1
|
Grundei LL, Wolf TE, Brandes F, Schütte K, Freise F, Siebert U, Touma C, Pees M. Validation of Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites as Non-Invasive Markers for Monitoring Stress in Common Buzzards ( Buteo buteo). Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1234. [PMID: 38672380 PMCID: PMC11047616 DOI: 10.3390/ani14081234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
For wild animals, being in captivity in wildlife centers can cause considerable stress. Therefore, it is necessary to establish and validate non-invasive tools to measure chronic stress during rehabilitation. Eight Common Buzzards which lived in permanent husbandry were placed individually into prepared aviaries and their feces were collected before, during and after a stress event for biological validation over a period of seven days. The extracted fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCMs) were analyzed with three different enzyme immune assays (EIA) to find the most suitable one. Additionally, we aimed to investigate the stability of fGCM levels after defecation because further metabolization by bacterial enzymes can lead to changed results. The Cortisone-EIA performed best in males and females and showed that the stress event led to an fGCM increase of 629% (557% in females and 702% in males) in relation to basal values. We found no significant differences between the sexes, but observed significant differences between different times of day. FGCM concentration significantly changed after eight hours at room temperature. Our study successfully validated the non-invasive measurement of fGCM as a stress indicator in Common Buzzards and could therefore lay the foundation for future studies providing new insights for animal welfare research in Buzzards.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lara-Luisa Grundei
- Department of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Tanja E. Wolf
- Department of Behavioral Biology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Barbarastrasse 11, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
- Mammal Research Institute, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Florian Brandes
- Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, Hohe Warte 1, 31553 Sachsenhagen, Germany
| | - Karolin Schütte
- Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Center, Hohe Warte 1, 31553 Sachsenhagen, Germany
| | - Fritjof Freise
- Department of Biometry, Epidemiology and Information Processing, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 2, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| | - Ursula Siebert
- Institute of Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bischofsholer Damm 15, 30173 Hanover, Germany
| | - Chadi Touma
- Department of Behavioral Biology, School of Biology/Chemistry, Osnabrück University, Barbarastrasse 11, 49076 Osnabrück, Germany
| | - Michael Pees
- Department of Small Mammal, Reptile and Avian Medicine and Surgery, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Bünteweg 9, 30559 Hanover, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Hansen E, Sun J, Helander B, Bustnes JO, Eulaers I, Jaspers VLB, Covaci A, Eens M, Bourgeon S. A retrospective investigation of feather corticosterone in a highly contaminated white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) population. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115923. [PMID: 37072083 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorines (OCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), is associated with adverse health effects in wildlife. Many POPs have been banned and consequently their environmental concentrations have declined. To assess both temporal trends of POPs and their detrimental impacts, raptors are extensively used as biomonitors due to their high food web position and high contaminant levels. White-tailed eagles (WTEs; Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Baltic ecosystem represent a sentinel species of environmental pollution, as they have suffered population declines due to reproductive failure caused by severe exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) during the 1960s through 1980s. However, there is a lack of long-term studies that cover a wide range of environmental contaminants and their effects at the individual level. In this study, we used 135 pooled samples of shed body feathers collected in 1968-2012 from breeding WTE pairs in Sweden. Feathers constitute a temporal archive for substances incorporated into the feather during growth, including corticosterone, which is the primary avian glucocorticoid and a stress-associated hormone. Here, we analysed the WTE feather pools to investigate annual variations in feather corticosterone (fCORT), POPs (OCs and PBDEs), and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (SIs; dietary proxies). We examined whether the expected fluctuations in POPs affected fCORT (8-94 pg. mm-1) in the WTE pairs. Despite clear temporal declining trends in POP concentrations (p < 0.01), we found no significant associations between fCORT and POPs or SIs (p > 0.05 in all cases). Our results do not support fCORT as a relevant biomarker of contaminant-mediated effects in WTEs despite studying a highly contaminated population. However, although not detecting a relationship between fCORT, POP contamination and diet, fCORT represents a non-destructive and retrospective assessment of long-term stress physiology in wild raptors otherwise not readily available.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hansen
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, CN-266003, Shandong, China
| | - Björn Helander
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Box 50007, SE-10405, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Framsenteret, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Beattie UK, Romero LM. Long term stability of corticosterone in feathers. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2023:111472. [PMID: 37390888 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.111472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Measuring corticosterone in feathers allows researchers to make long-term, retrospective assessments of physiology with non-invasive sampling. To date, there is little evidence that steroids degrade within the feather matrix, however this has yet to be determined from the same sample over many years. In 2009, we made a pool of European starling (Sturnus vulgaris) feathers that had been ground to a homogenous powder using a ball mill and stored on a laboratory bench. Over the past 14 years, a subset of this pooled sample has been assayed via radioimmunoassay (RIA) 19 times to quantify corticosterone. Despite high variability across time (though low variability within assays), there was no effect of time on measured feather corticosterone concentration. In contrast, two enzyme immunoassays (EIA) produced higher concentrations than the samples assayed with RIA, though this difference is likely due to different binding affinities of the antibodies used. The present study provides further support for researchers to use specimens stored long-term and from museums for feather corticosterone quantification, and likely applies to corticosteroid measurements in other keratinized tissues.
