Prenatal exposure of the ovine fetus to androgens sexually differentiates the steroid feedback mechanisms that control gonadotropin releasing hormone secretion and disrupts ovarian cycles

Archives of Sexual Behavior
Jane E RobinsonVasantha Padmanabhan

Abstract

Exposure of the female sheep fetus to exogenous testosterone in early pregnancy permanently masculinizes the reproductive neuroendocrine axis. Specifically, in utero androgens given to female lambs from day 30 to 90 of a 147 day pregnancy dramatically altered the response of the gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal network in the hypothalamus to both estrogen (E) and progesterone (P) feedback. Elevated concentrations of estrogen stimulated a massive release of GnRH in gonadectomized female sheep; however, male and androgenized female lambs were unable to respond to high E concentrations by producing this preovulatory-like "surge" of GnRH. Further, the inhibitory actions of progesterone (P) were also sexually differentiated and adult males and androgenized females were much less responsive to P-negative feedback than normal ewes. The consequences of these abnormal steroid feedback mechanisms were reflected in the fact that only 72% of ovary-intact androgenized ewes exhibited normal estrous cycles in their first breeding season whereas none had a single estrous cycle during the second breeding season. In contrast, 100% of the control animals exhibited repeated reproductive cycles in both seasons. These data indicate tha...Continue Reading

Citations

Mar 6, 2009·Reproduction : the Official Journal of the Society for the Study of Fertility·Hugo H OrtegaVasantha Padmanabhan
Apr 21, 2004·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·Shannon D Sullivan, Suzanne M Moenter
Sep 30, 2006·Reproduction : the Official Journal of the Society for the Study of Fertility·Jane Robinson
Jun 10, 2014·International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism·Fahimeh Ramezani TehraniFereidoun Azizi
Feb 18, 2014·Experimental Physiology·Fahimeh Ramezani TehraniFereidoun Azizi
Jul 31, 2007·Reviews in Endocrine & Metabolic Disorders·Daniel A DumesicVasantha Padmanabhan
Oct 22, 2010·Human Reproduction Update·Deborah M SlobodaRoger Hart
May 26, 2016·Reproduction : the Official Journal of the Society for the Study of Fertility·Muraly PuttabyatappaVasantha Padmanabhan
Nov 8, 2020·Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology : RB&E·Renata S M LandersRodolfo C Cardoso
Jul 29, 2011·Fertility and Sterility·César Díaz-GarcíaCarlos Simón

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