than 2 years, 5 to 10 years, 11 to 15 years, and 16 to 23 years.
- Twelve age-matched stallions were grouped according to their fertility status (fertile, subfertile, infertile).
- All stallions were categorized based on the season of castration, i.e., the breeding season vs. non-breeding season.
- Plasma and testicular IGF-I concentrations from these groupings were measured and analyzed.
Research Findings
- In colts less than 2 years of age, concentrations of IGF-I in plasma and testicular extracts were higher compared to other age groups.
- Higher IGF-I levels were observed in the breeding season compared to the non-breeding season.
- No significant differences were reported in IGF-I concentration related to fertility groups irrespective of age.
- The study revealed high levels of IGF-I in stallions less than two years of age. These concentrations significantly decline and stabilize in stallions older than 5 years, suggesting IGF-I’s possible role in testicular development.
- The results indicate a potential seasonal impact on IGF-I production, but this observation lacked solid backing due to lack of season-based variation in stallions older than 2 years.
Implications of the Study
- The findings suggest that IGF-I could possibly be implicated in the testicular development of stallions but does not directly correlate with a decline in fertility.
- As a result, the use of IGF-I as a biomarker for diagnosing subfertility or infertility in stallions remains questionable and may require additional research.
Cite This Article
APA
Hess MF, Roser JF.
(2001).
The effects of age, season and fertility status on plasma and intratesticular insulin-like growth factor I concentration in stallions.
Theriogenology, 56(5), 723-733.
https://doi.org/10.1016/s0093-691x(01)00602-1 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, USA.
MeSH Terms
- Aging
- Animals
- Fertility
- Horses / blood
- Horses / metabolism
- Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / analysis
- Male
- Seasons
- Testis / chemistry
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- Shakeel M, Yoon M. Functions of somatic cells for spermatogenesis in stallions. J Anim Sci Technol 2022 Jul;64(4):654-670.
- Yang Y, Suwimonteerabutr J, Angkawanish T, Chatdarong K. Serum Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 Is a Biomarker of Testosterone Production and Intact Acrosome in Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus). Animals (Basel) 2022 Jun 17;12(12).
- Lee HS, Park YS, Lee JS, Seo JT. Serum and seminal plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 in male infertility. Clin Exp Reprod Med 2016 Jun;43(2):97-101.
- Yoon M, Jiang J, Chung KH, Roser JF. Immunolocalization of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) and its receptors (IGF-IR) in the equine epididymis. J Reprod Dev 2015;61(1):30-4.
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