521. EFFECT OF KISSPEPTIN ON REPRODUCTIVE FUNCTION IN SEASONALLY ACYCLIC RED DEER HINDS
G. K. Barrell A , M. J. Ridgway A , M. Wellby A , J. T. Smith B and I. J. Clarke BA Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Lincoln University, Lincoln, Canterbury, New Zealand
B Department of Physiology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 21(9) 120-120 https://doi.org/10.1071/SRB09Abs521
Published: 26 August 2009
Abstract
A preliminary study was conducted to examine whether the marked inhibition of ovulation in seasonally acyclic red deer could be overcome by use of kisspeptin to stimulate gonadotrophin release in these animals. After 14 days progesterone priming with intravaginal CIDR-G devices, non-lactating and lactating hinds (n = 8 in both cases) received 0.50 µmol murine kisspeptin-10 in saline solution delivered intravenously in 30 hours, either continuously or as 4-hourly boluses, and lactating hinds (n = 8) received saline solution intravenously as controls. Kisspeptin treatment caused an elevation (P < 0.05) of the mean plasma LH concentration at 2 h (0.36 + 0.237 versus 0.11 + 0.006 ng/ml, treated versus controls, respectively). Two weeks later there was a tendency (Chi-square = 9.286, 4 d.f., P = 0.054) for an increase in occurrence of medium and larger sized ovarian follicles in treated hinds. However, no ovulations resulted from the infusions and there was no effect on timing of the onset of ovulatory activity during the subsequent breeding season, as determined from circulating progesterone concentrations. It is concluded that kisspeptin stimulates the reproductive axis in seasonally acyclic red deer hinds, however the dose or mode of administration required to produce ovulations may be higher than what is effective for sheep in an equivalent reproductive state.
