Excess of prenatal testosterone (T) induces reproductive defects including follicular persistence. Comparative studies with T and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) have suggested that follicular persistence is programmed via estrogenic actions of T. This study addresses the androgenic and estrogenic contributions in programming follicular persistence. Because humans are exposed to estrogenic environmental steroids from various sources throughout their life span and postnatal insults may also induce organizational and/or activational changes, we tested whether continuous postnatal exposure to estradiol (E) will amplify effects of prenatal steroids on ovarian function. Pregnant sheep were treated with T, DHT, E, or ED (E and DHT) from days 30 to 90 of gestation. Postnatally, a subset of the vehicle (C), T, and DHT females received an E implant. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed in the first breeding season during a synchronized cycle to monitor ovarian follicular dynamics. As expected, number of !8 mm follicles was higher in the T versus C group. Postnatal E reduced the number of 4 to 8 mm follicles in the DHT group. Percentage of females bearing luteinized follicles and the number of luteinized follicles differed among prenatal groups. Postnatal E increased the incidence of subluteal cycles in the prenatal T-treated females. Findings from this study confirm previous findings of divergences in programming effects of prenatal androgens and estrogens. They also indicate that some aspects of follicular dynamics are subject to postnatal modulation as well as support the existence of an extended organizational period or the need for a second insult to uncover the previously programmed event.
Ewes are polyestrous and litter-bearing seasonal breeders. Although average ovulation rates are sufficient, many ovulations do not result in live offspring and ewes normally breed only once per year. As ovulation rate increases, so does the number of ovulations not represented by live births. When ultrasonographic analysis is limited to ovarian follicles that grow from 3 to 5 mm, follicular waves can be identified in sheep. In most cases, ovulatory follicle(s) develop from the ultimate follicular wave; however, ovulatory follicles can be derived from penultimate or earlier follicular waves. The relationship between lifespan of large follicles and fertility is controversial in sheep. In experiment 1, three approaches to create a model to compare fertility when ovulatory follicles developed from only the ultimate follicular wave or both ultimate and penultimate waves were tested. Ewes were treated on d 10 or 11 with 50 μg of GnRH i.m., the largest follicle(s) (≥ 4 mm) on each ovary were electrocauterized, or ewes were treated with 50 µg estradiol benzoate and 50 mg progesterone or 100 µg estradiol benzoate and 50 mg progesterone in attempts to induce follicular regression or luteinization. Corpora lutea were counted by ultrasound 7 days following estrus in order to verify ovulation of follicles that disappeared post estrus. Pregnancy was determined and embryos were counted 20 to 30 days following estrus. Neither treatment with GnRH nor estradiol and progesterone consistently caused regression or luteinization of ovulatory-sized follicles. Follicular ablation was successful in increasing the proportion of ovulations originating from the ultimate follicular wave in Dorset/Suffolk cross ewes, but did not alter the proportions of ovulations fom different waves in Polypay ewes. Average age of the ovulatory follicle was affected only in Dorset/Suffolk cross ewes. Due to lack of treatment effects, ovulatory follicles were evaluated regardless of treatment for effects on embryonic or fetal losses. Although loss tended to differ among follicular age combinations and wave sources of ovulatory follicles within ewes, older follicles did not have worse outcomes than younger follicles. Lactating ewes have not responded to treatments for the induction of estrus that are effective in dry ewes during the anestrous season. In experiment 2, lactating anestrous ewes 26 to 71 days postpartum were treated with either 25 or 50 mg progesterone/day for five days before ram introduction (RI). Twelve hours after RI, lambs were removed from half of the ewes in each group for 72 hours. Estrous response was recorded and ewes were scanned by transrectal ultrasonography on days 8 and 35 to 45 to determine ovulation rate, and pregnancy rate and number of embryos/fetuses, respectively. Number of lambs born was recorded at lambing. No effect of lamb removal was found for any variable examined. However, the lower dosage of progesterone reduced the mean time to estrus, increased the proportion of ewes ovulating, and decreased an incredible work ethic ...
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