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Birch G, Meniri M, Cant MA, Blount JD. Defence against the intergenerational cost of reproduction in males: oxidative shielding of the germline. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024; 99:70-84. [PMID: 37698166 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13012] [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: 01/23/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/13/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is expected to carry an oxidative cost, yet in many species breeders appear to sustain lower levels of oxidative damage compared to non-breeders. This paradox may be explained by considering the intergenerational costs of reproduction. Specifically, a reduction in oxidative damage upon transitioning to a reproductive state may represent a pre-emptive shielding strategy to protect the next generation from intergenerational oxidative damage (IOD) - known as the oxidative shielding hypothesis. Males may be particularly likely to transmit IOD, because sperm are highly susceptible to oxidative damage. Yet, the possibility of male-mediated IOD remains largely uninvestigated. Here, we present a conceptual and methodological framework to assess intergenerational costs of reproduction and oxidative shielding of the germline in males. We discuss variance in reproductive costs and expected payoffs of oxidative shielding according to species' life histories, and the expected impact on offspring fitness. Oxidative shielding presents an opportunity to incorporate intergenerational effects into the advancing field of life-history evolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graham Birch
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Magali Meniri
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Michael A Cant
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
| | - Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation, Faculty of Environment, Science & Economy, University of Exeter, Penryn Campus, Cornwall, TR10 9FE, UK
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2
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Brown TJ, Spurgin LG, Dugdale HL, Komdeur J, Burke T, Richardson DS. Causes and consequences of telomere lengthening in a wild vertebrate population. Mol Ecol 2022; 31:5933-5945. [PMID: 34219315 DOI: 10.1111/mec.16059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 05/24/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
Telomeres have been advocated to be important markers of biological age in evolutionary and ecological studies. Telomeres usually shorten with age and shortening is frequently associated with environmental stressors and increased subsequent mortality. Telomere lengthening - an apparent increase in telomere length between repeated samples from the same individual - also occurs. However, the exact circumstances, and consequences, of telomere lengthening are poorly understood. Using longitudinal data from the Seychelles warbler (Acrocephalus sechellensis), we tested whether telomere lengthening - which occurs in adults of this species - is associated with specific stressors (reproductive effort, food availability, malarial infection and cooperative breeding) and predicts subsequent survival. In females, telomere shortening was observed under greater stress (i.e., low food availability, malaria infection), while telomere lengthening was observed in females experiencing lower stress (i.e., high food availability, assisted by helpers, without malaria). The telomere dynamics of males were not associated with the key stressors tested. These results indicate that, at least for females, telomere lengthening occurs in circumstances more conducive to self-maintenance. Importantly, both females and males with lengthened telomeres had improved subsequent survival relative to individuals that displayed unchanged, or shortened, telomeres - indicating that telomere lengthening is associated with individual fitness. These results demonstrate that telomere dynamics are bidirectionally responsive to the level of stress that an individual faces, but may poorly reflect the accumulation of stress over an individuals lifetime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas J Brown
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Lewis G Spurgin
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Hannah L Dugdale
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jan Komdeur
- Behavioural and Physiological Ecology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Terry Burke
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| | - David S Richardson
- School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK.,Nature Seychelles, Victoria, Mahé, Seychelles
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3
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Oxidative Stress Is a Potential Cost of Synchronous Nesting in Olive Ridley Sea Turtles. Antioxidants (Basel) 2022; 11:antiox11091772. [PMID: 36139846 PMCID: PMC9495575 DOI: 10.3390/antiox11091772] [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: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 09/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Olive ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea, exhibit a polymorphic reproductive behavior, nesting solitarily or in mass aggregations termed “arribadas”, where thousands of individuals nest synchronously. Arribada nesting provides fitness benefits including mate finding during nearshore aggregations and predator satiation at the time of hatching, but it is unknown if such benefits come with a physiological cost. We used plasma metabolite profiling, stable isotope analysis, biochemical and endocrine assays to test whether metabolic parameters differ between nesting modes, and if arribada nesting is associated with increased levels of oxidative damage compared to solitary nesting. Arribada nesters were bigger and had higher circulating thyroid hormone levels than solitary nesters. Similarly, pathways related to phospholipid and amino acid metabolism, catabolic processes, and antioxidant defense were enriched in individuals nesting in arribada. Stable isotope signatures in skin samples showed differences in feeding zones with arribada nesters likely feeding on benthic and potentially more productive grounds. Arribada nesters had increased levels of plasma lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation products compared to solitary nesters. These results suggest that metabolic profiles differ between nesting modes and that oxidative stress is a trade-off for the fitness benefits associated with arribada nesting.
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4
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Shephard AM, Brown NS, Snell‐Rood EC. Anthropogenic Zinc Exposure Increases Mortality and Antioxidant Gene Expression in Monarch Butterflies with Low Access to Dietary Macronutrients. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1286-1296. [PMID: 35119130 PMCID: PMC9314993 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Revised: 09/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Biologists seek to understand why organisms vary in their abilities to tolerate anthropogenic contaminants, such as heavy metals. However, few studies have considered how tolerance may be affected by condition-moderating factors such as dietary resource availability. For instance, the availability of crucial limiting macronutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorous, can vary across space and time either naturally or due to anthropogenic nutrient inputs (e.g., agricultural fertilizers or vehicle emissions). Organisms developing in more macronutrient-rich environments should be of higher overall condition, displaying a greater ability to tolerate metal contaminants. In monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus), we factorially manipulated dietary macronutrient availability and exposure to zinc, a common metal contaminant in urban habitats that can be toxic but also has nutritional properties. We tested whether (1) the ability to survive zinc exposure depends on dietary macronutrient availability and (2) whether individuals exposed to elevated zinc levels display higher expression of antioxidant genes, given the roles of antioxidants in combatting metal-induced oxidative stress. Exposure to elevated zinc reduced survival only for monarchs developing on a low-macronutrient diet. However, for monarchs developing on a high-macronutrient diet, elevated zinc exposure tended to increase survival. In addition, monarchs exposed to elevated zinc displayed higher expression of antioxidant genes when developing on the low-macronutrient diet but lower expression when developing on the high-macronutrient diet. Altogether, our study shows that organismal survival and oxidative stress responses to anthropogenic zinc contamination depend on the availability of macronutrient resources in the developmental environment. In addition, our results suggest the hypothesis that whether zinc acts as a toxicant or a nutrient may depend on macronutrient supply. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1286-1296. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander M. Shephard
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Noah S. Brown
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
| | - Emilie C. Snell‐Rood
- Department of Ecology, Evolution, and BehaviorUniversity of MinnesotaSaint PaulMinnesotaUSA
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5
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Meniri M, Evans E, Thompson FJ, Marshall HH, Nichols HJ, Lewis G, Holt L, Davey E, Mitchell C, Johnstone RA, Cant MA, Blount JD. Untangling the oxidative cost of reproduction: An analysis in wild banded mongooses. Ecol Evol 2022; 12:e8644. [PMID: 35342583 PMCID: PMC8928901 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.8644] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The cost of reproduction plays a central role in evolutionary theory, but the identity of the underlying mechanisms remains a puzzle. Oxidative stress has been hypothesized to be a proximate mechanism that may explain the cost of reproduction. We examine three pathways by which oxidative stress could shape reproduction. The "oxidative cost" hypothesis proposes that reproductive effort generates oxidative stress, while the "oxidative constraint" and "oxidative shielding" hypotheses suggest that mothers mitigate such costs through reducing reproductive effort or by pre-emptively decreasing damage levels, respectively. We tested these three mechanisms using data from a long-term food provisioning experiment on wild female banded mongooses (Mungos mungo). Our results show that maternal supplementation did not influence oxidative stress levels, or the production and survival of offspring. However, we found that two of the oxidative mechanisms co-occur during reproduction. There was evidence of an oxidative challenge associated with reproduction that mothers attempted to mitigate by reducing damage levels during breeding. This mitigation is likely to be of crucial importance, as long-term offspring survival was negatively impacted by maternal oxidative stress. This study demonstrates the value of longitudinal studies of wild animals in order to highlight the interconnected oxidative mechanisms that shape the cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magali Meniri
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Elsa Evans
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Faye J. Thompson
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Harry H. Marshall
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
- Whitelands CollegeCentre for Research in Ecology, Evolution & BehaviourUniversity of RoehamptonLondonUK
| | | | - Gina Lewis
- Department of BiosciencesSwansea UniversitySwanseaUK
| | - Lauren Holt
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Emma Davey
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Christopher Mitchell
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | | | - Michael A. Cant
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- College of Life & Environmental SciencesCentre for Ecology & ConservationUniversity of ExeterPenrynUK
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6
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Abdeen A, Agnani P, Careau V. The active mouse rests within: Energy management among and within individuals. Funct Ecol 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.13979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aly Abdeen
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
| | - Paul Agnani
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
| | - Vincent Careau
- Department of Biology University of Ottawa Ottawa ON Canada
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7
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Jacobs PJ, Hart DW, Suess T, Janse van Vuuren AK, Bennett NC. The Cost of Reproduction in a Cooperatively Breeding Mammal: Consequences of Seasonal Variation in Rainfall, Reproduction, and Reproductive Suppression. Front Physiol 2021; 12:780490. [PMID: 34867486 PMCID: PMC8640211 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.780490] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological investments, such as reproduction, are influenced by both biotic and abiotic factors and their interactions. The trade-off between reproduction and survival has been well established. Seasonally breeding species, therefore, may exhibit variations in these trade-offs, but there is a dearth of knowledge concerning this. This study investigated the physiological cost of reproduction (measured through oxidative stress) across seasons in the cooperatively breeding highveld mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae), one of the few seasonal breeding mole-rats. Oxidative stress indicates elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, which can overwhelm antioxidant defences resulting in damaged proteins, lipids and DNA, which overall can reduce longevity and compromise reproduction. Oxidative markers such as total oxidant status (TOS-measure of total peroxides present), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), and malondialdehyde (MDA) are utilised to measure oxidative stress. In this study, breeding and non-breeding male (NBM) and female mole-rats were captured during the dry season (breeding period) and wet season (non-breeding period). There was an apparent cost of reproduction in the highveld mole-rat; however, the seasonality pattern to the cost of reproduction varied between the sexes. Breeding females (BFs) had significantly higher MDA during the breeding period/dry season in comparison to the non-breeding period/wet season; this is possibly a consequence of bearing and nursing offspring. Contrastingly, breeding males (BMs) showed increased oxidative damage in the non-breeding/wet season compared to the breeding/dry season, possibly due to increased activities of protecting their mating rights for the next breeding/dry season, but this was not significant. Interestingly, during the non-breeding period/wet season, non-breeding females (NBFs) are released from their reproductive suppression, which resulted in increases in TOS and OSI, which again indicated that just the mere ability to be able to breed results in a cost (oxidative stress). Therefore we can speculate that highveld mole-rats exhibited seasonal variation in redox balance brought about by variation in abiotic variables (e.g., rainfall), physiology and behaviour. We conclude that physiological changes associated with reproduction are sufficient to induce significant acute oxidative stress in the plasma of female highveld mole-rats, which become alleviated following transition to the non-breeding season/wet period suggesting a possible hormetic effect.
