title: Effect of leptin on in vivo goat embryo production.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of leptin administration during superovulation on in vivo goat embryo production. Ten mature does were superovulated with 133 mg follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) i.m. in six descending doses at 12-h intervals. The goats received 4.8 μg/kg human recombinant leptin s.c. (leptin group, n = 5) or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (control group, n = 5) with the first and second FSH doses. The does were mated and subjected to embryo collection by transcervical technique 6 days later. The total number of cells per embryo and the number of cells with fragmented DNA were assessed in selected blastocysts by combining Hoechst 33342 and terminal dUTP nick-end labelling (TUNEL) staining. Plasma concentrations of oestradiol (E2 ) and progesterone (P4 ) were determined by electrochemiluminescence from the day of FSH treatment, on the day of superovulatory oestrus and on the day before embryo collection. Compared with the control group, the does that received leptin had a higher number of transferable embryos (p < 0.005), fewer embryos classified as degenerated (p < 0.001) and fewer TUNEL-positive cells/blastocyst (p < 0.001). The number of transferable embryos was positively correlated with E2 concentrations on day of oestrus (r = 0.562; p < 0.01) and P4 concentrations on the day of embryo collection (r = 0.912; p < 0.001). We concluded that in vivo leptin administration during FSH treatment improved embryo quality and affected ovarian steroidogenesis in superovulated goats.
authors.affiliation: Andrology Laboratory, Veterinary Medicine Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil.
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Gomes
authors.forename: C C D
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: P L J
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Monteiro
authors.forename: F L M
authors.initials: FL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Almeida
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Carneiro
authors.forename: M M P
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Guerra
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000166:cytology / Q000502:physiology; D053938:DNA Fragmentation; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000662:veterinary; D004958:Estradiol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006041:Goats / Q000196:embryology*; D006801:Humans; D020287:In Situ Nick-End Labeling / Q000662:veterinary; D020738:Leptin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011247:Pregnancy; D011374:Progesterone / Q000097:blood; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013256:Steroids / Q000096:biosynthesis; D013480:Superovulation
chemical_list: D020738:Leptin; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013256:Steroids; D011374:Progesterone; D004958:Estradiol; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone