title: The role of nutrition in the regulation of LH secretion during anestrus by the serotoninergic and dopaminergic systems in Mediterranean ewes treated with melatonin.
abstract: The steroid-dependent inhibition of LH secretion involves dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems but it is unclear how the plane of nutrition affects this inhibition during anestrus in melatonin treated ewes. Melatonin implants (18 mg) were inserted (Day 0) into ovariectomized, estradiol treated adult Rasa Aragonesa ewes on a high (H; n = 8) or low energy diet (L; n = 6) which were applied in early anestrus (Day 29-57) and late anestrus (Day 90-104). Cyproheptadine (0.1 mg/ kg), a serotoninergic (SHT2) receptor antagonist, was administered in early and late anestrus (Day 50 and 107) followed by pimozide (0.08 mg/kg), a dopaminergic2 receptor antagonist (Day 57 and 114). The H ewes had significantly higher LH concentrations (P < 0.05) before cyproheptadine treatment in early anestrus. The H and L ewes responded in a similar way to the antagonists in both early and late anestrus, except for L ewes who had a higher LH pulse amplitude after pimozide treatment in both periods (P < 0.05). During early anestrus, cyproheptadine tended to increase (P = 0.06) LH pulse frequency in L ewes and LH concentrations in H ewes. The LH secretion also increased in L ewes after pimozide administration during early anestrus (P < 0.05 for mean LH concentrations and LH pulse frequency and amplitude). However, pimozide dramatically increased LH secretion during late anestrus (Day 114) irrespective of the plane of nutrition (P = 0.06-0.08 for LH pulse frequency and P < 0.05 for LH concentrations and pulse amplitude). In melatonin treated Mediterranean ewes, the plane of nutrition appeared to modify the effect of dopaminergic and serotoninergic systems on the steroid-dependent inhibition of LH secretion throughout anestrus.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Veterinaria, Departamento de Producción Animal y Ciencia de los Alimentos, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain. forcada@posta.unizar.es
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Forcada
authors.forename: Olga
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Zúñiga
authors.forename: José Alfonso
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Abecia
mesh_terms: D000780:Anestrus / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000494:pharmacology; D018492:Dopamine Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology; D008550:Melatonin / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D017440:Photoperiod; D010868:Pimozide / Q000494:pharmacology; D012621:Seasons; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D012756:Sheep / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D018492:Dopamine Antagonists; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D010868:Pimozide; D003533:Cyproheptadine; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D008550:Melatonin