Anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) in pregnant buffaloes: maternal and fetal plasma concentrations and immunolocalization in the fetal gonads.

Abstract

Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, plays a critical role in mammalian fertility. This study aimed to investigate AMH concentrations in pregnant buffalo cows and their fetuses, and to characterize the cellular distribution and immunolocalization of AMH within fetal gonads. Gonads were collected from 12 male and 14 female buffalo fetuses, fixed in 10% buffered formalin, and processed for routine histological analysis and immunohistochemical localization of AMH. Blood samples were collected from 26 pregnant buffalo cows and their corresponding fetuses into EDTA-coated tubes. AMH levels in both maternal and fetal blood were quantified using a commercially available bovine AMH ELISA kit. Significant (p < 0.05) inter-individual variations in maternal and fetal AMH concentrations were observed. In males, fetal AMH concentrations increased significantly with gestational age, with levels substantially higher compared to females at all gestational ages (52-1222 times higher). Immunohistochemistry revealed intense AMH immunoreactivity in the cytoplasm of pre-Sertoli cells in male fetuses. In females, no significant correlation was found between fetal AMH concentrations and follicular populations, although intense AMH immunostaining was observed in the cytoplasm of oocytes within primordial follicles. These findings suggest that fetal AMH concentrations in buffaloes are influenced by gestational age and sex, and that fetal AMH likely does not readily cross the placental barrier. Further investigations are warranted to elucidate the intricate role of AMH in gonadal development and function in buffaloes.