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Andreasson F, Rostedt E, Nord A. Measuring body temperature in birds - the effects of sensor type and placement on estimated temperature and metabolic rate. J Exp Biol 2023; 226:jeb246321. [PMID: 37969087 PMCID: PMC10753514 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246321] [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: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 11/17/2023]
Abstract
Several methods are routinely used to measure avian body temperature, but different methods vary in invasiveness. This may cause stress-induced increases in temperature and/or metabolic rate and, hence, overestimation of both parameters. Choosing an adequate temperature measurement method is therefore key to accurately characterizing an animal's thermal and metabolic phenotype. Using great tits (Parus major) and four common methods with different levels of invasiveness (intraperitoneal, cloacal, subcutaneous, cutaneous), we evaluated the preciseness of body temperature measurements and effects on resting metabolic rate (RMR) over a 40°C range of ambient temperatures. None of the methods caused overestimation or underestimation of RMR compared with un-instrumented birds, and body or skin temperature estimates did not differ between methods in thermoneutrality. However, skin temperature was lower compared with all other methods below thermoneutrality. These results provide empirical guidance for future research that aims to measure body temperature and metabolic rate in small bird models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fredrik Andreasson
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Elin Rostedt
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Andreas Nord
- Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Lund University, Ecology Building, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
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2
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Rippamonti J, Dzialowski EM. Thyroid hormone manipulation influences development of endothermy and hatching in white leghorn chickens (Gallus gallus). J Therm Biol 2023; 114:103582. [PMID: 37276745 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103582] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Chickens experience rapid change in their physiology and metabolism during hatching. We propose that thyroid hormones play a major role in regulating the developmental changes associated with attaining endothermy. To better understand the role thyroid hormones play in hatch timing and development of thermogenic capacity and metabolic rate we manipulated plasma thyroid hormone levels in chicken embryos beginning at 80% development (day 17 of a 21-day incubation) with either a single dose of triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) or the thyroperoxidase inhibitor methimazole (MMI). Manipulation of thyroid hormones altered the timing of hatching, accelerating hatching under hyperthyroid conditions, and prolonging hatching with hypothyroid conditions. Effect sizes comparisons of morphological variables between treatment groups revealed larger heart and body masses in hyperthyroid 1-day post hatch animals. Thyroid hormone manipulation influenced the thermal neutral zone for O2 consumption and body temperature during gradual cooling from 35 to 15 °C of externally pipped embryos and 1-day post hatch chicks. Hyperthyroid EP animals had a wider thermal neutral zone during cooling when compared to control animals. At the temperatures tested, the hypothyroid animals did not exhibit a thermal neutral zone. Similar differences between treatments in the breadth of the thermal neutral zone carried through to 1-day post hatch chickens. These findings suggest that thyroid manipulations influence the timing and development of the animal's thermogenic response to cooling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Rippamonti
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76201, USA.
| | - Edward M Dzialowski
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, 76201, USA
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3
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Jouanneau W, Léandri-Breton DJ, Herzke D, Moe B, Nikiforov VA, Pallud M, Parenteau C, Gabrielsen GW, Chastel O. Does contaminant exposure disrupt maternal hormones deposition? A study on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in an Arctic seabird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 868:161413. [PMID: 36621503 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.161413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Maternal effects are thought to be essential tools for females to modulate offspring development. The selective deposition of avian maternal hormones could therefore allow females to strategically adjust the phenotype of their offspring to the environmental situation encountered. However, at the time of egg formation, several contaminants are also transferred to the egg, including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) which are ubiquitous organic contaminants with endocrine disrupting properties. It is, however, unknown if they can disrupt maternal hormone deposition. In this study we explored relationships between female PFAS burden and maternal deposition in the eggs of steroids (dihydrotestosterone, androstenedione and testosterone), glucocorticoids (corticosterone) and thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine and thyroxine) in a population of the Arctic-breeding black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla). Egg yolk hormone levels were unrelated to female hormone plasma levels. Second-laid eggs had significantly lower concentrations of androstenedione than first-laid eggs. Triiodothyronine yolk levels were decreasing with increasing egg mass but increasing with increasing females' body condition. Testosterone was the only transferred yolk hormone correlated to maternal PFAS burden: specifically, we found a positive correlation between testosterone in yolks and circulating maternal perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDcA) and perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) in first-laid eggs. This correlative study provides a first insight into the potential of some long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids to disrupt maternal hormones deposition in eggs and raises the question about the consequences of increased testosterone deposition on the developing embryo.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Jouanneau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17031 La Rochelle, France; Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Don-Jean Léandri-Breton
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17031 La Rochelle, France; Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste Anne-de-Bellevue, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Dorte Herzke
- NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Børge Moe
- NINA - Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Vladimir A Nikiforov
- NILU - Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Marie Pallud
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17031 La Rochelle, France
| | - Charline Parenteau
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17031 La Rochelle, France
| | | | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS - La Rochelle Université, 17031 La Rochelle, France
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4
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Leemans M, Spirhanzlova P, Couderq S, Le Mével S, Grimaldi A, Duvernois-Berthet E, Demeneix B, Fini JB. A Mixture of Chemicals Found in Human Amniotic Fluid Disrupts Brain Gene Expression and Behavior in Xenopus laevis. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24032588. [PMID: 36768911 PMCID: PMC9916464 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24032588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2022] [Revised: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2023] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (TH) are essential for normal brain development, influencing neural cell differentiation, migration, and synaptogenesis. Multiple endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are found in the environment, raising concern for their potential effects on TH signaling and the consequences on neurodevelopment and behavior. While most research on EDCs investigates the effects of individual chemicals, human health may be adversely affected by a mixture of chemicals. The potential consequences of EDC exposure on human health are far-reaching and include problems with immune function, reproductive health, and neurological development. We hypothesized that embryonic exposure to a mixture of chemicals (containing phenols, phthalates, pesticides, heavy metals, and perfluorinated, polychlorinated, and polybrominated compounds) identified as commonly found in the human amniotic fluid could lead to altered brain development. We assessed its effect on TH signaling and neurodevelopment in an amphibian model (Xenopus laevis) highly sensitive to thyroid disruption. Fertilized eggs were exposed for eight days to either TH (thyroxine, T4 10 nM) or the amniotic mixture (at the actual concentration) until reaching stage NF47, where we analyzed gene expression in the brains of exposed tadpoles using both RT-qPCR and RNA sequencing. The results indicate that whilst some overlap on TH-dependent genes exists, T4 and the mixture have different gene signatures. Immunohistochemistry showed increased proliferation in the brains of T4-treated animals, whereas no difference was observed for the amniotic mixture. Further, we demonstrated diminished tadpoles' motility in response to T4 and mixture exposure. As the individual chemicals composing the mixture are considered safe, these results highlight the importance of examining the effects of mixtures to improve risk assessment.
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5
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Hsu BY, Pakanen VM, Boner W, Doligez B, Eeva T, Groothuis TGG, Korpimäki E, Laaksonen T, Lelono A, Monaghan P, Sarraude T, Thomson RL, Tolvanen J, Tschirren B, Vásquez RA, Ruuskanen S. Maternally-transferred thyroid hormones and life-history variation in birds. J Anim Ecol 2022; 91:1489-1506. [PMID: 35470435 PMCID: PMC9546341 DOI: 10.1111/1365-2656.13708] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
In vertebrates, thyroid hormones (THs) play an important role in the regulation of growth, development, metabolism, photoperiodic responses and migration. Maternally transferred THs are important for normal early phase embryonic development when embryos are not able to produce endogenous THs. Previous studies have shown that variation in maternal THs within the physiological range can influence offspring phenotype. Given the essential functions of maternal THs in development and metabolism, THs may be a mediator of life‐history variation across species. We tested the hypothesis that differences in life histories are associated with differences in maternal TH transfer across species. Using birds as a model, we specifically tested whether maternally transferred yolk THs covary with migratory status, developmental mode and traits related to pace‐of‐life (e.g. basal metabolic