Serum androstenedione and testosterone concentrations during pregnancy and nonpregnant cycles in dogs

Abstract

Concentrations of testosterone and of androstenedione were determined by radioimmunoassay in serum samples collected every 2-5 days throughout the periovulatory and luteal phases of the ovarian cycles of pregnant and nonpregnant beagle bitches. Testosterone levels were consistently lower than those of androstenedione, reached peaks of 29 ± 4 ng/dl near the time of the preovulatory luteinizing hormone peak, and were reduced to near the limits of detection (≤5-10 ng/dl) throughout the luteal phase. Androstenedione levels reached preovulatory peaks of 73 ± 13 ng/dl, were 54 ± 7 ng/ml during early estrus, increased (P<0.05) to early luteal phase peaks of 76 ± 8 ng/dl between Days 6 and 18, and then declined to 41 ± 5 ng/dl by Day 35-40 in both pregnant (n=8) and nonpregnant (n=4) bitches. Subsequent protracted increases in androstenedione occurred in 4 of 8 pregnancies but in none of the nonpregnant bitches. From Days 42 to 64 the differences in mean levels between pregnant (45 ± 2 ng/ml) and nonpregnant (32 ± 3 ng/ml) bitches was not significant (P<0.05). At parturition androstenedione levels fell (P<0.05) abruptly from 39 ± 7 to 13 ± 3 ng/dl. These results suggest that, in the bitch, androstenedione is the major circulating androgen during the follicular and luteal phases and that patterns of androstenedione levels during the luteal phase parallel those reported for progesterone in pregnant and nonpregnant bitches, including maintenance of elevated levels throughout gestation and an abrupt decline at parturition.