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Mohring B, Öst M, Jaatinen K, Parenteau C, Pallud M, Angelier F. Parenting in a changing environment: A long-term study of prolactin, parental effort and reproductive success in common eiders. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 357:114574. [PMID: 38936675 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024]
Abstract
Parental care is regulated by multiple endocrine mechanisms. Among these hormones, prolactin (PRL) is involved in the expression of parental behaviors. Despite the consensus that PRL mediates variation in parental effort with age and body condition, its role in the adjustment of parental effort to fluctuating environmental conditions, including changing predation pressure, still awaits further investigation. To shed light on this knowledge gap, we relied on a long-term monitoring of female common eiders Somateria mollissima (n = 1277 breeding attempts, 2012-2022) incubating under fluctuating predation risk to investigate the link between baseline PRL levels and female minimum age, body condition, clutch size, environmental parameters (predation pressure, climate, nest microhabitat) and hatching success. We predicted that PRL would be higher in older females, those in better condition or incubating larger clutches. We also predicted that females would reduce parental effort when nesting under challenging environmental conditions (high predation pressure or poor climatic conditions), translated into reduced baseline PRL levels. We also explored how variation in PRL levels, female characteristics and environmental parameters were related to hatching success. Following our predictions, PRL levels were positively associated with body condition and female age (before showing a senescent decline in the oldest breeders). However, we did not observe any population-level or individual-level reduction in PRL levels in response to increasing predation pressure. Population-level baseline PRL levels instead increased over the study period, coincident with rising predation threat, but also increasing female body condition and age. While we did not provide evidence for a direct association between baseline PRL levels and predation risk, our results support the idea that elevated baseline PRL levels promote hatching success under internal constraints (in young, inexperienced, breeders or those incubating a large clutch) or constraining environmental conditions (during years of high predation pressure or poor climatic and foraging conditions). Finally, the low repeatability of baseline PRL levels and high interannual variability highlight considerable within-individual flexibility in baseline PRL levels. Further research should explore flexibility in parental effort to changing environmental conditions, focusing on both baseline and stress-induced PRL levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bertille Mohring
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland; Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France; School of Environmental Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GP, United Kingdom.
| | - Markus Öst
- Environmental and Marine Biology, Åbo Akademi University, 20500 Turku, Finland; Novia University of Applied Sciences, 10600 Ekenäs, Finland
| | - Kim Jaatinen
- Finnish Environment Institute, 00790 Helsinki, Finland; Tvärminne Zoological Station, University of Helsinki, 10900 Hanko, Finland
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Marie Pallud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
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2
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Churchman EKL, Hain TJA, Neff BD. Prolactin modulates changes in parental care behaviour in response to perceived paternity in bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). Horm Behav 2024; 164:105610. [PMID: 39059232 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Prolactin is a hormone conserved across all vertebrates and is renowned for its role in reproduction and parental care. Previous studies on prolactin in fish have primarily relied on administration of mammalian prolactin and have suggested that increases in prolactin lead to greater parental care. However, the influence of endogenous prolactin on fish parental care remains unknown. Here, we measure circulating concentrations of endogenous prolactin during parental care in a fish and link these concentrations to parental care behaviour. We provide evidence that male bluegill sunfish with higher circulating concentrations of prolactin provide more parental care to their offspring. Furthermore, we show that nesting males with experimentally reduced perceived paternity have lower circulating prolactin concentrations and perform fewer parental behaviours, facilitating an adaptive investment in offspring in response to paternity cues. Our findings not only confirm the role of endogenous prolactin in modulating parental care behaviour in a fish but also provide a mechanism underlying the adaptive changes in parental care made in response to perceived paternity.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Timothy J A Hain
- Department of Biology, Western University, London N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Bryan D Neff
- Department of Biology, Western University, London N6A 3K7, Canada.
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3
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Bebbington K, Parenteau C, Chastel O, Groothuis TGG. Prolactin is associated with proximity to incubating partner rather than parental care in black-headed gulls. Horm Behav 2024; 163:105549. [PMID: 38663281 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2024.105549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/10/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/17/2024]
Abstract
The peptide hormone prolactin plays an important role in the expression of parental care behaviours across bird and mammal taxa. While a great deal is known about how plasma prolactin concentrations vary across the reproductive cycle, the few studies that investigate how prolactin relates to individual-level variation in parental care have reported mixed results. We argue that, since parental care is also affected by social interactions and environmental constraints, prolactin may better reflect behaviours that are indirectly related to parenting than the absolute level of care that is eventually expressed. In this study, we tested for associations between plasma prolactin and the expression of both parental care and proximity to the partner in incubating black-headed gulls, Chroicocephalus ridibundus. Baseline prolactin levels increased with calendar date but were unrelated to incubation behaviours. However, parents who showed a weaker decrease in prolactin to an acute stressor spent more time in close proximity to their incubating partner while not on the nest themselves, suggesting that individual variation in stress-induced prolactin changes reflect differences in parents' tendency to be closely associated with their partner and the joint nesting attempt. Baseline and stress-induced levels of the stress hormone corticosterone were unrelated to both prolactin levels and parental behaviours, suggesting that this hormone is not a strong moderator of parental care in black-headed gulls. One potential explanation for the link between prolactin dynamics and partner proximity is that prolactin reflects parental motivation to provide parental care or retain contact with the breeding partner, but further work is needed to directly test this hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kat Bebbington
- Behavioural Biology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 6747AG Groningen, the Netherlands; Department of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University and Research, 6708WD Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372, CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Behavioural Biology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 6747AG Groningen, the Netherlands
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Kaplan G. The evolution of social play in songbirds, parrots and cockatoos - emotional or highly complex cognitive behaviour or both? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2024; 161:105621. [PMID: 38479604 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2024.105621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Social play has been described in many animals. However, much of this social behaviour among birds, particularly in adults, is still relatively unexplored in terms of the environmental, psychological, and social dynamics of play. This paper provides an overview of what we know about adult social play in birds and addresses areas in which subtleties and distinctions, such as in play initiation and social organisation and its relationship to expressions of play, are considered in detail. The paper considers emotional, social, innovative, and cognitive aspects of play, then the environmental conditions and affiliative bonds, suggesting a surprisingly complex framework of criteria awaiting further research. Adult social play has so far been studied in only a small number of avian species, exclusively in those with a particularly large brain relative to body size without necessarily addressing brain functions and lateralization. When lateralization of brain function is considered, it can further illuminate a possibly significant relevance of play behaviour to the evolution of cognition, to management of emotions, and the development of sociality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisela Kaplan
- University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia.
