Sendag Sait, Wagner Henrik, Turgut Ali Osman, Koca Davut, Schuler Gerhard, Wehrend Axel
Deparment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Van Yuzuncu Yil University, Van, Türkiye.
Veterinary Clinic for Reproductive Medicine and Neonatology, Justus-Liebig-University, Giessen, Germany.
Vet Med Sci. 2025 Sep;11(5):e70558. doi: 10.1002/vms3.70558.
Anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) has become an important hormonal parameter for the detection of gonadal tissue and for the diagnosis of gonadal functions and pathologies. To our knowledge, there is currently no homologous test for AMH measurements in South American camelids (SACs). Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine serum AMH concentrations in postpubertal male alpacas and, for the first time, in llamas, using the Elecsys AMH assay kit that has not previously been tested in these species. To obtain indications of the specificity of this method in SAC, measurements were carried out in male gelding in which concentrations below the detection limit were to be expected.
In this context, 37 blood samples collected by jugular venipuncture from 21 alpacas and 16 llamas were used. The obtained blood was centrifuged at 3000 g for 20 min, and the serum was stored in Eppendorf tubes at -20°C until AMH concentrations were measurement. The measurement of AMH levels was conducted in a commercial diagnostic laboratory (Laboklin, Bad Kissingen, Germany) using the electrochemiluminescence immunoassay kit Elecsys AMH run on the fully automated Cobas e 601 analyser (Roche Diagnostics Deutschland GmbH, Mannheim). The AMH test had a minimum detection limit of 0.01 ng/mL and a maximum detection limit of 23 ng/mL. The intra-assay coefficient of variation is between 2.7% and 3.3%.
Blood serum AMH levels ranged between 4.10 and 22 ng/mL (median: 9.80 ng/mL) and 1.79 and 10.05 ng/mL (median: 4.00) in intact alpacas (age: 6.30 ± 2.71 years; n = 10) and llamas (age: 5.50 ± 4.34; n = 8), respectively, and were significantly different between samples obtained from the two species (p < 0.05). Correlation analyses regarding an age dependence of AMH concentrations yielded negative correlation coefficients for both species but non-significant p values (alpaca: r = -0.165, p = 0.649; llama: r = -0.547, p = 0.160). In alpaca (n = 11) and llama geldings (n = 8), blood serum AMH levels were below 0.01 ng/mL (p < 0.001). These results prove that the antibodies used in the Elecsys AMH assay significantly and specifically cross-react with SAC AMH.
In gelding llamas and alpacas, AMH concentrations were below the limit of detection (<0.01 ng/mL), which was significantly lower compared to intact animals (p < 0.001). The Elecsys AMH assay is therefore considered a suitable method for detecting gonadal tissue in SAC.
抗苗勒管激素（AMH）已成为检测性腺组织以及诊断性腺功能和病理状况的一项重要激素参数。据我们所知，目前在南美骆驼科动物（SACs）中尚无用于检测AMH的同源检测方法。因此，本研究的目的是使用此前未在这些物种中进行过测试的罗氏电化学发光免疫分析AMH检测试剂盒，测定青春期后雄性羊驼以及首次测定美洲驼的血清AMH浓度。为了获得该方法在SACs中的特异性指标，对预计浓度低于检测限的去势雄性动物进行了检测。
在此研究中，使用了通过颈静脉穿刺从21只羊驼和16只美洲驼采集的37份血样。采集到的血液以3000 g离心20分钟，血清保存在Eppendorf管中，于-20°C保存，直至测定AMH浓度。AMH水平的测定在一家商业诊断实验室（德国巴特基辛根的Laboklin实验室）进行，使用在全自动Cobas e 601分析仪（德国曼海姆的罗氏诊断有限公司）上运行的电化学发光免疫分析试剂盒Elecsys AMH。AMH检测的最低检测限为0.01 ng/mL，最高检测限为23 ng/mL。批内变异系数在2.7%至3.3%之间。
成年羊驼（年龄：6.30±2.71岁；n = 10）和成年美洲驼（年龄：5.50±4.34；n = 8）的血清AMH水平分别在4.10至22 ng/mL（中位数：9.80 ng/mL）和1.79至10.05 ng/mL（中位数：4.00）之间，且从这两个物种采集的样本之间存在显著差异（p < 0.05）。关于AMH浓度与年龄相关性的分析得出，两个物种的相关系数均为负，但p值无统计学意义（羊驼：r = -0.165，p = 0.649；美洲驼：r = -0.547，p = 0.160）。在去势羊驼（n = 11）和去势美洲驼（n = 8）中，血清AMH水平低于0.01 ng/mL（p < 0.001）。这些结果证明，Elecsys AMH检测中使用的抗体与SACs的AMH发生了显著且特异性的交叉反应。
在去势的美洲驼和羊驼中，AMH浓度低于检测限（<0.01 ng/mL），与成年动物相比显著更低（p < 0.001）。因此，Elecsys AMH检测被认为是检测SACs中性腺组织的一种合适方法。
