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Georgelin M, Ferreira VHB, Cornilleau F, Meurisse M, Poissenot K, Beltramo M, Keller M, Lansade L, Dardente H, Calandreau L. Short photoperiod modulates behavior, cognition and hippocampal neurogenesis in male Japanese quail. Sci Rep 2023; 13:951. [PMID: 36653419 PMCID: PMC9849226 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28248-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
The mechanisms underlying the photoperiodic control of reproduction in mammals and birds have been recently clarified. In contrast, the potential impact of photoperiod on more complex, integrative processes, such as cognitive behaviors, remains poorly characterized. Here, we investigated the impact of contrasted long and short photoperiods (LP, 16 h light/day and SP, 8 h light/day, respectively) on learning, spatial orientation abilities, and emotional reactivity in male Japanese quail. In addition, we quantified cell proliferation and young cell maturation/migration within the hippocampus, a brain region involved in spatial orientation. Our study reveals that, in male quail, SP increases emotional responses and spatial orientation abilities, compared to LP. Behaviorally, SP birds were found to be more fearful than LP birds, exhibiting more freezing in the open field and taking longer to exit the dark compartment in the emergence test. Furthermore, SP birds were significantly less aggressive than LP birds in a mirror test. Cognitively, SP birds were slower to habituate and learn a spatial orientation task compared to LP birds. However, during a recall test, SP birds performed better than LP birds. From a neuroanatomical standpoint, SP birds had a significantly lower density of young neurons, and also tended to have a lower density of mature neurons within the hippocampus, compared to LP birds. In conclusion, our data reveal that, beyond breeding control, photoperiod also exerts a profound influence on behavior, cognition, and brain plasticity, which comprise the seasonal program of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marion Georgelin
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Vitor Hugo Bessa Ferreira
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Fabien Cornilleau
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Maryse Meurisse
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Kévin Poissenot
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Massimiliano Beltramo
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Matthieu Keller
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Léa Lansade
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Hugues Dardente
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Ludovic Calandreau
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, UMR 85 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Université de Tours, PRC, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
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2
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Liddle TA, Stevenson TJ, Majumdar G. Photoperiodic regulation of avian physiology: From external coincidence to seasonal reproduction. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 337:890-901. [PMID: 35535960 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Seasonal cycles of environmental cues generate variation in the timing of life-history transition events across taxa. It is through the entrainment of internal, endogenous rhythms of organisms to these external, exogenous rhythms in environment, such as cycling temperature and daylight, by which organisms can regulate and time life history transitions. Here, we review the current understanding of how photoperiod both stimulates and terminates seasonal reproduction in birds. The review describes the role of external coincidence timing, the process by which photoperiod is proposed to stimulate reproductive development. Then, the molecular basis of light detection and the photoperiodic regulation of neuroendocrine timing of seasonal reproduction in birds is presented. Current data indicates that vertebrate ancient opsin is the predominant photoreceptor for light detection by the hypothalamus, compared to neuropsin and rhodopsin. The review then connects light detection to well-characterized hypothalamic and pituitary gland molecules involved in the photoperiodic regulation of reproduction. In birds, Gonadotropin-releasing hormone synthesis and release are controlled by photoperiodic cues via thyrotropin-stimulating hormone-β (TSHβ) independent and dependent pathways, respectively. The review then highlights the role of D-box and E-box binding motifs in the promoter regions of photoperiodic genes, in particular Eyes-absent 3, as the key link between circadian clock function and photoperiodic time measurement. Based on the available evidence, the review proposes that at least two molecular programs form the basis for external coincidence timing in birds: photoperiodic responsiveness by TSHβ pathways and endogenous internal timing by gonadotropin synthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy Adam Liddle
- Laboratory of Seasonal Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Tyler John Stevenson
- Laboratory of Seasonal Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Gaurav Majumdar
- Laboratory of Seasonal Biology, Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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3
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Kashash Y, Smarsh G, Zilkha N, Yovel Y, Kimchi T. Alone, in the dark: The extraordinary neuroethology of the solitary blind mole rat. eLife 2022; 11:78295. [PMID: 35674717 PMCID: PMC9177142 DOI: 10.7554/elife.78295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
On the social scale, the blind mole rat (BMR; Spalax ehrenbergi) is an extreme. It is exceedingly solitary, territorial, and aggressive. BMRs reside underground, in self-excavated tunnels that they rarely leave. They possess specialized sensory systems for social communication and navigation, which allow them to cope with the harsh environmental conditions underground. This review aims to present the blind mole rat as an ideal, novel neuroethological model for studying aggressive and solitary behaviors. We discuss the BMR's unique behavioral phenotype, particularly in the context of 'anti-social' behaviors, and review the available literature regarding its specialized sensory adaptations to the social and physical habitat. To date, the neurobiology of the blind mole rat remains mostly unknown and holds a promising avenue for scientific discovery. Unraveling the neural basis of the BMR's behavior, in comparison to that of social rodents, can shed important light on the underlying mechanisms of psychiatric disorders in humans, in which similar behaviors are displayed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yael Kashash
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Grace Smarsh
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel.,School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noga Zilkha
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Yossi Yovel
- School of Zoology, Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Tali Kimchi
- Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
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4
