REPRODUCTIVE RESPONSES OF MULTIPAROUS HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN DAIRY CATTLE WITH FOLLICULAR CYSTS TO GnRH OR FURTHER OVSYNCH PROTOCOL AND WITH LUTEAL CYSTS TO PGF2α OR FURTHER 12-DAY PRESYNCH PROTOCOL

Ovarian cysts, estimated as the most frequent ovarian disorder in dairy cattle, can impact the economic aspect and trigger serious loss by affecting the reproductive performance. However, treatment strategies for ovarian cysts in dairy cattle are disputed, as some researchers favour the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) for all cysts, whereas others recommend this treatment only for follicular cysts, with prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) for luteal cysts, but not all of the dairy cattle responded to these regimes. Other studies mention a spontaneous recovery for some of the dairy cattle that present this disorder. However, the Ovsynch protocol appears to be the most used for treating ovarian follicular cysts, despite low pregnancy rates. Thus, this study’s main purpose is to assess by analogy the reproductive efficiency of multiparous dairy cattle with follicular cysts after treatment with a recommended dose of GnRH or a further Ovsynch protocol, and of cattle with luteal cysts after PGF2α or a further 12-day Presynch protocol, by comparing the reproductive responses between treated and non-treated cattle. It is remarkable that ten of the dairy cattle diagnosed with ovarian cysts recovered spontaneously without any hormonal intervention, but the reproductive performance indicates that treatment should be started as soon as the condition is diagnosed. Compared with other studies, our approach improved the conception (82.4% and 64.3%, respectively) and pregnancy rates (53.8% and 50%, respectively) in both follicular and luteal cysts.

PREVALENCE, DIAGNOSTICS AND TREATMENT OF OVARIAN FOLLICULAR CYSTS IN DAIRY COWS

Ovarian cysts are among the primary causes for poor reproduction efficiency and economic losses in dairy cattle farming. Material and metods: The studies were performed in 2015-2017 in three dairy cattle farms.In the experiment, 79 cows with follicular ovarian cysts were divided randomly into 3 groups. To the first group (n=33), a standard double Ovsynch was applied with 0.01 mg GnRH (Veterelin, Laboratorios Calier, Spain) on day 0, 150 µg PGF2α (D – Cloprosstenolsodium, Indupart, Vetpharma Animal Health, Spain) on day 7, 0.01 mg GnRH (Veterelin, Laboratorios Calier, Spain) on day 10, and after 7 days, Ovsynch (GnRH-PGF-GnRH). The cows from the second group (n=28) were submitted to double Ovsynch and additional progesterone treatment through placement of Controlled Internal Drug Release device (EAZI BREED CIDR Cattle insert, 1.38 g progesterone; Pfizer Animal Health, USA) for 7 days between the first GnRH at day 0 and prostaglandin on day 7. The control group comprised 18 untreated cows. Results: First-service conception rate in cows treated by double Ovsynch and vaginal inserts was higher 28.6% compared to that in standard double Ovsynch: 24.2%. Cumulative pregnancy percentage after applied treatments was 60.7% in double Ovsynch plus progesterone and 54.5% in standard double Ovsynch.

Pathogenesis and pathophysiology of ovarian follicular cysts in mammals

Ovarian cysts remain to be one of the most common and serious problems in reproduction of farm animals, as well as humans. Apart from causing the fall in reproductive potential of the ovaries, occupying the place in which folliculogenesis and oogenesis occur, they also cause hormone imbalances, by preventing corpus luteum formation, hence lowering the amount of steroid hormone production. While singular cysts rarely affect fertility, hormone fluctuations that are associated with their presence promotes their multiplication, which usually has more adverse effects. While the cysts are easily detectable in humans, possessing distinct echography while examined by ultrasound, multiple factors prevent widespread use of effective detection methods among large herds of farm animals. Because of lack of noticeable symptoms of early stages of such malignancies, they rarely get detected before the animal stops to exhibit symptoms of heat. That causes scientific research to be focused on not only methods of detection, but also the ways to negate the effects of ovarian cysts and bring the affected specimen back to reproductive potential. Despite that, high costs of diagnosis and treatment, cause them to be uncommon on commercial farms. As lack of fertility eliminates animals from breeding purposed herds, ovarian cysts persist as a cause of large losses of the animal husbandry business. Continuous research, focused on natural examples of ovarian cysts should be conducted, in order to improve methods of detection, prevention, treatment and recovery from the effects of ovarian cysts.

