Ann. Anim. Sci., Vol. 17, No. 1 (2017) 155–168 DOI: 10.1515/aoas-2016-0041 INDUCTION OF THE SECRETION OF LH AND GH BY OREXIN A AND GHRELIN IS CONTROLLED IN VIVO BY LEPTIN AND PHOTOPERIOD IN SHEEP* * Katarzyna Kirsz1, Małgorzata Szczęsna1, Edyta Molik1, Tomasz Misztal2, Dorota A. Zięba1♦ 1Department of Animal Biotechnology, Laboratory of Biotechnology and Genomics, Agricultural University of Krakow, Rędzina 1B, 31-248 Kraków, Poland 2Department of Endocrinology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition, Polish Academy of Sciences, Instytucka 3, 05-110 Jabłonna, Poland ♦Corresponding author:
[email protected] Abstract The influence of leptin on orexin A and the interaction of leptin with ghrelin in regulating the gonadotropic and somatotropic axes in seasonally polyestrous animals are not well understood. This study examined the effects of these factors as well as the mediating roles of specific ovine lep- tin antagonist (SOLA; mutant D23L/L39A/D40A/F41A) and photoperiod on luteinizing hormone (LH) and growth hormone (GH) secretion. Twenty-four ovariectomized, estradiol-implanted ewes were used in a replicated switchback design. The ewes were assigned randomly to 1 of 6 treatments (infused into the third ventricle 3 times at 0 (dusk), 1, and 2 h) as follows: control, Ringer-Locke buffer; leptin, 0.5 μg/kg b.w.; orexin A, 0.3 μg/kg b.w.; ghrelin, 2.5 μg/kg b.w.; SOLA, 50 μg/kg b.w. + orexin A, 0.3 μg/kg b.w.; and SOLA, 50 μg/kg b.w. + ghrelin, 2.5 μg/kg b.w. Blood samples (5 ml) were collected at 15-min intervals for 4 h.