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Dardente H, Simonneaux V. GnRH and the photoperiodic control of seasonal reproduction: Delegating the task to kisspeptin and RFRP-3. J Neuroendocrinol 2022; 34:e13124. [PMID: 35384117 DOI: 10.1111/jne.13124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/03/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Synchronization of mammalian breeding activity to the annual change of photoperiod and environmental conditions is of the utmost importance for individual survival and species perpetuation. Subsequent to the early 1960s, when the central role of melatonin in this adaptive process was demonstrated, our comprehension of the mechanisms through which light regulates gonadal activity has increased considerably. The current model for the photoperiodic neuroendocrine system points to pivotal roles for the melatonin-sensitive pars tuberalis (PT) and its seasonally-regulated production of thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), as well as for TSH-sensitive hypothalamic tanycytes, radial glia-like cells located in the basal part of the third ventricle. Tanycytes respond to TSH through increased expression of thyroid hormone (TH) deiodinase 2 (Dio2), which leads to heightened production of intrahypothalamic triiodothyronine (T3) during longer days of spring and summer. There is strong evidence that this local, long-day driven, increase in T3 links melatonin input at the PT to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) output, to align breeding with the seasons. The mechanism(s) through which T3 impinges upon GnRH remain(s) unclear. However, two distinct neuronal populations of the medio-basal hypothalamus, which express the (Arg)(Phe)-amide peptides kisspeptin and RFamide-related peptide-3, appear to be well-positioned to relay this seasonal T3 message towards GnRH neurons. Here, we summarize our current understanding of the cellular, molecular and neuroendocrine players, which keep track of photoperiod and ultimately govern GnRH output and seasonal breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugues Dardente
- CNRS, IFCE, INRAE, Université de Tours, PRC, Nouzilly, France
| | - Valérie Simonneaux
- Institute for Cellular and Integrative Neuroscience, University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
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Doyle A, Cowan ME, Migaud H, Wright PJ, Davie A. Neuroendocrine regulation of reproduction in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua): Evidence of Eya3 as an integrator of photoperiodic cues and nutritional regulation to initiate sexual maturation. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2021; 260:111000. [PMID: 34089890 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.111000] [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: 02/19/2021] [Revised: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Evidence from mammals and aves alludes to a possibly conserved seasonal photoperiod induced neuroendocrine cascade which stimulates subsequent sexual maturation however our understanding of this mechanism in teleosts is lacking. Unlike all teleosts studied to date, the Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) is a short day breeder with the reduction in day-length from the summer solstice stimulating gametogenesis. Cod specific orthologues of eya3, tshβ and dio2 were identified and their expression was monitored in the brain and pituitary of cod held under either stimulated or inhibited photoperiod conditions. While no differential expression was apparent in brain dio2 & tshβ and pituitary tshβ, there was significant temporal variation in expression of pituitary eya3 under the SNP treatment, with expression level elevating in association with active gametogenesis. Under the LL treatment, sexual maturation was inhibited and there was a corresponding suppression of eya3 expression. In a second study the impact of size/energetic status on the initiation of sexual maturation was investigated. In the feed restricted population maturation was significantly suppressed (5% sexually mature) compared to the ab libitum fed stock (95% sexually mature) with there being a concomitant significant suppression in pituitary eya3 expression. Overall, these results suggest that pituitary eya3 has the potential to act as an integrator of both environmental and energetic regulation of sexual maturation of cod. Being the first account of eya3 induction in a short day breeding teleost, the conserved association with stimulation of reproduction and not seasonal state indicates that the upstream drivers which initiate the pathway differ among vertebrates according to their breeding strategies, but the pathway itself and its role in the reproductive cascade appears to be conserved across the vertebrate clade.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Doyle
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK; Marine Scotland Science, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - M E Cowan
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - H Migaud
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK
| | - P J Wright
- Marine Scotland Science, 375 Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, UK
| | - A Davie
- Institute of Aquaculture, University of Stirling, Stirling FK9 4LA, UK.
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6
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Wilsterman K, Ballinger MA, Williams CM. A unifying, eco‐physiological framework for animal dormancy. Funct Ecol 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn Wilsterman
- Biological Sciences University of Montana Missoula MT USA
- Integrative Biology University of California Berkeley CA USA
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Hurley LL, Crino OL, Rowe M, Griffith SC. Variation in female reproductive tract morphology across the reproductive cycle in the zebra finch. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10195. [PMID: 33240602 PMCID: PMC7666545 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2020] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In seasonally breeding birds, the reproductive tract undergoes a dramatic circannual cycle of recrudescence and regression, with oviduct size increasing 5–220 fold from the non-breeding to the breeding state. Opportunistically breeding birds can produce multiple clutches sequentially across an extended period in response primarily to environmental rather than seasonal cues. In the zebra finch, it has been shown that there is a significant reduction in gonadal morphology in non-breeding females. However, the scale of recrudescence and regression of reproductive tissue within a single breeding cycle is unknown and yet important to understand the cost of breeding, and the physiological readiness to breed in such flexible breeders. Methods We examined the reproductive tissue of breeding female zebra finches at six stages in the nesting cycle from pre-breeding to fledging offspring. We quantified the wet mass of the oviduct, the volume of the largest pre-ovulatory follicle, and the total number of pre-ovulatory follicles present on the ovary. Results Measures of the female reproductive tract were highest during nesting and laying stages and declined significantly in the later stages of the breeding cycle. Importantly, we found that the mass of reproductive tissue changes as much across a single reproductive event as that previously characterized between birds categorized as breeding and non-breeding. However, the regression of the ovary is less dramatic than that seen in seasonal breeders. This could reflect low-level maintenance of reproductive tissues in opportunistic breeders, but needs to be confirmed in wild non-breeding birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura L Hurley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ondi L Crino
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, Australia
| | - Melissah Rowe
