Plasma anti-Müllerian hormone profile in heifers from birth through puberty and relationship with puberty onset†

Abstract

The current study aimed to define the plasma profile of anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in heifers during postnatal life until achieving puberty, as defined by plasma progesterone (P4) profile, to demonstrate a relationship between AMH and age of puberty onset. Blood samples collected from 11 Japanese Black female calves within 1 week after birth (W 0) and then biweekly until the sixth week after puberty (WP 6) were assayed for AMH, FSH, and P4. The heifers were classified into two groups based on age of puberty onset: ≤42 weeks (early puberty group; EP, n = 4) and ≥44 weeks (late puberty group; LP, n = 7). Minimal plasma AMH concentration occurring at W 0 gradually increased to its peak level by W 10 (fourfold higher than W 0; P < 0.01) before gradually declining to a steady plateau 6 weeks before puberty (WP -6). The AMH peak was preceded by a significant rise in plasma FSH at W 4, W 6, and W 8 compared with W 0. Plasma AMH at W 16 positively correlated with WP 4 and WP 6 (r = 0.69 and 0.71, respectively; P < 0.05). Overall plasma AMH and FSH was significantly higher and lower in EP compared with LP, respectively. In conclusion, heifers exhibit a characteristic plasma AMH profile during postnatal life, such that plasma AMH at an early prepubertal age could be a biomarker for precocious puberty and postpubertal AMH levels.

Overview of Anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) and association with fertility in female cattle

“…Blood samples pulled at ages of 7, 18, 35, 56 and 86 weeks showed that AMH was highest at 7 weeks and decreased with age. El‐Sheikh et al () and coworkers sampled with greater frequency and found a peak AMH at 10 weeks of age with a decline thereafter. In both studies, AMH reached a stable pattern within the weeks following puberty.…”

Relationship between the timing of the first postpartum ovulation and antral follicle counts in Holstein cows

“…Assays were conducted in accordance with the attached instructions. This assay kit can be applied for measuring AMH in cattle as described elsewhere [30].…”

Characterization of anti‐Müllerian hormone in a case of bovine male pseudohermaphroditism

“…The age of onset of puberty in Japanese Black male or female calves is 8 months or 11 months of age, respectively (El‐Sheikh Ali et al., ; Miyamoto et al., ). To compare the plasma levels of AMH in the current case with both female and male calves, blood samples were collected once with no treatment from female Japanese Black calves (pre‐pubertal female group, 6 months old having no corpus luteum, n = 7; post‐pubertal female group, 12 months old having corpus luteum, n = 7), male calves (pre‐pubertal male group, 6 months old, n = 15; post‐pubertal male group, 11 months old, n = 3) and calves at 14 days after castration (castrated group, n = 15).…”

“…It is exclusively expressed by granulosa cells in females and Sertoli cells in males. Normally, plasma AMH is higher during the pre-pubertal compared to the post-pubertal period in calves and is higher in males than females reflecting the gonadal capacity for AMH secretion (El-Sheikh Ali et al, 2017;Josso & Picard, 1986;Kitahara et al, 2016;Rota, Ballarin, Vigier, Cozzi, & Rey, 2002). In humans with intersexual disorders, circulating AMH level is a measure of the structural integrity of the gonads; this helps to delineate the cause of the disorder (Lee et al, 1997).…”