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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 20(5)

Control of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) anterior pituitary-gonadal axis with analogues of GnRH

Camryn D. Allen A H , Michelle Burridge B , Mandy L. Chafer B , Vere N. Nicolson B , Sophia C. Jago B , Rosemary J. Booth C , Grant Fraser C , Traza-Jade Ensabella C , Yeng Peng Zee A , Geoff Lundie-Jenkins C , William V. Holt D , Allan T. Lisle E , Frank N. Carrick F , Jonathan D. Curlewis G , Michael J. D’ Occhio A and Stephen D. Johnston A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Studies, The University of Queensland, Gatton, Queensland 4343, Australia.

B Dreamworld, Coomera, Queensland 4209, Australia.

C Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane, Queensland 4000, Australia.

D Institute of Zoology, Regents Park, London NW1 4RY, England.

E School of Land, Crop and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.

F Centre for Mined Land Rehabilitation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.

G School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, Queensland 4072, Australia.

H Corresponding author. Email: callen@salk.edu

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 20(5) 598-605 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD07214
Submitted: 30 November 2007  Accepted: 7 April 2008   Published: 21 May 2008

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine whether analogues of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) could be used to both induce an acute testosterone response and suppress anterior pituitary function in male koalas, and induce a luteal phase in female koalas. Experiment 1 characterised the steroidogenic response of male koalas to administration of 30 μg (4.3 μg kg–1) natural-sequence GnRH. Intra-muscular injection of natural-sequence GnRH induced the release of LH and testosterone with peak concentrations at 30 min (3.7 ± 1.9 ng mL–1) and 2 h (5.4 ± 0.5 ng mL–1), respectively. In Experiment 2, a single injection of the GnRH antagonist acyline (100 μg (14.3 μg kg–1) or 500 μg (71.4 μg kg–1)) did not influence the testosterone response to subsequent injections of natural-sequence GnRH. In Experiment 3, 4 μg (~0.67 μg kg–1) of the GnRH agonist buserelin induced a luteal phase in five female koalas based on a LH surge, secretion of progestogen, and a normal-length oestrous cycle. The findings have shown that (1) natural-sequence GnRH can be used to test gonadotroph cell function and determine the testosterone-secreting capacity of male koalas, (2) the GnRH antagonist, acyline, at the dose rates used, does not suppress the pituitary-testis axis in male koalas, and (3) the GnRH agonist, buserelin, induces a normal luteal phase in female koalas.

Additional keywords: acyline, buserelin, GnRH agonist, GnRH antagonist, LH, natural-sequence GnRH, progestogen, Receptal, testosterone.


Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the zookeepers and volunteers at DFWP and DW for their help in blood sample collection, koala oestrus detection procedures and general animal husbandry. The authors thank Professor Jean Rivier of the Salk Institute (San Diego, CA, USA) for his generous supply of the antagonist and for his assistance with the experimental design and manuscript preparation. We also thank Dr Nancy Sherwood from the University of Victoria (Canada) for her expert advice with regard to data interpretation associated with the GnRH antagonist study. This project was funded by an Australian Research Council (ARC) Grant, the School of Animal Studies (SAS), The University of Queensland, and the Queensland Government Koala Enhanced Genetic Exchange Program (KEGEP).


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