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology, Wageningen, Netherlands
| | - Simon C Griffith
- Department of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Majumdar G, Yadav G, Malik S, Rani S, Balthazart J, Kumar V. Hypothalamic plasticity in response to changes in photoperiod and food quality: An adaptation to support pre-migratory fattening in songbirds? Eur J Neurosci 2020; 53:430-448. [PMID: 33010037 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14994] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In latitudinal avian migrants, increasing photoperiods induce fat deposition and body mass increase, and subsequent night-time migratory restlessness in captive birds, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We hypothesized that an enhanced hypothalamic neuronal plasticity was associated with the photostimulated spring migration phenotype. We tested this idea in adult migratory red-headed buntings (Emberiza bruniceps), as compared with resident Indian weaverbirds (Ploceus philippinus). Birds were exposed to a stimulatory long photoperiod (14L:10D, LP), while controls were kept on a short photoperiod (10L:14D, SP). Under both photoperiods, one half of birds also received a high calorie, protein- and fat-rich diet (SP-R, LP-R) while the other half stayed on the normal diet (SP-N, LP-N). Thirty days later, as expected, the LP had induced multiple changes in the behaviour and physiology in migratory buntings. Photostimulated buntings also developed a preference for the rich food diet. Most interestingly, the LP and the rich diet, both separately and in association, increased neurogenesis in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH), as measured by an increased number of cells immunoreactive for doublecortin (DCX), a marker of recently born neurons, in buntings, but not weaverbirds. This neurogenesis was associated with an increased density of fibres immunoreactive for the orexigenic neuropeptide Y (NPY). This hypothalamic plasticity observed in a migratory, but not in a non-migratory, species in response to photoperiod and food quality might represent an adaptation to the pre-migratory fattening, as required to support the extensive energy expenses that incur during the migratory flight.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Garima Yadav
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Shalie Malik
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | - Sangeeta Rani
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
| | | | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Zoology, University of Delhi, Delhi, India
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Tolla E, Stevenson TJ. Sex Differences and the Neuroendocrine Regulation of Seasonal Reproduction by Supplementary Environmental Cues. Integr Comp Biol 2020; 60:1506-1516. [PMID: 32869105 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icaa096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Seasonal rhythms in reproduction are conserved across nature and optimize the timing of breeding to environmental conditions favorable for offspring and parent survival. The primary predictive cue for timing seasonal breeding is photoperiod. Supplementary cues, such as food availability, social signals, and temperature, fine-tune the timing of reproduction. Male and female animals show differences in the sensory detection, neural integration, and physiological responses to the same supplementary cue. The neuroendocrine regulation of sex-specific integration of predictive and supplementary cues is not well characterized. Recent findings indicate that epigenetic modifications underlie the organization of sex differences in the brain. It has also become apparent that deoxyribonucleic acid methylation and chromatin modifications play an important role in the regulation and timing of seasonal rhythms. This article will highlight evidence for sex-specific responses to supplementary cues using data collected from birds and mammals. We will then emphasize that supplementary cues are integrated in a sex-dependent manner due to the neuroendocrine differences established and maintained by the organizational and activational effects of reproductive sex hormones. We will then discuss how epigenetic processes involved in reproduction provide a novel link between early-life organizational effects in the brain and sex differences in the response to supplementary cues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Tolla
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Tyler J Stevenson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
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10
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Gloux A, Duclos MJ, Brionne A, Bourin M, Nys Y, Réhault-Godbert S. Integrative analysis of transcriptomic data related to the liver of laying hens: from physiological basics to newly identified functions. BMC Genomics 2019; 20:821. [PMID: 31699050 PMCID: PMC6839265 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-019-6185-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/15/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background At sexual maturity, the liver of laying hens undergoes many metabolic changes to support vitellogenesis. In published transcriptomic approaches, hundreds of genes were reported to be overexpressed in laying hens and functional gene annotation using gene ontology tools have essentially revealed an enrichment in lipid and protein metabolisms. We reanalyzed some data from a previously published article comparing 38-week old versus 10-week old hens to give a more integrative view of the functions stimulated in the liver at sexual maturity and to move beyond current physiological knowledge. Functions were defined based on information available in Uniprot database and published literature. Results Of the 516 genes previously shown to be overexpressed in the liver of laying hens, 475 were intracellular (1.23–50.72 fold changes), while only 36 were predicted to be secreted (1.35–66.93 fold changes) and 5 had no related information on their cellular location. Besides lipogenesis and protein metabolism, we demonstrated that the liver of laying hens overexpresses several clock genes (which supports the circadian control of liver metabolic functions) and was likely to be involved in a liver/brain/liver circuit (neurotransmitter transport), in thyroid and steroid hormones metabolisms. Many genes were associated with anatomical structure development, organ homeostasis but also regulation of blood pressure. As expected, several secreted proteins are incorporated in yolky follicles but we also evidenced that some proteins are likely participating in fertilization (ZP1, MFGE8, LINC00954, OVOCH1) and in thyroid hormone maturation (CPQ). We also proposed that secreted proteins (PHOSPHO1, FGF23, BMP7 but also vitamin-binding proteins) may contribute to the development of peripheral organs including the formation of medullar bones to provide labile calcium for eggshell formation. Thirteen genes are uniquely found in chicken/bird but not in human species, which strengthens that some of these genes may be specifically related to avian reproduction. Conclusions This study gives additional hypotheses on some molecular actors and mechanisms that are involved in basic physiological function of the liver at sexual maturity of hen. It also revealed some additional functions that accompany reproductive capacities of laying hens, and that are usually underestimated when using classical gene ontology approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Audrey Gloux
- BOA, INRA, Université de Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France.