Collapse
|
4
|
Tokunaga Y, Okochi H, Tani Y, Niida Y, Tachibana T, Saigawa K, Katayama K, Moriguchi S, Kato T, Hayama SI. Airborne microplastics detected in the lungs of wild birds in Japan. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 321:138032. [PMID: 36739985 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2022] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Microplastics (MPs) have been found in a wide range of animal species including humans. The detection of MPs in human lungs suggests that humans inhale airborne microplastics (AMPs). Although birds respire more efficiently than mammals and are therefore more susceptible to air pollution, little is known about their inhalation exposure to MPs. In this study, we analyzed samples isolated from the lungs of several species of wild birds in Japan by attenuated total reflection (ATR) imaging method of micro-Fourier transform infrared (μFTIR) spectroscopy to clear whether AMPs can be inhaled and accumulate within the lungs of wild birds. To isolate MPs from lung samples of rock doves (Columba livia), black kites (Milvus migrans), and barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) euthanized for pest control, digestion and density separation were performed. After each sample collected on an alumina filter was measured by ATR imaging method using μFTIR spectroscopy, the physical and chemical characteristics of the detected MPs were evaluated. Six MPs were detected in 3 of 22 lung samples. Polypropylene and polyethylene were found in rock doves and ethylene vinyl acetate was found in a barn swallow. Most MPs were fragments of 28.0-70.5 μm. Our results demonstrated that in addition to dietary sources, some wild birds are exposed to MPs by inhalation, and these MPs reach the lungs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yurika Tokunaga
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan.
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kinya Katayama
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | - Takuya Kato
- Nippon Veterinary and Life Science University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Seeley KE, Proudfoot KL, Edes AN. The application of allostasis and allostatic load in animal species: A scoping review. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0273838. [PMID: 36040981 PMCID: PMC9426905 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0273838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Principles of allostasis and allostatic load have been widely applied in human research to assess the impacts of chronic stress on physiological dysregulation. Over the last few decades, researchers have also applied these concepts to non-human animals. However, there is a lack of uniformity in how the concept of allostasis is described and assessed in animals. The objectives of this review were to: 1) describe the extent to which the concepts of allostasis and allostatic load are applied theoretically to animals, with a focus on which taxa and species are represented; 2) identify when direct assessments of allostasis or allostatic load are made, which species and contexts are represented, what biomarkers are used, and if an allostatic load index was constructed; and 3) detect gaps in the literature and identify areas for future research. A search was conducted using CABI, PubMed, Agricola, and BIOSIS databases, in addition to a complementary hand-search of 14 peer-reviewed journals. Search results were screened, and articles that included non-human animals, as well as the terms “allostasis” or “allostatic” in the full text, were included. A total of 572 articles met the inclusion criteria (108 reviews and 464 peer-reviewed original research). Species were represented across all taxa. A subset of 63 publications made direct assessments of allostatic load. Glucocorticoids were the most commonly used biomarker, and were the only biomarker measured in 25 publications. Only six of 63 publications (9.5%) constructed an allostatic load index, which is the preferred methodology in human research. Although concepts of allostasis and allostatic load are being applied broadly across animal species, most publications use single biomarkers that are more likely indicative of short-term rather than chronic stress. Researchers are encouraged to adopt methodologies used in human research, including the construction of species-specific allostatic load indexes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn E. Seeley
- Department of Preventive Medicine, The Ohio State University College of Veterinary Medicine, Columbus, Ohio, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Kathryn L. Proudfoot
- Health Management, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
| | - Ashley N. Edes
- Department of Reproductive and Behavioral Sciences, Saint Louis Zoo, St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Mencía-Gutiérrez A, Martín-Maldonado B, Pastor-Tiburón N, Moraleda V, González F, García-Peña FJ, Pérez-Cobo I, Revuelta L, Marín M. Prevalence and antimicrobial resistance of Campylobacter from wild birds of prey in Spain. Comp Immunol Microbiol Infect Dis 2021; 79:101712. [PMID: 34688167 DOI: 10.1016/j.cimid.2021.101712] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 09/18/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Wild birds have been identified as a relevant reservoir of Campylobacter spp., therefore, a potential source of infection in humans and domestic animals. The objective of this study was to determine the occurrence of Campylobacter spp. on birds of prey in Spain. In addition, antibiotic resistance profiles of the isolates were evaluated. A total of 689 specimens of 28 raptor species were analyzed, with a resulting individual prevalence of 7.5%. C. jejuni was the most frequently isolated species (88.5%), followed by C. coli and C. lari (3.8% each). The occurrence of Campylobacter was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in nocturnal birds of prey (15.3%), in spring season (12.2%) and in carnivorous species (9.4%). Isolates displayed a remarkable resistance to nalidixic acid (69.9%), ciprofloxacin (69.9%), and tetracycline (55.6%), and a low resistance to streptomycin (6.7%). Our findings highlight the importance of birds of prey as reservoirs of Campylobacter strains and their significant role as carriers of antimicrobial resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aida Mencía-Gutiérrez
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain.
| | - Bárbara Martín-Maldonado
- Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat (GREFA), Monte del Pilar, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain
| | - Natalia Pastor-Tiburón
- Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat (GREFA), Monte del Pilar, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain
| | - Virginia Moraleda
- Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat (GREFA), Monte del Pilar, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain
| | - Fernando González
- Grupo de Rehabilitación de la Fauna Autóctona y su Hábitat (GREFA), Monte del Pilar, Majadahonda, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain
| | | | - Iratxe Pérez-Cobo
- Laboratorio Central de Veterinaria (Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación), Algete, Spain
| | - Luis Revuelta
- Department of Animal Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain; Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain
| | - María Marín
- Grupo de Estudio de la Medicina y Conservación de la Fauna Silvestre (GEMAS), Spain; Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Løseth ME, Flo J, Sonne C, Krogh AKH, Nygård T, Bustnes JO, Jenssen BM, Jaspers VLB. The influence of natural variation and organohalogenated contaminants on physiological parameters in white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings from Norway. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2019; 177:108586. [PMID: 31377582 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 07/10/2019] [Accepted: 07/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Environmental exposure to organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs), even at low concentrations, may cause detrimental effects on the development and health of wild birds. The present study investigated if environmental exposure to OHCs may influence the variation of multiple physiological parameters in Norwegian white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings. Plasma and feather samples were obtained from 70 nestlings at two archipelagos in Norway in 2015 and 2016. The selected physiological parameters were plasma concentrations of thyroid hormones (thyroxine, T4 and triiodothyronine, T3), plasma proteins (prealbumin, albumin, α1-, α2-, β- and γ-globulins) and selected blood clinical chemical parameters (BCCPs) associated with liver and kidney functioning. Feather concentrations of corticosterone (CORTf) were also included to investigate the overall stress level of the nestlings. Concentrations of all studied physiological parameters were within the ranges of those found in other species of free-living birds of prey nestlings and indicated that the white-tailed eagle nestlings were in good health. Our statistical models indicated that perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and legacy OHCs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorinated pesticides and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, influenced only a minor fraction of the variation of plasma thyroid hormones, prealbumin and CORTf (5-15%), and partly explained the selected BCCPs (<26%). Most of the variation in each studied physiological parameter was explained by variation between nests, which is most likely due to natural physiological variation of nestlings in these nests. This indicates the importance of accounting for between nest variation in future studies. In the present nestlings, OHC concentrations were relatively low and seem to have played a secondary role compared to natural variation concerning the variation of physiological parameters. However, our study also indicates a potential for OHC-induced effects on thyroid hormones, CORTf, prealbumin and BCCPs, which could be of concern in birds exposed to higher OHC concentrations than the present white-tailed eagle nestlings.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mari Engvig Løseth
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Jørgen Flo
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Aarhus University (AU), DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anne Kirstine Havnsøe Krogh
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Frederiksberg C, DK-1870, Denmark
| | - Torgeir Nygård
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), NO-7034, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, NO-9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Adámková M, Bílková Z, Tomášek O, Šimek Z, Albrecht T. Feather steroid hormone concentrations in relation to age, sex, and molting time in a long-distance migratory passerine. Ecol Evol 2019; 9:9018-9026. [PMID: 31463000 PMCID: PMC6706234 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.5447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 06/13/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
