title: Induction of superovulation by inhibin vaccine in cyclic guinea-pigs.
abstract: Experiments were conducted to determine whether neutralizing endogenous inhibin affects follicular development and ovulation rate in guinea-pigs. Eighteen female guinea-pigs bearing 4 week progesterone implants were divided into three groups. At 1 week after removal of the progesterone implants, the animals were given a s.c. injection of 1 ml placebo (saline in oil emulsion; control), or 25 or 50 micrograms inhibin vaccine three times at 4 week intervals. Blood samples were collected once a week throughout the experiment for measuring inhibin antibody titres. After the third injection of inhibin vaccine, blood samples and ovaries were collected on the morning of day 8 after the day of oestrus. Inhibin vaccine increased the ovulation rate in a dose-dependent manner (placebo: 4.2 +/- 0.4; 25 micrograms inhibin vaccine: 6.2 +/- 0.9; 50 micrograms inhibin vaccine: 9.8 +/- 0.9) without any effects on the duration of the oestrous cycle. The results also showed that active immunization against inhibin increased the number of atretic follicles of 300-399 microns in diameter on day 8 after ovulation. The present study is the first to show that the active immunization against inhibin may be a useful method for inducing multiple ovulation in guinea-pigs.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Japan.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ozawa
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Komura
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: C G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Tsonis
authors.forename: A K
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taya
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000906:Antibodies / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood; D006168:Guinea Pigs / Q000502:physiology*; D007265:Inhibins / Q000276:immunology*; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000502:physiology; D010062:Ovulation Induction / Q000379:methods*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D013480:Superovulation; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood; D014611:Vaccination / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000906:Antibodies; D013739:Testosterone; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D007265:Inhibins; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone