title: A new alternative method for superovulation using passive immunization against inhibin in adult rats.
abstract: The present study was undertaken to investigate the effects of passive immunoneutralization of endogenous inhibin on ovulation rate and embryo development in vivo and in vitro to establish a new alternative superovulation method in the adult rat. Female adult rats of Wistar strain were superovulated with a single injection of inhibin antiserum (inhibin-AS; 100 or 400 microl) or an injection of 20 IU eCG followed by an injection of 10 IU hCG. Untreated animals served as controls. Embryos were collected from oviducts or uteri on Days 1-5 of pregnancy, and the number of embryos and implantation sites were observed. On Day 1 of pregnancy, the two-cell-stage embryos were cultured and embryos from the 100-microl inhibin-AS group and the control group were transferred to recipient females to determine developmental competence. There were no significant differences between groups in fertilization rate. The numbers of normal embryos in the inhibin-AS-treated groups were significantly higher than the control and the eCG-hCG-treated groups throughout Days 1-4 of pregnancy. The number of implantation sites observed on Day 5 of pregnancy in the inhibin-AS-treated groups was significantly higher than both the control and the eCG-hCG-treated groups. Furthermore, the rate of blastocyst development in vitro in the inhibin-AS-treated groups and posttransfer viability in the 100-microl-inhibin-AS group were comparable with those of the control group. These results indicate that immunoneutralization of endogenous inhibin is a new practical alternative for induction of superovulation as a substitution for eCG-hCG method in the adult rat.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Veterinary Physiology, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Fuchu, Tokyo 183-8509, Japan.
authors.forename: Harumichi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishigame
authors.forename: Mohamed S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Medan
authors.forename: Gen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.forename: Zhanguan
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shi
authors.forename: Hisahi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kishi
authors.forename: Koji Y
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Arai
authors.forename: Kazuyoshi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Taya
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin / Q000494:pharmacology; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D010064:Embryo Implantation; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D047108:Embryonic Development / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization / Q000187:drug effects; D006728:Hormones / Q000097:blood; D006736:Horses; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D007116:Immunization, Passive; D007265:Inhibins / Q000276:immunology*; D010060:Ovulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011555:Pseudopregnancy; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D013480:Superovulation; D014022:Tissue Survival / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D006063:Chorionic Gonadotropin; D006728:Hormones; D007106:Immune Sera; D007265:Inhibins