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8
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Yap KN, Powers DR, Vermette ML, Tsai OHI, Williams TD. Physiological adjustments to high foraging effort negatively affect fecundity but not final reproductive output in captive zebra finches. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:jeb.235820. [PMID: 33737390 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.235820] [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: 08/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Foraging at elevated rates to provision offspring is thought to be an energetically costly activity and it has been suggested that there are physiological costs associated with the high workload involved. However, for the most part, evidence for costs of increased foraging and/or reproductive effort is weak. Furthermore, despite some experimental evidence demonstrating negative effects of increased foraging and parental effort, the physiological mechanisms underlying costs associated with high workload remain poorly understood. To examine how high workload affects haematology, oxidative stress and reproductive output, we experimentally manipulated foraging effort in captive zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, using a previously described technique, and allowed individuals to breed first in low foraging effort conditions and then in high foraging effort conditions. We found that birds upregulated haematocrit and haemoglobin concentration in response to training. Birds subjected to increased workload during reproduction had lower fecundity, although final reproductive output was not significantly different than that of controls. Offspring of parents subjected to high workload during reproduction also had higher oxidative stress when they were 90 days of age. Total antioxidant capacity and reactive oxygen metabolites of birds responded differently in the two breeding attempts, but we did detect an overall increase in oxidative stress in response to training in either attempt, which could explain the lower fecundity observed in birds subjected to increased workload during reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kang Nian Yap
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Donald R Powers
- Department of Biology, George Fox University, 414 N. Meridian Street, Newberg, OR 97132, USA
| | - Melissa L Vermette
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Olivia Hsin-I Tsai
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada
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9
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González NT, Otali E, Machanda Z, Muller MN, Wrangham R, Thompson ME. Urinary markers of oxidative stress respond to infection and late-life in wild chimpanzees. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0238066. [PMID: 32916689 PMCID: PMC7486137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0238066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 08/08/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress (OS) plays a marked role in aging and results from a variety of stressors, making it a powerful measure of health and a way to examine costs associated with life history investments within and across species. However, few urinary OS markers have been examined under field conditions, particularly in primates, and their utility to non-invasively monitor the costs of acute stressors versus the long-term damage associated with aging is poorly understood. In this study, we examined variation in 5 urinary markers of oxidative damage and protection under 5 validation paradigms for 37 wild, chimpanzees living in the Kibale National Park, Uganda. We used 924 urine samples to examine responses to acute immune challenge (respiratory illness or severe wounding), as well as mixed-longitudinal and intra-individual variation with age. DNA damage (8-OHdG) correlated positively with all other markers of damage (F-isoprostanes, MDA-TBARS, and neopterin) but did not correlate with protection (total antioxidant capacity). Within individuals, all markers of damage responded to at least one if not both types of acute infection. While OS is expected to increase with age, this was not generally true in chimpanzees. However, significant changes in oxidative damage were detected within past-prime individuals and those close to death. Our results indicate that OS can be measured using field-collected urine and integrates short- and long-term aspects of health. They further suggest that more data are needed from long-lived, wild animals to illuminate if common age-related increases in inflammation and OS damage are typical or recently aberrant in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole Thompson González
- University of New Mexico, Department of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- University of New Mexico, Academic Science Education and Research Training Program, Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Emily Otali
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Zarin Machanda
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
- Tufts University, Department of Anthropology, Medford, MA, United States of America
| | - Martin N. Muller
- University of New Mexico, Department of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
| | - Richard Wrangham
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
- Harvard University, Department of Human Evolutionary Biology, Cambridge, MA, United States of America
| | - Melissa Emery Thompson
- University of New Mexico, Department of Anthropology, Albuquerque, NM, United States of America
- Kibale Chimpanzee Project, Fort Portal, Uganda
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10
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Ganser C, Monadjem A, McCleery RA, Ndlela T, Wisely SM. Is it best on the nest? Effects of avian life-history on haemosporidian parasitism. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-PARASITES AND WILDLIFE 2020; 13:62-71. [PMID: 32884900 PMCID: PMC7452475 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
Infectious diseases vary in prevalence and pathology among host species. Species may differ in prevalence of infection due to varying exposure and susceptibility to disease agents throughout their lifetime, which may be attributable to underlying differences in their phenology, physiology and behavior. A recently growing body of literature has focused on the utility of host life-history traits to provide mechanistic explanations for interspecific variation in host-parasite associations. In this study, we utilized diverse avian and haemosporidian assemblages in an African savanna to evaluate the link between haemosporidia prevalence (Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon) and avian life-history traits such as body size, mating system, nest care and nest structure. We found that variation of haemosporidia prevalence was consistent with life-history traits that pertain to the reproduction of avian host. Nest care was the single most important predictor of infection status. In birds with shared and female-only nest care, the expected rates of parasitism were between 8- and 12-fold higher than in avian brood parasites that provide no nest care. This finding supports the hypothesis that parental care is an evolutionarily costly life-history trait that increases species' risk of infection with vector-borne diseases. The influence of other host traits (nest structure, body size) was less consistent suggesting that differences in the vectors’ ecology and host-seeking behavior produce variable patterns of parasitism among haemosporidia genera. Nest structure influenced infection with Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon only. Leucocytozoon infections were associated with ground-nesting birds, while Haemoproteus infections were associated with birds that build open nest structures. Body size was an important predictor of Leucocytozoon infections, particularly large-bodied birds like guineafowl and doves, which exhibited high prevalences. Variation in infection prevalence was consistent with reproductive traits in avian hosts. Avian species that invested less in nest care had lower infection rates than species with other nest care strategies. Leucocytozoon infections were high in ground-nesting birds; birds with open nests had higher Haemoproteus infections. Birds like guineafowl and doves with larger body size had more Leucocytozoon infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Ganser
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Ara Monadjem
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini.,Mammal Research Institute, Department of Zoology & Entomology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Robert A McCleery
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Thandeka Ndlela
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Eswatini, Kwaluseni, Eswatini
| | - Samantha M Wisely
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, 110 Newins-Ziegler Hall, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
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11
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Hidalgo J, Álvarez-Vergara F, Peña-Villalobos I, Contreras-Ramos C, Sanchez-Hernandez JC, Sabat P. Effect of salinity acclimation on osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and metabolic enzymes in the invasive Xenopus laevis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY PART 2020; 333:333-340. [PMID: 32306529 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2019] [Revised: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Aquatic animals often display physiological adjustments to improve their biological performance and hydrosaline balance in saline environments. In addition to energetic costs associated with osmoregulation, oxidative stress, and the activation of the antioxidant system are common cellular responses to salt stress in many species, but the knowledge of osmoregulation-linked oxidative homeostasis in amphibians is scarce. Here we studied the biochemical responses and oxidative responses of Xenopus laevis females exposed for 40 days to two contrasting salinities: hypo-osmotic (150 mOsm·kg-1 ·H2 O NaCl, HYPO group) and hyper-osmotic environments (340 mOsm·kg-1 ·H2 O NaCl, HYPER group). We found an increase of plasma osmolality and plasma urea concentration in the animals incubated in the HYPER treatment. Increases in electrolyte concentration were paralleled with an increase of both citrate synthase and cytochrome c oxidase activities in liver and heart. Interestingly, HYPO group had higher catabolic activity of the skin and liver total antioxidant capacity (TAC), compared with animals from the HYPER group. Moreover, there was an inverse relationship between liver TAC and plasma osmolality; and with the metabolic enzymes from liver. These findings suggest that salinity induces changes in urea metabolism and specific activity of metabolic enzymes, which appears to be tissue-dependent in X. laevis. Contrary to our expectations, we also found a moderate change in the oxidative status as revealed by the increase in TAC activity in the animals acclimated to low salinity medium, but constancy in the lipid peroxidation of membranes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime Hidalgo
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Felipe Álvarez-Vergara
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile.,Laboratorio de Células troncales y Biología del Desarrollo, Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Contreras-Ramos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan C Sanchez-Hernandez
- Laboratory of Ecotoxicology, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, University of Castilla-La Mancha, Toledo, Spain
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Casilla, 653, Santiago, Chile.,Departamento de Ecología, Center of Applied Ecology & Sustainability (CAPES-UC), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
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12
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Dantzer B, van Kesteren F, Westrick SE, Boutin S, McAdam AG, Lane JE, Gillespie R, Majer A, Haussmann MF, Monaghan P. Maternal glucocorticoids promote offspring growth without inducing oxidative stress or shortening telomeres in wild red squirrels. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb212373. [PMID: 31796605 PMCID: PMC10668338 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.212373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Accepted: 11/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Elevations in glucocorticoid (GC) levels in breeding females may induce adaptive shifts in offspring life histories. Offspring produced by mothers with elevated GCs may be better prepared to face harsh environments, where a faster pace of life is beneficial. We examined how experimentally elevated GCs in pregnant or lactating North American red squirrels (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) affected offspring postnatal growth, structural size and oxidative stress levels (two antioxidants and oxidative protein damage) in three different tissues (blood, heart and liver) and liver telomere lengths. We predicted that offspring from mothers treated with GCs would grow faster but would also have higher levels of oxidative stress and shorter telomeres, which may predict reduced longevity. Offspring from mothers treated with GCs during pregnancy were 8.3% lighter around birth but grew (in body mass) 17.0% faster than those from controls, whereas offspring from mothers treated with GCs during lactation grew 34.8% slower than those from controls and did not differ in body mass around birth. Treating mothers with GCs during pregnancy or lactation did not alter the oxidative stress levels or telomere lengths of their offspring. Fast-growing offspring from any of the treatment groups did not have higher oxidative stress levels or shorter telomere lengths, indicating that offspring that grew faster early in life did not exhibit oxidative costs after this period of growth. Our results indicate that elevations in maternal GCs may induce plasticity in offspring growth without long-term oxidative costs to the offspring that might result in a shortened lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Freya van Kesteren
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Sarah E Westrick
- Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Andrew G McAdam
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada, N1G 2W1
| | - Jeffrey E Lane
- Department of Biology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada, S7N 5E2
| | - Robert Gillespie
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Ariana Majer
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Mark F Haussmann
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
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13
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Gutiérrez JS, Sabat P, Castañeda LE, Contreras C, Navarrete L, Peña-Villalobos I, Navedo JG. Oxidative status and metabolic profile in a long-lived bird preparing for extreme endurance migration. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17616. [PMID: 31772390 PMCID: PMC6879648 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-54057-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The high metabolic activity associated with endurance flights and intense fuelling of migrant birds may produce large quantities of reactive oxygen species, which cause oxidative damage. Yet it remains unknown how long-lived birds prepare for oxidative challenges prior to extreme flights. We combined blood measurements of oxidative status and enzyme and fat metabolism in Hudsonian godwits (Limosa haemastica, a long-lived shorebird) before they embarked on non-stop flights longer than 10,000 km during their northbound migrations. We found that godwits increased total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and reduced oxidative damage (TBARS) as the pre-migratory season progressed, despite higher basal metabolic rates before departure. Elevations in plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and uric acid suggest that lipid and protein breakdown supports energetic requirements prior to migration. Significant associations between blood mitochondrial cytochrome-c oxidase and plasma TAC (negative) and TBARS (positive) during winter indicate that greater enzyme activity can result in greater oxidative damage and antioxidant responses. However enzyme activity remained unchanged between winter and premigratory stages, so birds may be unable to adjust metabolic enzyme activity in anticipation of future demands. These results indicate that godwits enhance their oxidative status during migratory preparation, which might represent an adaptation to diminish the physiological costs of long-distance migration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jorge S Gutiérrez
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile.
