Pattern of excretion of urinary steroid metabolites during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy in the marmoset monkey

Abstract

Non-invasive methods for monitoring reproductive status based on the measurement of urinary steroid conjugates were examined. Levels of urinary oestrone-3-glucuronide, oestrone-3-sulphate, oestradiol glucuronide, oestradiol sulphate and pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide were determined during the ovarian cycle and pregnancy. Sequential hydrolysis showed oestradiol conjugates to be more abundant than oestrone conjugates. The levels of sulphates and glucuronides were similar in the follicular phase whereas sulphates predominated during the luteal phase and pregnancy. Although levels of oestrone-3-sulphate were two- to fourfold lower than those of oestradiol sulphate, measured after hydrolysis, the profiles throughout the cycle and pregnancy were similar. Levels of oestrone-3-sulphate, measured by direct assay, were below 1 mumol/mmol creatinine during the follicular phase, rising 3-4 days after ovulation to reach maximum values (2-8 mumol/mmol creatinine) in the mid-luteal phase. There was no consistent increase before ovulation. Levels during pregnancy rose gradually until days 70-90, after which there was no further increase (gestation length = 144 days). The pattern of pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide was similar to that of oestrone-3-sulphate during the ovarian cycle but levels did not increase during pregnancy. The patterns of excretion of oestrogen and progesterone metabolites were similar to the pattern of the circulating hormones during the ovarian cycle. Circulating and urinary hormone patterns were similar for oestrogens throughout pregnancy but pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide did not reflect progesterone secretion beyond day 70 of gestation.

Social suppression of cortisol in female marmosets: Role of luteinizing hormone/chorionic gonadotropin

“…3), consistent with previous Wndings in this species (Eastman et al, 1984;Kendrick and Dixson, 1983;Saltzman et al, 1998Saltzman et al, , 2004aTorii et al, 1987;Ziegler et al, 1996). E 2 S concentrations of ovx animals were lower than those of intact females during the luteal phase/early pregnancy (T [10] D 12.022, p < 0.0001) but not the follicular phase (p > 0.3).…”

Determination of ovarian cycle in Goeldi's monkey (Callimico goeldii) via the measurement of steroids and peptides in plasma and urine

“…4) Table 2). (Bonney et al, 1979), and the common marmoset Eastman et al, 1984). The profile of urinary excretion of oestrone-3-conjugates closely reflects that of oestrone-3-conjugates in the circulation, supporting the conclusions of previous studies based on urinary hormones only, that urinary oestrone-3-conjugates are high during the luteal phase (Ziegler et al, 1989(Ziegler et al, , 1990aCarroll et al, 1990).…”

“…Oestrone-3-conjugates were estimated directly in plasma and urine samples using a non-specific radioimmunoassay (Eastman et al, 1984 (1987). This bioassay has been validated for use with marmoset plasma (Harlow et al, 1984;Hearn et al, 1988 (Sokal and Rohlf, 1981).…”

Different ovarian responses to potential mates underlie species-specific breeding strategies in common marmoset and Goeldi's monkey

“…In order to monitor ovarian activity and from this to infer reproductive status, we measured urinary oestrone-3-conjugates (E1C). This group of oestrone conjugates provides a reliable indicator of ovarian cyclicity, conception and pregnancy maintenance in the common marmoset (Eastman et al, 1984;Harlow et al, 1984;Hodges et al, 1983) as well as in the Goeldi's monkey (Carroll et al, 1989(Carroll et al, , 1990Pryce et al, 1993;Ziegler et al, 1990). Cortisol was measured to monitor activity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical axis and in an attempt to quantify stress related to social instability, particularly during the formation of trios.…”

“…Oestrone-3-conjugates were measured directly in urine samples (three samples per week per female) using a non-specific radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Eastman et al, 1984), according to the method described previously for common marmoset (Nievergelt and Pryce, 1996) and Goeldi's monkey (Pryce et al, 1993). Intraassay coefficient of variation assessed by replicate determination of one urine sample was 6.4% (n = 5).…”