Effect of GnRH immunocastration on immune function in male rats

Fuqiang Pan; Huiting Du; Weiguo Tian; Huihui Xie; Bochao Zhang; Wanzhen Fu; Yunsheng Li; Yinghui Ling; Yunhai Zhang; Fugui Fang; Ya Liu

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2022.1023104

Effect of GnRH immunocastration on immune function in male rats

Front Immunol. 2023 Jan 13:13:1023104. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.1023104. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Fuqiang Pan¹, Huiting Du¹, Weiguo Tian¹, Huihui Xie¹, Bochao Zhang¹, Wanzhen Fu¹, Yunsheng Li^{1

2

3}, Yinghui Ling^{1

2

3}, Yunhai Zhang^{1

2

3}, Fugui Fang^{1

2

3}, Ya Liu^{1

2

3}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
² Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetical Resource Conservation and Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, Anhui, China.
³ Linquan County Modern Agriculture Technology Cooperation and Extension Service Center, Fuyang, Anhui, China.

Abstract

The present study aimed to reveal the effects of immunocastration on the development of the immune system in rats. Seventy rats were randomly assigned into two groups: Control (n = 35) and immunized (n = 35). Twenty-day-old rats were immunized with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and booster immunization was administered every two weeks (three immunizations in total). From 20-day-old rats, we collected samples every two weeks, including five immunized rats and five control rats (seven collections in total). We collected blood samples, testicles, thymuses, and spleens. The results showed that GnRH immunization increased the GnRH antibody titers and reduced the testosterone concentration (both P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the number of CD4+CD8- cells, CD4-CD8+ cells, and CD4+CD8+ cells increased (P < 0.05) whereas the number of CD4-CD8- cells and CD4+CD25+ cells reduced in the immunized group (P < 0.05) over time. GnRH immunization also increased the relative weights of thymus and spleen (P < 0.05), serum concentrations of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and Interferon-γ (IFN-γ) over time (P < 0.05), and changed the mRNA levels of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6. IL-10, IL-17, IFN-γ, CD4, D8, CD19 GnRH, and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) in thymus and spleen. Thus, GnRH immunization enhanced the immune markers in thymus, spleen, and blood immune cytokines in rats.

Keywords: GnRH; immune function; immunocastration; male rats; spleen; thymus.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Animals
Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone*
Immunity
Immunization, Secondary
Interleukin-10*
Interleukin-17
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6
Male
Rats

Substances

Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
Interleukin-10
Interleukin-17
Interleukin-4
Interleukin-6

Grants and funding

This work was supportd by Science and Technology Major Project of Anhui Province (202103b06020023) and Science and Technology Major Project of Bozhou City (BZSKXJSJ2020-62) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972629).