- Conservation Biology Research Group, Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Extremadura, Badajoz, Spain.
| | - Pablo Sabat
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Luis E Castañeda
- Programa de Genética Humana, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Carolina Contreras
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Lucas Navarrete
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Isaac Peña-Villalobos
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan G Navedo
- Estación Experimental Quempillén, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Austral de Chile, Ancud, Chiloé, Chile
- Bird Ecology Lab, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas y Limnológicas, Universidad Austral de Chile, Valdivia, Chile
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14
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Stahlschmidt ZR, Jeong N, Johnson D, Meckfessel N. From phenoloxidase to fecundity: food availability does not influence the costs of oxidative challenge in a wing-dimorphic cricket. J Comp Physiol B 2019; 190:17-26. [PMID: 31720761 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-019-01244-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2019] [Revised: 09/30/2019] [Accepted: 10/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Stressed animals often struggle to maintain optimal investment into a number of fitness-related traits, which can result in some traits being more adversely affected than others. Variation in stress-related costs may also depend on the environment-costs can be facultative and only occur when resources are limited, or they may be obligate and occur regardless of resource availability. Dynamics of oxidative stress may be important in life-history evolution given their role in a range of biological processes-from reproduction to immunity to locomotion. Thus, we examined how resource (food) availability influences the costs of oxidative challenge to fitness-related traits spanning several levels of biological organization. We manipulated food availability and oxidative status in females of the wing-dimorphic sand field cricket (Gryllus firmus) during early adulthood. We then determined investment into several traits: reproduction (ovary mass), soma (body mass and flight musculature), and immune function (total phenoloxidase activity). Oxidative challenge (paraquat exposure) obligated costs to somatic tissue and a parameter of immune function regardless of food availability, but it did not affect reproduction. We show that the costs of oxidative challenge are trait-specific, but we did not detect a facultative (food-dependent) cost of oxidative challenge to any trait measured. Although the dynamics of oxidative stress are complex, our study is an important step toward a more complete understanding of the roles that resource availability and redox systems play in mediating life histories.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - N Jeong
- University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - D Johnson
- University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - N Meckfessel
- University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
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15
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Lemieux V, Garant D, Reale D, Bergeron P. Spatio-temporal variation in oxidative status regulation in a small mammal. PeerJ 2019; 7:e7801. [PMID: 31608176 PMCID: PMC6788435 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.7801] [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: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 08/31/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-history allocation trade-offs are dynamic over time and space according to the ecological and demographical context. Fluctuations in food availability can affect physiological trade-offs like oxidative status regulation, reflecting the balance between pro-oxidant production and antioxidant capacity. Monitoring the spatio-temporal stability of oxidative status in natural settings may help understanding its importance in ecological and evolutionary processes. However, few studies have yet conducted such procedures in wild populations. Here, we monitored individual oxidative status in a wild eastern chipmunk (Tamias striatus) population across the 2017 summer active period and over three study sites. Oxidative damage (MDA: Malondialdehyde levels) and non-enzymatic antioxidant levels (FRAP: Ferric reducing antioxidant power and HASC: Hypochlorous acid shock capacity) were quantified across time and space using assays optimized for small blood volumes. Our results showed an increase in oxidative damage mirrored by a decrease in FRAP throughout the season. We also found different antioxidant levels among our three study sites for both markers. Our results also revealed the effects of sex and body mass on oxidative status. Early in the active season, females and individuals with a greater body mass had higher oxidative damage. Males had higher HASC levels than females throughout the summer. This study shows that oxidative status regulation is a dynamic process that requires a detailed spatial and temporal monitoring to yield a complete picture of possible trade-offs between pro-oxidant production and antioxidant capacity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Lemieux
- Départment de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
- Biological Sciences, Bishop’s University, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Dany Garant
- Départment de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Canada
| | - Denis Reale
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada
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16
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Ye P, Li M, Liao W, Ge K, Jin S, Zhang C, Chen X, Geng Z. Hypothalamic transcriptome analysis reveals the neuroendocrine mechanisms in controlling broodiness of Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata). PLoS One 2019; 14:e0207050. [PMID: 31071089 PMCID: PMC6508920 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Broodiness, one of the maternal behaviors and instincts for natural breeding in birds, is an interesting topic in reproductive biology. Broodiness in poultry is characterized by persistent nesting, usually associated with cessation of egg laying. The study of avian broodiness is essential for bird conservation breeding and commercial poultry industry. In this study, we examined the hypothalamus transcriptome of Muscovy duck in three reproductive stages, including egg-laying anaphase (LA), brooding prophase (BP) and brooding metaphase (BM). Differences in gene expression during the transition from egg-laying to broodiness were examined, and 155, 379, 292 differently expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained by pairwise comparisons of LA-vs-BP, LA-vs-BM and BP-vs-BM, respectively (fold change≥1.5, P < 0.05). Gene Ontology Term (GO) enrichment analysis suggested a possible role of oxidative stress in the hypothalamus might invoke reproductive costs that potentially change genes expression. KEGG analysis revealed glutamatergic synapse, dopaminergic synapse, serotonergic synapse and GABAergic synapse pathway were significantly enriched, and regulator genes were identified. Eight gene expression patterns were illustrated by trend analysis and further clustered into three clusters. Additional six hub genes were identified through combining trend analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis. Our results suggested that the cyclical mechanisms of reproductive function conversion include effects of oxidative stress, biosynthesis of neurotransmitters or their receptors, and interactions between glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones and regulatory genes. These candidate genes and biological pathways may be used as targets for artificial manipulation and marker-assisted breeding in the reproductive behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Ye
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Min Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Wang Liao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Kai Ge
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
- College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Engineering, West Anhui University, Liuan, China
| | - Sihua Jin
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Xingyong Chen
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
| | - Zhaoyu Geng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, China
- Anhui Province Key Laboratory of Local Livestock and Poultry Genetic Resource Conservation and Bio-breeding, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei, P.R. China
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17
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Fisher DN, Wilson AJ, Boutin S, Dantzer B, Lane JE, Coltman DW, Gorrell JC, McAdam AG. Social effects of territorial neighbours on the timing of spring breeding in North American red squirrels. J Evol Biol 2019; 32:559-571. [DOI: 10.1111/jeb.13437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2018] [Revised: 02/25/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- David N. Fisher
- Department for Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
- Department of Psychology, Neuroscience & Behaviour McMaster University Hamilton Ontario Canada
| | - Alastair J. Wilson
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Cornwall UK
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbour Michigan
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Michigan Ann Arbour Michigan
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- Department of Biology University of Saskatchewan Saskatoon Saskatchewan Canada
| | - David W. Coltman
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton Alberta Canada
| | - Jamie C. Gorrell
- Biology Department University of Vancouver Island Nanaimo British Columbia Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- Department for Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario Canada
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18
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Antioxidant capacity is repeatable across years but does not consistently correlate with a marker of peroxidation in a free-living passerine bird. J Comp Physiol B 2019; 189:283-298. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-019-01211-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
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19
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Podofillini S, Cecere JG, Griggio M, Corti M, De Capua EL, Parolini M, Saino N, Serra L, Rubolini D. Benefits of extra food to reproduction depend on maternal condition. OIKOS 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/oik.06067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Podofillini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Jacopo G. Cecere
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - Matteo Griggio
- Dipto di Biologia, Univ. degli Studi di Padova Padova Italy
| | - Margherita Corti
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | | | - Marco Parolini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Nicola Saino
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
| | - Lorenzo Serra
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) Ozzano Emilia (BO) Italy
| | - Diego Rubolini
- Dipto di Scienze e Politiche Ambientali, Univ. degli Studi di Milano via Celoria 26, IT‐20133 Milano Italy
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20
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Casagrande S, Hau M. Enzymatic antioxidants but not baseline glucocorticoids mediate the reproduction-survival trade-off in a wild bird. Proc Biol Sci 2018; 285:rspb.2018.2141. [PMID: 30487312 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2018.2141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2018] [Accepted: 11/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The trade-off between reproductive investment and survival is central to life-history theory, but the relative importance and the complex interactions among the physiological mechanisms mediating it are still debated. Here we experimentally tested whether baseline glucocorticoid hormones, the redox system or their interaction mediate reproductive investment-survival trade-offs in wild great tits (Parus major). We increased the workload of parental males by clipping three feathers on each wing, and 5 days later determined effects on baseline corticosterone concentrations (Cort), redox state (reactive oxygen metabolites, protein carbonyls, glutathione peroxidase [GPx], total non-enzymatic antioxidants), body mass, body condition, reproductive success and survival. Feather-clipping did not affect fledgling numbers, chick body condition, nest provisioning rates or survival compared with controls. However, feather-clipped males lost mass and increased both Cort and GPx concentrations. Within feather-clipped individuals, GPx increases were positively associated with reproductive investment (i.e. male nest provisioning). Furthermore, within all individuals, males that increased GPx suffered reduced survival rates. Baseline Cort increases were related to mass loss but not to redox state, nest provisioning or male survival. Our findings provide experimental evidence that changes in the redox system are associated with the trade-off between reproductive investment and survival, while baseline Cort may support this trade-off indirectly through a link with body condition. These results also emphasize that plastic changes in individuals, rather than static levels of physiological signals, may mediate life-history trade-offs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefania Casagrande
- Department of Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Starnberg, Germany
| | - Michaela Hau
- Department of Evolutionary Physiology, Max Planck Institute for Ornithology, Seewiesen, Starnberg, Germany
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21
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Abstract
