Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 9655, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA; Department of Conservation and Research, Memphis Zoological Society, 2000 Prentiss Place, Memphis, TN, 38112, USA.
Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Entomology, and Plant Pathology, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box 9655, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA; Mississippi State Chemical Laboratory, Mississippi State University, P.O. Box CR, Mississippi State, MS, 39762, USA.
Theriogenology. 2018 Jul 1;114:330-337. doi: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2018.04.011. Epub 2018 Apr 11.
Male giant pandas identify female sexual receptivity through the detection of olfactory cues in estrous urine. However, it is yet unknown which specific days of the female estrous cycle may provoke male sexual-social responses and a physiological readiness to mate. We hypothesized that female urine from specific days of the estrous cycle will be positively associated with specific changes in male behaviors, urinary semiochemical production, and steroidogenic activity. Experimental simultaneous choice trials were conducted in captivity with four male giant pandas during the spring breeding season and during fall. Male interest was determined by a behavioral preference toward peri-estrual urine collected from a specific day of the estrous cycle encompassing proestrus (Day -13, Day -6, Day -3, Day -2), estrus (Day -1 and Day 0), and metestrus (Day four and Day nine) over that of anestrous urine. Provocation of male sexual motivation was examined by changes in urinary semiochemical composition and urinary androgen concentrations. During the spring, male investigative behaviors indicated a preference for Day -13, Day -3 and Day 0 urine over anestrous urine, while no significant preferences for estrous urine could be detected during fall. The relative abundance of only three compounds in male urine were significantly higher above baseline values after males were exposed to peri-estrual urine during spring; whereas 34 compounds significantly increased in the fall. Similarly, androgen concentrations increased above baseline in only two out of four males during spring, while all males had elevated androgen concentrations after exposure to Day -3 urine during the fall. Our results suggest that peri-estrual urine from Day -13, Day -3, and Day 0 elicited the greatest duration of male investigation, changes in the semiochemical profile, and elevations in androgen levels. These data suggest that managers should incorporate a combination of behavioral, semiochemical, and endocrinological assessment of males in the reproductive management of giant pandas to determine impending ovulation and pinpoint the best time for male-female introductions and artificial inseminations.
雄性大熊猫通过检测发情尿液中的嗅觉线索来识别雌性的性接受能力。然而，目前尚不清楚雌性发情周期的哪几天可能会引起雄性的性社交反应和生理交配准备。我们假设发情周期特定天数的雌性尿液将与雄性行为、尿液次生化学物质产生和类固醇生成活性的特定变化呈正相关。在春季繁殖季节和秋季，我们在圈养条件下对四只雄性大熊猫进行了同时选择试验。通过对发情周期特定天数（包括发情前期-13 天、-6 天、-3 天、-2 天、发情期-1 天和 0 天以及发情后期 4 天和 9 天）采集的尿液相对于发情前期尿液，雄性对发情尿液的行为偏好来确定雄性的兴趣。通过尿液次生化学组成和尿雄激素浓度的变化来检测雄性性动机的激发。在春季，雄性的调查行为表明，对发情前期-13 天、-3 天和 0 天尿液的偏好超过发情前期尿液，而在秋季则无法检测到对发情尿液的明显偏好。只有在春季雄性暴露于发情前期尿液后，雄性尿液中只有三种化合物的相对丰度明显高于基线值；而在秋季，有 34 种化合物显著增加。同样，只有两名雄性在春季暴露于发情前期尿液后雄激素浓度高于基线，而所有雄性在秋季暴露于-3 天尿液后雄激素浓度升高。我们的研究结果表明，发情前期-13 天、-3 天和 0 天的尿液引起了雄性调查时间最长、次生化学特征发生变化和雄激素水平升高。这些数据表明，管理者应在大熊猫的繁殖管理中结合雄性的行为、次生化学和内分泌评估，以确定即将排卵的时间，并确定最佳的雌雄介绍和人工授精时间。
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