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. 2014 Jul 8;15(7):12107-18.
doi: 10.3390/ijms150712107.

Melatonin promotes superovulation in sika deer (Cervus nippon)

Liang Wang  1 , Zhi-Yong Zhuo  2 , Wen-Qing Shi  3 , Dun-Xian Tan  4 , Chao Gao  5 , Xiu-Zhi Tian  6 , Lu Zhang  7 , Guang-Bin Zhou  8 , Shi-En Zhu  9 , Peng Yun  10 , Guo-Shi Liu  11
Affiliations

Melatonin promotes superovulation in sika deer (Cervus nippon)

Liang Wang et al. Int J Mol Sci. .

Abstract

In this study, the effects of melatonin (MT) on superovulation and reproductive hormones (melatonin, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH) and PRL) were investigated in female sika deer. Different doses (40 or 80 mg/animal) of melatonin were subcutaneously implanted into deer before the breeding season. Exogenous melatonin administration significantly elevated the serum FSH levels at the time of insemination compared with levels in control animals. During superovulation, the serum LH levels in donor sika deer reached their highest values (7.1±2.04 ng/mL) at the point of insemination, compared with the baseline levels (4.98±0.07 ng/mL) in control animals. This high level of LH was sustained until the day of embryo recovery. In contrast, the serum levels of PRL in the 80 mg of melatonin-treated group were significantly lower than those of control deer. The average number of corpora lutea in melatonin-treated deer was significantly higher than that of the control (p<0.05). The average number of embryos in the deer treated with 40 mg of melatonin was higher than that of the control; however, this increase did not reach significant difference (p>0.05), which may be related to the relatively small sample size. In addition, embryonic development in melatonin-treated groups was delayed.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Melatonin concentrations throughout the study period. Day 0: controlled intravaginal drug release (CIDR) insertion; Day 6: CIDR substitution; Day 12: CIDR removal; Day 14: insemination; Day 20: embryo recovery. In two melatonin-treated groups, the melatonin levels dropped after CIDR removal; however, these levels were still significantly higher than those of the control (p < 0.05). The decreased melatonin levels rose again during the period between the insemination and embryo recovery. In the control group, the melatonin levels did not change among various stages. Values are given as the mean ± S.E.M. The error bar is extended above and below at each time point in the MT40 mg group and MT80 mg group, respectively. “*” or “#” mean p < 0.05.
Figure 2
Figure 2
FSH concentrations throughout the study period. Day 0: CIDR insertion; Day 6: CIDR substitution; Day 12: CIDR removal; Day 14, insemination; Day 20: embryo recovery. During Days 12 to 14, the FSH concentrations in the control group dropped from their peak values to baseline levels; however, in the melatonin-treated deer, the FSH concentrations rose from their baseline levels to their peak values. These peak values were maintained only for a short time and decreased to their baseline levels again. Values are given as the mean ± S.E.M. The error bar is extended above and below at each time point in the MT40 mg group and MT80 mg group, respectively. “*” or “#” mean p < 0.05.
Figure 3
Figure 3
LH concentrations throughout the study period. Day 0: CIDR insertion; Day 6: CIDR substitution; Day 12: CIDR removal; Day 14: insemination; Day 20: embryo recovery. In melatonin-treated animals, the highest LH values were observed on Day 14, while in the control group, LH levels were stable during the process. Values are given as the mean ± S.E.M. The error bar is extended above and below at each time point in the MT40 mg group and MT80 mg group, respectively. “*” or “#” mean p < 0.05.
Figure 4
Figure 4
PRL concentrations throughout the study period. Day 0: CIDR insertion; Day 6: CIDR substitution; Day 12: CIDR removal; Day 14: insemination; Day 20: embryo recovery. The PRL levels in the 80 mg melatonin-treated animals were significantly elevated compared with those of the other animals during the entire process. Values are given as the mean ± S.E.M. The error bar is extended above and below at each time point in the MT40 mg group and MT80 mg group, respectively. “#” mean p < 0.05.
Figure 5
Figure 5
(A) The number of corpora lutea and embryos; (B) embryonic development stage. All embryos developed into the blastocyst stage in the control animals, while nearly half of the embryos from the melatonin-treated animals remained in the morula stage, although this phenomenon failed to exhibit significant differences. “*” mean p < 0.05.
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