Reproduction Abstracts

Introduction: Hypothalamo–pituitary–testicular feedback is intact in the ovine fetus. Exogenous testosterone suppresses fetal LH and testicular steroidogenesis to maintain normal circulating testosterone concentrations. INSL3 is a non-steroidal hormone secreted by the fetal testis whose roles include facilitating testicular descent. We hypothesised that the homeostatic response to increased androgens would have a detrimental effect on fetal INSL3 expression....

Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common endocrine condition affecting up to 10% of women of reproductive age, is associated with an increased risk of developing insulin resistance and obesity. Obesity is associated with increased energy intake or reduced energy expenditure. In this context, postprandial thermogenesis (PPT), is an important constituent of energy expenditure.Our lab utilizes a clinically realistic ovine model of PCOS, where pregnant Scottish G...

Some adult diseases are programmed in utero by fetal exposure to abnormal concentrations of steroid hormones. Threatened miscarriage in early pregnancy is treated by progesterone in many countries although robust evidence of efficacy is lacking. We hypothesised that increased progesterone concentrations may alter fetal development. In a small pilot study, using a pregnant sheep model, we administered 200 mg progesterone twice weekly from d20–d75 of gestation and ...

Background: Waddlia chondrophila (W. chondrophila) is an emerging abortifacient pathogen which has been identified in the placentae of humans and cattle. The organism is a member of the order Chlamydiales, and shares many similarities at the genome level, and in growth studies, with other well-characterised zoonotic chlamydial abortifacients, such as Chlamydia abortus (C. abortus). We have previously observed significant responses i...

Women with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome are at increased risk of developing insulin resistance, obesity and dyslipidemia. Amplified metabolic perturbations during puberty may be a central factor contributing to metabolic phenotype of adult PCOS. Using a clinically realistic ovine model of PCOS we reported hyperinsulinaemia and early fatty liver changes, with no difference in body weight and adiposity, in adolescence.Here we aimed to further examine metaboli...

Introduction: Overexposure to androgens during fetal life creates offspring with a polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)-like phenotype. Whether this phenotype is attributable to androgens during fetal life, or estrogens via maternal/placental metabolism, remains uncertain. The potential for in utero steroidal disruption of adrenal development and function is also unclear. We have examined the adrenal during development and adulthood in response to in utero androg...

Introduction: Maternal androgen excess in pregnant sheep programmes a PCOS-like phenotype in female offspring. We previously demonstrated a hyperinsulinaemic offspring phenotype in response to maternal androgen excess, but such regimens also increase estradiol concentrations, and may effect adrenal steroidogenesis, hence the role of androgens remains unclear.Materials and Methods: To examine contributions of different steroid classes, and to determine if...