Control of ovarian follicular growth and maturation by the corpus luteum and the placenta during pregnancy in sheep.

Ovarian follicular growth and maturation and its control throughout pregnancy have not been described fully in sheep. Experiment 1 characterized the size and maturation (steroid production in vitro and aromatase activity) of ovarian follicles obtained at days 20, 50, 80 and 110 of pregnancy compared with those obtained at day 12 of the oestrous cycle. There was no difference in the number of small follicles (< 3 mm in diameter) between cyclic and pregnant ewes, regardless of the stage of pregnancy. There was a marked reduction (P < 0.01) in the number of medium follicles (3-5 mm) starting at day 80 of pregnancy. Large follicles (> 5 mm) were not detected at day 110 of pregnancy. In vitro testosterone output by follicles was constant throughout pregnancy. Oestradiol output remained steady until day 80, but decreased markedly at day 110 of pregnancy. This decrease was associated with a reduction in aromatase activity in follicles obtained at this stage. Experiment 2 examined the effect of administration of high concentrations of progesterone between day 100 and day 120 after mating on resumption of follicular growth in ewes that underwent Caesarean section at day 99 of pregnancy. In ewes that underwent Caesarean section, progesterone supplementation was successful in mimicking the profile found in pregnant ewes, but did not prevent re-initiation of follicular growth, as demonstrated by the presence of large follicles (> 5 mm) at day 120 after mating. Experiment 3 examined the effects of PGF(2alpha)-induced regression of the corpus luteum of day 100 of pregnancy on resumption of follicular growth. High concentrations of PGF(2alpha) (0.28 mg kg(-1) body weight) administrated at day 100 of pregnancy were required to initiate regression of the corpus luteum. At day 120 after mating, the mean (+/- SEM) diameter of the largest follicle in PGF(2alpha)-treated ewes (3.40 +/- 0.47 mm) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than that in control pregnant ewes (2.52 +/- 0.34 mm). Experiment 4 examined the effect of removal of the fetus and of the corpus luteum at day 100 of pregnancy on resumption of ovulation. Removal of the corpus luteum by PGF(2alpha) treatment at the time of removal of the fetus resulted in earlier occurrence of short luteal phases (27.8 versus 40.6 days, PGF(2alpha)-treated versus non-treated) but did not alter the timing of the first normal luteal phases (41 days). In conclusion, the results from these experiments indicate that placental compounds play a major role in inhibiting follicular growth and maturation during late pregnancy in sheep.

The effect of sudden solar exposure on thermophysiological parameters and on plasma prolactin and cortisol concentrations in male Creole goats.

Rectal temperature (RT), respiratory rhythm (RR), plasma cortisol and prolactin (PRL) levels and haematocrit were measured at noon in male Creole goats during their habituation to shade, during sudden exposure to sunlight and then while they were kept outdoors. Data on the microclimatic environment, especially black-globe temperature (Tg), were recorded. On the day (DO) the bucks were put in the sun, the increase of RT and RR, characteristic of circadian rhythm, was amplified (RT: 40.84 +/- 0,23 degrees C vs 39.48 +/- 0.19 degrees C P less than 0.001; RR: 98 +/- 22 vs 35 +/- 3 respirations/min; P less than 0.01). Plasma cortisol also increased (17.7 +/- 8.6 vs 5.57 +/- 1.7 ng/ml; P less than 0.05). After 24 h (D1), plasma prolactin concentration increased dramatically (923 +/- 653 vs 90 +/- 22 ng/ml; P less than 0.05) and haematocrit decreased (28.6 +/- 2.3 vs 33 +/- 2.3%; P less than 0.05). To clarify the simultaneous effects of time (t) and Tg, we developed a model Log-normal on t and linear on Tg for RR and PRL. A model decreasing exponentially with t and linear with Tg was developed for RT; the determination coefficients were R2 = 0.96, 0.75 and 0.59, respectively. About 3 weeks later, after the adaptation period, RT, RR and plasma PRL stabilized; RT and RR returned to shade values while the PRL level remained higher than the shade PRL level (248 +/- 109 vs 130 +/- 50 ng/ml; P less than 0.05). The 24-hour time-lag in prolactin hypersecretion and the role of prolactin in thermoregulation are discussed.

Maintenance of the corpus luteum after uterine transfer of trophoblastic vesicles to cyclic cows and ewes.

One or two trophoblastic vesicles (0.4-2 mm diam.) from cow (Day 14) or ewe (Day 11-13) embryos without their disc were transferred, after culture for 24 h, into recipients. Each vesicle was transferred into the uterine horn ipsilateral to the CL by the cervical route in heifers and surgically in ewes on Day 12 of the oestrous cycle. In cows, daily measurements of plasma progesterone concentrations and checks for return to oestrus showed that the CL was maintained in 8 out of 12 recipients. These 8 cows had 25- to 37-day cycles while 4 recipient heifers returned to oestrus normally. Three recipients with an extended cycle were slaughtered. The dissected uterus showed that trophoblastic vesicles had developed in the uterine horns. In ewes, the serum progesterone curve, determined in each recipient, showed that the CL was maintained in 7 out of 12 recipients. These 7 ewes had 20- to 54-day cycles and the other 5 ewes had a normal cycle of 15-19 days comparable to that of 17.0 +/- 0.5 days for the 6 control ewes. Whenever the CL was maintained, high blood progesterone levels were followed by rapid luteolysis. In cattle and sheep, therefore, a trophoblastic vesicle transferred into the uterus can develop in vivo, secreting the embryonic signals when there is no embryonic disc control and transforming the cyclic CL into a CL of pregnancy in about 60% of the cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Hormone levels in plasma of ewes induced into lactation.

