Long-term treatment with testosterone alters ovary innervation in adult pigs.
Paraules clau
Resum
BACKGROUND
Intraovarian distribution and density of nerve fibres immunoreactive (IR) to protein gene product 9.5 (PGP 9.5) and containing dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DβH), neuropeptide Y (NPY), somatostatin (SOM), galanin (GAL) were determined.
METHODS
From day 4 of the first oestrous cycle to day 20 of the second studied cycle, experimental gilts (n = 3) were injected with testosterone (T), while control gilts (n = 3) received corn oil.
RESULTS
After T administration the numbers of fibres IR to PGP 9.5 and fibres IR to DβH, NPY and SOM were decreased. Fewer PGP 9.5- and DβH-IR terminals were observed within the ground plexus and around arteries and medullar veins, and medium tertiary follicles, and DβH-IR terminals in the vicinity of small tertiary follicles. T decreased the density of NPY-IR fibres in the medullar part of the ground plexus, and SOM-IR in the cortical part of the ground plexus.
CONCLUSIONS
The obtained data show that long-term T treatment of gilts decreases the total number of intraovarian fibres, including sympathetic ones. These results suggest that elevated T levels that occur during pathological states may affect the innervation pattern of ovaries, and their function(s).
