Effect of passive immunization against inhibin on FSH secretion, folliculogenesis and ovulation rate during the follicular phase of the estrous cycle in mares.

Physiological roles of inhibin in mares were investigated by means of passive immunization using an antiserum to inhibin that had been raised in a castrated goat. Eight mares were given an intravenous injection of either 100 mL (n = 4) or 200 mL (n = 4) of inhibin antiserum 4 d after a single intramuscular injection of PGF2 alpha on Day 8 after ovulation, 4 control mares were treated with 100 mL castrated goat serum in the same manner. Jugular vein blood samples were collected after treatment with the serum until 192 h post treatment. Follicular growth and ovulations were monitored by ultrasound examination at 24-h intervals. The ability of the inhibin antiserum to neutralize the bioactivity of equine inhibin was examined in vitro using a rat pituitary cell culture system. Suppression of secretion of FSH from cultured rat pituitary cells by equine follicular fluid was reversed by the addition of increasing doses of the inhibin antiserum, thereby indicating its bioactivity. Plasma levels of FSH and estradiol-17 beta were higher in mares treated with the inhibin antiserum. The ovulation rate was significantly higher in mares treated with antiserum (100 mL = 3.75 +/- 0.63; 200 mL = 4.50 +/- 0.65) than in control mares (1.25 +/- 0.25). These results demonstrate that inhibin is important in regulating FSH secretion and folliculogenesis in mares. They also show that neutralization of the bioactivity of inhibin may become a new method for the control of folliculogenesis and ovulation rate in mares.