rate, maximum life span). We collected un‐incubated eggs (n = 1–21 eggs per species, median = 7) from 34 wild and captive bird species across 17 families and six orders to measure yolk THs [both triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)], compiled life‐history trait data from the literature and used Bayesian phylogenetic mixed models to test our hypotheses. Our models indicated that both concentrations and total amounts of the two main forms of THs (T3 and T4) were higher in the eggs of migratory species compared to resident species, and total amounts were higher in the eggs of precocial species, which have longer prenatal developmental periods, than in those of altricial species. However, maternal yolk THs did not show clear associations with pace‐of‐life‐related traits, such as fecundity, basal metabolic rate or maximum life span. We quantified interspecific variation in maternal yolk THs in birds, and our findings suggest higher maternal TH transfer is associated with the precocial mode of development and migratory status. Whether maternal THs represent a part of the mechanism underlying the evolution of precocial development and migration or a consequence of such life histories is currently unclear. We therefore encourage further studies to explore the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary processes underlying these patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Veli-Matti Pakanen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Winnie Boner
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Healthy and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Blandine Doligez
- Department of Biometry and Evolutionary Biology, CNRS UMR 5558, Université de Lyon 1, France
| | - Tapio Eeva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | | | | | - Asmoro Lelono
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands.,Biology Department, Natural Sciences and Mathematics Faculty, Jember University of Indonesia, Indonesia
| | - Pat Monaghan
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Healthy and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences (GELIFES), University of Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Robert L Thomson
- Fitzpatrick Institute of African Ornithology, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jere Tolvanen
- Ecology and Genetics Research Unit, University of Oulu, Finland
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, United Kingdom
| | - Rodrigo A Vásquez
- Instituto de Ecología y Biodiversidad, Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
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6
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Cossin-Sevrin N, Hsu BY, Marciau C, Viblanc VA, Ruuskanen S, Stier A. Developmental plasticity of mitochondrial aerobic metabolism, growth and survival by prenatal glucocorticoids and thyroid hormones: an experimental test in wild great tits. J Exp Biol 2022; 225:275345. [PMID: 35420125 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Developmental plasticity is partly mediated by transgenerational effects, including those mediated by the maternal endocrine system. Glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones may play central roles in developmental programming through their action on metabolism and growth. However, the mechanisms by which they affect growth and development remain understudied. One hypothesis is that maternal hormones directly affect the production and availability of energy-carrying molecules (e.g. ATP) by their action on mitochondrial function. To test this hypothesis, we experimentally increased glucocorticoid and thyroid hormones in wild great tit eggs (Parus major) to investigate their impact on offspring mitochondrial aerobic metabolism (measured in blood cells), and subsequent growth and survival. We show that prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation affected offspring cellular aerobic metabolism by decreasing mitochondrial density, maximal mitochondrial respiration and oxidative phosphorylation, while increasing the proportion of the maximum capacity being used under endogenous conditions. Prenatal glucocorticoid supplementation only had mild effects on offspring body mass, size and condition during the rearing period, but led to a sex-specific (females only) decrease in body mass a few months after fledging. Contrary to our expectations, thyroid hormones supplementation did not affect offspring growth or mitochondrial metabolism. Recapture probabilities as juveniles or adults were not significantly affected by prenatal hormonal treatments. Our results demonstrate that prenatal glucocorticoids can affect post-natal mitochondrial density and aerobic metabolism. The weak effects on growth and apparent survival suggest that nestlings were mostly able to compensate for the transient decrease in mitochondrial aerobic metabolism induced by prenatal glucocorticoids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Coline Marciau
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Australia
| | - Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Institut Pluridisciplinaire Hubert Curien, UMR 7178, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Jyväskylä, Finland
| | - Antoine Stier
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, CNRS, ENTPE, UMR 5023 LEHNA, F-69622, Villeurbanne, France
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7
