Simultaneous analysis of multiple steroid hormones from remotely obtained blubber biopsies has the potential to concurrently provide information regarding stress and reproductive status from free-swimming cetaceans, while also investigating correlations between hormone concentrations and other health biomarkers. In this study we measured blubber concentration profiles of eight reproductive and adrenal steroid hormones (17α-hydroxy-progesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, progesterone, cortisol, 11-deoxy-corticosterone, oestrone, and oestradiol) together with body condition, as determined by the inverse Adipocyte Index, of 101 male humpback whales. Whales were sampled randomly at two time points, while migrating to and from their northeast Australian breeding grounds, allowing for intra- and inter-seasonal profile analysis. Testosterone, progesterone and cortisol together with androstenedione 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and oestrone concentrations (the latter quantified for the first time in live biopsied male humpback whales) decreased between the northward and southward migrations. Decreasing testosterone levels during the height of humpback whale conceptions suggests asynchronicity between blubber testosterone levels and the expected peak of male fertility. Statistically significant relationships between levels of certain steroid analytes were observed and appeared to change between the early and late breeding seasons. During the northward migration, testosterone, progesterone, androstenedione, oestrone and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone levels were positively correlated. Cortisol concentrations correlated positively with those of testosterone during the northward migration, but negatively during the southward migration. Androstenedione and testosterone were positively correlated with adiposity during the late breeding season. These hormone-hormone and hormone-adiposity correlations may be reflective of the activation of certain steroid hormone synthesis pathways, or alternatively, of concomitant physiological stimuli. As steroid hormones work in concert, information on multiple steroid hormones is needed to interpret endocrinological status and understand the relationships between these compounds and ancillary health markers. This study provides steroid hormone profiles of wild male humpback whales, as well as the first insight into seasonal male endocrinology as a function of adiposity.

同时分析来自远程获得的鲸脂活检的多种类固醇激素有可能同时提供有关自由游泳鲸类动物的压力和生殖状态的信息，同时还可以研究激素浓度和其他健康生物标志物之间的相关性。在这项研究中，我们测量了八种生殖和肾上腺类固醇激素（17α-羟基孕酮、睾酮、雄烯二酮、孕酮、皮质醇、11-脱氧皮质酮、雌酮和雌二醇）的鲸脂浓度曲线以及身体状况，由101 头雄性座头鲸的反向脂肪细胞指数。鲸鱼在两个时间点随机取样，同时迁徙到澳大利亚东北部的繁殖地，并允许进行季节内和季节间的剖面分析。睾酮，黄体酮和皮质醇以及雄烯二酮 17α-羟基孕酮和雌酮浓度（后者在活体活检雄性座头鲸中首次量化）在向北和向南迁移之间下降。在座头鲸受孕高峰期间降低睾酮水平表明鲸脂睾酮水平与男性生育力的预期峰值之间存在不同步性。观察到某些类固醇分析物水平之间的统计学显着关系，并且似乎在早期和晚期繁殖季节之间发生变化。在北移过程中，睾酮、孕酮、雄烯二酮、雌酮和17α-羟孕酮水平呈正相关。在北迁过程中皮质醇浓度与睾酮浓度呈正相关，但在南迁期间是负面的。在繁殖季节后期，雄烯二酮和睾酮与肥胖呈正相关。这些激素-激素和激素-肥胖相关性可能反映了某些类固醇激素合成途径的激活，或者是伴随的生理刺激。由于类固醇激素协同工作，因此需要有关多种类固醇激素的信息来解释内分泌状态并了解这些化合物与辅助健康标志物之间的关系。这项研究提供了野生雄性座头鲸的类固醇激素谱，以及首次将季节性雄性内分泌作为肥胖的函数。在繁殖季节后期，雄烯二酮和睾酮与肥胖呈正相关。这些激素-激素和激素-肥胖相关性可能反映了某些类固醇激素合成途径的激活，或者是伴随的生理刺激。由于类固醇激素协同工作，因此需要有关多种类固醇激素的信息来解释内分泌状态并了解这些化合物与辅助健康标志物之间的关系。这项研究提供了野生雄性座头鲸的类固醇激素谱，以及首次将季节性雄性内分泌作为肥胖的函数。在繁殖季节后期，雄烯二酮和睾酮与肥胖呈正相关。这些激素-激素和激素-肥胖相关性可能反映了某些类固醇激素合成途径的激活，或者是伴随的生理刺激。由于类固醇激素协同工作，因此需要有关多种类固醇激素的信息来解释内分泌状态并了解这些化合物与辅助健康标志物之间的关系。这项研究提供了野生雄性座头鲸的类固醇激素谱，以及首次将季节性雄性内分泌作为肥胖的函数。伴随的生理刺激。由于类固醇激素协同工作，因此需要有关多种类固醇激素的信息来解释内分泌状态并了解这些化合物与辅助健康标志物之间的关系。这项研究提供了野生雄性座头鲸的类固醇激素谱，以及首次将季节性雄性内分泌作为肥胖的函数。伴随的生理刺激。由于类固醇激素协同工作，因此需要有关多种类固醇激素的信息来解释内分泌状态并了解这些化合物与辅助健康标志物之间的关系。这项研究提供了野生雄性座头鲸的类固醇激素谱，以及首次将季节性雄性内分泌作为肥胖的函数。