In birds, concentrations of testosterone (T) and corticosterone (Cort) are closely connected with many morphological, behavioral, and other physiological traits, including reproduction, metabolism, immunity, and fitness. The direction of the effect of these hormones on above-mentioned traits, and the potential feedback between hormones are in general unclear; in addition, knowledge on how age and sex can affect T and Cort concentrations is still inconsistent. Our study used a novel method to analyze testosterone and corticosterone in feathers (Tf, Cortf) based on the precolumn chemical derivatization of hormones before liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. Unlike previously used methods (RIA, EIA), our analytical procedure allows simultaneous analysis of both hormones from small amounts of feathers (4-25 mg) and, thus, overcomes the problem of insufficient detection limits. We applied this method to reveal associations between Tf and Cortf hormone concentrations and feather growth, age, and sex in feathers grown during the postbreeding (flanks) and prebreeding (tails) periods in barn swallows (Hirundo rustica). There was neither a correlation between prebreeding and postbreeding Tf, nor between prebreeding and postbreeding Cortf. Tail Cortf concentrations were negatively associated with tail feather growth rates. Feather hormone concentrations were correlated in the prebreeding period, negatively in males but positively in females. Both Cortf and Tf were higher in young birds compared to older ones, indicating either an age-related decrease in hormone concentrations within individuals, or the selective disappearance of individuals with high steroid concentrations. Males and females did not differ in Cortf, but Tf concentrations were higher in males than females, particularly during the prebreeding period. In this study, we provide an effective method for analyzing hormones in feathers in an ecological context, especially in situations when the total amount of feathers available for the analysis is limited.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Adámková
- Department of Botany and Zoology, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Zuzana Bílková
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Oldřich Tomášek
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles University in PraguePragueCzech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Šimek
- Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment, Faculty of ScienceMasaryk UniversityBrnoCzech Republic
| | - Tomáš Albrecht
- Institute of Vertebrate BiologyCzech Academy of SciencesBrnoCzech Republic
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of ScienceCharles University in PraguePragueCzech Republic
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Alba AC, Strauch TA, Keisler DH, Wells KD, Kesler DC. Using a keratinase to degrade chicken feathers for improved extraction of glucocorticoids. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 270:35-40. [PMID: 30291864 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2018] [Revised: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 10/01/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Stress in animals is a concern in conservation breeding programs and livestock production facilities. The biological stress response is mediated by the release of glucocorticoids, which can suppress reproduction, growth, and immunity if recurrently activated. Feathers can be used to extract and monitor concentrations of corticosterone, a primary glucocorticoid in birds. However, current techniques for extracting feather corticosterone present challenges, including difficulty assessing extraction efficiency or hormone recovery, inconsistent extraction across feather lengths or pieces, and several uncertainties regarding the mechanisms of hormone deposition into feathers. To overcome such challenges and to provide tools useful for facilitating conservation breeding and livestock production, we developed and validated an alternative procedure for extracting feather glucocorticoids. We first developed a protocol to enzymatically digest the protein matrix of feathers using a keratinase, such that non-protein analytes could be isolated by organic extraction. We then developed an extraction protocol and evaluated techniques by measuring extraction efficiency and by testing parallelism and hormone recovery (accuracy) using radioimmunoassay. Our results demonstrated high and consistent extraction efficiency, as well as high accuracy and reliable parallelism to a standard curve upon measurement of corticosterone concentrations from extracts. By dissolving feather material into solution prior to extraction, we were able to replicate hormone deposition into the feather matrix and ensure consistent extraction across feathers. This work provides additional support for the validity and practicality of extracting glucocorticoids from feathers. Our extraction protocol is likely to extend to other applications as well, including the isolation of numerous non-protein analytes from various keratinized tissues.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andrew C Alba
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; Disney's Animal Kingdom, 1200 North Savannah Circle East, Bay Lake, FL 32830, United States