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Widowski TM, Cooley L, Hendriksen S, Peixoto MRLV. Maternal age and maternal environment affect egg composition, yolk testosterone, offspring growth and behaviour in laying hens. Sci Rep 2022; 12:1828. [PMID: 35115547 PMCID: PMC8814016 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-05491-6] [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: 07/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal effects have been reported to alter offspring phenotype in laying hens. In this study, we investigated the effects of maternal environment and maternal age on egg traits and offspring development and behaviour. For this, we ran two experiments. First (E1), commercial hybrid hens were reared either in aviary or barren brooding cages, then housed in aviary, conventional cages or furnished (enriched) cages, thus forming different maternal housing treatments. Hens from each treatment were inseminated at three ages, and measures of egg composition, yolk testosterone concentration and offspring’s development, anxiety and fearfulness were assessed. In experiment 2 (E2), maternal age effects on offspring's growth and behaviour were further investigated using fertile eggs from commercial breeder flocks at three different ages. Results from E1 showed that Old hens laid heavier eggs with less yolk testosterone and produced offspring with fewer indicators of anxiety and fearfulness. Maternal rearing and housing affected egg traits, offspring weight and behaviour, but not in a consistent way. Effects of maternal age were not replicated in E2, possibly due to differences in management or higher tolerance to maternal effects in commercial breeders. Overall, our research confirms that maternal age and maternal environment affects egg composition, with maternal age specifically affecting yolk testosterone concentration, which may mediate physical and behavioural effects in offspring.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tina M Widowski
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
| | | | - Simone Hendriksen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Behavioural Ecology Group, Wageningen University, PO Box 338, 6700 AH, Wageningen, The Netherlands
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8
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Miltiadous A, Buchanan KL. Experimental manipulation of maternal corticosterone: Hormone transfer to the yolk in the zebra finch Taeniopygia guttata. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2021; 313:113898. [PMID: 34492223 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Maternally-derived hormones affect offspring physiological and behavioural phenotype, plausibly as an adaptive response to maternal environmental conditions. Corticosterone (CORT), the principal avian glucocorticoid produced in response to stress, is recognised as a potential mediator of such maternal reproductive effects. Maternally-derived yolk CORT is implicated in mediating offspring growth and hatchling begging behaviour. However, determining the potential for maternal effects in opportunistic breeders subject to variable environments relies on understanding whether natural variation in maternal circulating hormones may directly impact the embryo during development. Therefore, we tested whether elevated maternal CORT concentrations increase yolk CORT concentrations in zebra finch (Taeniopygia guttata) eggs. We remotely dosed breeding females with biologically-relevant doses of CORT, or the oil vehicle, 0-3 h prior to the predicted time of ovulation, and allowed pairs to produce two clutches, one under each treatment, in a crosswise, balanced design. CORT dosing elevated maternal plasma CORT and increased mean yolk CORT by a factor of 1.75 compared to the egg yolks of control mothers. Importantly, CORT concentrations did not differ between inner and outer layers of yolk. We found no egg lay order effect and maternal CORT dosing did not influence reproductive outputs (clutch initiation date, clutch size or egg mass). Our results confirm the direct impact of biologically-relevant increases in maternal CORT on yolk CORT, providing evidence that maternal CORT concentrations during yolk deposition to the follicle alters embryonic exogenous CORT exposure. Further research is required to determine the impact of maternal CORT on embryonic developmental programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Miltiadous
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
| | - Katherine L Buchanan
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia
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9
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Sarraude T, Hsu BY, Ruuskanen S, Groothuis T. Is maternal thyroid hormone deposition subject to a trade-off between self and egg because of iodine? An experimental study in rock pigeon. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272570. [PMID: 34605889 PMCID: PMC8545739 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.242203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Maternal hormones constitute a key signalling pathway for mothers to shape offspring phenotype and fitness. Thyroid hormones (THs; triiodothyronine, T3; and thyroxine, T4) are metabolic hormones known to play crucial roles in embryonic development and survival in all vertebrates. During early developmental stages, embryos exclusively rely on exposure to maternal THs, and maternal hypothyroidism can cause severe embryonic maldevelopment. The TH molecule includes iodine, an element that cannot be synthesised by the organism. Therefore, TH production may become costly when environmental iodine availability is low. This may yield a trade-off for breeding females between allocating the hormones to self or to their eggs, potentially to the extent that it even influences the number of laid eggs. In this study, we investigated whether low dietary iodine may limit TH production and transfer to the