The mitochondrial hypothesis of aging evolved from the rate-of-living theory. That theory posited that the rate of aging was largely determined by the rate of energy expenditure. The mechanistic link between energy expenditure and aging was hypothesized to be oxidative stress. As both energy expenditure and reactive oxygen species (ROS) centered on the mitochondria that organelle became a central focus of aging research. Until about the turn of the 21st century available evidence largely supported the efficiency of mitochondrial function as a key contributor to aging. However as methods for investigating mitochondrial oxidant production and tissue level oxidative damage improved, evidentiary support for the theory weakened. Recently, direct disruption of mitochondrial function has been shown not to shorten life or health as expected, but in many cases in multiple laboratory species disrupted mitochondrial function has lengthened life, sometimes without apparent tradeoffs. Does this mean that mitochondrial function plays no role in aging as had been posited for many years? One key consideration is that experiments under laboratory conditions can be misleading about physiological processes that occur in the uncertain conditions of nature. Before we discard the mitochondrial hypothesis of aging, more field experiments targeted at that hypothesis need to be performed. Fortunately, emerging technology is making such experiment more possible than ever before.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven N Austad
- Department of Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 Second Avenue South, CH 464, Birmingham, AL 35294-1170, USA
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22
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Ołdakowski Ł, Taylor JRE. Oxidative damage and antioxidant defense are assay and tissue-dependent both in captive and wild-caught bank voles ( Myodes glareolus) before and after reproduction. Ecol Evol 2018; 8:7543-7552. [PMID: 30151169 PMCID: PMC6106179 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.4187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2017] [Revised: 02/14/2018] [Accepted: 04/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is costly and life-history theory predicts that current parental investment will result in lower survival or decreased future reproduction. The physiological mechanisms mediating the link between reproduction and survival are still under debate and elevated oxidative damage during reproduction has been proposed as a plausible candidate. Previous studies of oxidative stress during reproduction in animals under natural conditions have been restricted to analyses of blood. Herein, we measured the level of oxidative damage to lipids (tiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances) and proteins (carbonyls) in the liver, kidneys, heart and skeletal muscles in free-living bank vole females from spring and autumn generations, before and after reproduction. Antioxidant defense in the liver and kidneys was also determined. We expected oxidative damage to tissues and hypothesized that the damage would be more uniform between tissues in wild animals compared to those breeding under laboratory conditions. Considering all combinations of markers/tissues/generations, oxidative damage in females did not differ before and after reproduction in 12 comparisons, was lower after reproduction in three comparisons, and was higher after breeding in one comparison. The total glutathione was significantly increased after reproduction only in the liver of the autumn generation and there was no change in catalase activity. Our results confirm-for the first time in the field-previous observations from laboratory studies that there is no simple link between oxidative stress and reproduction and that patterns depend on the tissue and marker being studied. Overall, however, our study does not support the hypothesis that the cost of reproduction in bank voles is mediated by oxidative stress in these tissues.
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23
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The oxidative costs of parental care in cooperative and pair-breeding African starlings. Oecologia 2018; 188:53-63. [PMID: 29858694 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-018-4178-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
The cost of parental care has long been thought to favor the evolution of cooperative breeding, because breeders can provide reduced parental care when aided by alloparents. Oxidative stress-the imbalance between reactive oxygen species and neutralizing antioxidants-has been proposed to mediate the cost of parental care, though results from empirical studies remain equivocal. We measured changes in oxidative status during reproduction in cooperatively breeding superb starlings (Lamprotornis superbus) to gain insight into the relationships among breeding status, parental care, and oxidative stress. We also compared the oxidative cost of reproduction in the cooperatively breeding superb starling to that in a sympatric non-cooperatively breeding species, the greater blue-eared glossy starling (L. chalybaeus), to determine whether cooperatively breeding individuals face reduced oxidative costs of parental care relative to non-cooperatively breeding individuals. Breeders and alloparents of the cooperative species did not differ in oxidative status throughout a breeding attempt. However, individuals of the non-cooperative species incurred an increase in reactive oxygen metabolites proportionally to an individual's workload during offspring care. These findings suggest that non-cooperative starlings experience an oxidative cost of parental care, whereas cooperatively breeding starlings do not. It is possible that high nest predation risk and multi-brooding in the cooperatively breeding species may have favored reduced physiological costs of parental care more strongly compared to pair-breeding starlings. Reduced physiological costs of caring for young may thus represent a direct benefit that promotes cooperative breeding.
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Hernández-Arciga U, Herrera M. LG, Ibáñez-Contreras A, Miranda-Labra RU, Flores-Martínez JJ, Königsberg M. Baseline and post-stress seasonal changes in immunocompetence and redox state maintenance in the fishing bat Myotis vivesi. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0190047. [PMID: 29293551 PMCID: PMC5749750 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0190047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 12/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Little is known of how the stress response varies when animals confront seasonal life-history processes. Antioxidant defenses and damage caused by oxidative stress and their link with immunocompetence are powerful biomarkers to assess animal´s physiological stress response. The aim of this study was A) to determine redox state and variation in basal (pre-acute stress) immune function during summer, autumn and winter (spring was not assessed due to restrictions in collecting permit) in the fish-eating Myotis (Myotis vivesi; Chiroptera), and B) to determine the effect of acute stress on immunocompetence and redox state during each season. Acute stress was stimulated by restricting animal movement for 6 and 12 h. The magnitude of the cellular immune response was higher during winter whilst that of the humoral response was at its highest during summer. Humoral response increased after 6 h of movement restriction stress and returned to baseline levels after 12 h. Basal redox state was maintained throughout the year, with no significant changes in protein damage, and antioxidant activity was modulated mainly in relation to variation to environment cues, increasing during high temperatures and decreasing during windy nights. Antioxidant activity increased after the 6 h of stressful stimuli especially during summer and autumn, and to a lesser extent in early winter, but redox state did not vary. However, protein damage increased after 12 h of stress during summer. Prolonged stress when the bat is engaged in activities of high energy demand overcame its capacity to maintain homeostasis resulting in oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulalume Hernández-Arciga
- Posgrado en Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Unidad Iztapalapa, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México, México
| | - L. Gerardo Herrera M.
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, San Patricio, Jalisco, México
| | - Alejandra Ibáñez-Contreras
- Laboratorio de Neurofisiología, Applied Research in Experimental Biomedicine S.A. de C.V. (APREXBIO), Ciudad de México, México
- Unidad de Experimentación Animal, Biología Integral para Vertebrados (BIOINVERT®), Estado de México, México
| | - Roxana U. Miranda-Labra
- Laboratorio de Fisiología Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Unidad Iztapalapa, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México, México
| | - José Juan Flores-Martínez
- Laboratorio de Sistemas de Información Geográfica, Departamento de Zoología, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Mina Königsberg
- Laboratorio de Bioenergética y Envejecimiento Celular, Departamento de Ciencias de la Salud, Unidad Iztapalapa, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Ciudad de México, México
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25
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Fitness consequences of peak reproductive effort in a resource pulse system. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9335. [PMID: 28839275 PMCID: PMC5571191 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-09724-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The age trajectory of reproductive performance of many iteroparous species features an early - life increase in performance followed by a late - life senescent decline. The largest contribution of lifetime reproductive success is therefore gained at the age at which reproductive performance peaks. Using long term data on North American red squirrels we show that the environmental conditions individuals encountered could cause variation among individuals in the “height” and timing of this peak, contributing to life history variation and fitness in this population that experiences irregular resource pulses. As expected, high peak effort was positively associated with lifetime reproductive output up to a high level of annual effort. Furthermore, individuals that matched their peak reproductive effort to an anticipated resource pulse gained substantial fitness benefits through recruiting more offspring over their lifetime. Individual variation in peak reproductive effort thus has strong potential to shape life history evolution by facilitating adaptation to fluctuating environments.
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26
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Welbers AAMH, van Dis NE, Kolvoort AM, Ouyang J, Visser ME, Spoelstra K, Dominoni DM. Artificial Light at Night Reduces Daily Energy Expenditure in Breeding Great Tits (Parus major). Front Ecol Evol 2017. [DOI: 10.3389/fevo.2017.00055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Apfelbeck B, Helm B, Illera JC, Mortega KG, Smiddy P, Evans NP. Baseline and stress-induced levels of corticosterone in male and female Afrotropical and European temperate stonechats during breeding. BMC Evol Biol 2017; 17:114. [PMID: 28532466 PMCID: PMC5441054 DOI: 10.1186/s12862-017-0960-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2017] [Accepted: 05/08/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Latitudinal variation in avian life histories falls along a slow-fast pace of life continuum: tropical species produce small clutches, but have a high survival probability, while in temperate species the opposite pattern is found. This study investigated whether differential investment into reproduction and survival of tropical and temperate species is paralleled by differences in the secretion of the vertebrate hormone corticosterone (CORT). Depending on circulating concentrations, CORT can both act as a metabolic (low to medium levels) and a stress hormone (high levels) and, thereby, influence reproductive decisions. Baseline and stress-induced CORT was measured across sequential stages of the breeding season in males and females of closely related taxa of stonechats (Saxicola spp) from a wide distribution area. We compared stonechats from 13 sites, representing Canary Islands, European temperate and East African tropical areas. Stonechats are highly seasonal breeders at all these sites, but vary between tropical and temperate regions with regard to reproductive investment and presumably also survival. Results In accordance with life-history theory, during parental stages, post-capture (baseline) CORT was overall lower in tropical than in temperate stonechats. However, during mating stages, tropical males had elevated post-capture (baseline) CORT concentrations, which did not differ from those of temperate males. Female and male mates of a pair showed correlated levels of post-capture CORT when sampled after simulated territorial intrusions. In contrast to the hypothesis that species with low reproduction and high annual survival should be more risk-sensitive, tropical stonechats had lower stress-induced CORT concentrations than temperate stonechats. We also found relatively high post-capture (baseline) and stress-induced CORT concentrations, in slow-paced Canary Islands stonechats. Conclusions Our data support and refine the view that baseline CORT facilitates energetically demanding activities in males and females and reflects investment into reproduction. Low parental workload was associated with lower post-capture (baseline) CORT as expected for a slow pace of life in tropical species. On a finer resolution, however, this tropical-temperate contrast did not generally hold. Post-capture (baseline) CORT was higher during mating stages in particular in tropical males, possibly to support the energetic needs of mate-guarding. Counter to predictions based on life history theory, our data do not confirm the hypothesis that long-lived tropical populations have higher stress-induced CORT concentrations than short-lived temperate populations. Instead, in the predator-rich tropical environments of African stonechats, a dampened stress response during parental stages may increase survival probabilities of young. Overall our data further support an association between life history and baseline CORT, but challenge the role of stress-induced CORT as a mediator of tropical-temperate variation in life history. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-017-0960-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beate Apfelbeck
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK. .,Terrestrial Ecology Research Group, Department of Ecology and Ecosystemmanagement, Technische Universität München, School of Life Sciences Weihenstephan, D-85354, Freising, Germany.