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Mohanty B. Seasonality of Reproduction in a Subtropical Free-Living Finch Amandava amandava: Plasticity of Adenohypophyseal Gonadotropes, Lactotropes, and Thyrotropes. Neuroendocrinology 2024; 114:538-552. [PMID: 38262383 DOI: 10.1159/000536418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This study sought to decipher the mechanism of transitions between life-history stages in a seasonally reproducing subtropical finch, Amandava amandava delineating the plasticity of the gonadotropes (LH cells), lactotropes (PRL cells), and thyrotropes (TSH cells) in the pituitary gland including the pars tuberalis, with regard to the in situ expression, morphological characteristics, and alteration in the plasma levels of hormones. METHODS Immunohistochemistry of LH, PRL, TSH cells, morphometry and densitometry of expressed hormones (Image J software analysis), and ELISA for plasma hormonal levels were performed. RESULTS LH, PRL, and TSH cells showed remarkable plasticity during the annual seasonal reproductive cycle. In the PT, all the 3 cell types were detected during the breeding phase, with additional detection of the TSH immunoreactivity during the pre-breeding and the PRL immunoreactivity during post-breeding phases. Pars distalis (PD) expressions and the plasma levels of the LH and TSH were at the peak during the breeding phase, but the PRL peak was during the post-breeding phase. In addition to PRL in the neurohypophysis and in the median eminence, hypothalamic PRL, and TSH were also elucidated. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests activation of the gonadal axis by the PT TSH which might transduce seasonal cues, but not specifically photoperiod, in the birds of the tropics/subtropics. Post-breeding phase sustained high plasma TSH and peak plasma PRL might coordinate the transition to the non-breeding phase including the trigger of parental care as the later hormone assigned with. Hypothalamic TSH and PRL might influence events of seasonality through central modulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Banalata Mohanty
- Department of Zoology, University of Allahabad, Prayagraj, India
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Booth AM, Viernes R, Farrar VS, Flores L, Austin SH, Calisi RM. Sex-specific behavioral and physiological changes during single parenting in a biparental species, Columba livia. Horm Behav 2023; 156:105428. [PMID: 37748275 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2023.105428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Many species exhibit biparental care to maximize fitness. When a partner is lost, the surviving partner may alter their behavior to compensate offspring. Whether both sexes use the same physiological mechanisms to manifest their change in behavior remains elusive. We investigated behaviors and mechanisms associated with the alteration of parental care post-partner removal in a biparental avian species, the rock dove (Columba livia). We hypothesized that rock dove single parents experience sex-biased changes in neural genomic transcription and reproductive behaviors, and these changes are related to chick development. We manipulated parental partner presence and measured parental attendance, offspring growth, gene expression of glucocorticoid receptors (GR) and mineralocorticoid receptors (MR) in the pituitary, and GR, MR, and estrogen receptor beta (ER-β) in the hypothalamus. We also measured circulating plasma concentrations of the stress-associated hormone corticosterone and the parental care-associated hormone prolactin. We also quantified prolactin gene (PRL) expression changes in the pituitary, as well as prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression in the hypothalamus and pituitary. We found that single mothers and fathers maintained similar provisioning levels as paired parents, but spent less cumulative time brooding chicks. Chicks of single parents were smaller than paired-parented chicks after three days post-hatch. Mothers in both treatment groups experienced higher expression of hypothalamic GR as compared to fathers. Single parents experienced lower PRL gene expression in the pituitary as compared to paired parents. No significant differences were found for the circulating hormones or other genes listed.
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Affiliation(s)
- April M Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
| | - Rechelle Viernes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Laura Flores
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Suzanne H Austin
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
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Hattab J, Marruchella G, Sibra A, Tiscar PG, Todisco G. Canaries' Microbiota: The Gut Bacterial Communities along One Female Reproductive Cycle. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2289. [PMID: 37764133 PMCID: PMC10537324 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11092289] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Investigations of bacterial communities are on the rise both in human and veterinary medicine. Their role in health maintenance and pathogenic mechanisms is in the limelight of infectious, metabolic, and cancer research. Among the most considered, gut bacterial communities take the cake. Their part in animals was assessed mainly to improve animal production, public health, and pet management. In this regard, canaries deserve attention, being a popular pet and source of economic income for bird-keepers, for whom breeding represents a pivotal point. Thus, the present work aimed to follow gut bacterial communities' evolution along on whole reproductive cycle of 12 healthy female canaries. Feces were collected during parental care, molting, and resting phase, and submitted for 16S rRNA sequencing. Data were analyzed and a substantial presence of Lactobacillus aviarius along all the phases, and a relevant shift of microbiota during molting and rest due to an abrupt decrease of the Vermiphilaceae family were detected. Although the meaning of such change is not clear, future research may highlight unforeseen scenarios. Moreover, Lactobacillus aviarius may be deemed for normal bacteria flora restoration in debilitated birds, perhaps improving their health and productivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine Hattab
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Giuseppe Marruchella
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
| | - Alessandra Sibra
- APHA—Animal & Plant Health Agency, Building 1, Sevington Inland Border Facility, Ashford TN25 6GE, UK;
| | - Pietro Giorgio Tiscar
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, SP18 Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, Italy; (J.H.); (G.M.)
