title: Effects of suppression by a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device and subsequent induction by GnRH of the preovulatory LH surge on follicular function in PMSG/PG-treated heifers.
abstract: After synchronization of oestrus, normally cyclic heifers (n = 31) received 2500 iu pregnant mares' serum gonadotrophin (PMSG) i.m. and had a progesterone-releasing intravaginal device (PRID) without the oestradiol capsule inserted on day 10 of the oestrous cycle and received 15 mg prostaglandin(PG) i.m. 48 h later. PRIDs were removed 96 h after insertion and 16 heifers received 1.0 mg GnRH i.m. while the controls (n = 15) received 10 ml saline i.m. All heifers were injected with anti-PMSG i.v. 10 later. Peripheral blood concentrations of PMSG, progesterone, oestradiol and LH were compared. Ovaries were collected on death 7 days after the GnRH or saline injection and the number of corpora lutea counted. Heifers were considered to have responded well (> 60 pmol l-1) or poorly (< 60 pmol l-1) to superovulation on the basis of the oestradiol concentration 24 h after PG administration. During PRID treatment, LH concentrations remained at basal values. In the heifers treated with GnRH, a single LH surge occurred 2.3 +/- 0.1 h (SD) after the GnRH injection with a maximum concentration of 14.6 +/- 2.3 (SEM) micrograms l-1 and a duration of 6-8 h. In 12 of the 15 control heifers, LH concentrations remained low (range 0.10-1.94 micrograms l-1) during the 72 h following the saline injection; three controls showed a spontaneous LH surge at 18, 23 and 23 h after the saline injection, respectively, with a maximum concentration of 6.0-12.5 micrograms l-1 and a duration of 10-12 h.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Herd Health and Reproduction, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: P L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Vos
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Bevers
authors.forename: A H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Willemse
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Dieleman
mesh_terms: D000282:Administration, Intravaginal; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004343:Drug Implants; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010060:Ovulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000494:pharmacology; D011863:Radioimmunoassay
chemical_list: D004343:Drug Implants; D006064:Gonadotropins, Equine; D011453:Prostaglandins; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone