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Sur S, Sharma A. Understanding the role of temperature in seasonal timing: Effects on behavioural, physiological and molecular phenotypes. Mol Ecol 2024:e17447. [PMID: 38946196 DOI: 10.1111/mec.17447] [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: 09/30/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024]
Abstract
Organisms adapt to daily and seasonal environmental changes to maximise their metabolic and reproductive fitness. For seasonally breeding animals, photoperiod is considered the most robust cue to drive these changes. It, however, does not explain the interannual variations in different seasonal phenotypes. Several studies have repeatedly shown the influence of ambient temperature on the timing of different seasonal physiologies including the timing of migration, reproduction and its associated behaviours, etc. In the present review, we have discussed the effects of changes in ambient temperature on different seasonal events in endotherms with a focus on migratory birds as they have evolved to draw benefits from distinct but largely predictable seasonal patterns of natural resources. We have further discussed the physiological and molecular mechanisms by which temperature affects seasonal timings. The primary brain area involved in detecting temperature changes is the hypothalamic preoptic area. This area receives thermal inputs via sensory neurons in the peripheral ganglia that measure changes in thermoregulatory tissues such as the skin and spinal cord. For the input signals, several thermal sensory TRP (transient receptor potential ion channels) channels have been identified across different classes of vertebrates. These channels are activated at specific thermal ranges. Once perceived, this information should activate an effector function. However, the link between temperature sensation and the effector pathways is not properly understood yet. Here, we have summarised the available information that may help us understand how temperature information is translated into seasonal timing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sayantan Sur
- School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Aakansha Sharma
- Department of Zoology, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India
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Zhang K, Cao J, Zhao Z. Fat accumulation in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) reflects the temperature of prior cold acclimation. Front Zool 2024; 21:4. [PMID: 38350982 PMCID: PMC10865701 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-024-00523-5] [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: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/15/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Proper adjustments of metabolic thermogenesis play an important role in thermoregulation in endotherm to cope with cold and/or warm ambient temperatures, however its roles in energy balance and fat accumulation remain uncertain. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of previous cold exposure (10 and 0 °C) on the energy budgets and fat accumulation in the striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) in response to warm acclimation. The body mass, energy intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR) and nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), serum thyroid hormone levels (THs: T3 and T4), and the activity of brown adipose tissue (BAT), indicated by cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity and uncoupling protein 1 (ucp1) expression, were measured following exposure to the cold (10 °C and 0 °C) and transition to the warm temperature (30 °C). RESULTS The hamsters at 10 °C and 0 °C showed significant increases in energy intake, RMR and NST, and a considerable reduction in body fat than their counterparts kept at 21 °C. After being transferred from cold to warm temperature, the hamsters consumed less food, and decreased RMR and NST, but they significantly increased body fat content. Interestingly, the hamsters that were previously exposed to the colder temperature showed significantly more fat accumulation after transition to the warm. Serum T3 levels, BAT COX activity and ucp1 mRNA expression were significantly increased following cold exposure, and were considerably decreased after transition to the warm. Furthermore, body fat content was negatively correlated with serum T3 levels, BAT COX activity and UCP1 expression. CONCLUSION The data suggest that the positive energy balance resulting from the decreased RMR and NST in BAT under the transition from the cold to the warm plays important roles in inducing fat accumulation. The extent of fat accumulation in the warm appears to reflect the temperature of the previous cold acclimation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaiyuan Zhang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Zhijun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
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Xu Y, Yang D, Wang L, Król E, Mazidi M, Li L, Huang Y, Niu C, Liu X, Lam SM, Shui G, Douglas A, Speakman JR. Maternal High Fat Diet in Lactation Impacts Hypothalamic Neurogenesis and Neurotrophic Development, Leading to Later Life Susceptibility to Obesity in Male but Not Female Mice. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2023; 10:e2305472. [PMID: 37867217 PMCID: PMC10724448 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202305472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/24/2023]
Abstract
Early life nutrition can reprogram development and exert long-term consequences on body weight regulation. In mice, maternal high-fat diet (HFD) during lactation predisposed male but not female offspring to diet-induced obesity when adult. Molecular and cellular changes in the hypothalamus at important time points are examined in the early postnatal life in relation to maternal diet and demonstrated sex-differential hypothalamic reprogramming. Maternal HFD in lactation decreased the neurotropic development of neurons formed at the embryo stage (e12.5) and impaired early postnatal neurogenesis in the hypothalamic regions of both males and females. Males show a larger increased ratio of Neuropeptide Y (NPY) to Pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons in early postnatal neurogenesis, in response to maternal HFD, setting an obese tone for male offspring. These data provide insights into the mechanisms by which hypothalamic reprograming by early life overnutrition contributes to the sex-dependent susceptibility to obesity in adult life in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanchao Xu
- Shenzhen key laboratory for metabolic healthCenter for Energy Metabolism and ReproductionShenzhen Institutes of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShenzhen518055P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Dengbao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Lu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
- Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenScotlandAB24 2TZUK
