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Guito JC, Kirejczyk SGM, Schuh AJ, Amman BR, Sealy TK, Graziano J, Spengler JR, Harmon JR, Wozniak DM, Prescott JB, Towner JS. Coordinated inflammatory responses dictate Marburg virus control by reservoir bats. Nat Commun 2024; 15:1826. [PMID: 38418477 PMCID: PMC10902335 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46226-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Bats are increasingly recognized as reservoirs of emerging zoonotic pathogens. Egyptian rousette bats (ERBs) are the known reservoir of Marburg virus (MARV), a filovirus that causes deadly Marburg virus disease (MVD) in humans. However, ERBs harbor MARV asymptomatically, likely due to a coadapted and specific host immunity-pathogen relationship. Recently, we measured transcriptional responses in MARV-infected ERB whole tissues, showing that these bats possess a disease tolerant strategy that limits pro-inflammatory gene induction, presumably averting MVD-linked immunopathology. However, the host resistant strategy by which ERBs actively limit MARV burden remains elusive, which we hypothesize requires localized inflammatory responses unresolvable at bulk-tissue scale. Here, we use dexamethasone to attenuate ERB pro-inflammatory responses and assess MARV replication, shedding and disease. We show that MARV-infected ERBs naturally mount coordinated pro-inflammatory responses at liver foci of infection, comprised of recruited mononuclear phagocytes and T cells, the latter of which proliferate with likely MARV-specificity. When pro-inflammatory responses are diminished, ERBs display heightened MARV replication, oral/rectal shedding and severe MVD-like liver pathology, demonstrating that ERBs balance immunoprotective tolerance with discreet MARV-resistant pro-inflammatory responses. These data further suggest that natural ERB immunomodulatory stressors like food scarcity and habitat disruption may potentiate viral shedding, transmission and therefore outbreak risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan C Guito
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Shannon G M Kirejczyk
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
- Division of Pathology, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
- StageBio, Mount Jackson, VA, 22842, USA
| | - Amy J Schuh
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Brian R Amman
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Tara K Sealy
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - James Graziano
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R Spengler
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - Jessica R Harmon
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - David M Wozniak
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany
- Virology Department, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine, 20359, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joseph B Prescott
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
- Center for Biological Threats and Special Pathogens, Robert Koch Institute, 13353, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Jonathan S Towner
- Viral Special Pathogens Branch, Division of High-Consequence Pathogens and Pathology, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA.
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Alonge MM, Greville LJS, Ma X, Faure PA, Bentley GE. Acute restraint stress rapidly impacts reproductive neuroendocrinology and downstream gonad function in big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus). J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245592. [PMID: 37827114 PMCID: PMC10629485 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245592] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Animals face unpredictable challenges that require rapid, facultative physiological reactions to support survival but may compromise reproduction. Bats have a long-standing reputation for being highly sensitive to stressors, with sensitivity and resilience varying both within and among species, yet little is known about how stress affects the signaling that regulates reproductive physiology. Here, we provide the first description of the molecular response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis of male big brown bats (Eptesicus fuscus) in response to short-term stress using a standardized restraint manipulation. This acute stressor was sufficient to upregulate plasma corticosterone and resulted in a rapid decrease in circulating testosterone. While we did not find differences in the mRNA expression of key steroidogenic enzymes (StAR, aromatase, 5-alpha reductase), seminiferous tubule diameter was reduced in stressed bats coupled with a 5-fold increase in glucocorticoid receptor (GR) mRNA expression in the testes. These changes, in part, may be mediated by RFamide-related peptide (RFRP) because fewer immunoreactive cell bodies were detected in the brains of stressed bats compared with controls - suggesting a possible increase in secretion - and increased RFRP expression locally in the gonads. The rapid sensitivity of the bat testes to stress may be connected to deleterious impacts on tissue health and function as supported by significant transcriptional upregulation of key pro-apoptotic signaling molecules (Bax, cytochrome c). Experiments like this broadly contribute to our understanding of the stronger ecological predictions regarding physiological responses of bats within the context of stress, which may impact decisions surrounding animal handling and conservation approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mattina M. Alonge
- University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
| | - Lucas J. S. Greville
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4L8
- University of Waterloo, Department of Biology, Waterloo, ON, Canada, N2L 3G1
| | - Xuehao Ma
- University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Paul A. Faure
- McMaster University, Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4L8
| | - George E. Bentley
- University of California, Berkeley, Department of Integrative Biology, Berkeley, CA 94720-3200, USA
- Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
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3
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Harten L, Gonceer N, Handel M, Dash O, Fokidis HB, Yovel Y. Urban bat pups take after their mothers and are bolder and faster learners than rural pups. BMC Biol 2021; 19:190. [PMID: 34493290 PMCID: PMC8422611 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-021-01131-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Urbanization is rapidly changing our planet and animals that live in urban environments must quickly adjust their behavior. One of the most prevalent behavioral characteristics of urban dwelling animals is an increased level of risk-taking. Here, we aimed to reveal how urban fruitbats become risk-takers, and how they differ behaviorally from rural bats, studying both genetic and non-genetic factors that might play a role in the process. We assessed the personality of newborn pups from both rural and urban colonies before they acquired experience outdoors, examining risk-taking, exploration, and learning rates. RESULTS Urban pups exhibited significantly higher risk-taking levels, they were faster learners, but less exploratory than their rural counterparts. A cross-fostering experiment revealed that pups were more similar to their adoptive mothers, thus suggesting a non-genetic mechanism and pointing towards a maternal effect. We moreover found that lactating urban mothers have higher cortisol levels in their milk, which could potentially explain the transmission of some personality traits from mother to pup. CONCLUSIONS Young bats seem to acquire environment suitable traits via post-birth non-genetic maternal effects. We offer a potential mechanism for how urban pups can acquire urban-suitable behavioral traits through hormonal transfer from their mothers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Harten
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Nesim Gonceer
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Michal Handel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Orit Dash
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - H Bobby Fokidis
- Department of Biology, Rollins College, P.O. Box 874601, Winter Park, Florida, 32708, USA
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 69978, Tel Aviv, Israel.
- Wissenschaftskolleg zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.
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Stead SM, Bădescu I, Boonstra R. Of mammals and milk: how maternal stress affects nursing offspring. Mamm Rev 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha M. Stead
- Department of Anthropology University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Scarborough ONM1C 1A4Canada
| | - Iulia Bădescu
- Département d’Anthropologie Université de Montréal 3150 Rue Jean‐Brillant Montréal QCH3T 1N8Canada
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Toronto Scarborough 1265 Military Trail Scarborough ONM1C 1A4Canada
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Use of a Portable Analyzer for Venous Blood Gas and Biochemistry Analysis in Free-Ranging Indian Flying Foxes (Pteropus giganteus) in Myanmar. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:242-245. [PMID: 33635999 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We determined venous blood gas, acid-base, and biochemical parameters for thirteen free-ranging Indian flying foxes (Pteropus giganteus) in Myanmar, using a handheld i-STAT analyzer with CG8+ and CHEM8 cartridges. For field-based projects, portable blood analyzers enable identification and management of electrolyte and acid-base imbalances and collection of physiologic data, but present logistical challenges.
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Hernández-Arciga U, Herrera M LG, Königsberg M, Valdez RA, Flores-Martínez JJ, Romano MC. Synergetic effects of immune challenge and stress depress cortisol, inflammatory response and antioxidant activity in fish-eating Myotis. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb234914. [PMID: 33161382 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.234914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 11/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
One of the most common tools in conservation physiology is the assessment of environmental stress via glucocorticoid measurement. However, little is known of its relationship with other stress-related biomarkers, and how the incidence of an immune challenge during long-term stress could affect an individual's overall stress response. We investigated here the relationship between basal and post-acute stress fecal cortisol metabolite (FC) with different antioxidant enzymes, oxidative damage and immune parameters in the fish-eating bat, Myotis vivesi We found that in both basal and post-stress conditions, FC was highly related with a number of antioxidant enzymes and immune parameters, but not to oxidative damage. We also assessed changes of FC through the seasons. Basal FC samples and stress reactivity after short-duration stress displayed similar levels during summer, autumn and early winter, but lower concentrations in late winter. Stress reactivity after long-duration stress was greater in summer and early winter. Finally, we tested the effect of a simultaneous exposure to a long, strong stress stimulus with an immune response stimulation by administrating adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) after 42 h. Results showed that when both stimuli were administrated, FC concentrations, inflammation and some antioxidant activity were lowered in comparison with the control and individual administration of the challenges. Our findings support the idea that animals maintain constant basal glucocorticoid levels when living in challenging environments, but response to acute stress differs seasonally and immune defense mechanisms and stress responses might be compromised when confronted with multiple challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulalume Hernández-Arciga
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70-153, Ciudad de México, 04510 Mexico
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340 Mexico
| | - L Gerardo Herrera M
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 21, San Patricio, JAL, 48980 Mexico
| | - Mina Königsberg
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Ciudad de México, 09340 Mexico
| | - Ricardo A Valdez
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Ciudad de México, 07360 Mexico
| | - José Juan Flores-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, 04510 Mexico
| | - Marta C Romano
- Departamento de Fisiología, Biofísica y Neurociencias, Centro de Investigación y Estudios Avanzados, Ciudad de México, 07360 Mexico
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Medina-Cruz GE, Salame-Méndez A, Briones-Salas M. Glucocorticoid Profiles in Frugivorous Bats on Wind Farms in the Mexican Tropics. ACTA CHIROPTEROLOGICA 2020. [DOI: 10.3161/15081109acc2020.22.1.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela E. Medina-Cruz
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR-Oaxaca), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Hornos 1003, Col. Nochebuena, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, CP 71230, Mexico
| | - Arturo Salame-Méndez
- Laboratorio de Ecofisiología Animal, Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Av. San Rafael Atlixco 186, Ciudad de México, CP 09340, Mexico
| | - Miguel Briones-Salas
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Investigación para el Desarrollo Integral Regional (CIIDIR-Oaxaca), Instituto Politécnico Nacional (IPN), Hornos 1003, Col. Nochebuena, Santa Cruz Xoxocotlán, Oaxaca, CP 71230, Mexico
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Pinho GM, Ortiz-Ross X, Reese AN, Blumstein DT. Correlates of maternal glucocorticoid levels in a socially flexible rodent. Horm Behav 2019; 116:104577. [PMID: 31442430 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2019] [Revised: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 08/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
While it is generally accepted that social isolation has detrimental effects on social species, little is known about the importance of social interactions in less social species-particularly for wild reproductive females. We studied socially-flexible yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer) and asked whether features of the social environment are associated with maternal fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations. Since changes in maternal baseline glucocorticoids may have positive or negative consequences for offspring fitness, we were also interested in estimating their relationship with measures of reproductive success. We fitted generalized linear mixed effects models to a dataset including maternal FGM measurements, social network metrics, maternal/alloparental care, and pup FGM and survival. Agonistic interactions were positively associated with maternal FGM levels, while mothers that engaged in relatively more affiliative interactions had reduced FGM levels when living in environments with low predator pressure. Pups associated with mothers exhibiting high FGM levels had low annual survival rates, received less maternal/alloparental care and had higher FGM levels. Interestingly, offspring from mothers with high FGM levels were more likely to survive the summer when born in small litters. In sum, social interactions likely influence and are influenced by glucocorticoid levels of facultatively social females. Potential benefits of social bonds may be context-specific, and agonistic interactions may be tightly correlated with fitness. Female marmots exhibiting high FGM levels had overall low reproductive success, which is predicted by the cort-fitness hypothesis. However, under adverse conditions, offspring summer survival can be maximized if pups are born in small litters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela M Pinho
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA.
| | | | - Andrew N Reese
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA.
| | - Daniel T Blumstein
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, 621 Young Drive South, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1606, USA; Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, Box 519, Crested Butte, CO 81224, USA.
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McMichael L, Edson D, Smith C, Mayer D, Smith I, Kopp S, Meers J, Field H. Physiological stress and Hendra virus in flying-foxes (Pteropus spp.), Australia. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0182171. [PMID: 28767708 PMCID: PMC5540484 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Pteropid bats (flying-foxes) are the natural reservoir of Hendra virus, an emergent paramyxovirus responsible for fatal infection in horses and humans in Australia. Pteropus alecto (the Black flying-fox) and the paraphyletic P. conspicillatus (the Spectacled flying-fox) appear to be the primary reservoir hosts. Previous studies have suggested that physiological and ecological factors may underpin infection dynamics in flying-foxes, and subsequent spillover to horses and in turn humans. We sought to examine temporal trends in urinary cortisol concentration in wild Australian flying-fox populations, to elucidate the putative relationship between Hendra virus infection and physiological stress. Pooled and individual urine samples were non-invasively collected from under roosting flying-foxes at two latitudinally disparate regions in the eastern Australian state of Queensland. Hendra virus detection, and (in individual urine samples) sex and species determination were PCR-based. Urinary cortisol measurement used a validated enzyme immunoassay. We found no direct correlation between increased urinary cortisol and Hendra virus excretion, but our findings do suggest a biologically plausible association between low winter temperatures and elevated cortisol levels in P. alecto in the lower latitude Southeast Queensland roosts. We hypothesize an indirect association between low winter temperatures and increased Hendra virus infection and excretion, mediated by the physiological cost of thermoregulation. Our findings and our approach are directly relevant to elaboration of the disease ecology of Nipah virus and other emerging henipaviruses in bats. More broadly, they inform investigation of emerging disease infection dynamics across the wildlife/livestock/human interface.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee McMichael
- University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
- Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- * E-mail:
| | - Daniel Edson
- Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
- Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia
| | - Craig Smith
- Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - David Mayer
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ina Smith
- Australian Animal Health Laboratory, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
| | - Steven Kopp
- University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Joanne Meers
- University of Queensland, School of Veterinary Science, Gatton, Queensland, Australia
| | - Hume Field
- EcoHealth Alliance, New York, New York, United States of America
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10
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Lorioux S, Angelier F, Lourdais O. Are glucocorticoids good indicators of pregnancy constraints in a capital breeder? Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 232:125-33. [PMID: 27090427 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.04.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2015] [Revised: 03/31/2016] [Accepted: 04/09/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy imposes a substantial energetic demand on the mother (i.e. metabolic costs of pregnancy) and is often associated with modified maternal behavior and increased physical burdens that make females more vulnerable to predation. The Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis plays a fundamental role in reproduction through hormonal control of energy regulation and parental care. Therefore, evaluating the changes in baseline and stress-induced glucocorticoid levels in response to pregnancy may provide a robust tool to assess not only the constraints of gestation but also the way females may adjust to these constraints. In this study, we measured baseline and stress-induced corticosterone (CORT) concentrations in pregnant and non-pregnant aspic vipers (Vipera aspis), which are capital breeders. We also measured muscle condition (tail width) and locomotion performance (traction force) because these are robust proxies of protein mobilization associated with fasting. Baseline CORT concentration increased significantly over time in pregnant females, while they were lower and stable in non-reproductive females. Pregnant females had lower muscle condition at the onset of the study and tail width was negatively correlated with CORT concentration in this group. Contrary to our prediction, the stress response was not attenuated in pregnant females, but was proportional to baseline CORT concentration. Our results suggest that baseline CORT variations are closely related to energy constraints and structural protein mobilization in this capital breeder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Lorioux
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; Université de Poitiers, 40 Avenue du recteur Pineau, 85022 Poitiers, France; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA.
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Olivier Lourdais
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS UPR 1934, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France; School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4501, USA
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Parry-Jones K, Webster KN, Divljan A. Baseline levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites and indications of chronic stress in the vulnerable grey-headed flying-fox, Pteropus poliocephalus. AUSTRALIAN MAMMALOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1071/am15030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
The physiological stress hormone levels and physical condition of captured urban flying-foxes experiencing a food shortage were compared with those of free-living rural flying-foxes with access to supplementary food. Glucocorticoid hormone levels were determined by measuring glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) from the faeces of individual animals. The rural flying-foxes were in good condition with high Body Condition Indexes (BCIs) and low levels of GCMs, the range of which may be considered the baseline for this species. In comparison, urban flying-foxes had lower BCIs and elevated levels of GCMs: 75% had levels that were higher than the rural range and 30% were higher by an order of magnitude. Such elevated levels of glucocorticoid (‘stress’) hormones are characteristic of chronic stress. While urbanisation can cause chronic stress, given the low BCIs observed, it is more likely that food shortage was the major stressor in this study. While the rural male and female flying-foxes showed no significant differences in either their levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites or their BCIs, significantly different results were found between male and female urban flying-foxes: males were in relatively better condition than females but had higher levels of faecal glucocorticoid metabolites. The autumn and winter reproductive constraints on food-restricted flying-foxes probably explain the differences observed. Additional droppings collected under the urban colony gave similar results to those collected from captured flying-foxes at the same location, and could be a useful non-invasive method for determining the levels of physiological stress in flying-fox colonies.
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12
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Desantis LM, Bowman J, Lahoda CV, Boonstra R, Burness G. Responses of New World flying squirrels to the acute stress of capture and handling. J Mammal 2015. [DOI: 10.1093/jmammal/gyv156] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Northern ( Glaucomys sabrinus ) and southern ( G. volans ) flying squirrels have glucocorticoid (GC; stress hormone) levels higher than most vertebrates but virtually no binding capacity for these GCs via the carrier protein, corticosteroid-binding globulin. Thus, their total GCs are essentially all free and biologically active. However, the GC estimates come from blood samples taken after squirrels had been in live traps, and thus in a stress-induced state. Obtaining baseline values for physiological variables is valuable for assessing the response of vertebrates to stressors in their environment. We compared baseline plasma total cortisol levels (within 3min of capture) to stress-induced levels (after 30min of trap restraint) in both flying squirrel species. We recorded baseline cortisol levels that were some of the highest ever reported for mammals, indicating their stress axes operate at a higher set point than most other species. As part of the stress response, we also measured 4 indices in addition to cortisol. Total cortisol and free fatty acids increased in both species, as predicted. In contrast with our predictions, blood glucose and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio showed no overall change, and hematocrit decreased significantly. New World flying squirrels therefore appear to have a stress response that differs from many other mammals. The selective forces driving the physiology of these animals remain elusive, but this lineage may provide an interesting comparative system for the study of stress axis function and its evolution among vertebrates.
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13
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Hasiec M, Herman AP, Misztal T. Salsolinol: a potential modulator of the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis in nursing and postweaning sheep. Domest Anim Endocrinol 2015; 53:26-34. [PMID: 26057577 DOI: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2015.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2014] [Revised: 04/23/2015] [Accepted: 04/24/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The most well-known physiological action of salsolinol (1-methyl-6,7-dihydroxy-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline) is the stimulation of prolactin secretion, especially during lactation. In addition, our recent work demonstrated that salsolinol inhibits the stress-induced activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in lactating sheep. Here, we investigated whether salsolinol regulates the basal activity of the HPA axis in lactating sheep and whether its inhibitory action on the stress-induced activity of the HPA axis is present during the postweaning period. The first experiment was performed during the fifth week of lactation, in which unstressed sheep received an intracerebroventricular infusion of an antagonistic analogue of salsolinol, 1-MeDIQ (1-methyl-3,4-dihydroisoquinoline). Simultaneously, the infundibular nucleus and/or median eminence was perfused using the push-pull method. Sheep that received 1-MeDIQ infusion showed significantly higher concentration of plasma ACTH during the second, third, and fourth hour (P < 0.001, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively) and cortisol during the third and fourth hour (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) than did sheep that received control infusion. There was no significant difference in the mean perfusate corticotropin-releasing hormone concentration between the 1-MeDIQ and control treatments. In the second experiment, sheep received an intracerebroventricular infusion of salsolinol during the ninth week of lactation and 48 h after lamb weaning. A comparison between the control groups in the first and second experiments revealed that sheep after weaning (ninth week of lactation) had significantly higher mean ACTH (P < 0.001) and cortisol (P < 0.001) concentrations during the first 2 h of the experiment than the nursing females (fifth week of lactation) had. Salsolinol significantly reduced the increased concentrations of ACTH and cortisol (P < 0.01) in sheep after lamb weaning. However, there was no difference in the expression of proopiomelanocortin messenger RNA within the anterior pituitary between the control and salsolinol-treated groups. In conclusion, salsolinol regulates the basal activity of the HPA axis in lactating sheep. In addition, the HPA axis of postweaning females is more sensitive to stressors associated with the experimental procedures, and salsolinol attenuates ACTH and cortisol release in this phenomenon.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Hasiec
- Department of Endocrinology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
| | - A P Herman
- Laboratory of Molecular Biology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland
| | - T Misztal
- Department of Endocrinology, The Kielanowski Institute of Animal Physiology and Nutrition of the Polish Academy of Sciences, 05-110 Jablonna, Poland.
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14
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Flying-fox roost disturbance and Hendra virus spillover risk. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0125881. [PMID: 26016629 PMCID: PMC4446312 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0125881] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2015] [Accepted: 03/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Bats of the genus Pteropus (flying-foxes) are the natural host of Hendra virus (HeV) which periodically causes fatal disease in horses and humans in Australia. The increased urban presence of flying-foxes often provokes negative community sentiments because of reduced social amenity and concerns of HeV exposure risk, and has resulted in calls for the dispersal of urban flying-fox roosts. However, it has been hypothesised that disturbance of urban roosts may result in a stress-mediated increase in HeV infection in flying-foxes, and an increased spillover risk. We sought to examine the impact of roost modification and dispersal on HeV infection dynamics and cortisol concentration dynamics in flying-foxes. The data were analysed in generalised linear mixed models using restricted maximum likelihood (REML). The difference in mean HeV prevalence in samples collected before (4.9%), during (4.7%) and after (3.4%) roost disturbance was small and non-significant (P = 0.440). Similarly, the difference in mean urine specific gravity-corrected urinary cortisol concentrations was small and non-significant (before = 22.71 ng/mL, during = 27.17, after = 18.39) (P= 0.550). We did find an underlying association between cortisol concentration and season, and cortisol concentration and region, suggesting that other (plausibly biological or environmental) variables play a role in cortisol concentration dynamics. The effect of roost disturbance on cortisol concentration approached statistical significance for region, suggesting that the relationship is not fixed, and plausibly reflecting the nature and timing of disturbance. We also found a small positive statistical association between HeV excretion status and urinary cortisol concentration. Finally, we found that the level of flying-fox distress associated with roost disturbance reflected the nature and timing of the activity, highlighting the need for a ‘best practice’ approach to dispersal or roost modification activities. The findings usefully inform public discussion and policy development in relation to Hendra virus and flying-fox management.
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15
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McMichael LA, Edson D, Field H. Measuring physiological stress in Australian flying-fox populations. ECOHEALTH 2014; 11:400-8. [PMID: 24990534 PMCID: PMC7087598 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-014-0954-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2013] [Revised: 05/05/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Flying-foxes (pteropid bats) are the natural host of Hendra virus, a recently emerged zoonotic virus responsible for mortality or morbidity in horses and humans in Australia since 1994. Previous studies have suggested physiological and ecological risk factors for infection in flying-foxes, including physiological stress. However, little work has been done measuring and interpreting stress hormones in flying-foxes. Over a 12-month period, we collected pooled urine samples from underneath roosting flying-foxes, and urine and blood samples from captured individuals. Urine and plasma samples were assayed for cortisol using a commercially available enzyme immunoassay. We demonstrated a typical post-capture stress response in flying-foxes, established urine specific gravity as an attractive alternative to creatinine to correct urine concentration, and established population-level urinary cortisol ranges (and geometric means) for the four Australian species: Pteropus alecto 0.5-305.1 ng/mL (20.1 ng/mL); Pteropus conspicillatus 0.3-370.9 ng/mL (18.9 ng/mL); Pteropus poliocephalus 0.3-311.3 ng/mL (10.1 ng/mL); Pteropus scapulatus 5.2-205.4 ng/mL (40.7 ng/mL). Geometric means differed significantly except for P. alecto and P. conspicillatus. Our approach is methodologically robust, and has application both as a research or clinical tool for flying-foxes, and for other free-living colonial wildlife species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee A McMichael
- Queensland Centre for Emerging Infectious Diseases, Biosecurity Queensland, Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Brisbane, QLD, 4108, Australia,
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16
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Willis CKR, Wilcox A. Hormones and hibernation: possible links between hormone systems, winter energy balance and white-nose syndrome in bats. Horm Behav 2014; 66:66-73. [PMID: 24768718 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2014.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2014] [Revised: 04/11/2014] [Accepted: 04/15/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
This article is part of a Special Issue "Energy Balance". Hibernation allows mammals to survive in cold climates and during times of reduced food availability. Drastic physiological changes are required to maintain the energy savings that characterize hibernation. These changes presumably enable adjustments in endocrine activity that control metabolism and body temperature, and ultimately influence expression of torpor and periodic arousals. Despite challenges that exist when examining hormonal pathways in small-bodied hibernators, bats represent a potential model taxon for comparative neuroendocrinological studies of hibernation due to their diversity of species and the reliance of many species on heterothermy. Understanding physiological mechanisms underlying hibernation in bats is also important from a conservation physiology perspective due to white-nose syndrome, an emerging infectious disease causing catastrophic mortality among hibernating bats in eastern North America. Here we review the potential influence of three key hormonal mechanisms--leptin, melatonin and glucocorticoids--on hibernation in mammals with an emphasis on bats. We propose testable hypotheses about potential effects of WNS on these systems and their evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Craig K R Willis
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Interdisciplinary Research, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
| | - Alana Wilcox
- Department of Biology and Centre for Forest Interdisciplinary Research, University of Winnipeg, Winnipeg, MB, Canada
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Diagnosis and management of atypical hypoadrenocorticism in a variable flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus). J Zoo Wildl Med 2013; 44:517-9. [PMID: 23805580 DOI: 10.1638/2012-0276r2.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A 19-yr-old intact female variable flying fox (Pteropus hypomelanus) presented with lethargy, behavior changes, and substantial weight loss. Initial clinical pathology revealed hypoglycemia and reduced ionized serum calcium, and imaging, including computed tomography, did not lead to a diagnosis. An adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) stimulation test revealed baseline and post-ACTH cortisol concentrations that were lower than reported normal baseline cortisol concentrations in this species. Treatment with prednisolone resolved the clinical signs and laboratory abnormalities. Repeated attempts to decrease the prednisolone dose caused recurrence of clinical signs and weight loss. Based on diagnostic test results and response to therapy, a diagnosis of atypical hypoadrenocorticism was made.
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18
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Vera F, Zenuto RR, Antenucci CD. Seasonal variations in plasma cortisol, testosterone, progesterone and leukocyte profiles in a wild population of tuco-tucos. J Zool (1987) 2012. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2012.00967.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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19
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Lewanzik D, Kelm DH, Greiner S, Dehnhard M, Voigt CC. Ecological correlates of cortisol levels in two bat species with contrasting feeding habits. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 177:104-12. [PMID: 22429728 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.02.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2011] [Revised: 01/17/2012] [Accepted: 02/28/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The immediate release of adrenal glucocorticoids can be crucial for an animal's survival when facing a stressor, but constantly elevated or exceptionally high glucocorticoid levels are usually detrimental for health. Although baseline and maximal secretion of glucocorticoids are regulated within narrow ranges within species, plasma glucocorticoid levels vary largely across vertebrates. We asked what ecological factors affect baseline plasma cortisol levels (CortI) and maximum levels (CortMax) following a physiological challenge through administration of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). Specifically, we studied whether seasonal fluctuations in food abundance correlate with the capacity of cortisol increases in two phyllostomid bat species with contrasting feeding habits: the sanguinivorous vampire bat (Desmodus rotundus) and the frugivorous short-tailed fruit bat (Carollia perspicillata). Both species coexist in habitats with various levels of seasonality (dry and rainforest). On a seasonal basis, resource abundance is more stable for vampire than for fruit bats, but previous studies suggested that daily foraging success may vary more for vampire than for fruit bats. CortI and CortMax varied seasonally in C. perspicillata from dry and rainforests, with the exception of CortMax in rainforest bats. Although we expected food availability to be stable year-round for vampire bats, we found CortI and CortMax of vampires to be higher during the rainy season than during the dry season. Also, we found CortMax to be higher in vampires from the rainforest than in those from the dry forest. CortMax of vampires were among the highest measured for a free-ranging mammal; a pattern that could be related to the species' vulnerability to starvation. We conclude that food availability modulates cortisol levels in free-ranging species that face seasonally fluctuating resources; in species, however, that benefit from food which is constantly abundant, other factors than food may become more important in modulating cortisol levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Lewanzik
- Evolutionary Ecology Research Group, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
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20
