Afin de mettre en évidence les principaux éléments de la voie androgénique et œstrogénique dans l’épididyme du rat des sables adulte, capturé dans la région de Beni Abbès, en Algérie, l’aromatase, l’œstradiol, les récepteurs des androgènes (RA) et des œstrogènes (REα, REβ, GPR30) ont été recherchés chez des animaux en saison d’activité, en saison de repos sexuel, chez des animaux castrés, castrés puis traités par la testostérone et chez des animaux ayant subi la ligature des canaux efférents. En saison d’activité, les RA sont ubiquitaires, l’aromatase est cytoplasmique par contre l’œstradiol est nucléaire et cytoplasmique. Les REα et le GPR30 sont principalement dans le cytoplasme apical par contre les REβ sont nucléaires. En saison de repos sexuel, les RA, l’aromatase, l’œstradiol, les REα et le GPR30 persistent, cependant, les REβ subissent une translocation cytoplasmique. Chez les animaux castrés, les RA, l’aromatase et l’œstradiol sont réduits par contre les REα persistent avec une faible intensité. Le GPR30 est cytoplasmique et nucléaire. Chez les animaux castrés puis traités, les RA, l’aromatase, l’œstradiol, les REα, les REβ et le GPR30 sont restaurés. Chez les animaux ligaturés, le RA est faiblement conservé uniquement dans l’épididyme proximal. L’aromatase et l’œstradiol sont conservés. Le signal des REα, des REβ et du GPR30 est fortement exprimé dans le noyau et le cytoplasme dans l’épididyme proximal par contre il est fortement exprimé uniquement pour les REα dans l’épididyme distal. Par western blot, les RA, REα, REβ et GPR30 sont de 122, 64, 55 et 55 kDa respectivement. / In order to highlight the main elements of androgen and estrogen pathway in the epididymis of sand rat, captured in Beni Abbès area, in Algeria, androgen receptor (AR), aromatase, estradiol, estrogen receptors (ERα, ERβ and GPR30) were explored in breeding season, in resting season and in animals underwent castration, castration then testosterone treatment and ligation of efferent ducts. In breeding season, AR has a ubiquitous distribution, aromatase is exclusively cytoplasmic and estradiol is nuclear and cytoplasmic. The ERα and GPR30 were distributed with a high intensity in the apical cytoplasm contrarily to ERβ which were nuclear. In resting season, AR, aromatase, estradiol, ERα persist with lower staining. However, ERβ undergo cytoplasmic translocation and GPR30 persist in cytoplasm. In castrated animals, AR, aromatase and estradiol are reduced. ERα persist with low intensity in the apical cytoplasm. GPR30 is distributed in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. In castrated then treated animals, AR is restored; aromatase and estradiol reappear with a cytoplasmic localization for aromatase, nuclear and apical for ERα. ERβ and GPR30 are restored and have a cytoplasmic localization. In ligatured, RA is preserved in the caput, aromatase and estradiol persist caput and cauda. The signal of ERα, ERβ and GPR30 is highly expressed in the nucleus and cytoplasm of caput epididymis and highly expressed of ERα exclusively in cauda. By Western blot, RA, ERα, ERβ and GPR30 are found with molecular weights of 122, 64, 55 and 55 kDa respectively.

Na avicultura industrial, diferenças no desempenho zootecnico de machos e femeas de linhagens pesadas forcam o setor a alojar separadamente os sexos com o propósito de facilitar manejo, uniformizar lotes, reduzir custos e otimizar a producao. Desse modo, meios que reduzam ou eliminem a disparidade entre sexos no ambito zootecnico podem resultar em ganhos gerenciais e econômicos no mercado avicola. A masculinizacao de femeas objetivando aproximar sua performance aquela manifestada por machos pode ser considerado um recurso interessante. Sendo assim a aplicacao de inibidores ou bloqueadores da aromatase P450 durante o desenvolvimento embrionario pode induzir graus variados de masculinizacao das femeas sem a utilizacao de protocolos hormonais, em um fenomeno chamado reversao sexual. Assim, os objetivos desse projeto foram: (1) comparar a acao de inibidores de aromatase de terceira geracao (Droga B e droga C) em relacao ao fadrozole (farmaco amplamente citado em literatura) sobre a taxa e o grau de reversao sexual em frangas de corte; e (2) estimar o impacto desses tratamentos sobre parametros de incubacao (mortalidade embrionaria e eclodibilidade) e indices zootecnicos (peso ao nascer, ganho de peso, conversao alimentar e peso final aos 42 dias). Os resultados, deste estudo, mostraram que o inibidor de aromatase droga B obteve maior proporção machos quando comparado aos outros IAs testados. Contudo, quando avaliamos as aves tratadas por este fármaco, em relação aos índices zootécnicos, estas apresentaram resultados similares ao grupo misto e inferior quando comparadas aos machos genéticos. Na sexagem morfológica aos 42 dias de idade foi observado que no grupo tratado com a droga B, 58% das aves apresentavam ovário ou ovostestis ao invés de testículos o que impactou negativamente no ganho de peso deste grupo. / Performance diferences between male and female broilers compel the poultry industry to rear sexes separately in order to favor management, uniform flocks, reduce costs and optimize production. Notwithstanding, this practice has logistical implications that create additional expenses, and in some cases, broiler companies encounter producer preferences for a particular sex due to its productive traits. Thus, methods that reduce or eliminate gender disparity in meat production efficiency can result in operational and economical benefits to poultry market. Masculinization of females aiming to bring performance closer to those expressed by males may be viewed as an interesting alternative. Therefore, the application of aromatase inhibitors or blockers during embryonic development can induce varying degrees of female masculinization without the use of hormonal protocols, in a process called sex reversal. Therefore, our objectives herein were: (1) to compare the action of third generation aromatase inhibitors (Drug B and Drug D) in relation to fadrozole (a drug widely used in literature) on the rate and degree of sexual reversal in broiler pullets; and (2) to estimate the impact of these treatments on incubation (embryonic mortality and hatchability) and performance parameters (birth weight, weight gain, feed conversion and final weight at 42 days). The results, from this study, showed that the aromatase inhibitor drug B obtained a higher rate of sexual reversion when compared to the other AIs tested. However, when we evaluated the birds treated by this drug, in relation to the zootechnical indexes, these presented similar results to the mixed and inferior group when compared to the genetic males. In the morphological sexing at 42 days of age, it was observed that in the group treated with AI, 58% of the birds presented ovary or ovostestis instead of testicles, which impacted the weight gain of this group.