Optimization of treatment of patients with follicular ovarian cysts

The reason of tumor-like ovarian cysts are functional disorders of the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis which leads to hyperestrogenocity. Medical preparations containing indole-3-carbinol have an evident antiestrogenic effect. The objective: to study the efficacy of using Mastofemin for the treatment of patients with ovarian cysts. Patients and methods. The study involved 110 patients of reproductive age, 30 of them were healthy and were included in Group I. There were 38 women with follicular cysts in Group II whom 30 мg of ethinylestradiol-containing combined oral contraceptives in cyclic regimen for 3 months were prescribed. There were 42 patients in Group III who were additionally to combined oral contraceptives prescribed Mastofemin for 1 capsule 2 times daily. Results. The presence of combined breast pathology and clinical symptoms associated with hyperestrogenocity has been noted in patients with follicular ovarian cysts. The operative treatment due to the lack of effectiveness of the conservative approach was performed in 21.1% of patients in Group II and 7.1% of women in Group III. There was no recurrence of ovarian cysts during further observation within six months in the main Group of patients receiving Mastofemin. 10.5% of women have the reappeared ovarian retention cysts in the Group II. Conclusion. The use of Mastophemin in addition to combined oral contraceptives for treating women with follicular ovarian cysts contributed to increased compliance and therapeutic efficacy. Key words: ovarian follicular cysts, indole-3-carbinol, Mastofemin.

Reproductive alterations in hyperinsulinemic but normoandrogenic MSG obese female rats

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are the common causes of reproductive and fertility disorders in women. In particular, polycystic ovary syndrome, which is clinically characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo/anovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology, has been increasingly associated with metabolic disorders. However, given the broad interplay between metabolic and reproductive functions, this remains a field of intense research. In this study, we investigated the effect of monosodium l-glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity on reproductive biology of female rats. Newborn female rats were subcutaneously injected with MSG (4g/kg/day) or equiosmolar saline (CTR) each 2 days up to postnatal day (pnd) 10. On pnd 60, estrous cycle was evaluated using vaginal smears twice a day for 15 days, which showed MSG rats to be oligocyclic. Thereafter, animals were killed on estrous phase for blood and tissue collection. MSG rats had increased body mass, accumulation of retroperitoneal and visceral fat pads, and visceral adipocyte hypertrophy compared with CTR rats. MSG rats were also dyslipidemic and hyperinsulinemic but were normoglycemic and normoandrogenic. Ovarian morphology analysis showed that MSG rats had a two-fold decrease in oocyte count but a six-fold increase on ovarian follicular cysts, along with a higher number of total primordial and atretic follicles. Moreover, MSG rats had a four-fold increase in anti-Müllerian hormone immunohistochemical staining on antral follicles. Taken together, data presented here characterize MSG obesity as a unique model to study the metabolic pathways underlying reproductive disorders in the absence of overactivated hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal axis.

Ovarian Histopathological Changes in Mares with Uterine Endometrosis

The aim of the study was to find out the relationship between the progression of endometrosis and the appearance of the structural microscopic changes in mares’ ovaries. The investigation was performed on slaughtered mares of various age and breed. Four groups each received a portion of the specimens, and designation to group was according to the stage of endometrosis determined on the basis of Kenney’s classification. Uterine and ovarian sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin. The results of the microscopic evaluation were compared between mares classified into specific Kenney’s categories. It was shown that an increase in ovarian follicular cysts was related to mares’ ages and correlated with significant progression of the endometrosis. These observations suggest that the same aetiological factors may take part both in triggering disorders of ovarian oo/folliculogenesis and in spurring uterine endometrosis. Further more detailed methods of investigation are needed to elucidate the mechanisms of both disease processes.

Alteration in localization of steroid hormone receptors and coregulatory proteins in follicles from cows with induced ovarian follicular cysts

Cystic ovarian disease (COD) is an important cause of infertility in cattle. The altered follicular dynamics and cellular differentiation observed in COD may be mediated through a disruption of the expression of steroid receptors and their associated transcriptional cofactors. The aim of this study was to determine the protein expression profiles of ESR1, ESR2, PGR, AR, NCOA3, NCOR2, and PHB2 (REA) in ovarian follicles in an experimental model of COD induced by the administration of ACTH. Ovaries were collected and follicles were dissected from heifers during the follicular phase (control) or from heifers treated with ACTH to induce the formation of ovarian follicular cysts. Ovaries were fixed, sectioned, and stained immunohistochemically for steroid receptors and the associated transcription factors. The relative expression of ESR1 was similar in follicular cysts and in tertiary follicles from both control and cystic cows and was significantly higher than in secondary follicles. The expression of ESR2 in the granulosa was higher in cystic follicles. No differences were seen for PGR. The expression of androgen receptor was significantly increased in tertiary follicles with lower immunostaining in cysts. The expression of NCOA3 was observed in the granulosa and theca with a significantly increased expression in the theca interna of cystic follicles. The highest levels of NCOR2 expression in granulosa, theca interna, and theca externa were observed in cysts. In granulosa cells, NCOR2 levels increase progressively as follicles mature and the treatment had no effect. In summary, ovaries from animals with induced COD exhibited altered steroid receptor expression compared with normal animals, as well as changes in the expression of their regulators. It is reasonable to suggest that in conditions characterized by altered ovulation and follicular persistence, such as COD, changes in the intra-ovarian expression of these proteins could play a role in their pathogenesis.