Short report

Pregnancy following homologous prepubertal ovarian transplantation in the dog

Jennifer K Pullium^1,2, Ross Milner³ and Gary A Tuma⁴

¹Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA

²Center for Comparative Medicine and Surgery, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, USA

³Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA

⁴Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, USA

Journal of Experimental & Clinical Assisted Reproduction 2008, 5:1doi:10.1186/1743-1050-5-1

Published:	22 April 2008

Abstract

In several canine models of hereditary human disease the homozygote dogs die prior to puberty, or have substantially reduced fertility. To create a clinically healthy animal that can be bred, but can also transmit the gene of interest, a model of homologous ovarian transplantation in prepubertal dogs was developed. Six dog leukocyte antigen (DLA) identical littermates underwent transplantation of ovarian cortical strips (n = 2) or the entire ovary (n = 4). Immunosuppression was maintained with cyclosporine and MMF in the immediate post-operative period and cyclosporine alone thereafter. All 6 dogs entered puberty and normal semiannual estrus cycles as demonstrated by both physical changes and increasing serum progesterone. Four dogs were bred to a proven stud male, and one became pregnant. Three viable fetuses with observable heartbeats were detected on ultrasound examination. Although the dog eventually aborted the litter, this work represents the first pregnancy achieved following a prepubertal ovarian transplant in the dog.