The aim of the present study was to examine the effect of high ambient temperature on rabbit feed consumption, growth, viability, and fecundity, as well as the morphology and endocrine function of gonadal and adrenal cells. Adult does and their offspring were kept at either a comfortable (20°C; control) or high (36°C) temperature throughout pregnancy and up until weaning of pups. Doe mortality and fecundity, and plasma concentrations of hormones were evaluated. In addition, granulosa cells were cultured with and without FSH to assess progesterone production. In the offspring, we assessed mortality, total feed consumption, feed efficiency, growth, plasma hormone concentrations, as well as the microstructure in ovarian granulosa cells, testicular Leydig cells, and adrenocortical cells. We observed greater mortality of both adult animals and offspring at the higher ambient temperature compared with the control. The higher ambient temperature suppressed feed consumption, feed efficiency, and growth of pups. Adult and young females exposed to a high temperature had lower circulating concentrations of progesterone, but not of estradiol, compared with controls. Young males exposed to a high ambient temperature had greater circulating concentrations of testosterone, but not progesterone, compared with controls. High ambient temperature reduced circulating IGF-I concentrations in all the animals. Corticosterone level was increased in plasma of young but not of adult animals. Granulosa cells isolated from the ovaries of does subjected to high temperatures released less progesterone, and they had poorer response to the stimulatory action of FSH than the cells from control does. High temperatures induced fragmentation of nucleoli in ovarian granulosa cells, but they did not alter the state of other organelles in ovarian, testicular, or adrenocortical cells. A negative influence of high temperature on rabbit feed consumption, growth, viability, and fecundity was observed. Taken together, these changes could be due to a decrease in IGF-I and/or progesterone secretion, destruction of ovarian cell nucleoli, and/or impaired ovarian cell response to FSH.

本研究的目的是检查高环境温度对兔饲料消耗、生长、活力和繁殖力的影响，以及性腺和肾上腺细胞的形态和内分泌功能。在整个怀孕期间和直到幼崽断奶之前，成年雌性和它们的后代都保持在舒适（20°C；对照）或高温（36°C）的温度下。评估母猪死亡率和繁殖力，以及激素的血浆浓度。此外，在有和没有 FSH 的情况下培养颗粒细胞以评估孕酮的产生。在后代中，我们评估了死亡率、总饲料消耗、饲料效率、生长、血浆激素浓度，以及卵巢颗粒细胞、睾丸间质细胞和肾上腺皮质细胞的微观结构。与对照相比，我们观察到在较高环境温度下成年动物和后代的死亡率更高。较高的环境温度抑制了饲料消耗、饲料效率和幼崽的生长。与对照组相比，暴露在高温下的成年和年轻女性的黄体酮循环浓度较低，但雌二醇的循环浓度较低。与对照组相比，暴露在高环境温度下的年轻男性的睾酮循环浓度更高，但黄体酮没有。高环境温度降低了所有动物的循环 IGF-I 浓度。年轻动物血浆中的皮质酮水平升高，但成年动物没有。从卵巢中分离出的颗粒细胞在高温下释放的孕酮较少，并且它们对 FSH 的刺激作用的反应比来自对照的细胞更差。高温诱导卵巢颗粒细胞中的核仁碎裂，但它们不会改变卵巢、睾丸或肾上腺皮质细胞中其他细胞器的状态。观察到高温对兔饲料消耗、生长、活力和繁殖力的负面影响。总之，这些变化可能是由于 IGF-I 和/或孕酮分泌减少、卵巢细胞核仁破坏和/或卵巢细胞对 FSH 的反应受损。观察到高温对兔饲料消耗、生长、活力和繁殖力的负面影响。总之，这些变化可能是由于 IGF-I 和/或孕酮分泌减少、卵巢细胞核仁破坏和/或卵巢细胞对 FSH 的反应受损。观察到高温对兔饲料消耗、生长、活力和繁殖力的负面影响。总之，这些变化可能是由于 IGF-I 和/或孕酮分泌减少、卵巢细胞核仁破坏和/或卵巢细胞对 FSH 的反应受损。