Androstenone and testosterone levels and testicular morphology of Duroc boars related to estimated breeding value for androstenone.

Androstenone and testosterone levels in Duroc boars with an estimated breeding value for androstenone (EBV(androstenone)) were followed in the period from birth to sexual maturity. The breeding value for androstenone had been estimated based on androstenone levels in 1202 Duroc boars at an age of 24 weeks. Testosterone and androstenone levels in plasma were recorded in 19 boars at 1 week of age and in their 15 respective litter-siblings at 3 weeks of age.

Differences in testosterone, androstenone, and skatole levels in plasma and fat between pubertal purebred Duroc and Landrace boars in response to human chorionic gonadotrophin stimulation.

The concentrations of the boar taint compounds androstenone and skatole in plasma and fat, together with those of testosterone in plasma, were investigated in pubertal purebred Duroc and Landrace boars following stimulation with human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG). Higher initial levels of androstenone and testosterone were found in Duroc than Landrace boars. Duroc boars, which were approximately ten days older than the Landrace boars, also showed a more advanced stage of spermatogenesis than Landrace boars.

Hepatic ethoxy-, methoxy- and pentoxyresorufin O-dealkylase activities in Landrace and Duroc pigs stimulated with HCG.

The effect of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation on the activities of ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD), methoxyresorufin O-demethylase (MROD) and pentoxyresorufin O-depentylase (PROD) was studied in intact male pigs of purebred Landrace and Duroc breeds. Pigs were divided into four groups: two control groups of each breed, without hCG stimulation (n = 20 for each breed), and two experimental groups (n = 18 for each breed), with hCG stimulation (Pregnyl(®); N.V.

Effects of hCG stimulation on hepatic activities of cytochromes P4502E1 and P4502A in pubertal male pigs.

The effects of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) stimulation on fat skatole concentrations and hepatic activities of cytochromes P4502E1 (CYP2E1) and P4502A (CYP2A) were studied in Landrace and Duroc breeds of entire male pigs. Pigs were divided into four groups: two control groups of each breed, without hCG stimulation (n = 20 for each breed), and two experimental groups of each breed, with hCG stimulation (n = 18 for each breed). Pigs were slaughtered 3 days after hCG stimulation and activities of CYP2E1 and CYP2A were measured in liver homogenate.

Gene expression profiles in testis of pigs with extreme high and low levels of androstenone.

Background: Boar taint is a major obstacle when using uncastrated male pigs for swine production. One of the main compounds causing this taint is androstenone, a pheromone produced in porcine testis. Here we use microarrays to study the expression of thousands of genes simultaneously in testis of high and low androstenone boars.