Dynamics of the responses in secretion of luteinising hormone, leptin and insulin following an acute increase in nutrition in mature male sheep
Song Zhang A , Dominique Blache A B , Margaret A. Blackberry A and Graeme B. Martin A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: dblache@agric.uwa.edu.au
Reproduction, Fertility and Development 16(8) 823-829 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD04086
Submitted: 2 August 2004 Accepted: 27 October 2004 Published: 13 January 2005
Abstract
In Merino rams, an increase in the plane of nutrition increases the frequency of luteinising hormone (LH) pulses within a few days and this response is correlated with changes in the circulating concentrations of metabolic hormones. To analyse early dynamic aspects of these responses, we studied mature rams fed with diets that contained either low or high amounts of energy and protein. Jugular blood was sampled every 20 min for 96 h, including a control period of 24 h before the change of diet in the high-diet group. In the high-diet group, a significant increase in LH pulse frequency was first detected 6 h after the increase in nutrition on Day 1 and the frequency remained significantly elevated throughout the 72-h treatment period, except for a 12-h period on Day 2. Following the change of diet, insulin concentrations increased within 3 h and leptin concentrations increased within 7 h, after which time the concentrations of both hormones remained high. Dietary treatment did not affect the concentrations of thyroxine or insulin-like growth factor-I, but the high diet increased the concentrations of tri-iodothyronine. These observations are consistent with insulin and leptin playing a role in the early activation of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone–LH axis by nutritional inputs.
Extra keywords: insulin-like growth factor-I, post-prandial hormonal increase, ram, reproduction, thyroid hormones.
Acknowledgments
The authors thank everyone in the Animal Science Group who was willing to help with the animal experiments. S. Z. was supported by an International Postgraduate Research Scholarship from the University of Western Australia. This work was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia grant (no. 139134).
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