eggs in a captive population of rock pigeons (Columba livia). We provided breeding females with an iodine-restricted (I−) diet or iodine-supplemented (I+) diet and measured the resulting circulating and yolk iodine and TH concentrations and the number of eggs laid. Our iodine-restricted diet successfully decreased both circulating and yolk iodine concentrations compared with the supplemented diet, but not circulating or yolk THs. This indicates that mothers may not be able to independently regulate hormone exposure for self and their embryos. However, egg production was clearly reduced in the I− group, with fewer females laying eggs. This result shows that restricted availability of iodine does induce a cost in terms of egg production. Whether females reduced egg production to preserve THs for themselves or to prevent embryos from exposure to low iodine and/or THs is as yet unclear. Summary: Restricted dietary iodine in captive rock pigeons reduces egg production in some females, thus inducing a trade-off between offspring quality and offspring quantity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014 Turku, Finland.,Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyväskylä, Seminaarinkatu 15, FI-40014, Finland
| | - Ton Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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10
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Sarraude T, Hsu BY, Groothuis TGG, Ruuskanen S. Manipulation of Prenatal Thyroid Hormones Does Not Affect Growth or Physiology in Nestling Pied Flycatchers. Physiol Biochem Zool 2021; 93:255-266. [PMID: 32412834 DOI: 10.1086/709030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Hormones transferred from mothers to their offspring are thought to be a tool for mothers to prepare their progeny for expected environmental conditions, thus increasing fitness. Thyroid hormones (THs) are crucial across vertebrates for embryonic and postnatal development and metabolism. Yet yolk THs have mostly been ignored in the context of hormone-mediated maternal effects. In addition, the few studies on maternal THs have yielded contrasting results that could be attributed to either species or environmental differences. In this study, we experimentally elevated yolk THs (within the natural range) in a wild population of a migratory passerine, the European pied flycatcher (Ficedula hypoleuca), and assessed the effects on hatching success, nestling survival, growth, and oxidative status (lipid peroxidation, antioxidant enzyme activity, and oxidative balance). We also sought to compare our results with those of a closely related species, the collared flycatcher (Ficedula albicolis), that has strong ecological and life-history similarities with our species. We found no effects of yolk THs on any of the responses measured. We could detect only a weak trend on growth: elevated yolk THs tended to increase growth during the second week after hatching. Our results contradict the findings of previous studies, including those of the collared flycatcher. However, differences in fledging success and nestling growth between both species in the same year suggest a context-dependent influence of the treatment. This study should stimulate more research on maternal effects mediated by THs and their potential context-dependent effects.
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11
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Ruuskanen S, Hsu BY, Nord A. Endocrinology of thermoregulation in birds in a changing climate. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2021; 519:111088. [PMID: 33227349 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2020.111088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability to maintain a (relatively) stable body temperature in a wide range of thermal environments by use of endogenous heat production is a unique feature of endotherms such as birds. Endothermy is acquired and regulated via various endocrine and molecular pathways, and ultimately allows wide aerial, aquatic, and terrestrial distribution in variable environments. However, due to our changing climate, birds are faced with potential new challenges for thermoregulation, such as more frequent extreme weather events, lower predictability of climate, and increasing mean temperature. We provide an overview on thermoregulation in birds and its endocrine and molecular mechanisms, pinpointing gaps in current knowledge and recent developments, focusing especially on non-model species to understand the generality of, and variation in, mechanisms. We highlight plasticity of thermoregulation and underlying endocrine regulation, because thorough understanding of plasticity is key to predicting responses to changing environmental conditions. To this end, we discuss how changing climate is likely to affect avian thermoregulation and associated endocrine traits, and how the interplay between these physiological processes may play a role in facilitating or constraining adaptation to a changing climate. We conclude that while the general patterns of endocrine regulation of thermogenesis are quite well understood, at least in poultry, the molecular and endocrine mechanisms that regulate, e.g. mitochondrial function and plasticity of thermoregulation over different time scales (from transgenerational to daily variation), need to be unveiled. Plasticity may ameliorate climate change effects on thermoregulation to some extent, but the increased frequency of extreme weather events, and associated changes in resource availability, may be beyond the scope and/or speed for plastic responses. This could lead to selection for more tolerant phenotypes, if the underlying physiological traits harbour genetic and individual variation for selection to act on - a key question for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland
