Immunization against inhibin DNA vaccine as an alternative therapeutic for improving follicle development and reproductive performance in beef cattle

Abstract

The objective of the present study was to investigate the potential role of immunization against INH on follicular development, serum reproductive hormone (FSH, E₂, and P₄) concentrations, and reproductive performance in beef cattle. A total of 196 non-lactating female beef cattle (4-5 years old) with identical calving records (3 records) were immunized with 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, or 2.0 mg [(T1, n = 58), (T2, n = 46), (T3, n = 42) and (T4, n = 36), respectively] of the pcISI plasmid. The control (C) group (n = 14) was immunized with 1.0 mL 0.9% saline. At 21d after primary immunization, all beef cattle were boosted with half of the primary immunization dose. On day 10 after primary immunization, the beef cattle immunized with INH DNA vaccine evidently induced anti-INH antibody except for the T1 group. The T3 group had the greatest P/N value peak among all the groups. The anti-INH antibody positive rates in T2, T3 and T4 groups were significantly higher than that in C and T1 groups. RIA results indicated that serum FSH concentration in T2 group increased markedly on day 45 after booster immunization; the E₂ amount in T3 group was significantly increased on day 10 after primary immunization, and the levels of E₂ also improved in T2 and T3 groups after booster immunization; the P₄ concentration in T2 group was significantly improved on day 21 after primary immunization. Ultrasonography results revealed that the follicles with different diameter sizes were increased, meanwhile, the diameter and growth speed of ovulatory follicle were significantly increased. Furthermore, the rates of estrous, ovulation, conception, and twinning rate were also significantly enhanced. These findings clearly illustrated that INH DNA vaccine was capable of promoting the follicle development, thereby improving the behavioral of estrous and ovulation, eventually leading to an augment in the conception rates and twinning rate of beef cattle.

Keywords: beef cattle; immunization; inhibin; reproductive performance; vaccine.

Figure 1

The P/N value of each dosage-group after INH gene immunization. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. The bars with different lower case letters indicate significant differences p < 0.05 among groups.

Figure 2

The effect of INH DNA vaccine on FSH (A, D), E₂ (B, E), and P₄ (C, F) levels in serum of beef cattle. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. The bars with different lower case letters indicate significant differences p < 0.05 among groups.

Figure 3

The effect of INH DNA vaccine on follicle counts (A, D), diameter (B, E) and growth speed (C, F) of ovulatory follicles in beef cattle. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. The bars with different lower case letters indicate significant differences p < 0.05 among groups.

Figure 4

The effect of INH DNA vaccine on embryo counts (A, C) and twinning rate (B, D) of beef cattle. Data are presented as mean ± SEM. The bars with different lower case letters indicate significant differences p < 0.05 among groups.