Strange-male-induced pregnancy disruption in mice: reduction of vulnerability by 17 beta-estradiol antibodies.
It is well-established that novel males can disrupt early pregnancy in house mice. Inseminated female C57BL mice were either left undisturbed or each exposed indirectly to a novel HS male through a wire-mesh grid during days 1-6 of pregnancy. Varied dosages of antibodies to 17 beta-estradiol were administered to females exposed to males. Vehicle-treated females exposed to novel males showed fewer litters than did nonexposed controls. Male-exposed females given 1 ml daily of the antibody showed rates of pregnancy comparable to those observed in controls. These data suggest that estrogen levels might play a role in strange-male-induced pregnancy disruptions, converging with evidence implicating estrogens in stress-induced pregnancy blocks.
de Catanzaro
D
D
Department of Psychology, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Muir
C
C
O'Brien
J
J
Williams
S
S
D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000502:physiology*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006234:Handling, Psychological; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000523:psychology*; D011270:Pregnancy, Animal / Q000502:physiology*
D000906:Antibodies; D004958:Estradiol