Exogenous leptin advances puberty in domestic hen

Helena Elzbieta Paczoska-Eliasiewicz*, Monika Proszkowiec-Weglarz, John Proudman, Tomasz Jacek, Maria Mika, Andrzej Sechman, Janusz Rzasa, Arieh Gertler

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

61 Scopus citations

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of recombinant chicken leptin administered to fed ad libitum and feed-restricted immature chickens of a layer strain on ovarian development and the timing of sexual maturity. In the first experiment 11-week-old pullets (77 days of age) fed ad libitum were injected daily with leptin at four dose levels (4, 16, 64 and 256 μg/kg body weight) until sexual maturity (lay of the first egg). Leptin treatment at the highest dose significantly (P < 0.05) advanced the onset of puberty (day 116.3 ± 1.0) in comparison to controls (day 121.3 ± 1.2). The rises of luteinizing hormone, estradiol and progesterone in blood plasma were also advanced by leptin treatment. In the second experiment, both full-fed and feed-restricted pullets (79 days of age) were injected daily with leptin (256 μg/kg body weight). In birds fed ad libitum, exogenous leptin again significantly (P < 0.05) advanced first ovipostion (day 118.4 ± 1.4 versus day 124.4 ± 1.7), while abolishing the significant (P < 0.05) delay caused by feed restriction (day 131.5 ± 1.6) and restoring the normal onset of sexual maturity (day 125.7 ± 1.6). Analysis of the ovaries in 106-day-old pullets revealed that leptin injections advanced follicular development, particularly in birds fed ad libitum, and significantly (P < 0.01) reduced follicular apoptosis both in full-fed and feed-restricted birds. In conclusion, we have shown that in female chickens exogenous leptin advances the onset of puberty by attenuation of ovarian apoptosis and enhancement of folliculogenesis.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)211-226
Number of pages16
JournalDomestic Animal Endocrinology
Volume31
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 2006

Keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Chicken
  • Follicular development
  • Leptin
  • Ovary
  • Puberty

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Exogenous leptin advances puberty in domestic hen'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this