Effect of GnRH and hCG administration on plasma LH and testosterone concentrations in normal stallions, aged stallions and stallions with lack of libido.
Gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) (a single intravenous injection with 0.042 mg busereline acetate) was administered to control stallions (n=5), aged stallions (n=5) and stallions with lack of libido (n=5). Jugular blood samples were taken at -10, 0, 10, 20, 40 and 80 minutes after treatment and measured for luteinizing hormone (LH) and testosterone concentrations. A single intravenous injection of hCG (3000 IE) was given 1 day later. Venous blood samples were taken at -60, 0, 15, 30, 60, 120, and 240 minutes after treatment and measured for the testosterone concentration. The experiment was performed in the breeding season. There was a wide variation between stallions in basal concentrations of LH and testosterone. The treatment groups all showed a significant increase in LH and testosterone concentrations after treatment with GnRH. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) between the control, the lack of libido stallions and the aged stallions in the production of LH before and after stimulation with GnRH. The aged stallions had higher basal LH concentrations. GnRH induced a rise in plasma LH in all groups, but the greatest response was observed in aged stallions. No response to GnRH was seen with respect to plasma testosterone. There was an increase in plasma testosterone following hCG; however, this increase was very small in aged stallions. After stimulation with hCG the control and lack of libido stallions had a significant increase (P<0.05) in testosterone production. In conclusion, stimulation with either GnRH or hCG can be a valuable method to test whether the function of the stallion's reproductive endocrine system is optimal.
Parlevliet
J M
JM
Department of Equine Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, The Netherlands.
Bevers
M M
MM
van de Broek
J
J
Colenbrander
B
B
D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D006736:Horses / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D007700:Kinetics; D007989:Libido; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D013739:Testosterone / Q000097:blood*
D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D012739:Gonadal Steroid Hormones; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D013739:Testosterone; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone