Reproduction and plasma concentrations of leptin, insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 in growth-hormone-transgenic female sheep before and after artificial insemination
H. Kadokawa A B C D , J. R. Briegel A , M. A. Blackberry C , D. Blache C , G. B. Martin C and N. R. Adams A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Division of Livestock Industries, Private Bag #5, PO Wembley, WA 6913, Australia.
B Department of Animal Production, National Agricultural Research Center for Hokkaido Region, Hitsujigaoka 1, Toyohira, Sapporo, 062-8555, Japan.
C School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
D To whom correspondence should be addressed. email: hiroya@affrc.go.jp
Reproduction Fertility and Development 15(1) 47-53 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD02074
Submitted: 10 September 2002 Accepted: 21 January 2003 Published: 21 January 2003
Abstract
The transgenic sheep used in this study expressed an additional copy of the gene for ovine growth hormone (GH), so they had continuously high plasma concentrations of GH. They were used to test whether the GH transgene affected plasma concentrations of the metabolic hormones leptin, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and insulin, and whether these effects were associated with changes in conception, pregnancy or parturition following artificial insemination. Compared with control animals, the GH-transgenic sheep had higher bodyweight, lower body condition score and less subcutaneous fat (Pthinsp;< 0.05). These sheep also had lower plasma concentrations of leptin, higher plasma concentrations of insulin, and higher plasma concentrations of IGF-1 (Pthinsp;< 0.001). A similar proportion of GH-transgenic and control ewes came into oestrus, but the conception rate to artificial insemination was lower in GH-transgenic ewes than in the controls. Only four live lambs were recovered from 12 GH-transgenic ewes (33%) compared with 38 lambs from 43 controls (88%). This outcome was not associated with any difference in plasma progesterone profile in the period leading up to artificial insemination (Day 0). The GH-transgenic ewes had lower concentrations of FSH at all times measured (Day −19, Day −2 and Day 19). These results indicate that appropriate regulation of GH secretion from pituitary or peripheral tissues is necessary for normal reproduction and normal levels of metabolic hormones. Chronically high concentrations of GH were associated with increased levels of IGF-1 and insulin, and decreased levels of leptin.
Extra keywords: body fatness, fertility, FSH.
Acknowledgments
We thank Dr B. Brown (CSIRO) for supplying the frozen semen from GH-transgenic rams and Dr K. Ward (CSIRO) for identifying the sheep that carried the transgene. Antiserum for the insulin assay was kindly provided by Dr P. Wynn (Sydney University). Reagents for the assays of IGF-1 and FSH were kindly donated by National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive & Kidney Disease and Dr A.F. Parlow (Pituitary Hormones and Antisera Center, Harbour-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, CA, USA). Development of the leptin assay was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia (Grant no. 981672). This study was supported in part by an Australian S and T Award 2000–2001 of the Australian Academy of Science.
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