| | | | | | - Marie Bourin
- Institut Technique de l'Aviculture (ITAVI), Centre INRA Val de Loire, F-37380, Nouzilly, France
| | - Yves Nys
- BOA, INRA, Université de Tours, 37380, Nouzilly, France
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Santi D, Spaggiari G, Brigante G, Setti M, Tagliavini S, Trenti T, Simoni M. Semi-annual seasonal pattern of serum thyrotropin in adults. Sci Rep 2019; 9:10786. [PMID: 31346248 PMCID: PMC6658473 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-47349-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2019] [Accepted: 07/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Circannual rhythmicity in thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) secretion is proposed, whereas evidences on seasonal peripheral thyroid hormones’ fluctuation are contradictory. This study was designed to evaluate hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) seasonal secretion pattern using a big data approach. An observational, retrospective, big data trial was carried out, including all TSH measurements performed in a single laboratory between January 2010 and December 2017. A large dataset was created matching TSH data with patients’ age, gender, environmental temperature exposure, and free triiodothyronine (fT3) and free thyroxine (fT4) when available. The trend and seasonal distributions were analysed using autoregressive integrated moving average models. A total of 1,506,495 data were included in the final database with patients mean age of 59.00 ± 18.44 years. The mean TSH serum levels were 2.08 ± 1.57 microIU/mL, showing a seasonal distribution with higher levels in summer and winter seasons, independently from age, gender and environmental temperatures. Neither fT3 nor fT4 showed a seasonal trend. TSH seasonal changes occurred independently from peripheral thyroid hormone variations, gender, age and environmental temperatures. Although seasonal TSH fluctuation could represent a residual ancestral mechanism to maintain HPT homeostasis, the underlying physiological mechanism remains unclear and specific studies are needed to clarify its impacting role in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Santi
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy. .,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, OCSAE, Modena, Italy.
| | - Giorgia Spaggiari
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, OCSAE, Modena, Italy
| | - Giulia Brigante
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, OCSAE, Modena, Italy
| | - Monica Setti
- Service of Clinical Engineering, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Simonetta Tagliavini
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Anatomy Pathology, Azienda USL of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Tommaso Trenti
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Anatomy Pathology, Azienda USL of Modena, Modena, Italy
| | - Manuela Simoni
- Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy.,Unit of Endocrinology, Department of Medical Specialties, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria of Modena, OCSAE, Modena, Italy
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Cipolla-Neto J, Amaral FGD. Melatonin as a Hormone: New Physiological and Clinical Insights. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:990-1028. [PMID: 30215696 DOI: 10.1210/er.2018-00084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 310] [Impact Index Per Article: 51.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Melatonin is a ubiquitous molecule present in almost every live being from bacteria to humans. In vertebrates, besides being produced in peripheral tissues and acting as an autocrine and paracrine signal, melatonin is centrally synthetized by a neuroendocrine organ, the pineal gland. Independently of the considered species, pineal hormone melatonin is always produced during the night and its production and secretory episode duration are directly dependent on the length of the night. As its production is tightly linked to the light/dark cycle, melatonin main hormonal systemic integrative action is to coordinate behavioral and physiological adaptations to the environmental geophysical day and season. The circadian signal is dependent on its daily production regularity, on the contrast between day and night concentrations, and on specially developed ways of action. During its daily secretory episode, melatonin coordinates the night adaptive physiology through immediate effects and primes the day adaptive responses through prospective effects that will only appear at daytime, when melatonin is absent. Similarly, the annual history of the daily melatonin secretory episode duration primes the central nervous/endocrine system to the seasons to come. Remarkably, maternal melatonin programs the fetuses' behavior and physiology to cope with the environmental light/dark cycle and season after birth. These unique ways of action turn melatonin into a biological time-domain-acting molecule. The present review focuses on the above considerations, proposes a putative classification of clinical melatonin dysfunctions, and discusses general guidelines to the therapeutic use of melatonin.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Cipolla-Neto
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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13
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Nascimento S, Göethel G, Gauer B, Sauer E, Nardi J, Cestonaro L, Correia D, Peruzzi C, Mota L, Machry RV, Furlanetto TW, Saint' Pierre T, Gioda A, Arbo MD, Garcia SC. Exposure to environment chemicals and its possible role in endocrine disruption of children from a rural area. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 167:488-498. [PMID: 30142624 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2018.07.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/31/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including pesticides and metals, are present in rural areas, endangering the health of exposed populations. This work aimed to investigate the possible association between the exposure to these xenobiotics and thyroid dysfunction in children living in a rural community of Southern Brazil. Fifty-four children aged 5-16 years participated in this study. Peripheral biomarker evaluations were performed in periods of low and high exposure to pesticides. Thyroid ultrasonography was evaluated in the high exposure period. Blood levels of chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), mercury (Hg), and lead (Pb), as well as hair Pb levels were positively correlated with thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) concentrations and negatively associated with free thyroxine (fT4) levels in the low exposure period. Prolactin was positively associated with hair Mn in both periods. In the ultrasound tests, the majority of children presented a normal echogenicity of thyroid. Glucose was inversely associated with the biomarker of exposure to cholinesterase inhibitor insecticides, butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Lipid profile was above the recommended levels in both periods. In summary, our results show that children environmentally exposed to a mixture of xenobiotics in an agricultural community may have health impairments, especially on thyroid function, dyslipidemia, and glucose homeostasis disruption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Nascimento
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Göethel
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Bruna Gauer
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Elisa Sauer
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Jessica Nardi