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Mota-Rojas D, Marcet-Rius M, Domínguez-Oliva A, Buenhombre J, Daza-Cardona EA, Lezama-García K, Olmos-Hernández A, Verduzco-Mendoza A, Bienboire-Frosini C. Parental behavior and newborn attachment in birds: life history traits and endocrine responses. Front Psychol 2023; 14:1183554. [PMID: 37599744 PMCID: PMC10434784 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2023.1183554] [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: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/22/2023] Open
Abstract
In birds, parental care and attachment period differ widely depending on the species (altricial or precocial), developmental strategies, and life history traits. In most bird species, parental care can be provided by both female and male individuals and includes specific stages such as nesting, laying, and hatching. During said periods, a series of neuroendocrine responses are triggered to motivate parental care and attachment. These behaviors are vital for offspring survival, development, social bonding, intergenerational learning, reproductive success, and ultimately, the overall fitness and evolution of bird populations in a variety of environments. Thus, this review aims to describe and analyze the behavioral and endocrine systems of parental care and newborn attachment in birds during each stage of the post-hatching period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Mota-Rojas
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Míriam Marcet-Rius
- Department of Animal Behaviour and Welfare, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology, Apt, France
| | - Adriana Domínguez-Oliva
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Jhon Buenhombre
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Antonio Nariño University, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | - Karina Lezama-García
- Neurophysiology, Behavior and Animal Welfare Assessment, DPAA, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Adriana Olmos-Hernández
- Division of Biotechnology—Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Antonio Verduzco-Mendoza
- Division of Biotechnology—Bioterio and Experimental Surgery, Instituto Nacional de Rehabilitación-Luis Guillermo Ibarra Ibarra, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Cécile Bienboire-Frosini
- Department of Molecular Biology and Chemical Communication, Research Institute in Semiochemistry and Applied Ethology, Apt, France
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Wang Y, Wang X, Luo Y, Zhang J, Lin Y, Wu J, Zeng B, Liu L, Yan P, Liang J, Guo H, Jin L, Tang Q, Long K, Li M. Spatio-temporal transcriptome dynamics coordinate rapid transition of core crop functions in 'lactating' pigeon. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010746. [PMID: 37289658 PMCID: PMC10249823 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Pigeons (Columba livia) are among a select few avian species that have developed a specialized reproductive mode wherein the parents produce a 'milk' in their crop to feed newborn squabs. Nonetheless, the transcriptomic dynamics and role in the rapid transition of core crop functions during 'lactation' remain largely unexplored. Here, we generated a de novo pigeon genome assembly to construct a high resolution spatio-temporal transcriptomic landscape of the crop epithelium across the entire breeding stage. This multi-omics analysis identified a set of 'lactation'-related genes involved in lipid and protein metabolism, which contribute to the rapid functional transitions in the crop. Analysis of in situ high-throughput chromatin conformation capture (Hi-C) sequencing revealed extensive reorganization of promoter-enhancer interactions linked to the dynamic expression of these 'lactation'-related genes between stages. Moreover, their expression is spatially localized in specific epithelial layers, and can be correlated with phenotypic changes in the crop. These results illustrate the preferential de novo synthesis of 'milk' lipids and proteins in the crop, and provides candidate enhancer loci for further investigation of the regulatory elements controlling pigeon 'lactation'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujie Wang
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xun Wang
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiaman Zhang
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yu Lin
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Wu
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Zeng
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Peiqi Yan
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jiyuan Liang
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Hongrui Guo
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Long Jin
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Qianzi Tang
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Keren Long
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
| | - Mingzhou Li
- Livestock and Poultry Multi-omics Key Laboratory of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, College of Animal Science and Technology, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
- Animal Breeding and Genetics Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Institute of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, China
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10
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Rohmah L, Darwati S, Ulupi N, Khaerunnisa I, Sumantri C. Polymorphism of prolactin (PRL) gene exon 5 and its association with egg production in IPB-D1 chickens. Arch Anim Breed 2022; 65:449-455. [PMID: 36643022 PMCID: PMC9832302 DOI: 10.5194/aab-65-449-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The prolactin (PRL) gene regulates the egg production and incubation in laying chickens. Local chickens' reproductive systems will disrupt as a result of the incubation period activity, and they will lay fewer eggs. This study aimed to determine the prolactin gene polymorphism in IPB-D1 hens and its relationship to egg production. The polymorphism of the exon 5 prolactin gene was examined on 112 samples of the IPB-D1 chicken DNA collection from the Division of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Faculty of Animal Sciences, IPB University. By performing the phenol-chloroform method, the genomic DNA was obtained. A polymerase chain reaction (PCR) product with a size of 557 bp was produced as a result of the DNA amplification. Three single-nucleotide sequences were discovered. Three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), g.7835A > G, g.7886A > T, and g.8052T > C, were found in exon 5 of the PRL gene. Each mutation was polymorphic and in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. The point mutation g.8052T > C significantly impacted the egg production of IPB-D1 chickens, according to the SNP association analysis on egg production, and may serve as a marker to enhance the selection for the features of egg production in IPB-D1 chickens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lailatul Rohmah
- Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal
Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Sri Darwati
- Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal
Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Niken Ulupi
- Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal
Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
| | - Isyana Khaerunnisa
- Research Center for Applied Zoology, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor 16911, Indonesia
| | - Cece Sumantri
- Department of Animal Production and Technology, Faculty of Animal
Sciences, IPB University, Bogor 16680, Indonesia
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11
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Farrar VS, Morales Gallardo J, Calisi RM. Prior parental experience attenuates hormonal stress responses and alters hippocampal glucocorticoid receptors in biparental rock doves. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:285344. [PMID: 36448917 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244820] [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: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
In the face of challenges, animals must balance investments in reproductive effort versus their own survival. Physiologically, this trade-off may be mediated by glucocorticoid release by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and prolactin release from the pituitary to maintain parental care. The degree to which animals react to and recover from stressors likely affects maintenance of parental behavior and, ultimately, fitness. However, less is known about how gaining parental experience may alter hormonal stress responses and their underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms. To address this gap, we measured the corticosterone (CORT) and prolactin (PRL) stress response in individuals of both sexes of the biparental rock dove (Columba livia) that had never raised chicks versus birds that had fledged at least one chick. We measured both CORT and PRL at baseline and after an acute stressor (30 min restraint). We also measured negative feedback ability by administering dexamethasone, a synthetic glucocorticoid that suppresses CORT release, and measured CORT and PRL after 60 min. All hormones were measured when birds were not actively nesting to assess whether effects of parental experience extend beyond the breeding bout. Experienced birds had lower stress-induced and negative-feedback CORT, and higher stress-induced PRL than inexperienced birds. In a separate experiment, we measured glucocorticoid receptor subtype expression in the hippocampus, a key site of negative feedback regulation. Experienced birds showed higher glucocorticoid receptor expression than inexperienced controls, which may mediate their ability to attenuate CORT release. Together, these results shed light on potential mechanisms by which gaining experience may improve parental performance and fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Jaime Morales Gallardo
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Smiley KO, Lipshutz SE, Kimmitt AA, DeVries MS, Cain KE, George EM, Covino KM. Beyond a biased binary: A perspective on the misconceptions, challenges, and implications of studying females in avian behavioral endocrinology. Front Physiol 2022; 13:970603. [PMID: 36213250 PMCID: PMC9532843 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.970603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
For decades, avian endocrinology has been informed by male perspectives and male-focused research, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of female birds. Male birds have been favored as research subjects because their reproductive behaviors are considered more conspicuous and their reproductive physiology is presumably less complex than female birds. However, female birds should not be ignored, as female reproductive behavior and physiology are essential for the propagation of all avian species. Endocrine research in female birds has made much progress in the last 20 years, but a substantial disparity in knowledge between male and female endocrinology persists. In this perspective piece, we provide examples of why ornithology has neglected female endocrinology, and we propose considerations for field and laboratory techniques to facilitate future studies. We highlight recent advances that showcase the importance of female avian endocrinology, and we challenge historic applications of an oversimplified, male-biased lens. We further provide examples of species for which avian behavior differs from the stereotypically described behaviors of male and female birds, warning investigators of the pitfalls in approaching endocrinology with a binary bias. We hope this piece will inspire investigators to engage in more comprehensive studies with female birds, to close the knowledge gap between the sexes, and to look beyond the binary when drawing conclusions about what is ‘male’ versus ‘female’ biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina O. Smiley
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
- Center for Neuroendocrine Studies and Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of Massachusetts-Amherst, Amherst, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Kristina O. Smiley,
| | - Sara E. Lipshutz
- Biology Department, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Abigail A. Kimmitt
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States
| | - M. Susan DeVries
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI, United States
| | - Kristal E. Cain
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Elizabeth M. George
- Biology Department, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Kristen. M. Covino
- Biology Department, Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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13
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Farrar VS, Flores L, Viernes RC, Ornelas Pereira L, Mushtari S, Calisi RM. Prolactin promotes parental responses and alters reproductive axis gene expression, but not courtship behaviors, in both sexes of a biparental bird. Horm Behav 2022; 144:105217. [PMID: 35785711 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Prolactin, a hormone involved in vertebrate parental care, is hypothesized to inhibit reproductive hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis activity during parenting, thus maintaining investment in the current brood as opposed to new reproductive efforts. While prolactin underlies many parental behaviors in birds, its effects on other reproductive behaviors, such as courtship, remain unstudied. How prolactin affects neuropeptide and hormone receptor expression across the avian HPG axis also remains unknown. To address these questions, we administered ovine prolactin (oPRL) or a vehicle control to both sexes in experienced pairs of the biparental rock dove (Columba livia), after nest removal at the end of incubation. We found that oPRL promoted parental responses to novel chicks and stimulated crop growth compared to controls, consistent with other studies. However, we found that neither courtship behaviors, copulation rates nor pair maintenance differed with oPRL treatment. Across the HPG, we found oPRL had little effect on gene expression in hypothalamic nuclei, but increased expression of FSHB and hypothalamic hormone receptor genes in the pituitary. In the gonads, oPRL increased testes size and gonadotropin receptor expression, but did not affect ovarian state or small white follicle gene expression. However, the oviducts of oPRL-treated females were smaller and had lower estrogen receptor expression compared with controls. Our results highlight that some species, especially those that show multiple brooding, may continue to express mating behavior despite elevated prolactin. Thus, mechanisms may exist for prolactin to promote investment in parental care without concurrent inhibition of reproductive function or HPG axis activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America.
| | - Laura Flores
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Rechelle C Viernes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Laura Ornelas Pereira
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Susan Mushtari
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States of America
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14
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Valdez DJ. An updated look at the mating system, parental care and androgen seasonal variations in ratites. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 323-324:114034. [PMID: 35367461 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2022.114034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Androgens modulate multiple key aspects of male reproduction, from morphology to mating behavior. Across animals the seasonal patterns of androgens are tightly linked to many of the species' life-history traits and their evolution. One popular framework to address this issue has been the Challenge Hypothesis, which proposed a testosterone-mediated trade-off between mating and parental care in males. Given the lack of empirical support, especially in birds, this hypothesis has been recently revisited (Challenge Hypothesis 2.0), integrating aspects such as male-female interactions and the diversity of reproductive systems in birds. Ratites constitute the most basal avian group (Palaeognathae: ratites together with Tinamiformes) and have certain characteristics that make them unique. They are flightless and generally have promiscuous mating systems with communal nests and male-only parental care (nest building, incubation and chick rearing). Furthermore, male testosterone concentrations remain high during the entire parental care period. Here we review the reproductive biology of ratites, integrating information on seasonal variations in parental care, social interactions and androgen levels across the group, in light of the Challenge Hypotheses and the Challenge Hypothesis 2.0 (there are no seasonal hormonal data for Tinamiformes, therefore they are not included in this review). We also discuss the constraints that could explain the lack of experimental approaches in behavioral endocrinology across ratites. I hope this review will motivate further research on this basal group of birds and further our understanding of the evolution of the mechanisms in the endocrine system that underly reproductive behavior across birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego J Valdez
- Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales. Centro de Zoología Aplicada. Rondeau 798, CP X5000AVP, Córdoba, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal (IDEA), Av. Vélez Sarsfield 299, X5000JJC, Córdoba, Argentina.
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15
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Gilbert JD, Rossiter SJ, Bennett NC, Faulkes CG. The elusive role of prolactin in the sociality of the naked mole-rat. Horm Behav 2022; 143:105196. [PMID: 35597054 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2022.105196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Despite decades of research into the evolutionary drivers of sociality, we know relatively little about the underlying proximate mechanisms. Here we investigate the potential role of prolactin in the highly social naked mole-rat. Naked mole-rats live in large social groups but, only a small number of individuals reproduce. The remaining non-breeders are reproductively suppressed and contribute to burrow maintenance, foraging, and allo-parental care. Prolactin has well-documented links with reproductive timing and parental behaviour, and the discovery that non-breeding naked mole-rats have unusually high prolactin levels has led to the suggestion that prolactin may help maintain naked mole-rat sociality. To test this idea, we investigated whether urinary prolactin was correlated with cooperative behaviour and aggression. We then administered the prolactin-suppressing drug Cabergoline to eight female non-breeders for eight weeks and assessed the physiology and behaviour of the animals relative to controls. Contrary to the mammalian norm, and supporting previous findings for plasma, we found non-breeders had elevated urinary prolactin concentrations that were similar to breeding females. Further, prolactin levels were higher in heavier, socially dominant non-breeders. Urinary prolactin concentrations did not explain variation in working behaviour or patterns of aggression. Furthermore, females receiving Cabergoline did not show any behavioural or hormonal (progesterone) differences, and urinary prolactin did not appear to be suppressed in individuals receiving Cabergoline. While the results add to the relatively limited literature experimentally manipulating prolactin to investigate its role in reproduction and behaviour, they fail to explain why prolactin levels are high in non-breeding naked mole-rats, or how female non-breeding phenotypes are maintained.