| | - Barbara Helm
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK
| | - Juan Carlos Illera
- Research Unit of Biodiversity (UO-CSIC-PA), Oviedo University, Campus of Mieres, 33600, Mieres, Spain
| | - Kim G Mortega
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK.,Department of Migration and Immunoecology, Max-Planck-Institut für Ornithologie, D-78315, Radolfzell, Germany
| | - Patrick Smiddy
- School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University College Cork, Cork, T12 YN60, Ireland
| | - Neil P Evans
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, G12 8QQ, UK
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Colominas-Ciuró R, Santos M, Coria N, Barbosa A. Reproductive effort affects oxidative status and stress in an Antarctic penguin species: An experimental study. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0177124. [PMID: 28493935 PMCID: PMC5426717 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0177124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2016] [Accepted: 04/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The oxidative cost of reproduction has been a matter of debate in recent years presumably because of the lack of proper experimental studies. Based on the hypothesis that different brood sizes produce differential reproductive costs, an experimental manipulation during breeding of Adélie penguins was conducted at Hope Bay, Antarctica, to study oxidative status and stress. We predict that a lower reproductive effort should be positively related to low oxidative and physiological stress. We randomly assigned nests with two chicks to a control reproductive effort group (CRE), and by removing one chick from some nests with two chicks, formed a second, low reproductive effort group (LRE). We examined how oxidative status in blood plasma (reactive oxygen metabolites, ROMs, and total antioxidant capacity, OXY) and stress (heterophil/lymphocyte ratio, H/L) responded to a lower production of offspring total biomass. Our nest manipulation showed significant differences in offspring total biomass, which was lower in the LRE group. As predicted, the LRE group had higher antioxidant capacity than individuals in the CRE group. We have also found, although marginally significant, interactions between sex and treatment in the three variables analysed. Females had higher OXY, lower ROMs and lower H/L ratio when rearing one chick, whereas males did so when rearing two except for OXY which was high regardless of treatment. Moreover, there was a significant negative correlation between the H/L ratio and OXY in females. Finally, we have found a negative and significant relationship between the duration of the experiment and OXY and ROMs and positive with H/L ratio which suggests that indeed breeding penguins are paying an effort in physiological terms in relation to the duration of the chick rearing. In conclusion, a reduction of the reproductive effort decreased oxidative stress in this long-lived bird meaning that a link exists between breeding effort and oxidative stress. However, our findings suggest different sex strategies which results in opposite physiological responses presumably depending on different life-history strategies in males and females.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roger Colominas-Ciuró
- Depto. Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail:
| | - Mercedes Santos
- Instituto Antártico Argentino–División Biología, Cerrito 1248 (1010), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Néstor Coria
- Instituto Antártico Argentino–División Biología, Cerrito 1248 (1010), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrés Barbosa
- Depto. Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales, CSIC, Calle de José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, Madrid, Spain
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29
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Jothery AHA, Vaanholt LM, Mody N, Arnous A, Lykkesfeldt J, Bünger L, Hill WG, Mitchell SE, Allison DB, Speakman JR. Oxidative costs of reproduction in mouse strains selected for different levels of food intake and which differ in reproductive performance. Sci Rep 2016; 6:36353. [PMID: 27841266 PMCID: PMC5107891 DOI: 10.1038/srep36353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2016] [Accepted: 09/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species has been hypothesised to underpin the trade-off between reproduction and somatic maintenance, i.e., the life-history-oxidative stress theory. Previous tests of this hypothesis have proved equivocal, and it has been suggested that the variation in responses may be related to the tissues measured. Here, we measured oxidative damage (protein carbonyls, 8-OHdG) and antioxidant protection (enzymatic antioxidant activity and serum antioxidant capacity) in multiple tissues of reproductive (R) and non-reproductive (N) mice from two mouse strains selectively bred for high (H) or low (L) food intake, which differ in their reproductive performance, i.e., H mice have increased milk energy output (MEO) and wean larger pups. Levels of oxidative damage were unchanged (liver) or reduced (brain and serum) in R versus N mice, and no differences in multiple measures of oxidative protection were found between H and L mice in liver (except for Glutathione Peroxidase), brain or mammary glands. Also, there were no associations between an individual’s energetic investment (e.g., MEO) and most of the oxidative stress measures detected in various tissues. These data are inconsistent with the oxidative stress theory, but were more supportive of, but not completely consistent, with the ‘oxidative shielding’ hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aqeel H Al Jothery
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.,Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Karbala, Karbala, Iraq
| | - Lobke M Vaanholt
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - Nimesh Mody
- Institute of Medical Sciences, University of Aberdeen, College of Life Sciences and Medicine, Foresterhill Health Campus, Aberdeen, United Kingdom
| | - Anis Arnous
- Section of Experimental Animal Models, Faculty of Health &Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jens Lykkesfeldt
- Section of Experimental Animal Models, Faculty of Health &Medical Sciences,University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Lutz Bünger
- Animal and Veterinary Science Group, Scotland's Rural College (SRUC), Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
| | - William G Hill
- Institute of Evolutionary Biology, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK
| | - Sharon E Mitchell
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK
| | - David B Allison
- School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - John R Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK.,Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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30
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Delhaye J, Jenkins T, Christe P. Plasmodium infection and oxidative status in breeding great tits, Parus major. Malar J 2016; 15:531. [PMID: 27809847 PMCID: PMC5096287 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1579-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2016] [Accepted: 10/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium parasites may affect the oxidative status of their hosts, defined as the balance of pro-oxidant compounds and antioxidant defences in an organism. An increased energy requirement, the activation of immune functions or the parasite itself may lead to a higher production of pro-oxidants and/or an antioxidant depletion resulting in a higher oxidative stress and associated damage in infected individuals. Relatively little is known about the mechanisms underlying oxidative processes at play during host-Plasmodium interaction in the wild. Methods The effect of Plasmodium infection on host oxidative status was investigated in wild populations of breeding great tits, Parus major, naturally infected by Plasmodium spp. When chicks were 14 days old, the parents were blood-sampled to measure four complementary oxidative status markers: pro-oxidant production as mitochondrial superoxide production in red blood cells (RBC), antioxidant defences as plasma antioxidant capacity and oxidative damage as reactive oxygen metabolites in the plasma and RBC membrane resistance to oxidative attack. Results Plasmodium-infected individuals produced more pro-oxidants compared to uninfected ones and pro-oxidant production positively correlated to infection intensity. There was also a conditional effect of reproductive effort on oxidative damage depending on Plasmodium infection status. There was no direct effect of infection on oxidative damage and no effect on antioxidant defences. Conclusions The results suggest that Plasmodium parasites may impose a cost in terms of increased oxidative stress possibly mediated via a higher energy requirement in infected hosts. This further suggests that Plasmodium parasites may modify host life history traits via an induction of oxidative stress. This study highlights that measuring several complementary oxidative status markers may enable to capture oxidative processes at play during host-Plasmodium interactions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1579-9) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Delhaye
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Tania Jenkins
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philippe Christe
- Department of Ecology and Evolution, University of Lausanne, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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31
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Sudyka J, Casasole G, Rutkowska J, Cichoń M. Elevated reproduction does not affect telomere dynamics and oxidative stress. Behav Ecol Sociobiol 2016; 70:2223-2233. [PMID: 27881897 PMCID: PMC5102961 DOI: 10.1007/s00265-016-2226-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2016] [Revised: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 09/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
ABSTRACT Oxidative stress and telomere dynamics are considered to be powerful biomarkers quantifying a potential trade-off between current reproduction and self-maintenance. Recent studies confirmed the negative impact of elevated reproduction on telomeres, but the evidence for the cost of reproduction in terms of oxidative stress remains equivocal. In order to induce reproductive costs, we experimentally manipulated reproductive effort by increasing brood size in captive zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) and additionally challenged all birds by a low ambient temperature to facilitate detection of these costs. We were not able to show any negative effects of elevated reproductive effort on telomere dynamics and oxidative stress among parents, although brood enlargement was effective in terms of total mass and number of fledged young. Interestingly, irrespective of brood size treatment, we found a significant increase in antioxidant capacity at peak breeding while oxidative damage did not change with time. Our results may suggest that reproduction, instead of generating costs, may stimulate physiological functions promoting self-maintenance in terms of higher protection against free radicals. Possibly, opportunistic breeders such as zebra finches may not impede their future performance for the sake of current reproduction. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT This study interrogates a molecular background behind one of the most intriguing trade-offs that potentially occurs between self-maintenance and reproduction. We manipulated breeding effort in zebra finches to understand if the cost of reproduction can be mediated by telomere dynamics and oxidative stress. In our study system, we did not detect the direct reproductive costs in terms of parental oxidative damage and telomere loss; instead, these costs were paid by the offspring in terms of their inhibited growth rate. Moreover, we found that entering into the reproductive state strongly stimulated self-maintenance by increasing antioxidant capacity in parents. Our results emphasize that current reproductive success is not always prioritized over investment in body maintenance preventing the oxidative cost of reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Sudyka
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Giulia Casasole
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
- Behavioral Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Joanna Rutkowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Mariusz Cichoń
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland
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32
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Hofer H, Benhaiem S, Golla W, East ML. Trade-offs in lactation and milk intake by competing siblings in a fluctuating environment. Behav Ecol 2016. [DOI: 10.1093/beheco/arw078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
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33
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Lemaître JF, Berger V, Bonenfant C, Douhard M, Gamelon M, Plard F, Gaillard JM. Early-late life trade-offs and the evolution of ageing in the wild. Proc Biol Sci 2016; 282:20150209. [PMID: 25833848 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2015.0209] [Citation(s) in RCA: 233] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Empirical evidence for declines in fitness components (survival and reproductive performance) with age has recently accumulated in wild populations, highlighting that the process of senescence is nearly ubiquitous in the living world. Senescence patterns are highly variable among species and current evolutionary theories of ageing propose that such variation can be accounted for by differences in allocation to growth and reproduction during early life. Here, we compiled 26 studies of free-ranging vertebrate populations that explicitly tested for a trade-off between performance in early and late life. Our review brings overall support for the presence of early-late life trade-offs, suggesting that the limitation of available resources leads individuals to trade somatic maintenance later in life for high allocation to reproduction early in life. We discuss our results in the light of two closely related theories of ageing-the disposable soma and the antagonistic pleiotropy theories-and propose that the principle of energy allocation roots the ageing process in the evolution of life-history strategies. Finally, we outline research topics that should be investigated in future studies, including the importance of natal environmental conditions in the study of trade-offs between early- and late-life performance and the evolution of sex-differences in ageing patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean-François Lemaître