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Larissa Cestonaro
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Douglas Correia
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Caroline Peruzzi
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Luciano Mota
- Hospital Universitário de Santa Maria (HUSM), Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Rafael V Machry
- Departamento de Medicina Clínica, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria (UFSM), Av. Roraima 1000, Santa Maria, RS, Brazil
| | - Tania W Furlanetto
- Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre (HCPA), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Ramiro Barcelos 2350, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Saint' Pierre
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Marquês de São Vicente 225, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Adriana Gioda
- Departamento de Química, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro (PUC-Rio), Marquês de São Vicente 225, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcelo D Arbo
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Solange C Garcia
- Laboratório de Toxicologia (LATOX), Departamento de Análises, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas (PPGCF), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Av. Ipiranga 2752, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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14
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Dardente H, Lomet D. Photoperiod and thyroid hormone regulate expression of l-dopachrome tautomerase (Dct), a melanocyte stem-cell marker, in tanycytes of the ovine hypothalamus. J Neuroendocrinol 2018; 30:e12640. [PMID: 30129070 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 08/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary is central to the control of seasonal breeding. In mammals, the PT translates the photoperiodic message carried by melatonin into an endocrine thyroid-stimulating hormone output, which controls local thyroid hormone (TH) signalling in tanycytes of the neighbouring hypothalamus. In the present study, we identify l-dopachrome tautomerase (Dct) as a novel marker of ovine tanycytes and show that Dct displays marked seasonal variations in expression, with higher levels during spring and summer. This seasonal profile is photoperiod-dependent because an acute exposure to long days induces Dct expression. In addition, we find that TH also modulates Dct expression. DCT functions as an enzyme in the melanin synthesis pathway within skin melanocytes, whereas expression in other tissues is comparatively low. We demonstrate that both Tyr and Tyrp1, which are enzymes that intervene upstream and downstream of Dct in the melanin synthesis pathway, respectively, are expressed at very low levels in the ovine hypothalamus. This suggests that Dct in tanycytes may not be involved in melanin synthesis. We speculate that DCT function is linked to its protective role towards oxidative stress and/or its function in the control of neural progenitor cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugues Dardente
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
| | - Didier Lomet
- PRC, INRA, CNRS, IFCE, Université de Tours, Nouzilly, France
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15
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Flandroy L, Poutahidis T, Berg G, Clarke G, Dao MC, Decaestecker E, Furman E, Haahtela T, Massart S, Plovier H, Sanz Y, Rook G. The impact of human activities and lifestyles on the interlinked microbiota and health of humans and of ecosystems. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 627:1018-1038. [PMID: 29426121 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.01.288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 144] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Revised: 01/28/2018] [Accepted: 01/28/2018] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Plants, animals and humans, are colonized by microorganisms (microbiota) and transiently exposed to countless others. The microbiota affects the development and function of essentially all organ systems, and contributes to adaptation and evolution, while protecting against pathogenic microorganisms and toxins. Genetics and lifestyle factors, including diet, antibiotics and other drugs, and exposure to the natural environment, affect the composition of the microbiota, which influences host health through modulation of interrelated physiological systems. These include immune system development and regulation, metabolic and endocrine pathways, brain function and epigenetic modification of the genome. Importantly, parental microbiotas have transgenerational impacts on the health of progeny. Humans, animals and plants share similar relationships with microbes. Research paradigms from humans and other mammals, amphibians, insects, planktonic crustaceans and plants demonstrate the influence of environmental microbial ecosystems on the microbiota and health of organisms, and indicate links between environmental and internal microbial diversity and good health. Therefore, overlapping compositions, and interconnected roles of microbes in human, animal and plant health should be considered within the broader context of terrestrial and aquatic microbial ecosystems that are challenged by the human lifestyle and by agricultural and industrial activities. Here, we propose research priorities and organizational, educational and administrative measures that will help to identify safe microbe-associated health-promoting modalities and practices. In the spirit of an expanding version of "One health" that includes environmental health and its relation to human cultures and habits (EcoHealth), we urge that the lifestyle-microbiota-human health nexus be taken into account in societal decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucette Flandroy
- Federal Public Service Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment, Belgium
| | - Theofilos Poutahidis
- Laboratory of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki 54124, Greece
| | - Gabriele Berg
- Environmental Biotechnology, Graz University of Technology, Petersgasse 12, A-8010 Graz, Austria
| | - Gerard Clarke
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioural Science, APC Microbiome Institute, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Maria-Carlota Dao
- ICAN, Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition, Assistance Publique Hôpitaux de Paris, Pitié-Salpêtrière Hospital, Paris, France; INSERM, UMRS U1166 (Eq 6) Nutriomics, Paris 6, France; UPMC, Sorbonne University, Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris 6, France
| | - Ellen Decaestecker
- Aquatic Biology, Department Biology, Science, Engineering & Technology Group, KU Leuven, Campus Kortrijk. E. Sabbelaan 53, B-8500 Kortrijk, Belgium
| | - Eeva Furman
- Finnish Environment Institute (SYKE), Helsinki, Finland
| | - Tari Haahtela
- Skin and Allergy Hospital, Helsinki University Hospital, University of Helsinki, Finland
| | - Sébastien Massart
- Laboratory of Integrated and Urban Phytopathology, TERRA, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, University of Liège, Passage des deportes, 2, 5030 Gembloux, Belgium
| | - Hubert Plovier
- Metabolism and Nutrition Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Yolanda Sanz
- Microbial Ecology, Nutrition & Health Research Unit, Institute of Agrochemistry and Food Technology, Spanish National Research Council (IATA-CSIC), Valencia, Spain
| | - Graham Rook
- Centre for Clinical Microbiology, Department of Infection, UCL (University College London), London, UK.