| | - Trista A Strauch
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Duane H Keisler
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Kevin D Wells
- Division of Animal Sciences, University of Missouri, 160 Animal Science Research Center, Columbia, MO 65211, United States
| | - Dylan C Kesler
- Fisheries and Wildlife Sciences Department, University of Missouri Columbia, 1105 E Rollins St., Columbia, MO 65211, United States; The Institute for Bird Populations, PO Box 1346, Point Reyes Station, CA 94956, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Moreira FX, Carmo H, Melo A, André MB, Silva R, Azevedo Z, Bastos ML, de Pinho PG. The Use of Feathers from Racing Pigeons for Doping Control Purposes. J Anal Toxicol 2018; 43:307-315. [DOI: 10.1093/jat/bky088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando X Moreira
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Medicina Legal e Ciências Forenses, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Al. Prof. Hernâni Monteiro, Porto, Portugal
| | - Helena Carmo
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
| | - Armindo Melo
- LAQV/REQUIMTE/ Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Laboratório de Bromatologia e Hidrologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, Rua de Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, Porto, Portugal
- Departamento de Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Nacional de Saúde Doutor Ricardo Jorge, Rua Alexandre Herculano, 321, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria B André
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
| | - Renata Silva
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
| | - Zélia Azevedo
- ICETA/REQUIMTE/LAQV – Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Rua do Campo Alegre, Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria L Bastos
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
| | - Paula G de Pinho
- REQUIMTE/UCIBIO, Laboratório de Toxicologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade do Porto, R. Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, Porto, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Glucs ZE, Smith DR, Tubbs CW, Jones Scherbinski J, Welch A, Burnett J, Clark M, Eng C, Finkelstein ME. Glucocorticoid measurement in plasma, urates, and feathers from California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) in response to a human-induced stressor. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0205565. [PMID: 30352070 PMCID: PMC6198957 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0205565] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Vertebrates respond to stressful stimuli with the secretion of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones, such as corticosterone (CORT), and measurements of these hormones in wild species can provide insight into physiological responses to environmental and human-induced stressors. California condors (Gymnogyps californianus) are a critically endangered and intensively managed avian species for which information on GC response to stress is lacking. Here we evaluated a commercially available I125 double antibody radioimmunoassay (RIA) and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit for measurement of CORT and GC metabolites (GCM) in California condor plasma, urate, and feather samples. The precision and accuracy of the RIA assay outperformed the ELISA for CORT and GCM measurements, and CORT and GCM values were not comparable between the two assays for any sample type. RIA measurements of total CORT in condor plasma collected from 41 condors within 15 minutes of a handling stressor were highly variable (median = 70 ng/mL, range = 1-189 ng/mL) and significantly different between wild and captive condors (p = 0.02, two-tailed t-test, n = 10 wild and 11 captive). Urate GCM levels (median = 620 ng/g dry wt., range = 0.74-7200 ng/g dry wt., n = 216) significantly increased within 2 hr of the acute handling stressor (p = 0.032, n = 11 condors, one-tailed paired t-test), while feather section CORT concentrations (median = 18 pg/mm, range = 6.3-68 ng/g, n = 37) also varied widely within and between feathers. Comparison of multiple regression linear models shows condor age as a significant predictors of plasma CORT levels, while age, sex, and plasma CORT levels predicted GCM levels in urates collected within 30 min of the start of handling. Our findings highlight the need for validation when selecting an immunoassay for use with a new species, and suggest that non-invasively collected urates and feathers hold promise for assessing condor responses to acute or chronic environmental and human-induced stressors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zeka E. Glucs
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Donald R. Smith
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher W. Tubbs
- San Diego Zoo Global, Institute for Conservation Research, Escondido, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Alacia Welch
- National Park Service, Pinnacles National Park, Paicines, CA, United States of America
| | - Joseph Burnett
- Ventana Wildlife Society, Monterey, CA, United States of America
| | - Michael Clark
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Curtis Eng
- Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens, Los Angeles, CA, United States of America
| | - Myra E. Finkelstein