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesShijingshanBeijing100049P. R. China
- School of PharmacyKey Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology and Drug EvaluationMinistry of EducationYantai UniversityYantai264005P. R. China
| | - Elżbieta Król
- Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenScotlandAB24 2TZUK
| | - Mohsen Mazidi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesShijingshanBeijing100049P. R. China
| | - Li Li
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
- University of Chinese Academy of SciencesShijingshanBeijing100049P. R. China
| | - Yi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Chaoqun Niu
- Shenzhen key laboratory for metabolic healthCenter for Energy Metabolism and ReproductionShenzhen Institutes of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShenzhen518055P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Xue Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Sin Man Lam
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Guanghou Shui
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
| | - Alex Douglas
- Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenScotlandAB24 2TZUK
| | - John R. Speakman
- Shenzhen key laboratory for metabolic healthCenter for Energy Metabolism and ReproductionShenzhen Institutes of Advanced TechnologyChinese Academy of SciencesShenzhen518055P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental BiologyInstitute of Genetics and Developmental BiologyChinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100101P. R. China
- Institute of Biological and Environmental SciencesUniversity of AberdeenAberdeenScotlandAB24 2TZUK
- China medical universityShenyang110000P. R. China
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Khera M, Arbuckle K, Mwanguhya F, Kyabulima S, Mwesige K, Businge R, Blount JD, Cant MA, Nichols HJ. Small increases in ambient temperature reduce offspring body mass in an equatorial mammal. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20230328. [PMID: 37990567 PMCID: PMC10715294 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2023.0328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Human-induced climate change is leading to temperature rises, along with increases in the frequency and intensity of heatwaves. Many animals respond to high temperatures through behavioural thermoregulation, for example by resting in the shade, but this may impose opportunity costs by reducing foraging time (therefore energy supply), and so may be most effective when food is abundant. However, the heat dissipation limit (HDL) theory proposes that even when energy supply is plentiful, high temperatures can still have negative effects. This is because dissipating excess heat becomes harder, which limits processes that generate heat such as lactation. We tested predictions from HDL on a wild, equatorial population of banded mongooses (Mungos mungo). In support of the HDL theory, higher ambient temperatures led to lighter pups, and increasing food availability made little difference to pup weight under hotter conditions. This suggests that direct physiological constraints rather than opportunity costs of behavioural thermoregulation explain the negative impact of high temperatures on pup growth. Our results indicate that climate change may be particularly important for equatorial species, which often experience high temperatures year-round so cannot time reproduction to coincide with cooler conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monil Khera
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Kevin Arbuckle
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Francis Mwanguhya
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - Solomon Kyabulima
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - Kenneth Mwesige
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese District, Uganda
| | - Robert Businge
- Banded Mongoose Research Project, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kasese District, Uganda
| | | | - Michael A. Cant
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Cornwall, UK
| | - Hazel J. Nichols
- Department of Biosciences, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP, UK
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Yang R, Cao J, Speakman JR, Zhao Z. Limits to sustained energy intake. XXXIII. Thyroid hormones play important roles in milk production but do not define the heat dissipation limit in Swiss mice. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb245393. [PMID: 37767758 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.245393] [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: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
The limits to sustained energy intake set physiological upper boundaries that affect many aspects of human and animal performance. The mechanisms underlying these limits, however, remain unclear. We exposed Swiss mice to either supplementary thyroid hormones (THs) or the inhibitor methimazole during lactation at 21 or 32.5°C, and measured food intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), milk energy output (MEO), serum THs and mammary gland gene expression of females, and litter size and mass of their offspring. Lactating females developed hyperthyroidism following exposure to supplementary THs at 21°C, but they did not significantly change body temperature, asymptotic food intake, RMR or MEO, and litter and mass were unaffected. Hypothyroidism, induced by either methimazole or 32.5°C exposure, significantly decreased asymptotic food intake, RMR and MEO, resulting in significantly decreased litter size and litter mass. Furthermore, gene expression of key genes in the mammary gland was significantly decreased by either methimazole or heat exposure, including gene expression of THs and prolactin receptors, and Stat5a and Stat5b. This suggests that endogenous THs are necessary to maintain sustained energy intake and MEO. Suppression of the thyroid axis seems to be an essential aspect of the mechanism by which mice at 32.5°C reduce their lactation performance to avoid overheating. However, THs do not define the upper limit to sustained energy intake and MEO at peak lactation at 21°C. Another, as yet unknown, factor prevents supplementary thyroxine exerting any stimulatory metabolic impacts on lactating mice at 21°C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Zhijun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
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Zhang XY, Khakisahneh S, Liu W, Zhang X, Zhai W, Cheng J, Speakman JR, Wang DH. Phylogenetic signal in gut microbial community rather than in rodent metabolic traits. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad209. [PMID: 37928774 PMCID: PMC10625476 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Host phylogeny and environment have all been implicated in shaping the gut microbiota and host metabolic traits of mammals. However, few studies have evaluated phylogeny-associated microbial assembly and host metabolic plasticity concurrently, and their relationships on both short-term and evolutionary timescales. We report that the branching order of a gut microbial dendrogram was nearly congruent with phylogenetic relationships of seven rodent species, and this pattern of phylosymbiosis was intact after diverse laboratory manipulations. Laboratory rearing, diet or air temperature (Ta) acclimation induced alterations in gut microbial communities, but could not override host phylogeny in shaping microbial community assembly. A simulative heatwave reduced core microbiota diversity by 26% in these species, and led to an unmatched relationship between the microbiota and host metabolic phenotypes in desert species. Moreover, the similarity of metabolic traits across species at different Tas was not correlated with phylogenetic distance. These data demonstrated that the gut microbial assembly showed strong concordance with host phylogeny and may be shaped by environmental variables, whereas host metabolic traits did not seem to be linked with phylogeny.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Ying Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Saeid Khakisahneh
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Wei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Weiwei Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Animal Evolution and Genetics, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650223, China
| | - Jilong Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Zoological Systematics and Evolution, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB39 2PN, UK
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - De-Hua Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management of Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- School of Life Sciences, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Biotic Interactions, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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Grunst ML, Grunst AS, Grémillet D, Fort J. Combined threats of climate change and contaminant exposure through the lens of bioenergetics. GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY 2023; 29:5139-5168. [PMID: 37381110 DOI: 10.1111/gcb.16822] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Organisms face energetic challenges of climate change in combination with suites of natural and anthropogenic stressors. In particular, chemical contaminant exposure has neurotoxic, endocrine-disrupting, and behavioral effects which may additively or interactively combine with challenges associated with climate change. We used a literature review across animal taxa and contaminant classes, but focused on Arctic endotherms and contaminants important in Arctic ecosystems, to demonstrate potential for interactive effects across five bioenergetic domains: (1) energy supply, (2) energy demand, (3) energy storage, (4) energy allocation tradeoffs, and (5) energy management strategies; and involving four climate change-sensitive environmental stressors: changes in resource availability, temperature, predation risk, and parasitism. Identified examples included relatively equal numbers of synergistic and antagonistic interactions. Synergies are often suggested to be particularly problematic, since they magnify biological effects. However, we emphasize that antagonistic effects on bioenergetic traits can be equally problematic, since they can reflect dampening of beneficial responses and result in negative synergistic effects on fitness. Our review also highlights that empirical demonstrations remain limited, especially in endotherms. Elucidating the nature of climate change-by-contaminant interactive effects on bioenergetic traits will build toward determining overall outcomes for energy balance and fitness. Progressing to determine critical species, life stages, and target areas in which transformative effects arise will aid in forecasting broad-scale bioenergetic outcomes under global change scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - Andrea S Grunst
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
| | - David Grémillet
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France
- Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, La Rochelle, France
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Neri D, Ramos-Lobo AM, Lee S, Lafond A, Zeltser LM. Rearing mice at 22°C programs increased capacity to respond to chronic exposure to cold but not high fat diet. Mol Metab 2023; 73:101740. [PMID: 37211277 PMCID: PMC10248272 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2023.101740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Rodent models raised at environmental temperatures of 21-22 °C are increasingly switched to thermoneutral housing conditions in adulthood to better capture human physiology. We quantified the developmental effects of rearing mice at an ambient temperature of 22 °C vs. 30 °C on metabolic responses to cold and high fat diet (HFD) in adulthood. METHODS Mice were reared from birth to 8 weeks of age at 22 °C or 30 °C, when they were acclimated to single housing at the same temperature for 2-3 weeks in indirect calorimetry cages. Energy expenditure attributable to basal metabolic rate, physical activity, thermic effect of food, and adaptive cold- or diet-induced thermogenesis was calculated. Responses to cooling were evaluated by decreasing the ambient temperature from 22 °C to 14 °C, while responses to HFD feeding were assessed at 30 °C. Influences of rearing temperature on thermogenic responses that emerge over hours, days and weeks were assessed by maintaining mice in the indirect calorimetry cages throughout the study. RESULTS At an ambient temperature of 22 °C, total energy expenditure (TEE) was 12-16% higher in mice reared at 22 °C as compared to 30 °C. Rearing temperature had no effect on responses in the first hours or week of the 14 °C challenge. Differences emerged in the third week, when TEE increased an additional 10% in mice reared at 22 °C, but mice reared at 30 °C could not sustain this level of cold-induced thermogenesis. Rearing temperature only affected responses to HFD during the first week, due to differences in the timing but not the strength of metabolic adaptations. CONCLUSION Rearing at 22 °C does not have a lasting effect on metabolic adaptations to HFD at thermoneutrality, but it programs an enhanced capacity to respond to chronic cold challenges in adulthood. These findings highlight the need to consider rearing temperature when using mice to model cold-induced thermogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Neri
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Angela M Ramos-Lobo
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Seoeun Lee
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Alexandre Lafond
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA
| | - Lori M Zeltser
- Naomi Berrie Diabetes Center, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA; Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY 10032, USA.