| | - Andreas Nord
- Lund University, Department of Biology, Section for Evolutionary Ecology, Ecology Building, Sölvegatan 37, SE-22362, Lund, Sweden
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12
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Peixoto MRLV, Karrow NA, Newman A, Head J, Widowski TM. Effects of acute stressors experienced by five strains of layer breeders on measures of stress and fear in their offspring. Physiol Behav 2021; 228:113185. [PMID: 32980386 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2020.113185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 09/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/23/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Stressors experienced by layer breeders during egg production can lead to changes in the egg hormone content, potentially impacting their offspring, the commercial layers. Genetic differences might also affect the offspring's susceptibility to maternal experiences. In this study, we tested if maternal stress affects measures of stress and fear in five strains of layer breeders: commercial brown 1 & 2, commercial white 1 & 2 and a pure line White Leghorn. Each strain was equally separated into two groups: "Maternal Stress" (MS), where hens were subjected to a series of 8 consecutive days of acute psychological stressors, and "Control," which received routine husbandry. Additional eggs from Control were injected either with corticosterone diluted in a vehicle solution ("CORT") or just "Vehicle." Stress- and fear-responses of the offspring were measured in a plasma corticosterone test and a combined human approach and novel object test. While the stress treatments did not affect the measured endpoints in the offspring, significant strain differences were found. The offspring of the white strains showed a higher physiological response compared to brown strains and the White 2 offspring was the least fearful strain in the human approach test. Our study found that neither the acute psychological stressors experienced by layer breeders nor the egg injections of corticosterone affected the parameters tested in their offspring. Post hoc power analyses suggest that the lack of treatment effects might be due to a small sample size (type II error). Although studies on larger flocks of layers are still needed, our results provide an initial understanding of an important subject, as in poultry production, layer breeders are often subjected to short-term stressors. In addition, our results suggest the dissociation between the physiological and behavioural parameters of stress response in laying hens, showing that increased concentrations of plasma corticosterone in response to stress might not be directly associated with high levels of fear.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Niel A Karrow
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1
| | - Amy Newman
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1
| | - Jessica Head
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste. Anne de Bellevue, QC, H9X 3V9
| | - Tina M Widowski
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1.
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13
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Sirsat TS, Dzialowski EM. Manipulating plasma thyroid hormone levels at hatching alters development of endothermy and ventilation in Pekin duck ( Anas platyrhynchos domestica). J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb237701. [PMID: 33046566 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.237701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/05/2020] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
At hatching in precocial birds, there are rapid physiological and metabolic phenotypic changes associated with attaining endothermy. During the transition to ex ovo life, thyroid hormone levels naturally increase, peaking at hatching, and then decline. To better understand the role of the natural increase in thyroid hormone at hatching in regulating the developmental trajectory of the Pekin duck's endothermic phenotype, we examined development of O2 consumption (V̇O2 ) and ventilation (frequency, tidal volume and minute ventilation) while inhibiting the developmental increase in thyroid hormones that occurs at hatching via administration of the thyroid-peroxidase inhibitor methimazole (MMI) or accelerating the developmental increase via triiodothyronine (T3) supplementation. Animals were dosed only on day 24 of a 28-day incubation period and studied on incubation day 25, during external pipping (EP) and 1 day post-hatching (dph). On day 25, there was an increase in V̇O2 in the hyperthyroid treatment compared with the other two treatments. During the EP stage, there was a significant effect of thyroid status on V̇O2 , with hyperthyroid V̇O2 being highest and hypothyroid V̇O2 the lowest. By 1 dph, the supplemented T3 and control animals had similar V̇O2 responses to cooling with comparable thermal neutral zones followed by increased V̇O2 Hypothyroid 1 dph hatchlings had a lower resting V̇O2 that did not increase to the same extent as the supplemented T3 and control animals during cooling. During EP, inhibiting the rise in T3 resulted in embryos with lower ventilation frequency and tidal volume than control and supplemented T3 embryos. At 1 dph, ventilation frequency of all animals increased during cooling, but tidal volume only increased in supplemented T3 and control hatchlings. Our data support the role of the late incubation increase in T3 in regulating the systemic development of endothermic metabolic capacity and associated control of ventilation occurring at hatching of the Pekin duck.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar S Sirsat
