Beef cows with excess androstenedione (A4; High A4) in follicular fluid (FF) and secreted by the ovarian cortex have been reported from the University of Nebraska–Lincoln physiology herd displaying characteristics reminiscent of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Thus, we hypothesized that naturally occurring High A4 cows were present in other dairy and beef herds. Fourteen Jordan (Amman, Jordon) dairy heifers and 16 U.S. Meat Animal Research Center beef heifers were classified by FF (High A4: A4 > 40 ng/mL and Control: A4 < 20 ng/mL) and/or cortex culture media (High A4 > 1 ng/mL/d or Control < 1 ng/mL/d). High A4 dairy heifers (n = 6) had greater A4 concentrations (7.6-fold) in FF and (98-fold) greater in ovarian cortex culture media with greater numbers of primordial and fewer later-stage follicles than Controls (n = 8) even after 7 d of culture. Also, the ovarian cortex had greater staining for Picro Sirius red in High A4 dairy heifers compared with Controls indicating increased fibrosis. Thecal cells from High A4 dairy heifers had greater STAR, LHCGR, CYP17A, CD68, and PECAM mRNA expression with increased mRNA abundance of CYP17A1 and CD68 in the ovarian cortex cultures compared with Control dairy heifers. Similarly, cortex culture media from High A4 beef heifers (n = 10) had increased A4 (290-fold; P ≤ 0.001), testosterone (1,427-fold; P ≤ 0.001), and progesterone (9-fold; P ≤ 0.01) compared with Control heifers with increased primordial follicles and decreased later-stage follicles even after 7 d of culture, indicating abnormal follicular development. High A4 ovarian cortex cultures from beef heifers also had increased fibrosis markers and greater expression of PECAM (P = 0.01) with a tendency for increased vascular endothelial cadherin compared with Controls (n = 6). These two trials support our hypothesis that naturally occurring androgen excess cows are present in other dairy and beef herds. The ability to identify these females that have excess A4 ovarian microenvironments may allow for their use in understanding factors causing abnormal follicle development linked to androgen excess and inflammation.

中文翻译：

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自然产生的雄激素过多的奶牛存在于奶牛和肉牛群中，与患有 PCOS 的女性具有相似的特征

内布拉斯加大学林肯分校的生理学牛群报道了卵泡液 (FF) 中雄烯二酮 (A4；高 A4) 和卵巢皮质分泌的肉牛表现出多囊卵巢综合征 (PCOS) 的特征。因此，我们假设自然产生的高 A4 奶牛存在于其他奶牛和肉牛群中。14 头约旦（安曼，约旦）奶牛小母牛和 16 头美国肉类动物研究中心肉牛小母牛通过 FF（高 A4：A4 > 40 ng/mL 和对照：A4 < 20 ng/mL）和/或皮质培养基分类(高 A4 > 1 ng/mL/d 或控制 < 1 ng/mL/d)。高 A4 奶牛 (n = 6) 具有更高的 A4 浓度 (7. 6 倍）在 FF 中和（98 倍）在卵巢皮质培养基中更多，即使在培养 7 天后，原始卵泡数量更多，后期卵泡数量也少于对照组 (n = 8)。此外，与对照组相比，高 A4 奶牛小母牛的卵巢皮质对 Picro Sirius 红的染色更多，表明纤维化增加。与对照奶牛相比，高 A4 奶牛的膜细胞具有更高的 STAR、LHCGR、CYP17A、CD68 和 PECAM mRNA 表达，以及卵巢皮质培养物中 CYP17A1 和 CD68 的 mRNA 丰度增加。同样，来自高 A4 小母牛 (n = 10) 的皮质培养基增加了 A4（290 倍；P ≤ 0.001）、睾酮（1,427 倍；P ≤ 0.001）和黄体酮（9 倍；P ≤ 0）。01) 与对照小母牛相比，即使在培养 7 天后原始卵泡增多，后期卵泡减少，表明卵泡发育异常。来自肉牛小母牛的高 A4 卵巢皮质培养物也具有增加的纤维化标志物和更高的 PECAM 表达 (P = 0.01)，与对照组 (n = 6) 相比，血管内皮钙粘蛋白有增加的趋势。这两项试验支持我们的假设，即自然产生的雄激素过多的奶牛存在于其他奶牛和肉牛群中。识别这些具有过量 A4 卵巢微环境的女性的能力可能允许它们用于了解导致与雄激素过多和炎症相关的异常卵泡发育的因素。来自肉牛小母牛的高 A4 卵巢皮质培养物也具有增加的纤维化标志物和更高的 PECAM 表达 (P = 0.01)，与对照组 (n = 6) 相比，血管内皮钙粘蛋白有增加的趋势。这两项试验支持我们的假设，即自然产生的雄激素过多的奶牛存在于其他奶牛和肉牛群中。识别这些具有过量 A4 卵巢微环境的女性的能力可能允许它们用于了解导致与雄激素过多和炎症相关的异常卵泡发育的因素。来自肉牛小母牛的高 A4 卵巢皮质培养物也具有增加的纤维化标志物和更高的 PECAM 表达 (P = 0.01)，与对照组 (n = 6) 相比，血管内皮钙粘蛋白有增加的趋势。这两项试验支持我们的假设，即自然产生的雄激素过多的奶牛存在于其他奶牛和肉牛群中。识别这些具有过量 A4 卵巢微环境的女性的能力可能允许它们用于了解导致与雄激素过多和炎症相关的异常卵泡发育的因素。