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Affiliation(s)
- James D Gilbert
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
| | - Stephen J Rossiter
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
| | - Nigel C Bennett
- Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Christopher G Faulkes
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, Mile End Road, London E1 4NS, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
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16
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Rückl A, Thompson DL, Hatt JM. Effect of the Prolactin Inhibitor Cabergoline and the Gonadotropin Releasing-Hormone Agonist Deslorelin in the Suppression of Plasma Prolactin Concentrations and Egg Laying in Quail (Coturnix japonica). J Avian Med Surg 2022; 36:39-52. [DOI: 10.1647/20-00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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Ledwoń M, Flis A, Banach A, Neubauer G, Angelier F. Baseline and stress-induced prolactin and corticosterone concentrations in a species with female offspring desertion - The case of Whiskered Tern Chlidonias hybrida. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 317:113943. [PMID: 34800441 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
To understand the proximate mechanisms regulating brood desertion, we studied hormonal and behavioural stress responses during the chick-rearing period in adult Whiskered Terns (Chlidonias hybrida), a socially monogamous, semi-precocial species with prolonged post-fledging parental care. In contrast to males, almost all females of this species desert during the chick-rearing and post-fledging periods. Because of the expected link between corticosterone, prolactin and parental investment, we hypothesized that males and females should differ in circulating prolactin and corticosterone concentrations. Baseline hormone concentrations did not differ between males and females. In both sexes, prolactin and corticosterone concentrations decreased and increased in response to acute stress (30 min after capture), respectively. Baseline and stress-induced prolactin concentrations decreased significantly in both sexes with advancing brood age. As expected, males had significantly higher stress-induced prolactin concentrations than females. None of the nine males released after being held in captivity for 24 h deserted, whereas four (29%) of the 14 females kept in captivity for 24 h did so. Altogether, these results suggest that higher prolactin concentrations may be involved in the maintenance of parental care under stress. However, there was no statistically significant difference in stress-induced hormone levels between males, females that deserted and those that returned to the nest after prolonged stress (24 h). Our data indicate that males are probably more resistant to stress as regards the continuation of parental care. The pattern of male and female behavioural and hormonal responses to stress partially predicts their behaviour in terms of natural desertion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Ledwoń
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland.
| | - Adam Flis
- Institute of Nature Conservation, Polish Academy of Sciences, Adama Mickiewicza 33, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
| | - Agata Banach
- Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Neubauer
- Laboratory of Forest Biology, Wrocław University, ul. Sienkiewicza 21, 50-335 Wrocław, Poland
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS- la Rochelle Université, Villiers en Bois, France
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18
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Farrar VS, Harris RM, Austin SH, Nava Ultreras BM, Booth AM, Angelier F, Lang AS, Feustel T, Lee C, Bond A, MacManes MD, Calisi RM. Prolactin and prolactin receptor expression in the HPG axis and crop during parental care in both sexes of a biparental bird (Columba livia). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 315:113940. [PMID: 34756919 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113940] [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: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
During breeding, multiple circulating hormones, including prolactin, facilitate reproductive transitions in species that exhibit parental care. Prolactin underlies parental behaviors and related physiological changes across many vertebrates, including birds and mammals. While circulating prolactin levels often fluctuate across breeding, less is known about how relevant target tissues vary in their prolactin responsiveness via prolactin receptor (PRLR) expression. Recent studies have also investigated prolactin (PRL) gene expression outside of the pituitary (i.e., extra-pituitary PRL), but how PRL gene expression varies during parental care in non-pituitary tissue (e.g., hypothalamus, gonads) remains largely unknown. Further, it is unclear if and how tissue-specific PRL and PRLR vary between the sexes during biparental care. To address this, we measured PRL and PRLR gene expression in tissues relevant to parental care, the endocrine reproductive hypothalamic-pituitary- gonadal (HPG) axis and the crop (a tissue with a similar function as the mammalian mammary gland), across various reproductive stages in both sexes of a biparental bird, the rock dove (Columba livia). We also assessed how these genes responded to changes in offspring presence by adding chicks mid-incubation, simulating an early hatch when prolactin levels were still moderately low. We found that pituitary PRL expression showed similar increases as plasma prolactin levels, and detected extra-pituitary PRL in the hypothalamus, gonads and crop. Hypothalamic and gonadal PRLR expression also changed as birds began incubation. Crop PRLR expression correlated with plasma prolactin, peaking when chicks hatched. In response to replacing eggs with a novel chick mid-incubation, hypothalamic and gonadal PRL and PRLR gene expression differed significantly compared to mid-incubation controls, even when plasma prolactin levels did not differ. We also found sex differences in PRL and PRLR that suggest gene expression may allow males to compensate for lower levels in prolactin by upregulating PRLR in all tissues. Overall, this study advances our understanding of how tissue-specific changes in responsiveness to parental hormones may differ across key reproductive transitions, in response to offspring cues, and between the sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Rayna M Harris
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Suzanne H Austin
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Brandon M Nava Ultreras
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - April M Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, UMR 7372, 79360 Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Andrew S Lang
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Tanner Feustel
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Candice Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Annie Bond
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Matthew D MacManes
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, United States
| | - Rebecca M Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA 95616, United States
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19
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Ruiz-Raya F. Ecophysiology of egg rejection in hosts of avian brood parasites: new insights and perspectives. Curr Zool 2021; 67:631-638. [PMID: 34805540 PMCID: PMC8599070 DOI: 10.1093/cz/zoab042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Egg rejection is the most effective and widespread defense used by host species to counteract the extreme fitness costs frequently imposed by obligate avian brood parasites. Yet, the proximate mechanisms underlying between- and within-individual variation in host responses remain poorly explored. Emerging evidence suggests that egg rejection is dependent on individual physiological states, and draws attention to the role of hormones as mediators of flexible antiparasitic responses. In this perspective article, I outline recent advances in our understanding of the proximate factors that mediate egg rejection. I also point out some areas where knowledge remains still lacking, especially those related to the development and maintenance of effective cognitive functions, the potential role of oxidative stress, immunological state, and developmental stressors. I propose new hypotheses that stimulate future research on behavioral host responses toward brood parasitism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Ruiz-Raya
- Centro de Investigación Mariña, Universidade de Vigo, GEA, Vigo 36310, Spain
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20