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Koren L, Whiteside D, Fahlman S, Ruckstuhl K, Kutz S, Checkley S, Dumond M, Wynne-Edwards K. Cortisol and corticosterone independence in cortisol-dominant wildlife. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2012; 177:113-9. [PMID: 22449618 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2012.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2011] [Revised: 02/07/2012] [Accepted: 02/28/2012] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Species have traditionally been defined as cortisol-dominant or corticosterone-dominant, depending on the glucocorticoid that is reported. To assess the degree of covariance versus independence between cortisol and corticosterone, 245 serum samples belonging to 219 individuals from 18 cortisol-dominant, non-domesticated species (6 mammalian orders) were compared by mass spectrometry. In these samples, which were elevated above baseline, concentration ranges were overlapping for cortisol and corticosterone although cortisol was dominant in every sample except one of 17 bighorn sheep with a corticosterone-biased cortisol-to-corticosterone ratio of 0.17. As expected, cortisol and corticosterone were strongly associated among species (r(2)=0.8; species with high absolute cortisol tend to have high absolute corticosterone concentrations), with wide variation in the species-average cortisol-to-corticosterone ratio (range 7.5-49) and an even wider ratio range across individuals (0.2-341). However, only 9 out of 13 species with >7 individuals showed a positive association between cortisol and corticosterone among individuals, and repeated measures of the cortisol-to-corticosterone ratio within individuals were weakly associated (CV range 3-136%). We conclude that corticosterone, although at lower concentrations, has the potential to signal independently of cortisol, and should be included in integrated endocrine models of stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee Koren
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
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21
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Saltzman W, Abbott DH. Hormonal and behavioral responses to stress in lactating and non-lactating female common marmosets (Callithrix jacchus). Physiol Behav 2011; 104:446-53. [PMID: 21600906 PMCID: PMC3129480 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2011.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2010] [Revised: 04/30/2011] [Accepted: 05/04/2011] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In several mammalian species, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and behavioral responses to stressors are down-regulated in lactating females, possibly preventing stress-induced disruptions of maternal care. Experimental elevations of HPA axis hormones have been found to inhibit maternal behavior in lactating common marmoset monkeys (Callithrix jacchus), raising the question of whether lactating female marmosets also have blunted endogenous responses to stress. Therefore, we compared HPA and behavioral responses to standardized stressors in reproductively experienced female common marmosets that were undergoing ovulatory cycles and that either were (N=7) or were not lactating (N=8). Each marmoset underwent (1) a restraint stressor during the early follicular phase of the ovarian cycle (approximately 5 weeks postpartum for lactating females) and (2) exposure to a simulated hawk predator during the early to mid-luteal phase (approximately 7 weeks postpartum for lactating females). Lactating females were tested in the presence of one of their infants. Blood samples were collected before, during, and immediately after each test for determination of plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol concentrations. Both stressors caused significant elevations in plasma ACTH and cortisol levels, and significant decreases in cortisol:ACTH ratios; however, lactating and non-lactating females showed no significant differences in their endocrine or behavioral responses to either stressor, or in baseline ACTH or cortisol levels. These findings suggest that in contrast to several other mammalian species, lactating female marmosets maintain full behavioral and HPA responsiveness to stress, at least in the presence of their infants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wendy Saltzman
- Department of Biology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, United States.
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22
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Chauke M, Malisch JL, Robinson C, de Jong TR, Saltzman W. Effects of reproductive status on behavioral and endocrine responses to acute stress in a biparental rodent, the California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). Horm Behav 2011; 60:128-38. [PMID: 21557946 PMCID: PMC4114965 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2011.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2010] [Revised: 03/29/2011] [Accepted: 04/14/2011] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
In several mammalian species, lactating females show blunted neural, hormonal, and behavioral responses to stressors. It is not known whether new fathers also show stress hyporesponsiveness in species in which males provide infant care. To test this possibility, we determined the effects of male and female reproductive status on stress responsiveness in the biparental, monogamous California mouse (Peromyscus californicus). Breeding (N=8 females, 8 males), nonbreeding (N=10 females, 10 males) and virgin mice (N=12 females, 9 males) were exposed to a 5-min predator-urine stressor at two time points, corresponding to the early postpartum (5-7 days postpartum) and mid/late postpartum (19-21 days postpartum) phases, and blood samples were collected immediately afterwards. Baseline blood samples were obtained 2 days prior to each stress test. Baseline plasma corticosterone (CORT) concentrations did not differ among male or female groups. CORT responses to the stressor did not differ among female reproductive groups, and all three groups showed distinct behavioral responses to predator urine. Virgin males tended to increase their CORT response from the first to the second stress test, while breeding and nonbreeding males did not. Moreover, virgin and nonbreeding males showed significant behavioral changes in response to predator urine, whereas breeding males did not. These results suggest that adrenocortical responses to a repeated stressor in male California mice may be modulated by cohabitation with a female, whereas behavioral responses to stress may be blunted by parental status.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miyetani Chauke
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521, USA.