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Vérane Berger
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Christophe Bonenfant
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Mathieu Douhard
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Marlène Gamelon
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Floriane Plard
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
| | - Jean-Michel Gaillard
- Université de Lyon, F-69000, Lyon; Université Lyon 1; CNRS, UMR 5558, Laboratoire de Biométrie et Biologie Evolutive, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
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34
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Smith SM, Nager RG, Costantini D. Meta-analysis indicates that oxidative stress is both a constraint on and a cost of growth. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:2833-42. [PMID: 27217942 PMCID: PMC4863009 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2015] [Revised: 02/11/2016] [Accepted: 02/22/2016] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Oxidative stress (OS) as a proximate mechanism for life‐history trade‐offs is widespread in the literature. One such resource allocation trade‐off involves growth rate, and theory suggests that OS might act as both a constraint on and a cost of growth, yet studies investigating this have produced conflicting results. Here, we use meta‐analysis to investigate whether increased OS levels impact on growth (OS as a constraint on growth) and whether greater growth rates can increase OS (OS as a cost of growth). The role of OS as a constraint on growth was supported by the meta‐analysis. Greater OS, in terms of either increased damage or reduced levels of antioxidants, was associated with reduced growth although the effect depended on the experimental manipulation used. Our results also support an oxidative cost of growth, at least in terms of increased oxidative damage, although faster growth was not associated with a change in antioxidant levels. These findings that OS can act as a constraint on growth support theoretical links between OS and animal life histories and provide evidence for a growth–self‐maintenance trade‐off. Furthermore, the apparent oxidative costs of growth imply individuals cannot alter this trade‐off when faced with enhanced growth. We offer a starting platform for future research and recommend the use of oxidative damage biomarkers in nonlethal tissue to investigate the growth–OS relationship further.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shona M Smith
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Ruedi G Nager
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - David Costantini
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health & Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK; Department of Biology University of Antwerp Antwerp 2610 Belgium
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Zolderdo AJ, Algera DA, Lawrence MJ, Gilmour KM, Fast MD, Thuswaldner J, Willmore WG, Cooke SJ. Stress, nutrition and parental care in a teleost fish: exploring mechanisms with supplemental feeding and cortisol manipulation. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2016; 219:1237-48. [PMID: 26896551 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.135798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/09/2016] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Parental care is an essential life-history component of reproduction for many animal species, and it entails a suite of behavioural and physiological investments to enhance offspring survival. These investments can incur costs to the parent, reducing their energetic and physiological condition, future reproductive capabilities and survival. In fishes, relatively few studies have focused on how these physiological costs are mediated. Male smallmouth bass provide parental care for developing offspring until the brood reaches independence. During this energetically demanding life stage, males cease active foraging as they vigorously defend their offspring. Experimental manipulation of cortisol levels (via implantation) and food (via supplemental feeding) in parental males was used to investigate the fitness consequences of parental care. Improving the nutritional condition of nest-guarding males increased their reproductive success by reducing premature nest abandonment. However, supplemental feeding and cortisol treatment had no effect on parental care behaviours. Cortisol treatment reduced plasma lymphocyte numbers, but increased neutrophil and monocyte concentrations, indicating a shift in immune function. Supplemental feeding improved the physiological condition of parental fish by reducing the accumulation of oxidative injury. Specifically, supplemental feeding reduced the formation of 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) on DNA nucleotides. Increasing the nutritional condition of parental fish can reduce the physiological cost associated with intensive parental activity and improve overall reproductive success, illustrating the importance of nutritional condition as a key modulator of parental fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- A J Zolderdo
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - D A Algera
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - M J Lawrence
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - K M Gilmour
- Department of Biology, University of Ottawa, 30 Marie Curie, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1N 6N5
| | - M D Fast
- Pathology and Microbiology Department, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, 550 University Avenue, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada C1A 4P3
| | - J Thuswaldner
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - W G Willmore
- Department of Biology and Institute of Biochemistry, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
| | - S J Cooke
- Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Lab, Department of Biology, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6 Institute of Environmental Science, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1S 5B6
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36
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Ziomkiewicz A, Sancilio A, Galbarczyk A, Klimek M, Jasienska G, Bribiescas RG. Evidence for the Cost of Reproduction in Humans: High Lifetime Reproductive Effort Is Associated with Greater Oxidative Stress in Post-Menopausal Women. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0145753. [PMID: 26761206 PMCID: PMC4711894 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0145753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Life history theory predicts trade-offs between reproductive effort and maternal survivorship in energy-restricted environments. However, empirical evidence for the positive association between maternal mortality and reproductive effort from energetically challenged human populations are mixed and physiological mechanisms that may underlie this association are poorly understood. We hypothesized that increases in aerobic metabolism during repeated periods of pregnancy and lactation result in increased oxidative stress that may contribute to somatic deterioration, vulnerability to illness, and accelerated aging. We therefore predicted that lifetime gravidity and parity would be related to levels of biomarkers of oxidative stress, as well as antioxidative defence enzymes in post-menopausal women. Our hypothesis was supported by positive linear associations between levels of 8-OHdG, a biomarker of DNA oxidative damage (β = 0.21, p<0.05), levels of antioxidative defence enzyme Cu-Zn SOD (β = 0.25, p<0.05), and number of lifetime pregnancies. Furthermore, independent of age and health status, post-menopausal women with higher gravidity and parity (> = 4 pregnancies per lifetime) had 20% higher levels of 8-OHdG and 60% higher levels of Cu-Zn SOD compared to women with lower gravidity and parity (<4 pregnancies per lifetime). Our results present the first evidence for oxidative stress as a possible cost of reproductive effort in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Ziomkiewicz
- Anthropology Unit in Wroclaw, Polish Academy of Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Amelia Sancilio
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
| | - Andrzej Galbarczyk
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Magdalena Klimek
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Grazyna Jasienska
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
- Department of Environmental Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland
| | - Richard G. Bribiescas
- Department of Anthropology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, United States of America
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Montoya B, Valverde M, Rojas E, Torres R. Oxidative stress during courtship affects male and female reproductive effort differentially in a wild bird with biparental care. J Exp Biol 2016; 219:3915-3926. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.141325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/03/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Oxidative stress has been suggested as one of the physiological mechanisms modulating reproductive effort, including investment in mate choice. Here, we evaluated whether oxidative stress influences breeding decisions by acting as a cost of or constraint on reproduction in the brown booby (Sula leucogaster), a long-lived seabird with prolonged biparental care. We found that during courtship, levels of lipid peroxidation (LP) of males and females were positively associated with gular skin color, a trait presumably used in mate choice, while levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were higher as laying approached and in early breeding pairs. Evidence of a constraining effect of oxidative stress for females was suggested by the fact that females with higher ROS during courtship laid smaller first eggs and had chicks with lower rates of body mass gain, and higher female LP was associated with lower offspring attendance time. No evidence of an oxidative cost of parental effort was found; from courtship to parental care male and female' ROS decreased, and changes in LP levels were non-significant. Finally, using a cross-fostering experiment we found that offspring ROS was unrelated to rearing and genetic parents' ROS. Interestingly, offspring LP was positively associated with the LP during courtship of both the rearing parents and the genetic father, suggesting that offspring LP might have both a genetic and an environmental component. Hence, in the brown booby oxidative stress may be a cost of investment in reproductive traits before egg laying and constrain females' investment in eggs and parental care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bibiana Montoya
- Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Mahara Valverde
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Emilio Rojas
- Departamento de Medicina Genómica y Toxicología Ambiental, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
| | - Roxana Torres
- Laboratorio de Conducta Animal, Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Instituto de Ecología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
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Costantini D, Casasole G, AbdElgawad H, Asard H, Eens M. Experimental evidence that oxidative stress influences reproductive decisions. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- David Costantini
- Department of Biology Ethology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
- IBAHCM University of Glasgow Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Giulia Casasole
- Department of Biology Ethology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
| | - Hamada AbdElgawad
- Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp Belgium
- Department of Botany Faculty of Science University of Beni‐Suef Beni‐Suef 62511 Egypt
| | - Han Asard
- Molecular Plant Physiology and Biotechnology Group Department of Biology University of Antwerp Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Department of Biology Ethology Group University of Antwerp Universiteitsplein 1 2610 Wilrijk Belgium
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Speakman JR, Blount JD, Bronikowski AM, Buffenstein R, Isaksson C, Kirkwood TBL, Monaghan P, Ozanne SE, Beaulieu M, Briga M, Carr SK, Christensen LL, Cochemé HM, Cram DL, Dantzer B, Harper JM, Jurk D, King A, Noguera JC, Salin K, Sild E, Simons MJP, Smith S, Stier A, Tobler M, Vitikainen E, Peaker M, Selman C. Oxidative stress and life histories: unresolved issues and current needs. Ecol Evol 2015; 5:5745-57. [PMID: 26811750 PMCID: PMC4717350 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.1790] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Life‐history theory concerns the trade‐offs that mold the patterns of investment by animals between reproduction, growth, and survival. It is widely recognized that physiology plays a role in the mediation of life‐history trade‐offs, but the details remain obscure. As life‐history theory concerns aspects of investment in the soma that influence survival, understanding the physiological basis of life histories is related, but not identical, to understanding the process of aging. One idea from the field of aging that has gained considerable traction in the area of life histories is that life‐history trade‐offs may be mediated by free radical production and oxidative stress. We outline here developments in this field and summarize a number of important unresolved issues that may guide future research efforts. The issues are as follows. First, different tissues and macromolecular targets of oxidative stress respond differently during reproduction. The functional significance of these changes, however, remains uncertain. Consequently there is a need for studies that link oxidative stress measurements to functional outcomes, such as survival. Second, measurements of oxidative stress are often highly invasive or terminal. Terminal studies of oxidative stress in wild animals, where detailed life‐history information is available, cannot generally be performed without compromising the aims of the studies that generated the life‐history data. There is a need therefore for novel non‐invasive measurements of multi‐tissue oxidative stress. Third, laboratory studies provide unrivaled opportunities for experimental manipulation but may fail to expose the physiology underpinning life‐history effects, because of the benign laboratory environment. Fourth, the idea that oxidative stress might underlie life‐history trade‐offs does not make specific enough predictions that are amenable to testing. Moreover, there is a paucity of good alternative theoretical models on which contrasting predictions might be based. Fifth, there is an enormous diversity of life‐history variation to test the idea that oxidative stress may be a key mediator. So far we have only scratched the surface. Broadening the scope may reveal new strategies linked to the processes of oxidative damage and repair. Finally, understanding the trade‐offs in life histories and understanding the process of aging are related but not identical questions. Scientists inhabiting these two spheres of activity seldom collide, yet they have much to learn from each other.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK; State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing China
