Effect of Leptin on In Vivo Goat Embryo Production

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin administration during superovulation on in vivo goat embryo production. Ten mature does were superovulated with 133 mg follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) i.m. in six descending doses at 12-h intervals. The goats received 4.8 μg/kg human recombinant leptin s.c. (leptin group, n = 5) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (control group, n = 5) with the first and second FSH doses. The does were mated and subjected to embryo collection by transcervical technique 6 days later. The total number of cells per embryo and the number of cells with fragmented DNA were assessed in selected blastocysts by combining Hoechst 33342 and terminal dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E2 ) and progesterone (P4 ) were determined by electrochemiluminescence from the day of FSH treatment, on the day of superovulatory oestrus and on the day before embryo collection. Compared with the control group, the does that received leptin had a higher number of transferable embryos (p < 0.005), fewer embryos classified as degenerated (p < 0.001) and fewer TUNEL-positive cells/blastocyst (p < 0.001). The number of transferable embryos was positively correlated with E2 concentrations on day of oestrus (r = 0.562; p < 0.01) and P4 concentrations on the day of embryo collection (r = 0.912; p < 0.001). We concluded that in vivo leptin administration during FSH treatment improved embryo quality and affected ovarian steroidogenesis in superovulated goats.

Embryo development is impaired in goats that are treated for hydrometra and subsequently subjected to superovulation

“…Currently in Brazil, NSER is the technique of choice26 and HD‐treated goats presented no anatomical alteration that has made it impossible or difficult to transpose the cervical ostium. The mean number of structures (~5.8) and viable embryos (~3.9) recovered in CONT and HD goats were similar to 4.0 and 3.8 found during the winter by Sánchez‐Dávila and others33 and below to 8.2 and 5.2 observed by Batista and others,24 respectively. In the present study, as there was no difference in total structures and viable embryos between groups, HD‐treated goats demonstrate to have no impairment in steroidogenesis and folliculogenesis.…”

“…In the US evaluation performed at the day before NSER, the mean number of CLs (~8.1) counted in CONT and HD were similar to 8.6 observed during the winter by Sánchez‐Dávila and others33 and below to 12.8 found by Batista and others 24. In the present study, the lack of difference between groups in the number of CLs demonstrates the ovarian ability of the HD‐treated goats in responding to pFSH stimulation and GnRH action.…”

“…At the onset of the protocol (D0; 5 pm), controlled internal drug release (CIDR) devices containing 0.33 g progesterone (Eazi‐Breed CIDR; Pfizer do Brasil Saúde Animal, São Paulo, Brazil) were inserted and removed six days later (D6; 5 pm). The SOV was performed with 133 mg of porcine follicle stimulating hormone24 (pFSH—Folltropin‐V; Bioniche Animal Health, Belleville, Canada) intramuscularly in six decreasing doses (25, 25, 15, 15, 10 and 10 per cent), every 12 hours, starting 48 hours before device removal (D4). Three intramuscular injections of 37.5 µg d‐cloprostenol (Prolise; Tecnopec) simultaneously to fourth and fifth doses of pFSH and 12 hours before the NSER, plus 25 µg gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH—Gestran; Tecnopec) intramuscularly 24 hours after device removal, were given.…”

MOET Efficiency in a Spanish Herd of Japanese Black Heifers and Analysis of Environmental and Metabolic Determinants

“…Leptin regulates ovary function, oocyte maturation, and embryo development before implantation [ 74 ]. Leptin also increases embryo quality during superovulation [ 75 ], and there appears to be an optimal concentration, below or above which reproductive outcomes worsen [ 76 , 77 ]. These comparisons may not be entirely valid because most of those previous studies examined younger, fattening cattle, which were likely over conditioned.…”