title: Relationship between plasma progesterone and pregnancy-associated glycoprotein concentrations during early pregnancy in dairy cows.
abstract: The relationship between the concentration of plasma progesterone (P4) during embryo attachment or at recognition of pregnancy, and that of pregnancy-associated glycoprotein (PAG) was assessed in dairy cows. The outcome of artificial insemination (AI) was classified as positive (AI+), negative (AI-), or late embryonic mortality (EM) by measuring circulating PAG concentrations and by ultrasonography. Based on P4 concentrations at either day 21 or day 15, AI+ and EM cows were classified into 'low' (P4 concentrations<mean) and 'high' (P4 concentrations>mean) P4 groups. In both experiments, the threshold of P4 concentration between the 'low' and 'high' groups was approximately 6ng/mL. PAG concentrations were lower in the 'low' group only when P4 concentrations were below the threshold. The study findings suggest that a possible P4 threshold exists below which PAG secretion may be impaired.
authors: Department of Biopathological Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, 06126 Perugia, Italy.
authors: Olimpia
authors: O
authors: Barbato
authors: Mariacristina
authors: M
authors: Merlo
authors: Pietro
authors: P
authors: Celi
authors: Noelita M
authors: NM
authors: Sousa
authors: Luigi
authors: L
authors: Guarneri
authors: Jean F
authors: JF
authors: Beckers
authors: Gianfranco
authors: G
authors: Gabai
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D003612:Dairying; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011257:Pregnancy Proteins / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D011257:Pregnancy Proteins; D011374:Progesterone; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C094766:pregnancy-associated glycoprotein 1