- Microbiology and Environmental Toxicology Department, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Gott A, Andrews C, Larriva Hormigos M, Spencer K, Bateson M, Nettle D. Chronological age, biological age, and individual variation in the stress response in the European starling: a follow-up study. PeerJ 2018; 6:e5842. [PMID: 30370189 PMCID: PMC6202956 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.5842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2018] [Accepted: 09/27/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The strength of the avian stress response declines with age. A recently published study of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) found that a marker of biological age predicted the strength of the stress response even in individuals of the same chronological age. Specifically, birds that had experienced greater developmental telomere attrition (DTA) showed a lower peak corticosterone (CORT) response to an acute stressor, and more rapid recovery of CORT levels towards baseline. Here, we performed a follow-up study using the same capture-handling-restraint stressor in a separate cohort of starlings that had been subjected to a developmental manipulation of food availability and begging effort. We measured the CORT response at two different age points (4 and 18 months). Our data suggest a decline in the strength of the CORT response with chronological age: peak CORT was lower at the second age point, and there was relatively more reduction in CORT between 15 and 30 min. Individual consistency between the two age points was low, but there were modest familial effects on baseline and peak CORT. The manipulation of begging effort affected the stress response (specifically, the reduction in CORT between 15 and 30 min) in an age-dependent manner. However, we did not replicate the associations with DTA observed in the earlier study. We meta-analysed the data from the present and the earlier study combined, and found some support for the conclusions of the earlier paper.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Annie Gott
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Clare Andrews
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | | | - Karen Spencer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Nettle
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution & Institute of Neuroscience, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Andrews C, Nettle D, Larriva M, Gillespie R, Reichert S, Brilot BO, Bedford T, Monaghan P, Spencer KA, Bateson M. A marker of biological age explains individual variation in the strength of the adult stress response. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2017; 4:171208. [PMID: 28989794 PMCID: PMC5627134 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.171208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/31/2017] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
The acute stress response functions to prioritize behavioural and physiological processes that maximize survival in the face of immediate threat. There is variation between individuals in the strength of the adult stress response that is of interest in both evolutionary biology and medicine. Age is an established source of this variation-stress responsiveness diminishes with increasing age in a range of species-but unexplained variation remains. Since individuals of the same chronological age may differ markedly in their pace of biological ageing, we asked whether biological age-measured here via erythrocyte telomere length-predicts variation in stress responsiveness in adult animals of the same chronological age. We studied two cohorts of European starlings in which we had previously manipulated the rate of biological ageing by experimentally altering the competition experienced by chicks in the fortnight following hatching. We predicted that individuals with greater developmental telomere attrition, and hence greater biological age, would show an attenuated corticosterone (CORT) response to an acute stressor when tested as adults. In both cohorts, we found that birds with greater developmental telomere attrition had lower peak CORT levels and a more negative change in CORT levels between 15 and 30 min following stress exposure. Our results, therefore, provide strong evidence that a measure of biological age explains individual variation in stress responsiveness: birds that were biologically older were less stress responsive. Our results provide a novel explanation for the phenomenon of developmental programming of the stress response: observed changes in stress physiology as a result of exposure to early-life adversity may reflect changes in ageing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clare Andrews
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Daniel Nettle
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Maria Larriva
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Robert Gillespie
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Sophie Reichert
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Western Bank, Sheffield, UK
| | - Ben O. Brilot
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- School of Biological Sciences, Plymouth University, Plymouth, UK
| | - Thomas Bedford
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Karen A. Spencer
- School of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, UK
| | - Melissa Bateson
- Centre for Behaviour and Evolution, Institute of Neuroscience and Newcastle University Institute of Ageing, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
- Author for correspondence: Melissa Bateson e-mail:
| |
Collapse
|