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Trondrud LM, Pigeon G, Król E, Albon S, Ropstad E, Kumpula J, Evans AL, Speakman JR, Loe LE. A Summer Heat Wave Reduced Activity, Heart Rate, and Autumn Body Mass in a Cold-Adapted Ungulate. Physiol Biochem Zool 2023; 96:282-293. [PMID: 37418606 DOI: 10.1086/725363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
AbstractHeat waves are becoming more frequent across the globe and may impose severe thermoregulatory challenges for endotherms. Heat stress can induce both behavioral and physiological responses, which may result in energy deficits with potential fitness consequences. We studied the responses of reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus), a cold-adapted ungulate, to a record-breaking heat wave in northern Finland. Activity, heart rate, subcutaneous body temperature, and body mass data were collected for 14 adult females. The post-heat wave autumn body masses were then analyzed against longitudinal body mass records for the herd from 1990 to 2021. With increasing air temperature during the day, reindeer became less active and had reduced heart rate and increased body temperature, reflecting both behavioral and physiological responses to heat stress. Although they increased activity in the late afternoon, they failed to compensate for lost foraging time on the hottest days (daily mean temperature ≥20°C), and total time active was reduced by 9%. After the heat wave, the mean September body mass of herd females (69.7±6.6 kg, n=52) was on average 16.4% ± 4.8% lower than predicted (83.4±6.0 kg). Among focal females, individuals with the lowest levels of activity during the heat wave had the greatest mass loss during summer. We show how heat waves impose a thermoregulatory challenge on endotherms, resulting in mass loss, potentially as a result of the loss of foraging time. While it is well known that environmental conditions affect large herbivore fitness indirectly through decreased forage quality and limited water supply, direct effects of heat may be increasingly common in a warming climate.
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Fur removal promotes an earlier expression of involution-related genes in mammary gland of lactating mice. J Comp Physiol B 2023; 193:171-192. [PMID: 36650338 PMCID: PMC9992052 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-023-01474-9] [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: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 12/31/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Peak lactation occurs when milk production is at its highest. The factors limiting peak lactation performance have been subject of intense debate. Milk production at peak lactation appears limited by the capacity of lactating females to dissipate body heat generated as a by-product of processing food and producing milk. As a result, manipulations that enhance capacity to dissipate body heat (such as fur removal) increase peak milk production. We investigated the potential correlates of shaving-induced increases in peak milk production in laboratory mice. By transcriptomic profiling of the mammary gland, we searched for the mechanisms underlying experimentally increased milk production and its consequences for mother-young conflict over weaning, manifested by advanced or delayed involution of mammary gland. We demonstrated that shaving-induced increases in milk production were paradoxically linked to reduced expression of some milk synthesis-related genes. Moreover, the mammary glands of shaved mice had a gene expression profile indicative of earlier involution relative to unshaved mice. Once provided with enhanced capacity to dissipate body heat, shaved mice were likely to rear their young to independence faster than unshaved mothers.
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11
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Liao S, Tan S, Jiang M, Wen J, Liu J, Cao J, Li M, Zhao Z. Temperature determines the shift of thermal neutral zone and influences thermogenic capacity in striped hamsters. Integr Zool 2023; 18:353-371. [PMID: 36056589 DOI: 10.1111/1749-4877.12678] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The thermoneutral zone (TNZ) reflects the adaptation of mammals to their natural habitat. However, it remains unclear how TNZ shifts in response to variations in ambient temperature. To test the hypothesis that ambient temperature plays a key role in determining TNZ variations between seasons, we measured metabolic rate, body temperature, and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity of several visceral organs in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) either acclimated to semi-natural conditions over a year, or subjected to a gradual decrease in mean temperature from 30 ± 1°C to -15 ± 1°C. The TNZ range in striped hamsters differed seasonally, with a wider TNZ and a lower lower-critical temperature in winter compared to summer. The hamsters showed a considerable leftward shift of lower-critical temperature from 30°C to 20°C after the ambient temperature of acclimation from 30°C down to -15°C, whereas the upper-critical temperature of TNZ remained fixed at 32.5°C. The resting metabolic rate in thermoneutral zone (RMRt), nonshivering thermogenesis (NST), and COX activity of brown adipose tissue, liver, skeletal muscle, brain, and kidneys, increased significantly in hamsters acclimated at lower ambient temperatures. Following acute exposure to 5°C and -15°C, hamsters acclimated to 32.5°C had significantly lower maximal NST and lower serum thyroid tri-iodothyronine (T3 ) levels compared to those kept at 23°C. These findings suggest that acclimation to the upper-critical temperature of TNZ impairs the hamsters' thermogenic capacity to cope with extreme cold temperature. Reduced ambient temperature was mainly responsible for the leftward shift of TNZ in striped hamsters, which reflects the adaptation to cold environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shasha Liao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Song Tan
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China.,CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu, China
| | - Meizhi Jiang
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Wen
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jinsong Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Ming Li
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Zhijun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China.,Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
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12
