Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes
Seasonal variations significantly impact lambs’ birth weight and post-natal growth of lambs, yet the underlying physiological mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study examined the effects of mating season on lamb birth weight, placental characteristics, maternal concentration...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Hindawi Limited
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Veterinary Medicine International |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5528453 |
| _version_ | 1797311686047170560 |
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| author | Uğur Şen Emre Şirin Hasan Önder Cem Tırınk Aycan Mutlu Yağanoğlu Saule Bostanova Rashit Uskenov Thobela Louis Tyasi |
| author_facet | Uğur Şen Emre Şirin Hasan Önder Cem Tırınk Aycan Mutlu Yağanoğlu Saule Bostanova Rashit Uskenov Thobela Louis Tyasi |
| author_sort | Uğur Şen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Seasonal variations significantly impact lambs’ birth weight and post-natal growth of lambs, yet the underlying physiological mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study examined the effects of mating season on lamb birth weight, placental characteristics, maternal concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in plasma, and placental mRNA expression levels of IGFs in Akkaraman ewes reared under extensive conditions. Ewes were mated in the breeding season (September; n = 35) and out-of-breeding season (April; n = 27). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of all ewes using a vacutainer in sterile heparin tubes every month from mating to parturition. Post-lambing, both dam and lamb weights were recorded, and placental characteristics were documented within 12 hours of parturition in both seasons. The number and weight of cotyledons were higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the breeding season than those mated during the out-of-breeding season. Also, ewes mated during the breeding season demonstrated thicker large cotyledons (P<0.05). Although placental and cotyledonal efficiencies were similar in both mating seasons, volumetric cotyledon efficiency was higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the out-of-breeding season than in those bred during the breeding season. Additionally, ewes mated in the breeding season exhibited higher plasma concentration of IGF-I at three months of gestation than ewes mated in the out-of-breeding season (123.8 ± 9.8 vs. 99.3 ± 11.4 ng/ml, respectively; P<0.05). Although the mating season did not affect the IGF-I gene’s placental mRNA expression levels, the IGF-II gene’s expression level was notably higher (P<0.05; fold change: 2.84) in ewes mated during the breeding season. The results suggest that mating season influences placental characteristics, maternal plasma IGF-I concentrations, and IGF-II gene expression levels of cotyledons due to alterations in cotyledon numbers and size on the surface of the placenta. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T02:04:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f455f2ed13f54c35ae2cb6d9400f943d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2042-0048 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T02:04:18Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Hindawi Limited |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Veterinary Medicine International |
| spelling | doaj.art-f455f2ed13f54c35ae2cb6d9400f943d2024-02-14T00:01:17ZengHindawi LimitedVeterinary Medicine International2042-00482024-01-01202410.1155/2024/5528453Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman EwesUğur Şen0Emre Şirin1Hasan Önder2Cem Tırınk3Aycan Mutlu Yağanoğlu4Saule Bostanova5Rashit Uskenov6Thobela Louis Tyasi7Ondokuz Mayis UniversityKırşehir Ahi Evran UniversityOndokuz Mayis UniversityIgdir UniversityAtatürk UniversityS. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical UniversityS. Seifullin Kazakh Agrotechnical UniversityUniversity of LimpopoSeasonal variations significantly impact lambs’ birth weight and post-natal growth of lambs, yet the underlying physiological mechanisms remain insufficiently explored. Therefore, this study examined the effects of mating season on lamb birth weight, placental characteristics, maternal concentrations of insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) in plasma, and placental mRNA expression levels of IGFs in Akkaraman ewes reared under extensive conditions. Ewes were mated in the breeding season (September; n = 35) and out-of-breeding season (April; n = 27). Blood samples were taken from the jugular vein of all ewes using a vacutainer in sterile heparin tubes every month from mating to parturition. Post-lambing, both dam and lamb weights were recorded, and placental characteristics were documented within 12 hours of parturition in both seasons. The number and weight of cotyledons were higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the breeding season than those mated during the out-of-breeding season. Also, ewes mated during the breeding season demonstrated thicker large cotyledons (P<0.05). Although placental and cotyledonal efficiencies were similar in both mating seasons, volumetric cotyledon efficiency was higher (P<0.05) in ewes mated during the out-of-breeding season than in those bred during the breeding season. Additionally, ewes mated in the breeding season exhibited higher plasma concentration of IGF-I at three months of gestation than ewes mated in the out-of-breeding season (123.8 ± 9.8 vs. 99.3 ± 11.4 ng/ml, respectively; P<0.05). Although the mating season did not affect the IGF-I gene’s placental mRNA expression levels, the IGF-II gene’s expression level was notably higher (P<0.05; fold change: 2.84) in ewes mated during the breeding season. The results suggest that mating season influences placental characteristics, maternal plasma IGF-I concentrations, and IGF-II gene expression levels of cotyledons due to alterations in cotyledon numbers and size on the surface of the placenta.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5528453 |
| spellingShingle | Uğur Şen Emre Şirin Hasan Önder Cem Tırınk Aycan Mutlu Yağanoğlu Saule Bostanova Rashit Uskenov Thobela Louis Tyasi Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes Veterinary Medicine International |
| title | Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes |
| title_full | Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes |
| title_fullStr | Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes |
| title_short | Mating Season Influences Placental Characteristics, Plasma IGF Concentration, and mRNA Expression without Affecting Lamb Birth Weight in Akkaraman Ewes |
| title_sort | mating season influences placental characteristics plasma igf concentration and mrna expression without affecting lamb birth weight in akkaraman ewes |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2024/5528453 |
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