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The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] ABSTRACT: Giant pandas are mono-estrus seasonal breeders, with the breeding season typically occurring in the spring. Successful fertilization is followed by an embryonic diapause, of variable length, with birth in the late summer/autumn. There is a need for add...

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Autores principales: Wilson, Kirsten S, Li, Desheng, Valentine, Iain, McNeilly, Alan, Girling, Simon, Li, Rengui, Zhou, Yingmin, Vanhaecke, Lynn, Colin Duncan, W, Wauters, Jella
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: Bioscientifica Ltd 2022
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9354564/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35949393
http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/RAF-22-0031
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author Wilson, Kirsten S
Li, Desheng
Valentine, Iain
McNeilly, Alan
Girling, Simon
Li, Rengui
Zhou, Yingmin
Vanhaecke, Lynn
Colin Duncan, W
Wauters, Jella
author_facet Wilson, Kirsten S
Li, Desheng
Valentine, Iain
McNeilly, Alan
Girling, Simon
Li, Rengui
Zhou, Yingmin
Vanhaecke, Lynn
Colin Duncan, W
Wauters, Jella
author_sort Wilson, Kirsten S
collection PubMed
description GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] ABSTRACT: Giant pandas are mono-estrus seasonal breeders, with the breeding season typically occurring in the spring. Successful fertilization is followed by an embryonic diapause, of variable length, with birth in the late summer/autumn. There is a need for additional understanding of giant panda reproductive physiology, and the development of enhanced biomarkers for impending proestrus and peak fertility. We aimed to determine the utility of non-invasive androgen measurements in the detection of both proestrus and estrus. Urine from 20 cycles (−40 days to +10 days from peak estrus) from 5 female giant pandas was analyzed for estrogen, progestogens and androgens (via testosterone and DHEA assays), and hormone concentrations were corrected against urinary specific gravity. Across proestrus, estrogens increased while progestogens and androgens decreased – at the point of entry into proestrus, androgens (as detected by the testosterone assay) decreased prior to progestogens and gave 4 days advanced warning of proestrus. At the time of peak estrus, androgens (as detected by the DHEA assay) were significantly increased at the time of the decrease in estrogen metabolites from the peak, acting as an alternative confirmatory indicator of the fertile window. This novel finding allows for enlargement of the preparative window for captive breeding and facilitates panda management within breeding programmes. Androgens allow an enhanced monitoring of giant panda estrus, not only advancing the warning of impending proestrus, but also prospectively identifying peak fertility. LAY SUMMARY: Giant pandas have one chance at pregnancy per year. The 2-day fertile window timing varies by year and panda. This is monitored by measuring the level of estrogens in the urine, which increase, indicating an upcoming fertile period. After 1–2 weeks of increase, estrogens peak and fall, marking the optimal fertile time. We tested other hormones to see if we can predict the fertile window in advance, and the specific fertile time with more accuracy. In 20 breeding seasons from 5 females, we found androgens, usually thought of as male hormones, had an important role. Testosterone gives 4 days advanced warning of estrogens increasing. DHEA identified peak estrogen and the fertile time before needing to see a confirmed decrease in estrogen itself. Therefore, androgens help improve monitoring of the giant panda breeding season, giving early warning of fertility, key in facilitating captive breeding and giant panda conservation.
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spelling pubmed-93545642022-08-09 The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas Wilson, Kirsten S Li, Desheng Valentine, Iain McNeilly, Alan Girling, Simon Li, Rengui Zhou, Yingmin Vanhaecke, Lynn Colin Duncan, W Wauters, Jella Reprod Fertil Research GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT: [Image: see text] ABSTRACT: Giant pandas are mono-estrus seasonal breeders, with the breeding season typically occurring in the spring. Successful fertilization is followed by an embryonic diapause, of variable length, with birth in the late summer/autumn. There is a need for additional understanding of giant panda reproductive physiology, and the development of enhanced biomarkers for impending proestrus and peak fertility. We aimed to determine the utility of non-invasive androgen measurements in the detection of both proestrus and estrus. Urine from 20 cycles (−40 days to +10 days from peak estrus) from 5 female giant pandas was analyzed for estrogen, progestogens and androgens (via testosterone and DHEA assays), and hormone concentrations were corrected against urinary specific gravity. Across proestrus, estrogens increased while progestogens and androgens decreased – at the point of entry into proestrus, androgens (as detected by the testosterone assay) decreased prior to progestogens and gave 4 days advanced warning of proestrus. At the time of peak estrus, androgens (as detected by the DHEA assay) were significantly increased at the time of the decrease in estrogen metabolites from the peak, acting as an alternative confirmatory indicator of the fertile window. This novel finding allows for enlargement of the preparative window for captive breeding and facilitates panda management within breeding programmes. Androgens allow an enhanced monitoring of giant panda estrus, not only advancing the warning of impending proestrus, but also prospectively identifying peak fertility. LAY SUMMARY: Giant pandas have one chance at pregnancy per year. The 2-day fertile window timing varies by year and panda. This is monitored by measuring the level of estrogens in the urine, which increase, indicating an upcoming fertile period. After 1–2 weeks of increase, estrogens peak and fall, marking the optimal fertile time. We tested other hormones to see if we can predict the fertile window in advance, and the specific fertile time with more accuracy. In 20 breeding seasons from 5 females, we found androgens, usually thought of as male hormones, had an important role. Testosterone gives 4 days advanced warning of estrogens increasing. DHEA identified peak estrogen and the fertile time before needing to see a confirmed decrease in estrogen itself. Therefore, androgens help improve monitoring of the giant panda breeding season, giving early warning of fertility, key in facilitating captive breeding and giant panda conservation. Bioscientifica Ltd 2022-06-30 /pmc/articles/PMC9354564/ /pubmed/35949393 http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/RAF-22-0031 Text en © The authors https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
spellingShingle Research
Wilson, Kirsten S
Li, Desheng
Valentine, Iain
McNeilly, Alan
Girling, Simon
Li, Rengui
Zhou, Yingmin
Vanhaecke, Lynn
Colin Duncan, W
Wauters, Jella
The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title_full The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title_fullStr The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title_full_unstemmed The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title_short The novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
title_sort novel use of urinary androgens to optimise detection of the fertile window in giant pandas
topic Research
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9354564/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/35949393
http://dx.doi.org/10.1530/RAF-22-0031
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