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, 1155 Union Circle #305220, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
| | - Edward M Dzialowski
- Developmental Integrative Biology Research Group, Department of Biological Sciences, 1155 Union Circle #305220, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA
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14
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Cantarero A, Andrade P, Carneiro M, Moreno-Borrallo A, Alonso-Alvarez C. Testing the carotenoid-based sexual signalling mechanism by altering CYP2J19 gene expression and colour in a bird species. Proc Biol Sci 2020; 287:20201067. [PMID: 33171089 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Ornaments can evolve to reveal individual quality when their production/maintenance costs make them reliable as 'signals' or if their expression level is intrinsically linked to condition by some unfalsifiable mechanism (indices). The latter has been mostly associated with traits constrained by body size. In red ketocarotenoid-based colorations, that link could, instead, be established with cell respiration at the inner mitochondrial membrane (IMM). The production mechanism could be independent of resource (yellow carotenoids) availability, thus discarding costs linked to allocation trade-offs. A gene coding for a ketolase enzyme (CYP2J19) responsible for converting dietary yellow carotenoids to red ketocarotenoids has recently been described. We treated male zebra finches with an antioxidant designed to penetrate the IMM (mitoTEMPO) and a thyroid hormone (triiodothyronine) with known hypermetabolic effects. Among hormone controls, MitoTEMPO downregulated CYP2J19 in the bill (a red ketocarotenoid-based ornament), supporting the mitochondrial involvement in ketolase function. Both treatments interacted when increasing hormone dosage, indicating that mitochondria and thyroid metabolisms could simultaneously regulate coloration. Moreover, CYP2J19 expression was positively correlated to redness but also to yellow carotenoid levels in the blood. However, treatment effects were not annulated when controlling for blood carotenoid variability, which suggests that costs linked to resource availability could be minor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Cantarero
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku 20014, Finland.,Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Pedro Andrade
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Miguel Carneiro
- CIBIO/InBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, Universidade do Porto, Campus Agrário de Vairão, 4485-661 Vairão, Portugal
| | - Adrián Moreno-Borrallo
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carlos Alonso-Alvarez
- Departamento de Ecología Evolutiva, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales - CSIC, C/José Gutiérrez Abascal 2, 28006 Madrid, Spain
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15
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Sarraude T, Hsu BY, Groothuis TGG, Ruuskanen S. Testing different forms of regulation of yolk thyroid hormone transfer in pied flycatchers. J Exp Biol 2020; 223:jeb226688. [PMID: 32978314 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.226688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Hormones transferred from mothers to their offspring are considered a maternal tool to prepare progeny for expected environmental conditions, increasing maternal and offspring fitness. To flexibly influence offspring, mothers should be able to transmit the hormonal signals independent of their own hormonal status. However, the ability to regulate hormone transfer to the next generation is under debate. We studied the transfer of thyroid hormones (THs) to eggs in a bird model. We elevated thyroxine (T4, the prohormone for the biologically active triiodothyronine, T3) during egg laying using T4 implants in females of a wild population of pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca), and measured the resulting plasma and yolk T4 and T3 levels. We found an increase in plasma and yolk T4 and no change in plasma or yolk T3 concentration, leading to a decrease in yolk T3/T4 ratio in response to the T4 treatment. The yolk T3/T4 ratio was similar to the plasma ratio in females during the yolking phase. This suggests that mothers are not able to regulate TH transfer to yolk but may regulate the T4 to T3 conversion to avoid potential costs of elevated exposure to the active hormone to herself and to her progeny. The absence of regulation in hormone transfer to eggs is in contrast to our predictions. Future studies on deiodinase activity that converts T4 to T3 in maternal and embryonic tissues may help our understanding of how mothers regulate circulating THs during breeding, as well as the embryos' role in converting maternal T4 to its biologically active T3 form during development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, FI-20014, Turku, Finland
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16
