Preliminary findings of fecal gonadal hormone concentrations in six captive sea otters (Enhydra lutris) after deslorelin implantation.

The sea otter (Enhydra lutris) is a popular exhibit animal in many zoos and aquariums worldwide. Captive sea otters from these populations are owned by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). The USFWS has requested that these sea otters be prevented from breeding in order to save captive space for wild rescued animals. Sea otters are often housed in mixed sex groups, therefore a chemical contraceptive method or surgical removal of gonads must be used to prevent potential pregnancy. The contraceptive, Suprelorin® or deslorelin, has been used in many different species to effectively suppress reproduction but duration of effect may vary not only between species but also individuals. Here, we report the effects of one to several consecutive deslorelin implants on gonadal reproductive hormones found in fecal samples from six captive sea otters (two males and four females) compared to two control otters (one male and one female) housed at three zoological institutions. We documented the longitudinal hormone signatures of many stages of the contraceptive cycle including pretreatment (PT), stimulatory phase (S), effective contraception (EC), and hormone reversal (HR) that was characterized by a return to normal hormone levels. Deslorelin was found to be an effective contraceptive in sea otters and was found to be reversible documented by a live birth following treatment, however the duration of suppression in females was much longer than expected with a 6-month and a 1-year implant lasting between 3 and 4 years in females.

AZA Wildlife Contraception Center programme for wild felids and canids.

North American zoos began using melengestrol acetate (MGA) implants to control reproduction in wild felids in the mid-1970s. Research linking MGA and other progestin-based contraceptives to uterine and mammary pathology in canids as well as felids resulted in a shift to GnRH agonist implants (Suprelorin(®): deslorelin, Peptech Animal Health, Australia). However, a recent study revealed an association between Suprelorin(®) and uterine pathology in canids, but that pathology was not found in canids treated with oral megestrol acetate (MA) for 2 weeks around the time of implant insertion to prevent the initial agonist stimulation phase. Thus, the AZA Wildlife Contraception Center (WCC) currently recommends Suprelorin(®) plus the 2-week MA regimen for wild canids and felids. WCC research is now focusing on factors affecting Suprelorin(®) reversibility.

Vitrification of oocytes from endangered Mexican gray wolves (Canis lupus baileyi).

Careful genetic management, including cryopreservation of genetic material, is central to conservation of the endangered Mexican gray wolf. We tested a technique, previously used to vitrify human and domestic animal oocytes, on oocytes from domestic dogs as a model and from the endangered Mexican wolf. This method provided a way to conserve oocytes from genetically valuable older female Mexican wolves as an alternative to embryos for preserving female genes. Oocytes were aspirated from ovaries of 36 female dogs in December and March (0 to 65 oocytes per female) and from six female wolves (4 to 73 per female) during their physiologic breeding season, or following stimulation with the GnRH agonist deslorelin. Oocytes from dogs were pooled; half were immediately tested for viability and the remainder vitrified, then warmed and tested for viability. All oocytes were vitrified by being moved through media of increasing cryoprotectant concentration, placed on Cryotops, and plunged into liquid nitrogen. There was no difference in viability (propidium iodide staining) between fresh and vitrified, warmed dog oocytes (65.7 and 61.0%, respectively, P = 0.27). Oocyte viability after warming was similarly assessed in a subset of wolves (4 to 15 oocytes from each of three females; total 29 oocytes). Of these, 57.1% of the post-thaw intact oocytes were viable, which was 41.4% of all oocytes warmed. These were the first oocytes from a canid or an endangered species demonstrated to have maintained viability after vitrification and warming. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that vitrification of oocytes with the Cryotop technique was an option for preserving female gametes from Mexican wolves for future use in captive breeding programs, although in vitro embryo production techniques must first be developed in canids for this technique to be used.

Up-regulation of nitric oxide synthase and its mRNA in vagal motor nuclei following axotomy in rat.

Effects of vagotomy on nitric oxide synthase (NOS) protein and mRNA levels in the dorsal motor nucleus of vagus (DMV) and nucleus ambiguus (NA) of rats were examined by nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase (NADPH-d) staining, brain NOS (bNOS) immunostaining and in situ hybridization. NADPH-d staining and bNOS immunoreactivity increased in neurons of the ipsilateral DMV and NA 5, 10, and 20 days after vagotomy. These changes were not observed in unoperated or sham-operated rats. In situ hybridization showed that bNOS mRNA levels were also elevated in neurons of DMV and NA on the operated side. Our results suggest that transection of vagal efferents up-regulates bNOS and its mRNA expression in the DMV and NA.

Prevention of two-kidney, one-clip renal hypertension in rat by ablation of AV3V tissue.

This study examined the role of the anteroventral third ventricle (AV3V) in the renin-dependent two-kidney, one-clip model of renal hypertension. AV3V lesion and sham lesion rats were subjected to the placement of a clip on one renal artery or a sham operation. The sham lesion-renal artery clip rats experienced an increase in systolic blood pressure; however, AV3V lesioned animals experienced only a transient rise in arterial pressure during the 1st wk after clip. Body fluid regulation studies during the course of the hypertension revealed that there were no differences in water intake and urine volume between the lesion- and sham lesion-renal artery clip animals. Although significantly greater plasma and blood volumes were demonstrated in the AV3V lesion-sham clip rats compared with sham lesion animals, no differences in vascular volumes were detected in the renal artery clip rats. Finally, the rats were water deprived for 3 days to maximally stimulate vasopressin release. Urine osmolality increased significantly in all groups of rats except the AV3V lesion-renal artery clip animals protected against the hypertension.

Arterial pressure development in neonatal and young spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Systemic arterial pressure of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were not detectably different from control rats prior to 3 weeks of age. Arterial pressure was elevated in SHR at 4 weeks compared to Wistar-Kyoto rats. Thus, the term 'prehypertensive stage' should probably be reserved for animals less than 1 month of age when this model is examined.