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16
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Prevot V, Dehouck B, Sharif A, Ciofi P, Giacobini P, Clasadonte J. The Versatile Tanycyte: A Hypothalamic Integrator of Reproduction and Energy Metabolism. Endocr Rev 2018; 39:333-368. [PMID: 29351662 DOI: 10.1210/er.2017-00235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2017] [Accepted: 01/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The fertility and survival of an individual rely on the ability of the periphery to promptly, effectively, and reproducibly communicate with brain neural networks that control reproduction, food intake, and energy homeostasis. Tanycytes, a specialized glial cell type lining the wall of the third ventricle in the median eminence of the hypothalamus, appear to act as the linchpin of these processes by dynamically controlling the secretion of neuropeptides into the portal vasculature by hypothalamic neurons and regulating blood-brain and blood-cerebrospinal fluid exchanges, both processes that depend on the ability of these cells to adapt their morphology to the physiological state of the individual. In addition to their barrier properties, tanycytes possess the ability to sense blood glucose levels, and play a fundamental and active role in shuttling circulating metabolic signals to hypothalamic neurons that control food intake. Moreover, accumulating data suggest that, in keeping with their putative descent from radial glial cells, tanycytes are endowed with neural stem cell properties and may respond to dietary or reproductive cues by modulating hypothalamic neurogenesis. Tanycytes could thus constitute the missing link in the loop connecting behavior, hormonal changes, signal transduction, central neuronal activation and, finally, behavior again. In this article, we will examine these recent advances in the understanding of tanycytic plasticity and function in the hypothalamus and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We will also discuss the putative involvement and therapeutic potential of hypothalamic tanycytes in metabolic and fertility disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Prevot
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Bénédicte Dehouck
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Ariane Sharif
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Philippe Ciofi
- Inserm, Neurocentre Magendie, Bordeaux, France.,Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Paolo Giacobini
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
| | - Jerome Clasadonte
- Inserm, Laboratory of Development and Plasticity of the Neuroendocrine Brain, Jean-Pierre Aubert Research Center, Lille, France.,University of Lille, FHU 1000 Days for Health, School of Medicine, Lille, France
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17
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van der Veen DR, Riede SJ, Heideman PD, Hau M, van der Vinne V, Hut RA. Flexible clock systems: adjusting the temporal programme. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2018; 372:rstb.2016.0254. [PMID: 28993498 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2016.0254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Under natural conditions, many aspects of the abiotic and biotic environment vary with time of day, season or even era, while these conditions are typically kept constant in laboratory settings. The timing information contained within the environment serves as critical timing cues for the internal biological timing system, but how this system drives daily rhythms in behaviour and physiology may also depend on the internal state of the animal. The disparity between timing of these cues in natural and laboratory conditions can result in substantial differences in the scheduling of behaviour and physiology under these conditions. In nature, temporal coordination of biological processes is critical to maximize fitness because they optimize the balance between reproduction, foraging and predation risk. Here we focus on the role of peripheral circadian clocks, and the rhythms that they drive, in enabling adaptive phenotypes. We discuss how reproduction, endocrine activity and metabolism interact with peripheral clocks, and outline the complex phenotypes arising from changes in this system. We conclude that peripheral timing is critical to adaptive plasticity of circadian organization in the field, and that we must abandon standard laboratory conditions to understand the mechanisms that underlie this plasticity which maximizes fitness under natural conditions.This article is part of the themed issue 'Wild clocks: integrating chronobiology and ecology to understand timekeeping in free-living animals'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daan R van der Veen
- School of Biosciences and Medicine, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK
| | - Sjaak J Riede
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Paul D Heideman
- Department of Biology, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, USA
| | - Michaela Hau
- Max-Planck-Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Germany and University of Konstanz, Konstanz, Germany
| | - Vincent van der Vinne
- Neurobiology Department, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
| | - Roelof A Hut
- Chronobiology Unit, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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18
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Loog L, Thomas MG, Barnett R, Allen R, Sykes N, Paxinos PD, Lebrasseur O, Dobney K, Peters J, Manica A, Larson G, Eriksson A. Inferring Allele Frequency Trajectories from Ancient DNA Indicates That Selection on a Chicken Gene Coincided with Changes in Medieval Husbandry Practices. Mol Biol Evol 2018; 34:1981-1990. [PMID: 28444234 PMCID: PMC5850110 DOI: 10.1093/molbev/msx142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Ancient DNA provides an opportunity to infer the drivers of natural selection by linking allele frequency changes to temporal shifts in environment or cultural practices. However, analyses have often been hampered by uneven sampling and uncertainties in sample dating, as well as being confounded by demographic processes. Here, we present a Bayesian statistical framework for quantifying the timing and strength of selection using ancient DNA that explicitly addresses these challenges. We applied this method to time series data for two loci: TSHR and BCDO2, both hypothesised to have undergone strong and recent selection in domestic chickens. The derived variant in TSHR, associated with reduced aggression to conspecifics and faster onset of egg laying, shows strong selection beginning around 1,100 years ago, coincident with archaeological evidence for intensified chicken production and documented changes in egg and chicken consumption. To our knowledge, this is the first example of preindustrial domesticate trait selection in response to a historically attested cultural shift in food preference. For BCDO2, we find support for selection, but demonstrate that the recent rise in allele frequency could also have been driven by gene flow from imported Asian chickens during more recent breed formations. Our findings highlight that traits found ubiquitously in modern domestic species may not necessarily have originated during the early stages of domestication. In addition, our results demonstrate the importance of precise estimation of allele frequency trajectories through time for understanding the drivers of selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liisa Loog
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom.,Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Mark G Thomas
- Research Department of Genetics, Evolution and Environment, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Ross Barnett
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Richard Allen
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Naomi Sykes
- Department of Archaeology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Ptolemaios D Paxinos
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Palaeoanatomy, Domestication Research and the History of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Ophélie Lebrasseur
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Keith Dobney
- Department of Archaeology, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, St. Mary's, United Kingdom.,Department of Archaeology, Classics and Egyptology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom.,Department of Archaeology, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - Joris Peters
