Yun Li, Jie Zhou, Linqi Zhang, Kang Shao, Fugui Fang and Juhua Wang
Adiponectin(Adp) is an adipocyte-derived hormone that plays an important role in lipid metabolism and glucose homeostasis, and could preserve reproductive functions by stimulating hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis activities at different levels. To investigate and verify the relationship between the Adp and the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis (HPO axis) in Wannan spotted gilts, serum reproductive hormones, serum Adp and mRNA expression of Adp, AdpR1, AdpR2, GnRH, GnIH, GnRHR, LH, FSH, FSHR, and CYP19 in HPO axis of 1, 30, 45, 90, and 180-day-old Wannan spotted gilts were measured with ELISA and quantitative RTPCR using β-actin as an internal standard, respectively. The developmental pattern of serum FSH, and LH levels reaching the peak at 30d, followed by a significant decline on 45d. Serum Adp showed an opposite developmental pattern. The mRNA levels showed a similar relationship between serum hormones and Adp in Wannan spotted gilts. Thus we postulated that Adp may inhibit the secretion of some hormones in HPO axis through endocrine pathways and its action is mediated by AdpR during the prepubertal stages in Wannan spotted gilts.