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Ruiz-Raya F, Ibáñez-Álamo JD, Parenteau C, Chastel O, Soler M. Prolactin mediates behavioural rejection responses to avian brood parasitism. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272569. [PMID: 34605904 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.240101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Adaptations resulting from co-evolutionary interactions between avian brood parasites and their hosts have been extensively studied, yet the physiological mechanisms underlying antiparasitic host defences remain little known. Prolactin, one of the main hormones involved in the regulation of avian parental behaviour, might play a key role in the orchestration of the host responses to avian brood parasitism. Given the positive association between prolactin and parental behaviour during incubation, decreasing prolactin levels are expected to facilitate egg-rejection decisions. We tested this prediction by implanting Eurasian blackbird (Turdus merula) females with an inhibitor of prolactin secretion, bromocriptine mesylate, to experimentally decrease their plasma prolactin levels. Bromocriptine mesylate-implanted individuals ejected mimetic model eggs at higher rates, and showed shorter latency to egg ejection, than placebo-treated birds. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental evidence that behavioural host defences against avian brood parasitism are mediated by prolactin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372 CNRS - Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372 CNRS - Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Manuel Soler
- Departamento de Zoología, Universidad de Granada, E-18071 Granada, Spain
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21
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Lopes PC, de Bruijn R. Neurotranscriptomic changes associated with chick-directed parental care in adult non-reproductive Japanese quail. Sci Rep 2021; 11:15481. [PMID: 34326416 PMCID: PMC8322411 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94927-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
For many species, parental care critically affects offspring survival. But what drives animals to display parental behaviours towards young? In mammals, pregnancy-induced physiological transformations seem key in preparing the neural circuits that lead towards attraction (and reduced-aggression) to young. Beyond mammalian maternal behaviour, knowledge of the neural mechanisms that underlie young-directed parental care is severely lacking. We took advantage of a domesticated bird species, the Japanese quail, for which parental behaviour towards chicks can be induced in virgin non-reproductive adults through a sensitization procedure, a process that is not effective in all animals. We used the variation in parental responses to study neural transcriptomic changes associated with the sensitization procedure itself and with the outcome of the procedure (i.e., presence of parental behaviours). We found differences in gene expression in the hypothalamus and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, but not the nucleus taeniae. Two genes identified are of particular interest. One is neurotensin, previously only demonstrated to be causally associated with maternal care in mammals. The other one is urocortin 3, causally demonstrated to affect young-directed neglect and aggression in mammals. Because our studies were conducted in animals that were reproductively quiescent, our results reflect core neural changes that may be associated with avian young-directed care independently of extensive hormonal stimulation. Our work opens new avenues of research into understanding the neural basis of parental care in non-placental species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia C Lopes
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA.
| | - Robert de Bruijn
- Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, USA
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22
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Mohring B, Angelier F, Jaatinen K, Parenteau C, Öst M. Parental Investment Under Predation Threat in Incubating Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima): A Hormonal Perspective. Front Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2021.637561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Predation risk affects the costs and benefits of prey life-history decisions. Predation threat is often higher during reproduction, especially in conspicuous colonial breeders. Therefore, predation risk may increase the survival cost of breeding, and reduce parental investment. The impact of predation risk on avian parental investment decisions may be hormonally mediated by prolactin and corticosterone, making them ideal tools for studying the trade-offs involved. Prolactin is thought to promote parental care and commitment in birds. Corticosterone is involved in allostasis and may either mediate reduced parental investment (corticosterone-fitness hypothesis), or promote parental investment through a reallocation of resources (corticosterone-adaptation hypothesis). Here, we used these hormonal proxies of incubation commitment to examine the impact of predation risk on reproduction in common eiders (Somateria mollissima) breeding in the Baltic Sea. This eider population is subject to high but spatially and temporally variable predation pressure on adults (mainly by the white-tailed eagle Haliaeetus albicilla and introduced mammalian predators) and nests (by the adult predators and exclusive egg predators such as hooded crows Corvus cornix). We investigated baseline hormonal levels and hatching success as a function of individual quality attributes (breeding experience, female and duckling body condition), reproductive investment (clutch weight), and predation risk. We expected individuals nesting in riskier environments (i.e., on islands where predation on adults or nests is higher, or in less concealed nests) to reduce their parental investment in incubation, reflected in lower baseline prolactin levels and either higher (corticosterone-fitness hypothesis) or lower (corticosterone-adaptation hypothesis) baseline corticosterone levels. Contrary to our predictions, prolactin levels showed a positive correlation with nest predation risk. The unexpected positive relationship could result from the selective disappearance of low-quality females (presumably having low prolactin levels) from risky sites. Supporting this notion, female body condition and hatching success were positively correlated with predation risk on females, and baseline prolactin concentrations were positively correlated with duckling body condition, a proxy of maternal quality. In line with the corticosterone-adaptation hypothesis, baseline corticosterone levels increased with reproductive investment, and were negatively associated with nest predation risk. Hatching success was lower on islands where nest predation risk was higher, consistent with the idea of reduced reproductive investment under increased threat. Long-term individual-based studies are now needed to distinguish selection processes occurring at the population scale from individually plastic parental investment in relation to individual quality and variable predation risk.
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George EM, Navarro D, Rosvall KA. A single GnRH challenge promotes paternal care, changing nestling growth for one day. Horm Behav 2021; 130:104964. [PMID: 33713853 PMCID: PMC8025405 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Decades of comparative and experimental work suggest that testosterone (T) promotes mating effort at the expense of parental effort in many vertebrates. There is abundant evidence that T-mediated trade-offs span both evolutionary and seasonal timescales, as T is often higher in species or breeding stages with greater mating competition and lower in association with parental effort. However, it is less clear whether transient elevations in T within a male's own reactive scope can affect parental effort in the same way, with effects that are visible to natural selection. Here, we injected free-living male tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) with gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), thus temporarily maximizing T production within an individual's own limit. Passive loggers at each nest showed that GnRH-injected males provisioned more frequently than saline males for the subsequent day, and their offspring gained more mass during that time. The degree of offspring growth was positively correlated with the father's degree of T elevation, but provisioning was not proportional to changes in T, and GnRH- and saline-injected males did not differ in corticosterone secretion. These results suggest that prior knowledge of T-mediated trade-offs garnered from seasonal, evolutionary, and experimental research cannot necessarily be generalized to the timescale of transient fluctuations in T secretion within an individual. Instead, we propose that GnRH-induced T fluctuations may not result in visible trade-offs if selection has already sculpted an individual male's reactive scope based on his ability to handle the competing demands of mating and parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth M George
- Indiana University, Department of Biology, United States of America; Indiana University, Center for the Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, United States of America.