| | - Jonathan D Blount
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Anne M Bronikowski
- Department of Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology Iowa State University 251 Bessey Hall Ames Iowa 50011
| | - Rochelle Buffenstein
- Physiology, Barshop Institute for Aging and Longevity Research UTHSCSA 15355 Lambda Drive San Antonio Texas 78245
| | - Caroline Isaksson
- Department of Biology Lund University Solvegatan 37 Lund 223 62 Sweden
| | - Tom B L Kirkwood
- The Newcastle University Institute for Ageing Institute for Cell & Molecular Biosciences Campus for Ageing and Vitality Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL UK
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Susan E Ozanne
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Level 4 Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Michaël Beaulieu
- Zoological Institute and Museum University of Greifswald Johann-Sebastian Bach Str. 11/12 Greifswald 17489 Germany
| | - Michael Briga
- Behavioral Biology University of Groningen Nijenborgh 7 Groningen 9747 AG The Netherlands
| | - Sarah K Carr
- University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Level 4 Wellcome Trust-MRC Institute of Metabolic Science Addenbrooke's Hospital Cambridge CB2 0QQ UK
| | - Louise L Christensen
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen Tillydrone Avenue Aberdeen AB24 2TZ UK
| | - Helena M Cochemé
- MRC Clinical Sciences Centre Imperial College London Hammersmith Hospital Campus Du Cane Road London W12 0NN UK
| | - Dominic L Cram
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Ben Dantzer
- Department of Psychology University of Michigan Ann Arbor Michigan 48109
| | - Jim M Harper
- Department of Biological Sciences Sam Houston State University 1900 Avenue I LDB 100B Huntsville Texas 77341
| | - Diana Jurk
- The Newcastle University Institute for Ageing Institute for Cell & Molecular Biosciences Campus for Ageing and Vitality Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL UK
| | - Annette King
- The Newcastle University Institute for Ageing Institute for Cell & Molecular Biosciences Campus for Ageing and Vitality Newcastle upon Tyne NE4 5PL UK
| | - Jose C Noguera
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Karine Salin
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Elin Sild
- Department of Biology Lund University Solvegatan 37 Lund 223 62 Sweden
| | - Mirre J P Simons
- Department of Animal and Plant Sciences University of Sheffield Alfred Denny Building, Western Bank Sheffield S10 2TN UK
| | - Shona Smith
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department Ecology, Physiology et Ethology University of Strasbourg - IPHC (UMR7178) 23, rue Becquerel Strasbourg 67087 France
| | - Michael Tobler
- Department of Biology Lund University Solvegatan 37 Lund 223 62 Sweden
| | - Emma Vitikainen
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | | | - Colin Selman
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine University of Glasgow Graham Kerr Building Glasgow G12 8QQ UK
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Vaanholt LM, Milne A, Zheng Y, Hambly C, Mitchell SE, Valencak TG, Allison DB, Speakman JR. Oxidative costs of reproduction: Oxidative stress in mice fed standard and low antioxidant diets. Physiol Behav 2015; 154:1-7. [PMID: 26569452 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.11.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/09/2015] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Lactation is one of the most energetically expensive behaviours, and trade-offs may exist between the energy devoted to it and somatic maintenance, including protection against oxidative damage. However, conflicting data exist for the effects of reproduction on oxidative stress. In the wild, a positive relationship is often observed, but in laboratory studies oxidative damage is often lower in lactating than in non-breeding animals. We hypothesised that this discrepancy may exist because during lactation food intake increases many-fold resulting in a large increase in the intake of dietary antioxidants which are typically high in laboratory rodent chow where they are added as a preservative. We supplied lactating and non-breeding control mice with either a standard or low antioxidant diet and studied how this affected the activity of endogenous antioxidants (catalase, superoxide dismutase; SOD, and glutathione peroxidise; GPx) and oxidative damage to proteins (protein carbonyls, PC) in liver and brain tissue. The low antioxidant diet did not significantly affect activities of antioxidant enzymes in brain or liver, and generally did not result in increased protein damage, except in livers of control mice on low antioxidant diet. Catalase activity, but not GPx or SOD, was decreased in both control and lactating mice on the low antioxidant diet. Lactating mice had significantly reduced oxidative damage to both liver and brain compared to control mice, independent of the diet they were given. In conclusion, antioxidant content of the diet did not affect oxidative stress in control or reproductive mice, and cannot explain the previously observed reduction in oxidative stress in lactating mammals studied in the laboratory. The reduced oxidative stress in the livers of lactating mice even under low antioxidant diet treatment was consistent with the 'shielding' hypothesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Vaanholt
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - A Milne
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - Y Zheng
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - C Hambly
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - S E Mitchell
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
| | - T G Valencak
- University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, Department of Integrative Biology and Evolution, Vienna, Austria
| | - D B Allison
- Nutrition Obesity Research Center, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - J R Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK; Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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41
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Zhao XY, Zhang JY, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. Oxidative Damage Does Not Occur in Striped Hamsters Raising Natural and Experimentally Increased Litter Size. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0141604. [PMID: 26505889 PMCID: PMC4624642 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141604] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2015] [Accepted: 10/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Life-history theory assumes that animals can balance the allocation of limited energy or resources to the competing demands of growth, reproduction and somatic maintenance, while consequently maximizing their fitness. However, somatic damage caused by oxidative stress in reproductive female animals is species-specific or is tissue dependent. In the present study, several markers of oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide, H2O2 and malonadialdehyde, MDA) and antioxidant (catalase, CAT and total antioxidant capacity, T-AOC) were examined in striped hamsters during different stages of reproduction with experimentally manipulated litter size. Energy intake, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and mRNA expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and UCP3 in skeletal muscle were also examined. H2O2 and MDA levels did not change in BAT and liver, although they significantly decreased in skeletal muscle in the lactating hamsters compared to the non-reproductive group. However, H2O2 levels in the brain were significantly higher in lactating hamsters than non-reproductive controls. Experimentally increasing litter size did not cause oxidative stress in BAT, liver and skeletal muscle, but significantly elevated H2O2 levels in the brain. CAT activity of liver decreased, but CAT and T-AOC activity of BAT, skeletal muscle and the brain did not change in lactating hamsters compared to non-reproductive controls. Both antioxidants did not change with the experimentally increasing litter size. RMR significantly increased, but BAT UCP1 mRNA expression decreased with the experimentally increased litter size, suggesting that it was against simple positive links between metabolic rate, UCP1 expression and free radicals levels. It may suggest that the cost of reproduction has negligible effect on oxidative stress or even attenuates oxidative stress in some active tissues in an extensive range of animal species. But the increasing reproductive effort may cause oxidative stress in the brain, indicating that oxidative stress in response to reproduction is tissue dependent. These findings provide partial support for the life-history theory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ya Zhao
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Ji-Ying Zhang
- 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
- * E-mail:
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Zheng GX, Lin JT, Zheng WH, Cao J, Zhao ZJ. Energy intake, oxidative stress and antioxidant in mice during lactation. DONG WU XUE YAN JIU = ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2015; 36:95-102. [PMID: 25855228 DOI: 10.13918/j.issn.2095-8137.2015.2.95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Reproduction is the highest energy demand period for small mammals, during which both energy intake and expenditure are increased to cope with elevated energy requirements of offspring growth and somatic protection. Oxidative stress life history theory proposed that reactive oxygen species (ROS) were produced in direct proportion to metabolic rate, resulting in oxidative stress and damage to macromolecules. In the present study, several markers of oxidative stress and antioxidants activities were examined in brain, liver, kidneys, skeletal muscle and small intestine in non-lactating (Non-Lac) and lactating (Lac) KM mice. Uncoupling protein (ucps) gene expression was examined in brain, liver and muscle. During peak lactation, gross energy intake was 254% higher in Lac mice than in Non-Lac mice. Levels of H2O2 of Lac mice were 17.7% higher in brain (P<0.05), but 21.1% (P<0.01) and 14.5% (P<0.05) lower in liver and small intestine than that of Non-Lac mice. Malonadialdehyde (MDA) levels of Lac mice were significantly higher in brain, but lower in liver, kidneys, muscle and small intestine than that of Non-Lac mice. Activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) was significantly decreased in brain and liver in the Lac group compared with that in the Non-Lac group. Total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) activity of Lac mice was significantly higher in muscle, but lower in kidneys than Non-Lac mice. Ucp4 and ucp5 gene expression of brain was 394% and 577% higher in Lac mice than in Non-Lac mice. These findings suggest that KM mice show tissue-dependent changes in both oxidative stress and antioxidants. Activities of antioxidants may be regulated physiologically in response to the elevated ROS production in several tissues during peak lactation. Regulations of brain ucp4 and ucp5 gene expression may be involved in the prevention of oxidative damage to the tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guo-Xiao Zheng
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Jiang-Tao Lin
- College of Life and Environmental Science, Wenzhou University, Wenzhou 325035, China
| | - Wei-Hong Zheng
- 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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43
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Bartheld JL, Gaitán‐Espitia JD, Artacho P, Salgado‐Luarte C, Gianoli E, Nespolo RF. Energy expenditure and body size are targets of natural selection across a wide geographic range, in a terrestrial invertebrate. Funct Ecol 2015. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- José Luis Bartheld
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia 5090000 Chile
| | - Juan Diego Gaitán‐Espitia
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia 5090000 Chile
| | - Paulina Artacho
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia 5090000 Chile
| | | | - Ernesto Gianoli
- Departamento de Biología Universidad de La Serena Casilla 554 La Serena Chile
- Departamento de Botánica Universidad de Concepción Casilla 160‐C Concepción Chile
| | - Roberto F. Nespolo
- Instituto de Ciencias Ambientales y Evolutivas Universidad Austral de Chile Campus Isla Teja Valdivia 5090000 Chile
- Center of Applied Ecology and Sustainability (CAPES) Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas Universidad Católica de Chile Santiago 6513677 Chile
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44
