Abstract
The current study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) as a biomarker for sex cord-stromal tumors (SCST) in cattle in comparison to immunoreactive inhibin (ir-INH), estradiol-17β (E2) and testosterone (T). Therefore, we conducted two experiments. In experiment 1, four clinically healthy Japanese Black cows had blood samples taken daily over one estrous cycle to characterize their AMH profiles throughout the normal estrous cycle. Additionally, single blood samples were collected from 21 cyclic cows to clarify the physiological range of AMH. In experiment 2, animals with histologically confirmed SCST (SCST group, n = 10) and cows affected with cystic ovarian disease (COD group, n = 8) had one blood sample taken before extraction of SCST or treatment of COD. Blood samples (n = 105) from cyclic cows (n = 25) in experiment 1 were assigned as a physiologically cyclic group (PC group). Plasma AMH, ir-INH, E2 and T concentrations were assayed in all samples. Plasma AMH concentrations did not show substantial fluctuation throughout the estrous cycle. Only plasma AMH, ir-INH and E2 were significantly elevated in SCST group in comparison to PC group. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUCROC) of AMH for diagnosis of SCST was 0.99 and was significantly (P < 0.01) higher than that of ir-INH and E2. Plasma AMH at a cutoff point of ≥ 0.36 ng/mL had the highest diagnostic accuracy (99.2%), sensitivity (100%), and specificity (99.1%) compared with ir-INH and E2. In conclusion, unilateral ovarian enlargement accompanied with plasma AMH concentrations ≥ 0.36 ng/mL is considered diagnostic for bovine SCST.