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Eizenga MR, Flewwelling LD, Warrier T, Scott GR. Thermal performance curve of endurance running at high temperatures in deer mice. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:286951. [PMID: 36752138 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.244847] [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: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The impacts of warming temperatures associated with climate change on performance are poorly understood in most mammals. Thermal performance curves are a valuable means of examining the effects of temperature on performance traits, but they have rarely been used in endotherms. Here, we examined the thermal performance curve of endurance running capacity at high temperatures in the deer mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus). Endurance capacity was measured using an incremental speed test on a treadmill, and subcutaneous temperature in the abdominal region was measured as a proxy for body temperature (Tb). Endurance time at 20°C was repeatable but varied appreciably across individuals, and was unaffected by sex or body mass. Endurance capacity was maintained across a broad range of ambient temperatures (Ta) but was reduced above 35°C. Tb during running varied with Ta, and reductions in endurance were associated with Tb greater than 40°C when Ta was above 35°C. At the high Ta that limited endurance running capacity (but not at lower Ta), Tb tended to rise throughout running trials with increases in running speed. Metabolic and thermoregulatory measurements at rest showed that Tb, evaporative water loss and breathing frequency increased at Ta of 36°C and above. Therefore, the upper threshold temperatures at which endurance capacity is impaired are similar to those inducing heat responses at rest in this species. These findings help discern the mechanisms by which deer mice are impacted by warming temperatures, and provide a general approach for examining thermal breadth of performance in small mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew R Eizenga
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1
| | - Luke D Flewwelling
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1
| | - Tanisha Warrier
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1
| | - Graham R Scott
- Department of Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West, Hamilton, ON, Canada, L8S 4K1
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13
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Absence of mitochondrial responses in muscles of zebrafish exposed to several heat waves. Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2022; 274:111299. [PMID: 36031060 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.111299] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2022] [Revised: 07/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Heat waves are extreme thermal events whose frequency and intensity will increase with global warming. As metabolic responses to temperature are time-dependent, we explored the effects of an exposure to several heat waves on the mitochondrial metabolism of zebrafish Danio rerio. For this purpose, zebrafish were acclimated at 26 °C or 31 °C for 4 weeks and some fish acclimated at 26 °C underwent 2 types of heat waves: 2 periods of 5 days at 31 °C or 10 days at 31 °C. After this acclimation period, mitochondrial respiration of red muscle fibres was measured at 26 °C and 31 °C for each fish, with the phosphorylation (OXPHOS) and basal (LEAK) respirations obtained with activation of complex I, complex II or complexes I and II. The respiratory control ratio (RCR) and the mitochondrial aerobic scope (CAS) were also calculated at both temperatures after the activation of complexes I and II. Under our conditions, heat waves did not result in variations in any mitochondrial parameters, suggesting a high tolerance of zebrafish to environmental temperature fluctuations. However, an acute in vitro warming led to an increase in the LEAK respiration together with a higher temperature effect on complex II than complex I, inducing a decrease of mitochondrial efficiency to produce energy at high temperatures. Increased interindividual variability for some parameters at 26 °C or 31 °C also suggests that each individual has its own ability to cope with temperature fluctuations.
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14
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Kolbe T, Lassnig C, Poelzl A, Palme R, Auer KE, Rülicke T. Effect of Different Ambient Temperatures on Reproductive Outcome and Stress Level of Lactating Females in Two Mouse Strains. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162141. [PMID: 36009730 PMCID: PMC9405067 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162141] [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: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The optimal temperature for laboratory mice has been under discussion for some time. Current standard temperature is 20 °C–24 °C but it has been suggested to elevate the standard to 30 °C, which is the thermoneutral zone for mice. In this study, the effect of different cage temperatures (20 °C, 25 °C, 30 °C) on reproduction and stress hormone metabolite excretion was evaluated in lactating females of two commonly used mouse strains. Pup loss was higher, and weights of mothers and pups were reduced at 30 °C compared to the lower temperatures. In addition, pups showed increased tail length at weaning under the high temperature (30 °C). There was no difference in stress hormone metabolite excretion in mice between temperature groups. We could not show any detrimental effects of the lower or higher cage temperature on stress hormone metabolite excretion, but found decreased reproductive outcome under the higher temperature. Abstract Ambient temperature is an important non-biotic environmental factor influencing immunological and oncological parameters in laboratory mice. It is under discussion which temperature is more appropriate and whether the commonly used room temperature in rodent facilities of about 21 °C represents a chronic cold stress or the 30 °C of the thermoneutral zone constitutes heat stress for the animals. In this study, we selected the physiological challenging period of lactation to investigate the influence of a cage temperature of 20 °C, 25 °C, and 30 °C, respectively, on reproductive performance and stress hormone levels in two frequently used mouse strains. We found that B6D2F1 hybrid mothers weaned more pups compared to C57BL/6N mothers, and that the number of weaned pups was reduced when mothers of both strains were kept at 30 °C. Furthermore, at 30 °C, mothers and pups showed reduced body weight at weaning and offspring had longer tails. Despite pronounced temperature effects on reproductive parameters, we did not find any temperature effects on adrenocortical activity in breeding and control mice. Independent of the ambient temperature, however, we found that females raising pups showed elevated levels of faecal corticosterone metabolites (FCMs) compared to controls. Peak levels of stress hormone metabolites were measured around birth and during the third week of lactation. Our results provide no evidence of an advantage for keeping lactating mice in ambient temperatures near the thermoneutral zone. In contrast, we found that a 30 °C cage temperature during lactation reduced body mass in females and their offspring and declined female reproductive performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Kolbe
- Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Department IFA-Tulln, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, 1180 Vienna, Austria
- Correspondence:
| | - Caroline Lassnig
- Biomodels Austria, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Poelzl
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Rupert Palme
- Unit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Kerstin E. Auer
- Institute of in vivo and in vitro Models, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
| | - Thomas Rülicke
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, 1210 Vienna, Austria
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15
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Liu W, Zhao ZJ. The thermal neutral zone is shifted during lactation in striped hamsters. J Therm Biol 2022; 108:103303. [PMID: 36031224 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2022.103303] [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: 12/08/2021] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
The thermoneutral zone (TNZ), one of the most well-recognized concepts of thermal physiology of homeothermic organisms, is observed to differ between animal species, and may be associated with energy expenditure. However, the characteristics of the TNZ of lactating females, the stage of life history with typically the highest energy demands, remain unclear. In this study, we examined body mass, metabolic rate, TNZ and body composition, and milk energy output, in striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis, mean body mass: 29.1 ± 4.4g ranging from 20.0 to 36.6g) at peak lactation, and in hamsters raising small, medium, and large litter sizes throughout lactation. There was a significant downward shift in the lower critical temperature (LCT) of the TNZ in lactating hamsters (TNZ = 22.5-35 °C), resulting in a wider TNZ compared to non-reproductive females (TNZ = 27.5-32.5 °C). At peak lactation, hamsters raising large litter sizes had a considerably lower LCT and a wider TNZ compared to hamsters raising medium and small sized litters, whose upper critical temperature of the TNZ remain fixed. Compared to virgin hamsters, hamsters at peak lactation consumed 2.5 times more food, and had significantly higher energy expenditure corresponding to a significantly higher resting metabolic rate and milk output to meet the requirements of their offspring, which increased with litter size. The organs with the highest oxygen consumption rates, such as the liver, kidneys, and digestive tracts, were considerably heavier in lactating hamsters, particular in those raising large litter sizes, compared to virgin hamsters. The data show that the increased energy expenditure during lactation induces a substantial downward shift of the LCT, consequently resulting in a wider TNZ. The morphological plasticity of organs with high energy requirements is likely involved in this TNZ shift.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China; National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Ecological Treatment Technology of Urban Water Pollution, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China; Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory for Water Environment and Marine Biological Resources Protection, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, 325035, China.
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16
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Zhao Z, Yang R, Li M, Bao M, Huo D, Cao J, Speakman JR. Effects of ambient temperatures between 5 and 35 oC on energy balance, body mass and body composition in mice. Mol Metab 2022; 64:101551. [PMID: 35870706 PMCID: PMC9382332 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmet.2022.101551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Considerable attention is currently focused on the potential to switch on brown adipose tissue (BAT), or promote browning of white adipose tissue, to elevate energy expenditure and thereby reduce obesity levels. These processes are already known to be switched on by cold exposure. Yet humans living in colder regions do not show lower levels of obesity. This could be because humans shield themselves from external temperatures, or because the resultant changes in BAT and thermogenesis are offset by elevated food intake, or reductions in other components of expenditure. Scope of Review We exposed mice to 11 different ambient temperatures between 5 and 35 °C and characterized their energy balance and body weight/composition. As it got colder mice progressively increased their energy expenditure coincident with changes in thyroid hormone levels and increased BAT activity. Simultaneously, these increases in expenditure were matched by elevated food intake, and body mass remained stable. Nevertheless, within this envelope of unchanged body mass there were significant changes in body composition – with increases in the sizes of the liver and small intestine, presumably to support the greater food intake, and reductions in the level of stored fat – maximally providing about 10% of the total elevated energy demands. Major Conclusions Elevating activity of BAT may be a valid strategy to reduce fat storage even if overall body mass is unchanged but if it is mostly offset by elevated food intake, as found here, then the impacts may be small. Male and female mice were exposed to 11 different ambient temperatures between 5 and 35 °C. As it got colder mice increased both energy expenditure and food intake. Increased energy expenditure was coincident with increased THs and BAT activity. Stored fat was considerably reduced in colder conditions, providing about 10% of the elevated energy requirements. Elevating activity of BAT may be a valid strategy to reduce fat storage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijun Zhao
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China.
| | - Rui Yang
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Min Li
- Shenzhen key laboratory of metabolic health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China
| | - Menghuan Bao
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Daliang Huo
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - Jing Cao
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen key laboratory of metabolic health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen, China; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, Scotland, UK; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100100, China.