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Sharick J, Vazquez-Medina J, Ortiz R, Crocker D. Oxidative stress is a potential cost of breeding in male and female northern elephant seals. Funct Ecol 2015; 29:367-376. [PMID: 25983364 PMCID: PMC4429057 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The trade-off between current reproductive effort and survival is a key concept of life history theory. A variety of studies support the existence of this trade-off but the underlying physiological mechanisms are not well-understood. Oxidative stress has been proposed as a potential mechanism underlying the observed inverse relationship between reproductive investment and lifespan. Prolonged fasting is associated with oxidative stress including increases in the production of reactive oxygen species, oxidative damage and inflammation.Northern elephant seals (NES) undergo prolonged fasts while maintaining high metabolic rates during breeding. We investigated NES of both sexes to assess oxidative stress associated with extended breeding fasts. We measured changes in the plasma activity or concentrations of markers for oxidative stress in 30 adult male and 33 adult female northern elephant seals across their 1-3 month breeding fasts. Markers assessed included a pro-oxidant enzyme, several antioxidant enzymes, markers for oxidative damage to lipids, proteins and DNA, and markers for systemic inflammation.Plasma xanthine oxidase (XO), a pro-oxidant enzyme that increases production of oxidative radicals, and several protective antioxidant enzymes increased over breeding in both sexes. Males showed increased oxidative damage to lipids and DNA and increased systemic inflammation, while oxidative damage to proteins declined across breeding. In contrast, females showed no oxidative damage to lipids or DNA or changes in inflammation, but showed increases in oxidative damage to proteins. XO activity, antioxidant enzymes, oxidative damage markers, and inflammatory markers were strongly correlated in males but these relationships were weaker or non-existent in females.NES provide evidence for oxidative stress as a physiological cost of reproduction in a capital breeding mammal. Both sexes strongly up-regulated antioxidant defenses during breeding. Despite this response, and in contrast to similar duration non-breeding fasts in previous studies on conspecifics, there was evidence of oxidative damage to tissues. These data demonstrate the utility of using plasma markers to examine oxidative stress but also suggest the necessity of measuring a broad suite of plasma markers to assess systemic oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- J.T. Sharick
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
| | - J.P. Vazquez-Medina
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 N. Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
| | - R.M. Ortiz
- School of Natural Sciences, University of California, 5200 N. Lake Road, Merced, CA 95343
| | - D.E. Crocker
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
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45
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Ołdakowski Ł, Wasiluk A, Sadowska ET, Koteja P, Taylor JRE. Reproduction is not costly in terms of oxidative stress. J Exp Biol 2015; 218:3901-10. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.126557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2015] [Accepted: 10/12/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
One of the core assumptions of life-history theory is the negative trade-off between current and future reproduction. Investment in current reproduction is expected to decrease future reproductive success or survival, but the physiological mechanisms underlying these costs are still obscure. To test for a role of oxidative stress, we measured oxidative damage to lipids and proteins in liver, heart, kidneys, and muscles, as well as the level of antioxidants (total glutathione and catalase), in breeding and non-breeding bank voles. We used females from lines selected for high aerobic metabolism and non-selected control lines and manipulated their reproductive investment by decreasing or increasing litter size. Unlike in most previous studies, the females reared four consecutive litters (the maximum possible during a breeding season). Contrary to predictions, oxidative damage in reproducing females was decreased or not changed, and did not differ between the selected and control lines. Oxidative damage to lipids and proteins in liver was lower in females that weaned enlarged litters than in non-breeding ones, and was intermediate in those with reduced litters. Oxidative damage to proteins in the heart also tended to be lower in breeding females than in non-breeding ones. A negative relationship between the level of oxidative damage and activity of catalase in kidneys indicated a protective action of antioxidants. In conclusion, our study falsified the hypothesis that oxidative stress is a part of the proximate physiological mechanism underlying the fundamental life-history trade-off between current and future reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Łukasz Ołdakowski
- Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1 J, PL 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Wasiluk
- Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1 J, PL 15-245 Białystok, Poland
| | - Edyta T. Sadowska
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, PL 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Paweł Koteja
- Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, ul. Gronostajowa 7, PL 30-387 Kraków, Poland
| | - Jan R. E. Taylor
- Institute of Biology, University of Białystok, Ciołkowskiego 1 J, PL 15-245 Białystok, Poland
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46
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Cram DL, Blount JD, Young AJ. Oxidative status and social dominance in a wild cooperative breeder. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Dominic L. Cram
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
- Department of Zoology University of Cambridge Cambridge CB2 3EJ UK
| | - Jonathan D. Blount
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
| | - Andrew J. Young
- Centre for Ecology & Conservation College of Life & Environmental Sciences University of Exeter Penryn Campus Cornwall TR10 9FE UK
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47
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Fletcher QE, Speakman JR, Boutin S, Lane JE, McAdam AG, Gorrell JC, Coltman DW, Humphries MM. Daily energy expenditure during lactation is strongly selected in a free‐living mammal. Funct Ecol 2014. [DOI: 10.1111/1365-2435.12313] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Quinn E. Fletcher
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences Macdonald Campus McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QuebecH9X 3V9 Canada
| | - John R. Speakman
- Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences University of Aberdeen AberdeenAB24 2TZ UK
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology 1 West Beichen RoadChaoyang Beijing 100080 China
| | - Stan Boutin
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Jeffrey E. Lane
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Andrew G. McAdam
- Department of Integrative Biology University of Guelph Guelph Ontario N1G 2W1 Canada
| | - Jamieson C. Gorrell
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2E9 Canada
| | - David W. Coltman
- Department of Biological Sciences University of Alberta Edmonton AlbertaT6G 2E9 Canada
| | - Murray M. Humphries
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences Macdonald Campus McGill University Ste‐Anne‐de‐Bellevue QuebecH9X 3V9 Canada
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48
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Aloise King ED, Garratt M, Brooks R. Manipulating reproductive effort leads to changes in female reproductive scheduling but not oxidative stress. Ecol Evol 2013; 3:4161-71. [PMID: 24324867 PMCID: PMC3853561 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2013] [Revised: 07/10/2013] [Accepted: 07/11/2013] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The trade-off between reproductive investment and lifespan is the single most important concept in life-history theory. A variety of sources of evidence support the existence of this trade-off, but the physiological costs of reproduction that underlie this relationship remain poorly understood. The Free Radical Theory of Ageing suggests that oxidative stress, which occurs when there is an imbalance between the production of damaging Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and protective antioxidants, may be an important mediator of this trade-off. We sought to test this theory by manipulating the reproductive investment of female mice (Mus musculus domesticus) and measuring the effects on a number of life history and oxidative stress variables. Females with a greater reproductive load showed no consistent increase in oxidative damage above females who had a smaller reproductive load. The groups differed, however, in their food consumption, reproductive scheduling and mean offspring mass. Of particular note, females with a very high reproductive load delayed blastocyst implantation of their second litter, potentially mitigating the costs of energetically costly reproductive periods. Our results highlight that females use strategies to offset particularly costly periods of reproduction and illustrate the absence of a simple relationship between oxidative stress and reproduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edith D Aloise King
- Evolution & Ecology Research Centre and School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia
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49
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Speakman JR. Measuring energy metabolism in the mouse - theoretical, practical, and analytical considerations. Front Physiol 2013; 4:34. [PMID: 23504620 PMCID: PMC3596737 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2013.00034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 180] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2012] [Accepted: 02/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The mouse is one of the most important model organisms for understanding human genetic function and disease. This includes characterization of the factors that influence energy expenditure and dysregulation of energy balance leading to obesity and its sequelae. Measuring energy metabolism in the mouse presents a challenge because the animals are small, and in this respect it presents similar challenges to measuring energy demands in many other species of small mammal. This paper considers some theoretical, practical, and analytical considerations to be considered when measuring energy expenditure in mice. Theoretically total daily energy expenditure is comprised of several different components: basal or resting expenditure, physical activity, thermoregulation, and the thermic effect of food. Energy expenditure in mice is normally measured using open flow indirect calorimetry apparatus. Two types of system are available – one of which involves a single small Spartan chamber linked to a single analyzer, which is ideal for measuring the individual components of energy demand. The other type of system involves a large chamber which mimics the home cage environment and is generally configured with several chambers/analyzer. These latter systems are ideal for measuring total daily energy expenditure but at present do not allow accurate decomposition of the total expenditure into its components. The greatest analytical challenge for mouse expenditure data is how to account for body size differences between individuals. This has been a matter of some discussion for at least 120 years. The statistically most appropriate approach is to use analysis of covariance with individual aspects of body composition as independent predictors.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Speakman
- Key State Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing, China ; Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen Aberdeen, Scotland, UK
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Beaulieu M, Thierry AM, González-Acuña D, Polito MJ. Integrating oxidative ecology into conservation physiology. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2013; 1:cot004. [PMID: 27293588 PMCID: PMC4806615 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/cot004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2013] [Accepted: 03/08/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Ecologists have recently shown great interest in using physiological markers as indicators of the health of animal populations. In this context, the measurement of markers of oxidative balance, such as antioxidant defences and oxidative damage, may be a valuable tool. Indeed, at the individual level, antioxidant defences are positively associated with fertility and survival probability, while elevated oxidative damage during reproduction or growth may negatively affect recruitment and survival. Therefore, variation in oxidative balance is likely to influence demographic processes. This suggests that conservationists may be able to use oxidative markers to monitor population health. Yet, the connection between these markers and demographic parameters first needs to be established. We present here preliminary results obtained in colonies of breeding Gentoo (Pygoscelis papua) and Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae), showing that antioxidant defences strongly reflect population trends. However, population trend was not related to oxidative damage. This suggests that in the context of the emerging field of conservation physiology, antioxidant defences may represent a key parameter to monitor population health. We therefore exhort other research teams to assess the generality of this finding in other biological models, especially in species of conservation concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michaël Beaulieu
- Faculty of Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
- Corresponding author: Faculty of Biology, Department of Evolutionary Biology and Animal Ecology, University of Freiburg, Hauptstraße 1, 79104 Freiburg, Germany.
| | | | - Daniel González-Acuña
- Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 537, Chillán, Chile
| | - Michael J. Polito
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 266 Woods Hole Road MS 50, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
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