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23
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Monello RJ, Millspaugh JJ, Woods RJ, Gompper ME. The influence of parasites on faecal glucocorticoid metabolite levels in raccoons: an experimental assessment in a natural setting. J Zool (1987) 2010. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-7998.2010.00717.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
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24
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Mileva V, Fitzpatrick J, Marsh‐Rollo S, Gilmour K, Wood C, Balshine S. The Stress Response of the Highly Social African CichlidNeolamprologus pulcher. Physiol Biochem Zool 2009; 82:720-9. [DOI: 10.1086/605937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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25
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Metrione LC, Verstegen JP, Heard DJ, LeBlanc D, Walsh AL, Penfold LM. Preliminary evaluation of deslorelin, a GnRH agonist for contraception of the captive variable flying fox Pteropus hypomelanus. Contraception 2008; 78:336-45. [DOI: 10.1016/j.contraception.2008.04.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2007] [Revised: 04/07/2008] [Accepted: 04/19/2008] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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26
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Singh UP, Krishna A, Bhatnagar KP. Year round plasma leptin and androgen concentrations in a tropical bat. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2007. [DOI: 10.1007/bf03194208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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27
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Reeder DM, Kosteczko NS, Kunz TH, Widmaier EP. The hormonal and behavioral response to group formation, seasonal changes, and restraint stress in the highly social Malayan Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and the less social Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox (Pteropus pumilus) (Chiroptera: Pteropodidae). Horm Behav 2006; 49:484-500. [PMID: 16380123 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2005.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2005] [Revised: 11/02/2005] [Accepted: 11/03/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
This study examined behavioral and physiological responses (changes in inter-animal spacing, total glucocorticoids, testosterone, and body mass) to the formation of breeding and same-sex groups in two bat species, the socially gregarious Malayan Flying Fox (Pteropus vampyrus) and the less social Little Golden-mantled Flying Fox (Pteropus pumilus). We hypothesized that social instability, especially in the breeding groups and especially in P. vampyrus, would result in elevated glucocorticoids and that social facilitation of breeding and/or male-male competition would result in persistently higher levels of testosterone in breeding males. Seasonal rhythms in all measures were also predicted, and the glucocorticoid stress response was expected to vary by sex, season, and group type. Nearly all animals responded to group formation with elevated glucocorticoids, but, for breeding animals (especially aggressive male P. vampyrus), these responses persisted over time. In both species, breeding group formation resulted in elevated testosterone in males. Glucocorticoids, testosterone, testes volume, and body mass generally peaked in the breeding season in males (late summer and early autumn), but the seasonal glucocorticoid peak in females occurred in late winter and early spring. All animals responded to restraint stress with elevations in glucocorticoids that largely did not differ by sex, time of year, reproductive condition, group type, or, in lactating females, the presence of her pup. Changes in both behavior and physiology were more evident in P. vampyrus than in P. pumilus, and we believe that their underlying social differences influenced their responses to group formation and to the changing seasonal environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeeAnn M Reeder
- Department of Biology, 5 Cummington Street, Boston University, MA 02215, USA.
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28
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Reeder DM, Raff H, Kunz TH, Widmaier EP. Characterization of pituitary–adrenocortical activity in the Malayan flying fox (Pteropus vampyrus). J Comp Physiol B 2006; 176:513-9. [PMID: 16496155 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-006-0073-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2005] [Revised: 01/19/2006] [Accepted: 02/01/2006] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pituitary-adrenocortical and gonadal endocrine activity was investigated in a captive colony of Pteropus vampyrus, a highly social Old World fruit bat. Both cortisol and corticosterone were present in plasma, at a ratio of approximately 5:1, respectively. Glucocorticoid but not testosterone levels significantly increased prior to and concomitant with the evening active period. Restraint stress for 15-60 min resulted in a significant and rapid increase in plasma levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and glucocorticoids. ACTH levels quickly returned to baseline following restraint whereas glucocorticoid levels remained elevated for at least 30 min after restraint ended. Plasma ACTH levels after stress were similar to levels reported after stress in other mammals. Stress-induced glucocorticoid levels were several-fold greater than those reported for most mammals. Restraint for 15 min significantly inhibited testosterone levels. Restraint stress did not affect hormone levels on the morning following restraint. Brief capture, handling, and release of the animals did not elicit increases in these hormones. The physiological responsiveness of the pituitary and adrenal glands, along with P. vampyrus's documented seasonality and range of social behaviors, makes these bats an excellent model for exploring the general physiology of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axes, as well as social influences on these axes.
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Affiliation(s)
- DeeAnn M Reeder
- Department of Biology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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29
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Klose SM, Smith CL, Denzel AJ, Kalko EKV. Reproduction elevates the corticosterone stress response in common fruit bats. J Comp Physiol A Neuroethol Sens Neural Behav Physiol 2005; 192:341-50. [PMID: 16273409 DOI: 10.1007/s00359-005-0067-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2005] [Revised: 08/08/2005] [Accepted: 10/10/2005] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
Changes in reproductive state or the environment may affect the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-andrenal (HPA) axis. However, little is known about the dynamics of the resulting corticosteroid stress response, in particular in tropical mammals. In this study, we address the modulation of corticosterone release in response to different reproductive conditions and seasonality in 326 free-living common fruit-eating bats (Artibeus jamaicensis) on Barro Colorado Island in Panama during dry and wet seasons. We present strong evidence that stress sensitivity is primarily modulated by reproductive condition. In reproductively active females, corticosterone increases were more rapid and reached higher levels, but also decreased significantly faster than in inactive females. The corticosterone response was weaker in reproducing males than in females and delayed compared to non-reproductive males. Testes volume in reproductively active males was negatively correlated with corticosterone concentrations. Our findings suggest differentiated dynamics in the corticosterone stress response between sexes, potentially reflecting conflicting ecological demands. In females, a strong acute corticosterone response may represent high stress- and risk-sensitivity that facilitates escape and thus helps to protect reproduction. In males, suppression during reproductive activity could reflect lowered stress sensitivity to avoid chronically elevated corticosterone levels in times of frequent aggressive and therefore costly inter-male encounters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan M Klose
- Ecological Endocrinology Lab, EEL, Department of Experimental Ecology, University of Ulm, Albert Einstein Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany.
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Reeder DM, Kramer KM. STRESS IN FREE-RANGING MAMMALS: INTEGRATING PHYSIOLOGY, ECOLOGY, AND NATURAL HISTORY. J Mammal 2005. [DOI: 10.1644/bhe-003.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 299] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
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