Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist on primordial follicle survival in the primate ovary.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist on primordial follicle reserve in the primate ovary.


METHODS
A prospective basic research study in which 10 juvenile cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) had 1 ovary surgically removed. Six animals were then treated with the GnRH antagonist antide (1.0 mg/kg/day) for 14 days, and 4 animals were treated with vehicle. After treatment the contralateral ovary was removed and both ovaries were prepared for assessment of primordial, primary, and secondary follicle numbers.


RESULTS
Antide treatment resulted in a modest (13%) but significant decrease in primordial follicle number in juvenile macaques (p = 0.048, n = 6). Three animals demonstrated a marked reduction in primordial follicles (19%, 25%, 36%) and 3 animals had no (< 5%) change in primordial follicles after antide treatment. Control animals demonstrated no change in primordial follicle number following vehicle treatment. Antide had no effect on primary, secondary, or early antral follicle numbers and did not affect circulating estradiol concentrations.


CONCLUSIONS
In contrast to mice, in which GnRH antagonist treatment markedly reduces primordial follicle reserve, the effect of antide in nonhuman primates was less dramatic and somewhat variable. These data suggest there may be a subset of animals susceptible to the adverse effects of GnRH antagonist on primordial follicle survival.
Jill
J
Attaman
Laura K
LK
Arbogast
Chad I
CI
Friedman
Douglas R
DR
Danforth
D000818:Animals; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008252:Macaca fascicularis / Q000502:physiology*; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D010052:Ovariectomy; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D011446:Prospective Studies
D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D009842:Oligopeptides; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D004958:Estradiol; C057022:iturelix