| | - David Navarro
- Indiana University, Center for the Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, United States of America
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Indiana University, Department of Biology, United States of America; Indiana University, Center for the Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, United States of America
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24
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Smiley KO, Dong L, Ramakrishnan S, Adkins-Regan E. Central prolactin receptor distribution and pSTAT5 activation patterns in breeding and non-breeding zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 301:113657. [PMID: 33159912 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2020.113657] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Revised: 10/29/2020] [Accepted: 10/31/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
The hormone prolactin has many diverse functions across taxa such as osmoregulation, metabolism, and reproductive behavior. In ring doves, central prolactin action is important for parental care and feeding behavior. However, there is a considerable lack of information on the distribution of the prolactin receptor (PRLR) in the avian CNS to test the hypothesis that prolactin mediates these and other functions in other birds. In order to advance this research, we collected brains from breeding and non-breeding zebra finches to map the PRLR distribution using immunohistochemistry. We found PRLRs are distributed widely across the brain, both in hypothalamic sites known to regulate parental care and feeding, but also in many non-hypothalamic sites, including the tectofugal visual pathway, song system regions, reward associated areas, and pallium. This raises the possibility that prolactin has other functions throughout the brain that are not necessarily related to feeding or parental care. In addition, we also stained brains for pSTAT5, a transcription factor which is expressed when the PRLR is activated and is used as a marker for PRLR activity. We found several notable differences in pSTAT5 activity due to the breeding state of the animal, in both directions, further supporting the hypothesis that prolactin has many diverse functions in the brain both within and outside times of breeding. Together, this study represents the first essential step to inform the design of causative studies which manipulate PRLR-expressing cells to test their role in a wide variety of behaviors and other physiological functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristina O Smiley
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA.
| | - Longying Dong
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
| | - Selvakumar Ramakrishnan
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Elizabeth Adkins-Regan
- Department of Psychology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA; Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
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Austin SH, Krause JS, Viernes R, Farrar VS, Booth AM, Harris RM, Angelier F, Lee C, Bond A, Wingfield JC, MacManes MM, Calisi RM. Uncovering the Sex-Specific Endocrine Responses to Reproduction and Parental Care. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2021; 12:631384. [PMID: 34867772 PMCID: PMC8632640 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2021.631384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 08/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Hormones mediate physiological and behavioral changes in adults as they transition into reproduction. In this study, we characterize the circulating levels of five key hormones involved in reproduction in rock doves (Columba livia): corticosterone, progesterone, estradiol, testosterone, and prolactin using univariate and multivariate approaches. We show similar patterns as previous studies in the overall patterns in circulating levels of these hormones, i.e., testosterone (males) and estradiol (females) high during nest-building or egg-laying, prolactin increasing at mid-incubation and peaking at hatching (both sexes), and elevated corticosterone levels in later incubation and early nestling development. In our investigation of hormone co-variation, we find a strong correlation between prolactin and corticosterone across sampling stages and similarities in earlier (early to mid-incubation) compared to later (late incubation to nestling d9) sampling stages in males and females. Finally, we utilized experimental manipulations to simulate nest loss or altered caregiving lengths to test whether external cues, internal timing, or a combination of these factors contributed most to hormone variation. Following nest loss, we found that both males and females responded to the external cue. Males generally responded quickly following nest loss by increasing circulating testosterone, but this response was muted when nest loss occurred early in reproduction. Similar treatment type, e.g., removal of eggs, clustered similarly in hormone space. These results suggest internal drivers limited male response early in reproduction to nest loss. In contrast, circulating levels of these hormones in females either did not change or decreased following nest manipulation suggesting responsiveness to external drivers, but unlike males, this result suggests that reproductive processes were decreasing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suzanne H. Austin
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- *Correspondence: Suzanne H. Austin,
| | - Jesse S. Krause
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
- Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, NV, United States
| | - Rechelle Viernes
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Victoria S. Farrar
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - April M. Booth
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Rayna M. Harris
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d’Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, CNRS, La Rochelle Université, UMR 7372, Villiers en Bois, France
| | - Candice Lee
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Annie Bond
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - John C. Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Matthew M. MacManes
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Biomedical Sciences, The University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
| | - Rebecca M. Calisi
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology, and Behavior, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, United States
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26
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Maney DL, Merritt JR, Prichard MR, Horton BM, Yi SV. Inside the supergene of the bird with four sexes. Horm Behav 2020; 126:104850. [PMID: 32937166 PMCID: PMC7725849 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/06/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
The white-throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis) offers unique opportunities to understand the adaptive value of supergenes, particularly their role in alternative phenotypes. In this species, alternative plumage morphs segregate with a nonrecombining segment of chromosome 2, which has been called a 'supergene'. The species mates disassortatively with respect to the supergene; that is, each breeding pair consists of one individual with it and one without it. This species has therefore been called the "bird with four sexes". The supergene segregates with a behavioral phenotype; birds with it are more aggressive and less parental than birds without it. Here, we review our efforts to identify the genes inside the supergene that are responsible for the behavioral polymorphism. The gene ESR1, which encodes estrogen receptor α, differs between the morphs and predicts both territorial and parental behavior. Variation in the regulatory regions of ESR1 causes an imbalance in expression of the two alleles, and the degree to which this imbalance favors the supergene allele predicts territorial singing. In heterozygotes, knockdown of ESR1 causes a phenotypic switch, from more aggressive to less aggressive. We recently showed that another gene important for social behavior, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), is differentially expressed between the morphs and predicts territorial singing. We hypothesize that ESR1 and VIP contribute to behavior in a coordinated way and could represent co-adapted alleles. Because the supergene contains more than 1000 individual genes, this species provides rich possibilities for discovering alleles that work together to mediate life-history trade-offs and maximize the fitness of alternative complex phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donna L Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | | | | | - Brent M Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - Soojin V Yi
- School of Biological Sciences, Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA
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Takegaki T, Nakatake Y, Amiya N. Effect of the administration of prolactin-releasing peptide2 on feeding activity in the intertidal blenny Rhabdoblennius nitidus (Günther, 1861). JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2020; 97:566-571. [PMID: 32367528 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Prolactin-releasing peptide2 (PrRP2) was administered intraperitoneally to male intertidal blenny Rhabdoblennius nitidus, a species with male uniparental care of eggs, to investigate the effect on their feeding activity. A significant inhibitory effect on appetite was observed in the breeding season, but not in the nonbreeding season. These results suggest that PrRP2 and PrRP2 receptors are more active during the breeding season. The presence of a mechanism to inhibit feeding activity while parents take care of their offspring may be important for the success of parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takeshi Takegaki
