A meta-analysis: Effect of androgens on reproduction in sows

Zhenhua Guo; Lei Lv; Di Liu; Hong Ma; Cedomir Radovic

doi:10.3389/fendo.2023.1094466

A meta-analysis: Effect of androgens on reproduction in sows

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne). 2023 Feb 10:14:1094466. doi: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1094466. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Zhenhua Guo¹, Lei Lv^{2

3}, Di Liu¹, Hong Ma¹, Cedomir Radovic⁴

Affiliations

¹ Institute of Animal Husbandry, Heilongjiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Combining Farming and Animal Husbandry, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Harbin, China.
² Wood Science Research Institute of Heilongjiang Academy of Forestry, Harbin, China.
³ Harbin University, Harbin, China.
⁴ Department of Pig Breeding and Genetics, Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade, Serbia.

Abstract

Introduction: The mechanisms by which male hormones affect the development of ovaries and follicles has been studied by injecting exogenous androgens into sows. This may provide a reference for human polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and can also provide guidance for improving the litter size of sows.

Methods: We present a meta-analysis of studies published in the past 30 years on the effect of androgens on the ovulation rate of sows. A total of 517 papers were analyzed.

Results: The results showed that both testosterone (T) and dihydrotestosterone (DHT) injected into sows were positively related to the ovulation rate. T did not have a relevant effect on swine in vivo blastocyst survival rate. DHT had a negative phase with respect to blastocyst survival rate. Pig T-androgen receiver affinity was higher than the analogous affinity for DHT; this is different in humans. This suggests that sows are not suitable as human PCOS experimental animal models.

Discussion: To improve the litter size of sows, future research should focus on the mixed use of T and DHT, and the timing of use should be consistent with the periodic changes in androgen levels in sows. In addition, the welfare of experimental sows should be considered with reference to the clinical symptoms of PCOS.

Keywords: dihydrotestosterone; oocyte; ovulation; swine; testosterone.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

Androgens* / pharmacology
Animals
Dihydrotestosterone
Female
Humans
Male
Ovulation
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome* / diagnosis
Swine

Substances

Androgens
Dihydrotestosterone

Grants and funding

This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (32172696, U20A2052, and 31872980). The funding agencies were not involved in the development of the study design or the preparation of this manuscript.