Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand
The aim of this study was to examine relationships among serum progestagens, cortisol, and prolactin in pregnant and normal cycling Asian elephants living in tourist camps in northern Thailand. Samples were collected twice a month for 22 months from nine elephants. Of those, four were pregnant (24.3...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/9/5/244 |
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| author | Patcharapa Towiboon Kanokporn Saenphet Chatchai Tayapiwattana Siriwan Tangyuenyong Gen Watanabe Sittidet Mahasawangkul Janine L. Brown Chatchote Thitaram |
| author_facet | Patcharapa Towiboon Kanokporn Saenphet Chatchai Tayapiwattana Siriwan Tangyuenyong Gen Watanabe Sittidet Mahasawangkul Janine L. Brown Chatchote Thitaram |
| author_sort | Patcharapa Towiboon |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The aim of this study was to examine relationships among serum progestagens, cortisol, and prolactin in pregnant and normal cycling Asian elephants living in tourist camps in northern Thailand. Samples were collected twice a month for 22 months from nine elephants. Of those, four were pregnant (24.3 ± 2.9 years of age; range 21–28 years) and five (20.2 ± 9.6 years; range 8–34 years) exhibited normal ovarian cycles based on serum progestagen analyses. Gestation was divided into three periods: 1st (week 1–31), 2nd (week 32–62), and 3rd (week 63 to parturition), while the estrous cycle was divided into the follicular and luteal phases. Serum progestagens were higher during the luteal phase of the cycle (<i>p</i> < 0.003), whereas cortisol and prolactin were similar. In pregnant elephants, there were no differences in serum progestagens or cortisol concentrations across the three gestational periods, whereas prolactin concentrations increased significantly during the 2nd and 3rd periods (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). By contrast, prolactin concentrations in nonpregnant elephants were consistently low throughout the ovarian cycle. In one cycling female, prolactin concentrations were similar to pregnant elephants, perhaps because she was an allomother to two calves. Another cycling female exhibited consistently elevated cortisol concentrations, 5 to 10 times higher than the other elephants. There were no correlations between serum progestagens, cortisol, and prolactin throughout gestation; however, serum progestagens and cortisol were positively related in cycling elephants (r = 0.386, <i>p</i> < 0.001). From our results, there were a number of individual differences in reproductive hormonal patterns, so it is important to develop personalized monitoring programs for each elephant to enhance breeding success and create sustaining captive populations of elephants in Asia. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:38:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-19e6d0893ac64d34b43f4694143c3e25 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-7381 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T01:38:08Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-19e6d0893ac64d34b43f4694143c3e252023-11-23T13:28:52ZengMDPI AGVeterinary Sciences2306-73812022-05-019524410.3390/vetsci9050244Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in ThailandPatcharapa Towiboon0Kanokporn Saenphet1Chatchai Tayapiwattana2Siriwan Tangyuenyong3Gen Watanabe4Sittidet Mahasawangkul5Janine L. Brown6Chatchote Thitaram7Department of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandDepartment of Biology, Faculty of Science, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandCenter of Biomolecular Therapy and Diagnosis, Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandDepartment of Companion Animals and Wildlife Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, ThailandAnimal Physiology, Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo 183-8538, JapanThai Elephant Conservation Center, National Elephant Institute, Forest Industry Organization, Lampang 52190, ThailandCenter of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandCenter of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50200, ThailandThe aim of this study was to examine relationships among serum progestagens, cortisol, and prolactin in pregnant and normal cycling Asian elephants living in tourist camps in northern Thailand. Samples were collected twice a month for 22 months from nine elephants. Of those, four were pregnant (24.3 ± 2.9 years of age; range 21–28 years) and five (20.2 ± 9.6 years; range 8–34 years) exhibited normal ovarian cycles based on serum progestagen analyses. Gestation was divided into three periods: 1st (week 1–31), 2nd (week 32–62), and 3rd (week 63 to parturition), while the estrous cycle was divided into the follicular and luteal phases. Serum progestagens were higher during the luteal phase of the cycle (<i>p</i> < 0.003), whereas cortisol and prolactin were similar. In pregnant elephants, there were no differences in serum progestagens or cortisol concentrations across the three gestational periods, whereas prolactin concentrations increased significantly during the 2nd and 3rd periods (<i>p</i> < 0.0001). By contrast, prolactin concentrations in nonpregnant elephants were consistently low throughout the ovarian cycle. In one cycling female, prolactin concentrations were similar to pregnant elephants, perhaps because she was an allomother to two calves. Another cycling female exhibited consistently elevated cortisol concentrations, 5 to 10 times higher than the other elephants. There were no correlations between serum progestagens, cortisol, and prolactin throughout gestation; however, serum progestagens and cortisol were positively related in cycling elephants (r = 0.386, <i>p</i> < 0.001). From our results, there were a number of individual differences in reproductive hormonal patterns, so it is important to develop personalized monitoring programs for each elephant to enhance breeding success and create sustaining captive populations of elephants in Asia.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/9/5/244progestagenscortisolprolactinpregnancyovarian cycleAsian elephant |
| spellingShingle | Patcharapa Towiboon Kanokporn Saenphet Chatchai Tayapiwattana Siriwan Tangyuenyong Gen Watanabe Sittidet Mahasawangkul Janine L. Brown Chatchote Thitaram Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand Veterinary Sciences progestagens cortisol prolactin pregnancy ovarian cycle Asian elephant |
| title | Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand |
| title_full | Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand |
| title_fullStr | Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand |
| title_full_unstemmed | Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand |
| title_short | Relationship among Serum Progestagens, Cortisol, and Prolactin in Pregnant and Cycling Asian Elephants in Thailand |
| title_sort | relationship among serum progestagens cortisol and prolactin in pregnant and cycling asian elephants in thailand |
| topic | progestagens cortisol prolactin pregnancy ovarian cycle Asian elephant |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-7381/9/5/244 |
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