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Yosuke Nakatake
- Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Noriko Amiya
- School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Japan
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Dobolyi A, Oláh S, Keller D, Kumari R, Fazekas EA, Csikós V, Renner É, Cservenák M. Secretion and Function of Pituitary Prolactin in Evolutionary Perspective. Front Neurosci 2020; 14:621. [PMID: 32612510 PMCID: PMC7308720 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2020.00621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 05/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The hypothalamo-pituitary system developed in early vertebrates. Prolactin is an ancient vertebrate hormone released from the pituitary that exerts particularly diverse functions. The purpose of the review is to take a comparative approach in the description of prolactin, its secretion from pituitary lactotrophs, and hormonal functions. Since the reproductive and osmoregulatory roles of prolactin are best established in a variety of species, these functions are the primary subjects of discussion. Different types of prolactin and prolactin receptors developed during vertebrate evolution, which will be described in this review. The signal transduction of prolactin receptors is well conserved among vertebrates enabling us to describe the whole subphylum. Then, the review focuses on the regulation of prolactin release in mammals as we have the most knowledge on this class of vertebrates. Prolactin secretion in response to different reproductive stimuli, such as estrogen-induced release, mating, pregnancy and suckling is detailed. Reproduction in birds is different from that in mammals in several aspects. Prolactin is released during incubation in avian species whose regulation and functional significance are discussed. Little information is available on prolactin in reptiles and amphibians; therefore, they are mentioned only in specific cases to explain certain evolutionary aspects. In turn, the osmoregulatory function of prolactin is well established in fish. The different types of pituitary prolactin in fish play particularly important roles in the adaptation of eutherian species to fresh water environments. To achieve this function, prolactin is released from lactotrophs in hyposmolarity, as they are directly osmosensitive in fish. In turn, the released prolactin acts on branchial epithelia, especially ionocytes of the gill to retain salt and excrete water. This review will highlight the points where comparative data give new ideas or suggest new approaches for investigation in other taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arpád Dobolyi
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Szilvia Oláh
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Dávid Keller
- Laboratory of Neuromorphology, Department of Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Rashmi Kumari
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Emese A. Fazekas
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Vivien Csikós
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Éva Renner
- Human Brain Tissue Bank and Microdissection Laboratory, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Melinda Cservenák
- MTA-ELTE Laboratory of Molecular and Systems Neurobiology, Department of Physiology and Neurobiology, Institute of Biology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
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Abstract
Synopsis
Females of some species are considered sex-role reversed, meaning that they face stronger competition for mates compared to males. While much attention has been paid to behavioral and morphological patterns associated with sex-role reversal, less is known about its physiological regulation. Here, we evaluate hypotheses relating to the neuroendocrine basis of sex-role reversal. We refute the most widely tested activational hypothesis for sex differences in androgen secretion; sex-role reversed females do not have higher levels of androgens in circulation than males. However, we find some evidence that the effects of androgens may be sex-specific; circulating androgen levels correlate with some competitive phenotypes in sex-role reversed females. We also review evidence that sex-role reversed females have higher tissue-specific sensitivity to androgens than males, at least in some species and tissues. Organizational effects may explain these relationships, considering that early exposure to sex steroids can shape later sensitivity to hormones, often in sex-specific ways. Moving forward, experimental and correlative studies on the ontogeny and expression of sex-role reversal will further clarify the mechanisms that generate sex-specific behaviors and sex roles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara E Lipshutz
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
| | - Kimberly A Rosvall
- Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
- Center for the Integrated Study of Animal Behavior, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA
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Central prolactin binding site densities change seasonally in an adult male passerine bird (Junco hyemalis). J Chem Neuroanat 2020; 106:101786. [PMID: 32278635 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2020.101786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2019] [Revised: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Seasonal reproduction is common across temperate zone avian species. In these species, physiological and behavioral adaptations have evolved to change according to day length (i.e., seasonally) in order to maximize reproductive output. The hormone prolactin regulates many aspects of parental care, a critical component of reproductive success. It's secretion in birds has been shown to be under photoperiodic control, with the highest levels measured in the spring and summer months, when birds breed and show parental care. However, to date, no study has tested whether the densities of central prolactin binding sites vary seasonally, which may also account for prolactin's effect on parental care. To test this, we collected brains from free-ranging adult male dark-eyed juncos, Junco hyemalis, a biparental songbird, in the spring, summer, and fall, and used quantitative in vitro autoradiography to compare the densities of specific prolactin binding sites across 20 different brain regions. Prolactin binding sites were found in regions that regulate parental behavior in other avian species. During the summer, several hypothalamic regions that regulate parental care, including the preoptic area and tuberal nucleus, contained lower densities of prolactin binding sites, suggesting exposure to higher endogenous prolactin levels, than at other times. This observation is consistent with the fact that circulating prolactin is highest during summer, when males would be providing care to young. Overall, these data suggest that prolactin binding sites are relatively conserved in the avian brain and that central prolactin activity supports parental care efforts in juncos and other avian species.
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31
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Horton BM, Michael CM, Prichard MR, Maney DL. Vasoactive intestinal peptide as a mediator of the effects of a supergene on social behaviour. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20200196. [PMID: 32259472 PMCID: PMC7209063 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.0196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2020] [Accepted: 03/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Supergenes, or linked groups of alleles that are inherited together, present excellent opportunities to understand gene-behaviour relationships. In white-throated sparrows (Zonotrichia albicollis), a supergene on the second chromosome associates with a more aggressive and less parental phenotype. This supergene includes the gene for vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide known to play a causal role in both aggression and parental behaviour. Here, using a free-living population, we compared the levels of VIP mRNA between birds with and without the supergene. We focused on the anterior hypothalamus and infundibular region, two brain regions containing VIP neurons known to play a causal role in aggression and parental behaviour, respectively. First, we show that the supergene enhances VIP expression in the anterior hypothalamus and that expression positively predicts vocal aggression independently of genotype in both sexes. Next, we show that the supergene reduces VIP expression in the infundibular region, which suggests reduced secretion of prolactin, a pro-parental hormone. Thus, the patterns of VIP expression in these two regions are consistent with the enhanced aggression and reduced parental behaviour of birds with the supergene allele. Our results illustrate mechanisms by which elements of genomic architecture, such as supergenes, can contribute to the evolution of alternative behavioural phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brent M. Horton
- Department of Biology, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Donna L. Maney
- Department of Psychology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
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32
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Huhman KL. Special issue resulting from the 22nd Annual Meeting of the Society for Behavioral Neuroendocrinology highlights society strengths. Horm Behav 2019; 111:1-2. [PMID: 30922889 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Kim L Huhman
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, United States of America.
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