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Institute of Palaeoanatomy, Domestication Research and the History of Veterinary Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany.,SNSB, Bavarian State Collection of Anthropology and Palaeoanatomy, Munich, Germany
| | - Andrea Manica
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Greger Larson
- The Palaeogenomics and Bio-Archaeology Research Network, Research Laboratory for Archaeology and History of Art, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Anders Eriksson
- Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom.,Department of Medical & Molecular Genetics, King's College London, Guys Hospital, London, United Kingdom
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19
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Stevenson TJ. Environmental and hormonal regulation of epigenetic enzymes in the hypothalamus. J Neuroendocrinol 2017; 29. [PMID: 28370682 DOI: 10.1111/jne.12471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neuroendocrine structures integrate a vast range of external cues and internal signals that, in turn, result in adaptive physiological responses. Emerging data indicate that light, social cues, stress and energy balance stimulate relatively short- and long-term genomic modifications in discrete neuroendocrine structures, which are mediated by epigenetic mechanisms. Moreover, environmentally-induced fluctuations in the synthesis of local hypothalamic and circulating hormones provide an internal signal that contributes to the extensive neuroendocrine genomic plasticity. This review examines the impact of environmental stimuli and endogenous hormonal signals on the regulation of epigenetic enzymes in key neuroendocrine structures. The data discussed are predominantly derived from studies in the neuroendocrine control of seasonal reproduction and the impact of social stress in rodent models. The perspective presented considers the role of oestrogen and glucocorticoids as the primary catalysts for inducing epigenetic modifications (eg, DNA methylation) in specific neuroendocrine structures. Oestrogen and glucocorticoid actions suggest: (i) a preferential action for specific epigenetic enzymes and (ii) nucleus- and cell-specific modifications. Untangling the complex web of hormonal regulation of methylation and acetylation will enhance our understanding of short- and long-term changes in epigenetic enzymes that generate adaptive and pathological neuroendocrine responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- T J Stevenson
- Institute for Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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20
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Armbruster D, Brocke B, Strobel A. Winter is coming: Seasonality and the acoustic startle reflex. Physiol Behav 2016; 169:178-183. [PMID: 27940142 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.11.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2016] [Revised: 11/28/2016] [Accepted: 11/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Circannual rhythms and seasonality have long been in the interest of research. In humans, seasonal changes in mood have been extensively investigated since a substantial part of the population experiences worsening of mood during winter. Questions remain regarding accompanying physiological phenomena. We report seasonal effects on the acoustic startle response in a cross-sectional (n=124) and a longitudinal sample (n=23). Startle magnitudes were larger in winter (sample 1: p=0.026; sample 2: p=0.010) compared to summer months. Although the findings need to be replicated they may have implications regarding the timing of startle experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Armbruster
- Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
| | - Burkhard Brocke
- Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Alexander Strobel
- Personality and Individual Differences, Institute of Psychology I, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
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21
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Holtmann B, Lagisz M, Nakagawa S. Metabolic rates, and not hormone levels, are a likely mediator of between‐individual differences in behaviour: a meta‐analysis. Funct Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 74] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Benedikt Holtmann
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
| | - Malgorzata Lagisz
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
| | - Shinichi Nakagawa
- Department of Zoology University of Otago 340 Great King Street Dunedin 9016 New Zealand
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales 2052 Australia
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22
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Bilu C, Einat H, Kronfeld-Schor N. Utilization of Diurnal Rodents in the Research of Depression. Drug Dev Res 2016; 77:336-345. [PMID: 27654112 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Preclinical Research Most neuropsychiatric research, including that related to the circadian system, is performed using nocturnal animals, mainly laboratory mice and rats. Mood disorders are known to be associated with circadian rhythm abnormalities, but the mechanisms by which circadian rhythm disruptions interact with depression remain unclear. As the circadian system of diurnal and nocturnal mammals differs, we previously suggested that the utilization of diurnal animal models may be advantageous for understanding these relations. During the last 10 years, we and others established the validity of several diurnal rodent species as a model for the interactions between circadian rhythms and depression. Diurnal rodents respond to photoperiod manipulation in a similar way to humans, the behavioral outcome is directly related to the circadian system, and treatment that is effective in patients is also effective in the model. Moreover, less effective treatments in patients are also less effective in the model. We, therefore, suggest that using diurnal animal models to study circadian rhythms-related affective disorders, such as depression, will provide new insights that will hopefully lead to the development of more effective treatments. Drug Dev Res 77 : 347-356, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carmel Bilu
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer, Sheva, Israel
| | - Haim Einat
- School of Behavioral Sciences, Tel Aviv-Yaffo College, Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Noga Kronfeld-Schor
- Department of Zoology Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
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23
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Photoperiodic Regulation of Cerebral Blood Flow in White-Footed Mice (Peromyscus leucopus). eNeuro 2016; 3:eN-NWR-0058-16. [PMID: 27570829 PMCID: PMC5000811 DOI: 10.1523/eneuro.0058-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2016] [Revised: 07/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Individuals living outside the tropics need to adjust their behavioral and physiological repertoires throughout the year to adapt to the changing seasons. White-footed mice (Peromyscus leucopus) reduce hippocampal volumes, hippocampal-dependent memory function, long-term potentiation, and alter neurogenesis in response to short (winter-like) day lengths (photoperiods). During winter, these mice putatively shunt energy away from the brain to maximize peripheral thermogenesis, immune function, and survival. We hypothesized that these changes in brain function are accompanied by alterations in brain vasculature. We maintained white-footed mice in short (8 h light/16 h dark) or long (16 h light/8 h dark) photoperiods for 8–9 weeks. Mice were then perfused with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-conjugated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) lectin to visualize the perfused cerebrovasculature. Short-day mice reduced hippocampal and cortical capillary density (FITC+ area); vessels isolated from short day-exposed mice expressed higher mRNA levels of the gelatinase matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2). Additionally, short-day mice reduced cerebral blood flow ∼15% compared with their long-day counterparts, as assessed by laser speckle flowmetry. Immunohistochemistry revealed higher levels of MMP2 in the hippocampus of mice maintained in short days compared with long days, potentially contributing to the observed vascular remodeling. These data demonstrate that a discrete environmental signal (i.e., day length) can substantially alter cerebral blood flow in adult mammals.
