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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Characterisation of pulses of 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2alpha (PGFM) and relationships between PGFM pulses and luteal blood flow before, during, and after luteolysis in mares

O. J. Ginther A B D , B. L. Rodrigues A , J. C. Ferreira A , R. R. Araujo A C and M. A. Beg B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Eutheria Foundation, Cross Plains, WI 53528, USA.

B Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

C Department of Dairy Science, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI 53706, USA.

D Corresponding author. Email: ginther@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu

Reproduction, Fertility and Development 20(6) 684-693 https://doi.org/10.1071/RD08077
Submitted: 16 April 2008  Accepted: 26 May 2008   Published: 9 July 2008

Abstract

Blood collections for characterising 13,14-dihydro-15-keto-PGF2alpha (PGFM) pulses in mares and colour-Doppler examinations for estimating percentage of corpus luteum with blood-flow signals were done hourly for a 24-h session on Day 15 (ovulation = Day 0; n = 13 mares) or during 12-h sessions from Days 12 to 16 (n= 10 mares). Luteolysis was defined as extending from the beginning of a precipitous decrease in progesterone until progesterone was <2 ng mL–1. Comparisons were made among preluteolysis, luteolysis, and postluteolysis. Greater prostaglandin F2α activity (mean PGFM concentration per session) occurred during luteolysis than during preluteolysis and postluteolysis. Statistically-detected PGFM pulses were smaller during preluteolysis with a highly variable interval from the last pulse to the beginning of luteolysis. Either two or three pulses were detected in each 24-h session during luteolysis and postluteolysis, after excluding three of eight sessions with no pulses during postluteolysis. Statistically, 17% of pulses during postluteolysis were prominent outliers. The nadir-to-nadir interval during a pulse (5 h), the peak-to-peak interval between pulses (9 h), and the resulting 4-h gap between pulses were similar during and after luteolysis. The decrease in progesterone encompassed the PGFM pulses, without a detectable fluctuation during a pulse. The percentage of corpus luteum with blood-flow signals did not change during the ascending portion of a PGFM pulse and decreased within 2 or 3 h after the peak, even during preluteolysis. Results indicated that a reported increase in luteal blood flow in heifers during the ascending portion of a PGFM pulse does not occur in mares.

Additional keyword: corpus luteum.


Acknowledgements

Supported by the Eutheria Foundation, Cross Plains, WI, USA (Projects P1-BLR-07 and P2-BLR-07). The authors thank W. W. Thatcher, University of Florida, for a gift of PGFM antiserum and advice on the PGFM assay, and Pfizer Animal Health, NY for a gift of Lutalyse.


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