title: Long-term treatment with testosterone alters ovary innervation in adult pigs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intraovarian distribution and density of nerve fibres immunoreactive (IR) to protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and containing dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SOM), galanin (GAL) were determined.
  
  
  METHODS
  From day 4 of the first oestrous cycle to day 20 of the second studied cycle, experimental gilts (n = 3) were injected with testosterone (T), while control gilts (n = 3) received corn oil.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After T administration the numbers of fibres IR to PGP 9.5 and fibres IR to DβH, NPY and SOM were decreased. Fewer PGP 9.5- and DβH-IR terminals were observed within the ground plexus and around arteries and medullar veins, and medium tertiary follicles, and DβH-IR terminals in the vicinity of small tertiary follicles. T decreased the density of NPY-IR fibres in the medullar part of the ground plexus, and SOM-IR in the cortical part of the ground plexus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The obtained data show that long-term T treatment of gilts decreases the total number of intraovarian fibres, including sympathetic ones. These results suggest that elevated T levels that occur during pathological states may affect the innervation pattern of ovaries, and their function(s).
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology Reproduction, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, 10-748, Poland. b.jana@pan.olsztyn.pl.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jana
authors.affiliation: Division of Biology Reproduction, Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Olsztyn, 10-748, Poland.
authors.forename: Karolina A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Meller
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, 10-718, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bulc
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Warmia and Mazury, Olsztyn, 10-718, Poland.
authors.forename: Jarosław
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Całka
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019004:Galanin / Q000378:metabolism; D009412:Nerve Fibers / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009478:Neuropeptide Y / Q000378:metabolism; D006080:Ovarian Follicle / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism*; D010053:Ovary / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000378:metabolism; D013552:Swine; D013739:Testosterone / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D009478:Neuropeptide Y; C482860:UCHL1 protein, human; D013739:Testosterone; D013004:Somatostatin; D019004:Galanin; D004299:Dopamine beta-Hydroxylase; D043222:Ubiquitin Thiolesterase
keywords: Follicles; Gilts; Hyperandrogenism; Innervation; Ovary