title: Validating a commercially available enzyme immunoassay for the determination of 17beta-estradiol and progestogens in the feces of cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus): a case report.
abstract: Fecal 17beta-estradiol and progestogens excretion was monitored in adult, female cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus; n = 2), ZGG-12301 (born 3 April 1993), gonadotrophin treated and ZGT-3301, (born 19 August 1993), nontreated, for 120 days using commercially available plate enzyme immunoassay kits prepared for human serum or plasma. There were significant differences (P < 0.001) between baseline and peak concentrations of both hormone measures. Female ZGG-12301, which conceived, but this pregnancy resulted in an unobserved spontaneous abortion, showed no significant difference (P > 0.05) between baseline and gestation 17beta-estradiol values; fecal 17beta-estradiol excretion during pregnancy was statistically different (P < 0.001) from excretion during the nonpregnancy period. Baseline progestogen concentrations were different from pregnancy (P < 0.001) and postovulatory (P < 0.01) concentrations, and progestogen concentrations during pregnancy period were different (P < 0.001) from postovulatory concentrations. In the nontreated cheetah (ZGT-3301), basal and increased progestogen concentrations were statistically different (P < 0.01). On the basis of 17beta-estradiol excretory patterns, duration of the estrous cycle (x +/- SEM) was 13.2 +/- 2.2 days. These results suggest that the enzyme-linked immunosorbent methods reported in this study were capable of quantifying reproductive hormones in fecal extracts of cheetahs and could be a practical alternative to other enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays which require more complex procedures.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Reproducción Animal y Conservación de Recursos Zoogenéticos, Subdirección General de Investigación y Tecnología, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, Avenida Puerta de Hierro Km 5.9, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Borque
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Perez-Garnelo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Talavera
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Delclaux
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: de la Fuente
mesh_terms: D002612:Acinonyx / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards / Q000662:veterinary*; D004958:Estradiol / Q000032:analysis*; D030762:Estrous Cycle / Q000502:physiology; D005243:Feces / Q000737:chemistry*; D005260:Female; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000502:physiology; D011372:Progestins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D011372:Progestins; D004958:Estradiol