A short-term treatment with estradiol-17 beta and progesterone induced mammary gland growth and lactogenesis in non-pregnant ewes. These events normally occur during the second half of pregnancy. In order to compare the hormonal environment during the treatment to that during pregnancy, the concentrations of total estrogens (TE), progesterone (P4), glucocorticoids (G) and prolactin (Prl) in the plasma were characterized in non-pregnant, intact ewes induced into lactation with subcutaneous injections of estradiol-17 beta (E2-beta) and P4 for 7 consecutive days (days 1 to 7). Eight non-pregnant, intact, multiparous ewes were divided into two groups (groups I and II, 4 ewes each), according to their milk yields recorded during the previous lactation. All the ewes received the short-term treatment with E2-beta and P4; the ewes of group II were also injected with hydrocortisone acetate (H) and growth hormone (GH) twice daily on days 18 to 20. Blood was collected twice daily for 21 days and milking was initiated 19 days after the first injection of E2-beta and P4. Concentrations of TE, P4, G and Prl were measured in the plasma of ewes in group I but only G and Prl were measured in the plasma of the ewes in group II. Two ewes of group I and one of group II failed to lactate. Mean milk yields (2.5 +/- 0.4 and 6.3 +/- 0.9 kg/34 days) were highest when injections of H and GH were included. Average pretreatment concentrations of plasma TE and P4 were 3.1 +/- 0.8 and 2.1 +/- 0.4 ng/ml, respectively; these increased to 10.2 +/- 1.3 and 5.6 +/- 0.6 ng/ml during the week of the E2-beta and P4 injections. Peak concentrations occurred on days 7 and 6, respectively, and the plasma levels had returned to pretreatment values by days 18 to 20. Concentrations of G in plasma were higher (13.0 +/- 1.0 ng/ml) during E2-beta and P4 injections than during pre- or post-injection (7.4 +/- 1.4 and 8.2 +/- 0.7 ng/ml, respectively). Plasma Prl showed biphasic two to six-fold increases on days 4 and 7 during E2-beta and P4 injections and thereafter declined to lower average daily concentrations on days 10 to 13. Plasma Prl began to increase, and its average concentration was 579 +/- 56 ng/ml by days 18 to 20. These results suggest that the amount of the P4 injections should be increased and that the treatment with E2-beta and P4 should last long enough to insure the induction of an endocrine balance which would correspond more accurately to the hormonal events occurring during the second half of pregnancy in the ewe.

[Changes in the blood cortisol levels during the first week of life in calves (Bos taurus) and lambs (Ovis aries)]. / Evolution de la cortisolémie au cours de la première semaine de la vie, chez le veau (Bos taurus) et chez l'agneau (Ovis aries).

At birth, the plasmatic level of cortisol is very variable and very high in the new-born Calf or the newborn Lamb. This level diminishes within one day and then varies between 10 and 30 ng/ml during the six following days. In the Calf, the secretion of cortisol can be directly stimulated by ACTH or inhibited at the level of the hypothalamic and hypophyseal system with dexamethasone on the day following birth.

[Variation in total and unbound plasma cortisol levels throughout labor in normal and anencephalic pregnancies]. / Etude des variations de la Cortisolémie totale et non-conjuguée au cours du travail, dans les grossesses normales et avec anencéphalie

Total and unbound plasma Cortisol levels have been evaluated throughout labour in women delivering normal and anencephalitic infants. The sharp increase in total Cortisol usually observed in maternal plasma during labour does not occur in women bearing an anencephalitic foetus. This Cortisol binding capacity of Transcortin being the same, both in the normal and the pathological groups, it is shown that in anencephaly, unconjugated Cortisol levels are also lowered. The maternal contribution to the plasma Cortisol increase being identical in all cases, our data suggest that in anencephaly, a lack of foetal contribution might be responsible for the low Cortisol levels observed throughout labour.

[Maternal and fetal corticosteroids in the sow at the end of gestation]. / Corticostéroïdes maternels et foetaux chez la Truie en fin de gestation

Foetal and maternal blood samples are taken on the sow at the end of pregnancy. No variations in maternal cortisol are found, but plasma cortisol levels in the foetus, which are relatively constant between days 70 and 100 of pregnancy (10 to 20 ng/ml), increase suddenly at the end of pregnancy reaching a mean of 210 ng/ml at birth. This high increase of foetal corticosteroids at birth, similar to that found in other species (ewe, goat, etc.), probably plays a role in the mechanisms releasing parturition. It also permits us to understand the action of ACTH which induces premature birth when given to the pig foetus in the last days of pregnancy.

[Plasma progesterone of ewes at the end of the gestational period after destruction of the fetal hypophysis. Effect of dexamethasone administration]. / Evolution de la progestéronémie chez la brebis en fin di gestation aprés destruction de l'hypophyse foetale. Effet d'une administration de dexaméthasone

Destruction of the foetal pituitary has been performed in ewes at day 120 of pregnancy and progesterone has been assayed by radioimmunology. The plasma progesterone remains at a steady level from day 138 and throughout the prolongation of pregnancy, even after injection of dexamethasone on day 145.