Influence of age and gender on secretion of anti-Müllerian hormone in Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants

Anti-Müllerian hormone in managed African and Asian rhino species

Serum collected across the lifespan of four managed rhino species: black (Diceros bicornis, n = 16), white (Ceratotherium simum simum, n = 19), greater one-horned (GOH, Rhinoceros unicornis, n = 11) and Sumatran (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis, n = 6) were validated and analyzed in an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) enzyme- linked immunoassay. Concentrations of AMH were examined over time, between sexes and throughout different reproductive states which included n = 3 female white rhinos immunocontracepted with porcine zona pellucida (pZP). Across species, males produced higher AMH concentrations compared to females. Among males, AMH concentrations varied by species aside from comparable values secreted between black and white rhinos. The GOH and Sumatran rhino secreted the highest and lowest male AMH concentrations, respectively. However, within each species, AMH concentrations were similar across male age categories. Preliminary insight into male AMH changes from birth to sexual maturity suggest its potential as a marker for onset of testicular maturation. Female black, GOH and Sumatran rhinos secreted comparable AMH concentrations which were higher than those in white rhino. Within each species, inter-individual variation in AMH secretion occurred among females of similar age. While AMH secretion did not differ across the ages sampled for female white (4->26 yr) and GOH (4-26 yr) rhinos, black and Sumatran rhinos >26 and <4 yr, respectively secreted lower AMH compared to conspecific females 7-26 yr of age. Two idiopathic infertility cases corresponded to low (outside species range) AMH values. The establishment of normative AMH concentrations in managed African and Asian rhinos provides an additional metric beyond traditional sex steroids to assess gonadal function. Further work is needed to determine if AMH can predict fertility potential in rhinos.

Update on Comparative Biology of Elephants: Factors Affecting Reproduction, Health and Welfare

Asian (Elephas maximus) and African (Loxodonta africana) elephants serve as important keystone, umbrella and flagship species. Despite that, population numbers are declining, due mainly to poaching and habitat destruction. Understanding reproductive mechanisms is vital to effective management, particularly insurance populations in captivity, and to that end, long-term biological databases are key to understanding how intrinsic and extrinsic factors affect reproductive function at individual and population levels. Through decades of hormonal and ultrasonographic monitoring, many unique aspects of zoo elephant reproduction have been identified, including differences in luteal steroidogenic activity, follicular maturation, pituitary gonadotropin secretion, fetal development and reproductive tract anatomy. Reproductive problems also hamper captive propagation efforts, particularly those related to abnormal or lack of ovarian cyclicity. Recent large-scale, multi-institutional studies and use of epidemiological approaches have identified factors important for good welfare and reproduction, which include enrichment, feeding diversity, good elephant-keeper relations, social compatibility, exercise, and not being obese. There are notable differences in reproductive mechanisms between Asian and African elephants, as well as the factors that influence reproduction and welfare, suggesting species-targeted management approaches are needed to maximize fitness. In the first edition, we discussed reproductive function in male and female elephants. Since then, a number of significant advances have been made primarily in female elephants, which will be the focus of this updated review.

Effect of age and castration on serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentration in male alpacas

The synthesis of anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) by the Sertoli cells in males is crucial for sexual differentiation. There are no studies on AMH in Camelids. The objectives of this research were to 1) compare AMH serum concentrations in prepubertal and adult male alpacas and 2) determine the effect of castration on these concentrations in adult males to provide a validation of a commercial AMH test in alpacas. Serum samples were obtained from 15 prepubertal animals (5 for each age groups of 6, 7 and 8 months) and from 5 adult males (age 5-9 years), pre- and 24 h post-castration. AMH was determined with a quantitative ELISA according to the manufacture's instructions. There was not significant difference (P < 0.05) in AMH level (pg/ml) between pre-pubertal (549.9 ± 120.8, 789.4 ± 172.3, 597.5 ± 177.3 for ages 4, 7, and 8 months, respectively) and adult alpacas (938.7 ± 175.9). In adult males, AMH concentration decreased significantly following castration (P < 0.05) (938.7 ± 383.5 pg/ml) pre-castration, and 222.1 ± 116.5 pg/ml) after castration). There was a positive correlation between testosterone levels and AMH. In conclusion, the quantitative assay used is a reliable test to determine AMH in alpacas. The AMH level in prepubertal and adult alpacas appear to not differ, contrarily from other mammals, this requires further investigation. The decrease in serum AMH concentrations after castration suggests that measurement of this hormone can be used to diagnose bilateral cryptorchid or hemicastrated unilateral cryptorchid animals in this species.

