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cited.
R esearch
(Published online:
12-08-2015)
6.
Evaluation of seasonal changes of serum and plasma estradiol-17β,
progesterone and testosterone in dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
by chemiluminescence
-
Santo
Fragalà, Pietro Medica, Francesco Grande, Irene Vazzana and
Esterina Fazio
Veterinary World, 8(8): 977-982
doi:
10.14202/vetworld.2015.977-982
Santo Fragalà:
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98166
Messina, Italy;
santofragala@hotmail.it
Pietro Medica:
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98166
Messina, Italy;
pmedica@unime.it
Francesco Grande:
Zoomarine Acquatic Park, Torvaianica, Roma, Italy;
fgrande@hotmail.it
Irene Vazzana:
Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia "A. Mirri",
Via G. Marinuzzi 3, Palermo, Italy;
ivazzana@hotmail.it
Esterina Fazio: Department of
Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, 98166 Messina, Italy;
fazio@unime.it
Received:
27-04-2015, Revised: 09-07-2015, Accepted: 16-07-2015, Published
online: 12-08-2015
Corresponding author:
Esterina Fazio, e-mail: fazio@unime.it
Citation:
Fragalà S, Medica P,
Grande F, Vazzana I, Fazio E (2015) Evaluation of seasonal changes
of serum and plasma estradiol-17β, progesterone and testosterone
in dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) by chemiluminescence,
Veterinary World 8(8): 977-982.
Abstract
Aim: The purpose of the
research was to test and validate an innovative and safe
chemiluminescence method to evaluate sexual hormones in serum and
plasma samples of Tursiops truncatus.
Materials and Methods: The research was performed on 9
bottlenose dolphins entertained in Oltremare and in Zoomarine
aquatic parks, sampled by the tail vein or from the ventral one
and an ultrasound monitoring, throughout a 6 months period. Blood
samples were analyzed using a chemiluminescence method. Data
obtained were compared to radioimmunoassay and enzyme immuno assay
reference data, with the purpose to test and validate this method,
through the calculation of the coefficient of variability, and its
reliability on serum and plasma samples. A one-way analysis of
variance was applied to test the effect of time on serum and
plasma hormonal changes.
Results: Mean concentrations of estradiol-17β in serum were
equal to 149.07±6.82 pmol/L, and in plasma equal to 159.14±12.99
pmol/L; mean values of progesterone in serum were equal to
0.69±0.05 pmol/L, and in plasma equal to 0.64±0.05 pmol/L; mean
values of testosterone in serum were equal to 44.43±14.42 nmol/L,
and in plasma equal to 48.99±11.20 nmol/L.
Conclusion: It would be interesting to widen the
investigations on a larger number of subjects, in which the
relationship between the concentrations of free and binding
steroid hormones, with the dosing of binding proteins, would
define the physiological ranges of reference in the T.
truncatus.
Keywords: dolphin, estradiol-17β, progesterone, testosterone.
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