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17
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Liao SS, Liu W, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. Territory aggression and energy budget in food-restricted striped hamsters. Physiol Behav 2022; 254:113897. [PMID: 35788009 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2022.113897] [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: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Food resource availability is one of the most important factors affecting interindividual competition in a variety of animal species. However, the energy budget and territory aggression strategy of small mammals during periods of food restriction remain uncertain. In this study, metabolic rate, body temperature, territory aggression behavior, and fat deposit were measured in male striped hamster (Cricetulus barabensis) restricted by 20% of ad libitum food intake with or without supplementary methimazole. Serum thyroid hormone (tri-iodothyronine, T3 and thyroxine, T4), and cytochrome c oxidase (COX) activity in liver, brown adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle, were also measured. Attack latency, total attack times and duration, and the interval duration between attacks of resident hamsters were not significantly changed during food restriction, which was not significantly affected by supplementary methimazole. Metabolic rate and body temperature was significantly increased in food-restricted hamsters following introduction of an intruder, which was not completely blocked by supplementary methimazole. Serum T3 and T4 levels and BAT COX activity were not significantly changed following aggression, and were significantly decreased by supplementary methimazole. These findings suggest that striped hamsters increase energy expenditure for territory aggression during food restriction, and consequently lead to excessive energy depletion. Territory aggression behavior may decrease the capacity to cope with food shortage, which may be independent of thyroid hormone.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sha-Sha Liao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Wei Liu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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18
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Czenze ZJ, Noakes MJ, Wojciechowski MS. Home is where the heat is: Thermoregulation of European bats inhabiting artificial roosts and the threat of heat waves. J Appl Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zenon J. Czenze
- Centre for Behavioural and Physiological Ecology University of New England Armidale NSW Australia
| | - Matthew J. Noakes
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology and Ecology Nicolaus Copernicus University Toruń Poland
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19
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van Rosmalen L, Riedstra B, Beemster N, Dijkstra C, Hut RA. Differential temperature effects on photoperiodism in female voles: A possible explanation for declines in vole populations. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:3360-3373. [PMID: 35398940 PMCID: PMC9325516 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Many mammalian species use photoperiod as a predictive cue to time seasonal reproduction. In addition, metabolic effects on the reproductive axis may also influence seasonal timing, especially in female small, short-lived mammals. To get a better understanding of how annual cycling environmental cues impact reproductive function and plasticity in small, short-lived herbivores with different geographic origins, we investigated the mechanisms underlying integration of temperature in the photoperiodic-axis regulating female reproduction in a Northern vole species (tundra vole, Microtus oeconomus) and in a Southern vole species (common vole, Microtus arvalis). We show that photoperiod and temperature interact to determine appropriate physiological responses; there is species-dependent annual variation in the sensitivity to temperature for reproductive organ development. In common voles, temperature can overrule photoperiodical spring-programmed responses, with reproductive organ mass being higher at 10°C than at 21°C, whereas in autumn they are less sensitive to temperature. These findings are in line with our census data, showing an earlier onset of spring reproduction in cold springs, while reproductive offset in autumn is synchronized to photoperiod. The reproductive organs of tundra voles were relatively insensitive to temperature, whereas hypothalamic gene expression was generally upregulated at 10°C. Thus, both vole species use photoperiod, whereas only common voles use temperature as a cue to control spring reproduction, which indicates species-specific reproductive strategies. Due to global warming, spring reproduction in common voles will be delayed, perhaps resulting in shorter breeding seasons and thus declining populations, as observed throughout Europe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura van Rosmalen
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Salk Institute for Biological StudiesLa JollaCaliforniaUSA
| | - Bernd Riedstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Nico Beemster
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
- Present address:
Altenburg & Wymenga Ecological ConsultantsFeanwâldenThe Netherlands
| | - Cor Dijkstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Roelof A. Hut
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life SciencesUniversity of GroningenGroningenThe Netherlands
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20
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Huo DL, Bao MH, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. Cold exposure prevents fat accumulation in striped hamsters refed a high-fat diet following food restriction. BMC ZOOL 2022; 7:19. [PMID: 37170304 PMCID: PMC10127302 DOI: 10.1186/s40850-022-00122-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 03/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Background
In mammals, body mass lost during food restriction is often rapidly regained, and fat is accumulated when ad libitum feeding is resumed. Studies in small cold-acclimated mammals have demonstrated significant mobilization of fat deposits during cold exposure to meet the energy requirements of metabolic thermogenesis. However, no studies to our knowledge have examined the effect of cold exposure on fat accumulation during body mass recovery when refed ad libitum. In this study, striped hamsters restricted to 80% of their regular food intake were then refed ad libitum and exposed to one of three conditions: Intermittent cold temperature (5 °C) for 2 h per day (ICE-2 h/d), intermittent cold temperature (5 °C) for 12 h per day (ICE-12 h/d), or persistent cold exposure (PCE) for four weeks. We measured energy intake, fat deposit mass, serum thyroid hormone levels, and uncoupling protein 1 expression in brown adipose tissue.
Results
There was no significant effect of intermittent or persistent cold exposure on body mass regain, whereas energy intake increased significantly and total fat deposit decreased in the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups compared to the ICE-2 h/d group and control group maintained at 23 °C (CON). In the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups, hamsters had 39.6 and 38.3% higher serum 3,3′,5-triiodothyronine levels, respectively, and 81.6 and 71.3% up-regulated expression of uncoupling protein 1, respectively, in brown adipose tissue compared to their counterparts in the CON group. The rate of mitochondrial state III and state IV respiration O2 consumption and the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in BAT and liver were significantly higher in the ICE-12 h/d and PCE groups than in the ICE-2 h/d and CON groups.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest thyroid hormone-mediated heat production in brown adipose tissue and liver may be involved in preventing fat accumulation during refeeding in animals frequently or persistently exposed to cold conditions.