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Wood SH, Christian HC, Miedzinska K, Saer BRC, Johnson M, Paton B, Yu L, McNeilly J, Davis JRE, McNeilly AS, Burt DW, Loudon ASI. Binary Switching of Calendar Cells in the Pituitary Defines the Phase of the Circannual Cycle in Mammals. Curr Biol 2015; 25:2651-62. [PMID: 26412130 PMCID: PMC4612467 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2015.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2015] [Revised: 08/11/2015] [Accepted: 09/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Persistent free-running circannual (approximately year-long) rhythms have evolved in animals to regulate hormone cycles, drive metabolic rhythms (including hibernation), and time annual reproduction. Recent studies have defined the photoperiodic input to this rhythm, wherein melatonin acts on thyrotroph cells of the pituitary pars tuberalis (PT), leading to seasonal changes in the control of thyroid hormone metabolism in the hypothalamus. However, seasonal rhythms persist in constant conditions in many species in the absence of a changing photoperiod signal, leading to the generation of circannual cycles. It is not known which cells, tissues, and pathways generate these remarkable long-term rhythmic processes. We show that individual PT thyrotrophs can be in one of two binary states reflecting either a long (EYA3(+)) or short (CHGA(+)) photoperiod, with the relative proportion in each state defining the phase of the circannual cycle. We also show that a morphogenic cycle driven by the PT leads to extensive re-modeling of the PT and hypothalamus over the circannual cycle. We propose that the PT may employ a recapitulated developmental pathway to drive changes in morphology of tissues and cells. Our data are consistent with the hypothesis that the circannual timer may reside within the PT thyrotroph and is encoded by a binary switch timing mechanism, which may regulate the generation of circannual neuroendocrine rhythms, leading to dynamic re-modeling of the hypothalamic interface. In summary, the PT-ventral hypothalamus now appears to be a prime structure involved in long-term rhythm generation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shona H Wood
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Helen C Christian
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, Le Gros Clark Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Katarzyna Miedzinska
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PRG, UK
| | - Ben R C Saer
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Mark Johnson
- Department of Physiology, Anatomy, and Genetics, Le Gros Clark Building, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QX, UK
| | - Bob Paton
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PRG, UK
| | - Le Yu
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PRG, UK
| | - Judith McNeilly
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Julian R E Davis
- Faculty of Medical and Human Science, University of Manchester, Manchester, M13 9PT, UK
| | - Alan S McNeilly
- MRC Centre for Reproductive Health, Queen's Medical Research Institute, Edinburgh EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - David W Burt
- The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PRG, UK.
| | - Andrew S I Loudon
- Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PT, UK.
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Fabre-Nys C, Kendrick KM, Scaramuzzi RJ. The "ram effect": new insights into neural modulation of the gonadotropic axis by male odors and socio-sexual interactions. Front Neurosci 2015; 9:111. [PMID: 25914614 PMCID: PMC4391029 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2015.00111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Accepted: 03/16/2015] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reproduction in mammals is controlled by the hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis under the influence of external and internal factors such as photoperiod, stress, nutrition, and social interactions. Sheep are seasonal breeders and stop mating when day length is increasing (anestrus). However, interactions with a sexually active ram during this period can override the steroid negative feedback responsible for the anoestrus state, stimulate luteinizing hormone (LH) secretion and eventually reinstate cyclicity. This is known as the “ram effect” and research into the mechanisms underlying it is shedding new light on HPG axis regulation. The first step in the ram effect is increased LH pulsatile secretion in anestrus ewes exposed to a sexually active male or only to its fleece, the latter finding indicating a “pheromone-like” effect. Estradiol secretion increases in all ewes and this eventually induces a LH surge and ovulation, just as during the breeding season. An exception is a minority of ewes that exhibit a precocious LH surge (within 4 h) with no prior increase in estradiol. The main olfactory system and the cortical nucleus of the amygdala are critical brain structures in mediating the ram effect since it is blocked by their inactivation. Sexual experience is also important since activation (increased c-fos expression) in these and other regions is greatly reduced in sexually naïve ewes. In adult ewes kisspeptin neurons in both arcuate and preoptic regions and some preoptic GnRH neurons are activated 2 h after exposure to a ram. Exposure to rams also activates noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus and A1 nucleus and increased noradrenalin release occurs in the posterior preoptic area. Pharmacological modulation of this system modifies LH secretion in response to the male or his odor. Together these results show that the ram effect can be a fruitful model to promote both a better understanding of the neural and hormonal regulation of the HPG axis in general and also the specific mechanisms by which male cues can overcome negative steroid feedback and trigger LH release and ovulatory cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claude Fabre-Nys
- UMR 7247 Physiologie de la Reproduction et des Comportements, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique, Institut Français du Cheval et de L'équitation, Université de Tours Nouzilly, France
| | - Keith M Kendrick
- Key Laboratory for Neuroinformation, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China Chengdu, China
| | - Rex J Scaramuzzi
- Department of Comparative Biological Sciences, Royal Veterinary College South Mimms, UK
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