Effects of TNF-alpha injection into the ovary on blood progesterone concentration in pseudopregnant rabbits.
To examine the effects of TNF-alpha on luteal functions, TNF-alpha was injected into the ovary of rabbits on the 7th day of pseudopregnancy (Day 7). The animals were laparotomized under general anesthesia, and 1 x 10(4) IU TNF-alpha dissolved in PBS was injected into the ovary. On Days 8 and 10, the blood progesterone (P) concentration was determined. The mean blood P level was 10.31 ng before the administration of TNF-alpha on Day 7. On Day 8, the mean blood P level was 11.22 ng in the control group, while it was markedly reduced to 1.29 ng in the TNF-alpha administration group. On Day 10, the mean blood P level was 6.80 ng in the control group and 5.49 ng in the TNF-alpha group. These results suggest that the capacity for P secretion of the corpus luteum, which reached a degenerative stage by TNF-alpha administration, can be recovered.
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Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Bioresource Sciences, Nihon University, Kanagawa, Japan.
Kanayama
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D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D007267:Injections; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*; D011555:Pseudopregnancy / Q000097:blood*; D011817:Rabbits; D012016:Reference Values; D013997:Time Factors; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000494:pharmacology*
D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D011374:Progesterone