Age-associated and deslorelin-induced declines in serum anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in female cheetahs, Acinonyx jubatus

Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) is widely used in human medicine to non-invasively estimate the size of the ovarian follicle reserve and to predict the ovarian response to gonadotropin stimulation in the context of assisted reproductive technologies (e.g., IVF). These applications of AMH testing have recently expanded to non-human mammals, with production animals, such as cows, goats and sheep being the primary focus of AMH research. However, few investigations have involved exotic species, and in particular carnivores. In this study, we measured AMH concentrations (0.078-3.078ng/mL) in archived serum samples that had been collected from 36 adult female cheetahs across their reproductive lifespan (2-15years of age). Similar to other mammals, AMH concentration in cheetahs declined with age, and its variability among females of the same age was considerable. The rates at which AMH declined over time in individual cheetahs were also highly variable. Five cheetahs had been contracepted with the long-acting GnRH agonist deslorelin for 6-18months prior to sample collection, and their AMH concentrations were relatively low compared to untreated females. In this first study of AMH in an exotic carnivore, the findings demonstrate that the age-associated decline in AMH is highly variable and that deslorelin appears to suppress AMH concentration in serum. Owing to the increased use of assisted reproductive technologies in ex situ populations of threatened and endangered species, such as cheetahs, the present study's findings will need to be taken into consideration if AMH is to be used successfully to optimize breeding management decisions in exotic species.

Circulating anti-Müllerian hormone concentrations in relation to age and season in male and female beluga (Delphinapterus leucas)

The present study aimed to describe serum anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) patterns of ex situ male and female beluga to examine the influence of age (divided into 5-year categories) or sexual maturation and reproductive season. In males aged 5–9 years, AMH concentrations were significantly (P < 0.05) higher than those in all age categories exceeding 15 years and were not influenced by season (P = 0.57). AMH concentrations in females peaked in the 5–9-year age category during the breeding season and decreased (P < 0.05) after 9 years of age. Aged females displayed lower (P < 0.05) AMH concentrations than immature and mature animals and immature females secreted higher concentrations than mature animals (P = 0.03). For mature females, seasonal differences (P = 0.02) in AMH concentrations were detected, with females in the breeding season displaying higher AMH concentrations than in the non-breeding season. This is the first time AMH has been characterised in a cetacean species and the first potential hormonal evidence of reproductive senescence in beluga. Further research is required to determine if this hormone can be used as a predictor of fertility for the species.

Reproductive Health Assessment of Female Elephants in North American Zoos and Association of Husbandry Practices with Reproductive Dysfunction in African Elephants (Loxodonta africana)

As part of a multi-institutional study of zoo elephant welfare, we evaluated female elephants managed by zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and applied epidemiological methods to determine what factors in the zoo environment are associated with reproductive problems, including ovarian acyclicity and hyperprolactinemia. Bi-weekly blood samples were collected from 95 African (Loxodonta africana) and 75 Asian (Elephas maximus) (8-55 years of age) elephants over a 12-month period for analysis of serum progestogens and prolactin. Females were categorized as normal cycling (regular 13- to 17-week cycles), irregular cycling (cycles longer or shorter than normal) or acyclic (baseline progestogens, <0.1 ng/ml throughout), and having Low/Normal (<14 or 18 ng/ml) or High (≥14 or 18 ng/ml) prolactin for Asian and African elephants, respectively. Rates of normal cycling, acyclicity and irregular cycling were 73.2, 22.5 and 4.2% for Asian, and 48.4, 37.9 and 13.7% for African elephants, respectively, all of which differed between species (P < 0.05). For African elephants, univariate assessment found that social isolation decreased and higher enrichment diversity increased the chance a female would cycle normally. The strongest multi-variable models included Age (positive) and Enrichment Diversity (negative) as important factors of acyclicity among African elephants. The Asian elephant data set was not robust enough to support multi-variable analyses of cyclicity status. Additionally, only 3% of Asian elephants were found to be hyperprolactinemic as compared to 28% of Africans, so predictive analyses of prolactin status were conducted on African elephants only. The strongest multi-variable model included Age (positive), Enrichment Diversity (negative), Alternate Feeding Methods (negative) and Social Group Contact (positive) as predictors of hyperprolactinemia. In summary, the incidence of ovarian cycle problems and hyperprolactinemia predominantly affects African elephants, and increases in social stability and feeding and enrichment diversity may have positive influences on hormone status.

Comparative reproductive biology of elephants

The ability to serially collect blood samples and conduct ultrasound examinations in Asian and African elephants has provided unique opportunities to study the biology of these endangered species. As a result, many unique aspects of elephant reproduction have been identified. For females, there are interesting differences in luteal steroidogenic activity, follicular maturation, pituitary gonadotropin secretion, fetal development and reproductive tract anatomy, while males exhibit the unique phenomenon of musth and an unusual reproductive anatomy (internal testes, ampullary semen storage). However, problems associated with uterine and ovarian pathologies hamper captive propagation efforts. Older, nulliparous cows are particularly susceptible, leading to speculation that continuous ovarian cyclicity of non-bred females in zoos is having a negative and cumulative effect on reproductive health. There are notable species differences in reproductive mechanisms as well (e.g., ovarian acyclicity, prolactin secretion, sperm cryosensitivity), implying that species-specific approaches to management and application of assisted reproductive techniques are needed for maximal reproductive efficiency and enhancement of genetic management.