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21
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Huo DL, Bao MH, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. The nonshivering thermogenesis of brown adipose tissue and fat mobilization of striped hamsters exposed to cycles of cold and warm temperatures. THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL 2022. [DOI: 10.1080/24750263.2022.2025931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- D.-L. Huo
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - M.-H. Bao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - J. Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
| | - Z.-J. Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Integrated Management for Pest Insects and Rodents, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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22
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Li M, Speakman JR. Setting Ambient Temperature Conditions to Optimize Translation of Molecular Work from the Mouse to Human: The "Goldilocks Solution". Methods Mol Biol 2022; 2448:235-250. [PMID: 35167101 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2087-8_15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Temperature has a profound effect on many aspects of murine physiology. This raises the question of the best temperature at which mice should be housed to maximize the translational potential to humans. The temperatures at which mice have been routinely kept for studies of molecular physiology (20-21 °C) maximize the comfort of animal handling staff. There is a widespread movement suggesting we should perform experiments instead on mice housed at 30 °C. This often produces very different outcomes. Here we analyze the basis of this suggestion and show that while 20-21 °C is too cold, 30 °C is probably too hot. Rather we suggest an intermediate temperature "the Goldilocks solution" of 25-26 °C is probably optimal. This should be combined with providing animals with nesting material so that they can construct nests to generate microclimates that are within their own control. Providing copious nesting material has additional spin-off advantages in terms of increasing environmental enrichment. Ultimately, however, advocating a single temperature to mimic human physiology is plagued by the problem that humans vary widely in the temperature environments they experience, with consequences for human disease. Hence studying responses at a range of temperatures may provide the greatest insights and translational potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Li
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen, Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
| | - John R Speakman
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen, Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK.
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23
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Allonursing in Wild and Farm Animals: Biological and Physiological Foundations and Explanatory Hypotheses. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11113092. [PMID: 34827824 PMCID: PMC8614478 DOI: 10.3390/ani11113092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Revised: 10/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The dams of gregarious animals must develop a close bond with their newborns to provide them with maternal care, including protection against predators, immunological transference, and nutrition. Even though lactation demands high energy expenditures, behaviors known as allonursing (the nursing of non-descendant infants) and allosuckling (suckling from any female other than the mother) have been reported in various species of wild or domestic, and terrestrial or aquatic animals. These behaviors seem to be elements of a multifactorial strategy, since reports suggest that they depend on the following: species, living conditions, social stability, and kinship relations, among other group factors. Despite their potential benefits, allonursing and allosuckling can place the health and welfare of both non-filial dams and alien offspring at risk, as it augments the probability of pathogen transmission. This review aims to analyze the biological and physiological foundations and bioenergetic costs of these behaviors, analyzing the individual and collective advantages and disadvantages for the dams' own offspring(s) and alien neonate(s). We also include information on the animal species in which these behaviors occur and their implications on animal welfare.
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24
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Maternal effects in mammals: Broadening our understanding of offspring programming. Front Neuroendocrinol 2021; 62:100924. [PMID: 33992652 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2021.100924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The perinatal period is a sensitive time in mammalian development that can have long-lasting consequences on offspring phenotype via maternal effects. Maternal effects have been most intensively studied with respect to two major conditions: maternal diet and maternal stress. In this review, we shift the focus by discussing five major additional maternal cues and their influence on offspring phenotype: maternal androgen levels, photoperiod (melatonin), microbiome, immune regulation, and milk composition. We present the key findings for each of these topics in mammals, their mechanisms of action, and how they interact with each other and with the maternal influences of diet and stress. We explore their impacts in the contexts of both predictive adaptive responses and the developmental origins of disease, identify knowledge gaps and research opportunities in the field, and place a particular emphasis on the application and consideration of these effects in non-model species and natural ecological systems.
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25
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Bao MH, Xu XM, Huo DL, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. The effect of aggression II: Acclimation to a high ambient temperature reduces territorial aggression in male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis). Horm Behav 2021; 132:104993. [PMID: 33991799 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.104993] [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: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones have a profound influence on development, cellular differentiation and metabolism, and are also suspected of playing a role in aggression. We measured territorial aggression, body temperature (Tb) and serum thyroid hormones levels of male striped hamsters (Cricetulus barabensis) acclimated to either cold (5 °C), cool (21 °C) or hot (34 °C) ambient temperatures. The effects of methimazole on territorial aggression, food intake, metabolic rate and serum thyroid hormone levels, were also examined. Territorial aggression was significantly lower in male hamsters acclimated to the hot temperature compared to those acclimated to the cool or cold temperatures. Tb significantly increased during aggressive territorial interactions with intruders but did not significantly differ among the three temperature treatments. Serum T3, T4 and cortisol levels of hamsters acclimated to 34 °C were significantly lower than those acclimated to 21 °C. In addition to significantly reducing territorial aggression, treatment with methimazole also significantly reduced serum T3 and T4 levels, Tb and metabolic rate. These results suggest that exposure to high temperatures reduces the capacity of hamsters to dissipate heat causing them to lower their metabolic rate, which, in turn, causes them to reduce territorial aggression to prevent hyperthermia. The lower metabolic rate mediated by down-regulated thyroid hormones inhibits territorial aggression and could thereby determine the outcome of territorial conflicts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Huan Bao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Xiao-Ming Xu
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Da-Liang Huo
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jing Cao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Zhi-Jun Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China.
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