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Suvi R, Giovanna M, Katja A. Experimental copper exposure, but not heat stress, leads to elevated intraovarian thyroid hormone levels in three-spined sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus). ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2020; 29:1431-1440. [PMID: 32975733 PMCID: PMC7581574 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-020-02278-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Climate change and pollution are some of the greatest anthropogenic threats to wild animals. Transgenerational plasticity-when parental exposure to environmental stress leads to changes in offspring phenotype-has been highlighted as a potential mechanism to respond to various environmental and anthropogenic changes across taxa. Transgenerational effects may be mediated via multiple mechanisms, such as transfer of maternal hormones to eggs/foetus. However, sources of variation in hormone transfer are poorly understood in fish, and thus the first step is to characterise whether environmental challenges alter transfer of maternal hormones to eggs. To this end, we explored the population variation and environmental variation (in response to temperature and endocrine disrupting copper) in maternal thyroid hormone (TH), transfer to offspring in a common fish model species, the three-spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) using multiple approaches: (i) We compared ovarian TH levels among six populations across a wide geographical range in the Baltic Sea, including two populations at high water temperature areas (discharge water areas of nuclear power plants) and we experimentally exposed fish to (ii) environmentally relevant heat stress and (iii) copper for 7 days. We found that populations did not differ in intraovarian TH levels, and short-term heat stress did not influence intraovarian TH levels. However, copper exposure increased both T4 and T3 levels in ovaries. The next step would be to evaluate if such alterations would lead to changes in offspring phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruuskanen Suvi
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | | | - Anttila Katja
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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17
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Sarraude T, Hsu BY, Groothuis T, Ruuskanen S. Testing the short-and long-term effects of elevated prenatal exposure to different forms of thyroid hormones. PeerJ 2020; 8:e10175. [PMID: 33088630 PMCID: PMC7571413 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal thyroid hormones (THs) are known to be crucial in embryonic development in humans, but their influence on other, especially wild, animals remains poorly understood. So far, the studies that experimentally investigated the consequences of maternal THs focused on short-term effects, while early organisational effects with long-term consequences, as shown for other prenatal hormones, could also be expected. In this study, we aimed at investigating both the short- and long-term effects of prenatal THs in a bird species, the Japanese quail Coturnix japonica. We experimentally elevated yolk TH content (the prohormone T4, and its active metabolite T3, as well as a combination of both hormones). We analysed hatching success, embryonic development, offspring growth and oxidative stress as well as their potential organisational effects on reproduction, moult and oxidative stress in adulthood. We found that eggs injected with T4 had a higher hatching success compared with control eggs, suggesting conversion of T4 into T3 by the embryo. We detected no evidence for other short-term or long-term effects of yolk THs. These results suggest that yolk THs are important in the embryonic stage of precocial birds, but other short- and long-term consequences remain unclear. Research on maternal THs will greatly benefit from studies investigating how embryos use and respond to this maternal signalling. Long-term studies on prenatal THs in other taxa in the wild are needed for a better understanding of this hormone-mediated maternal pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Ton Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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18
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Hsu BY, Sarraude T, Cossin-Sevrin N, Crombecque M, Stier A, Ruuskanen S. Testing for context-dependent effects of prenatal thyroid hormones on offspring survival and physiology: an experimental temperature manipulation. Sci Rep 2020; 10:14563. [PMID: 32884067 PMCID: PMC7471313 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-71511-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal effects via hormonal transfer from the mother to the offspring provide a tool to translate environmental cues to the offspring. Experimental manipulations of maternally transferred hormones have yielded increasingly contradictory results, which may be explained by differential effects of hormones under different environmental contexts. Yet context-dependent effects have rarely been experimentally tested. We therefore studied whether maternally transferred thyroid hormones (THs) exert context-dependent effects on offspring survival and physiology by manipulating both egg TH levels and post-hatching nest temperature in wild pied flycatchers (Ficedula hypoleuca) using a full factorial design. We found no clear evidence for context-dependent effects of prenatal THs related to postnatal temperature on growth, survival and potential underlying physiological responses (plasma TH levels, oxidative stress and mitochondrial density). We conclude that future studies should test for other key environmental conditions, such as food availability, to understand potential context-dependent effects of maternally transmitted hormones on offspring, and their role in adapting to changing environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.
| | - Tom Sarraude
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina Cossin-Sevrin
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Mélanie Crombecque
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Antoine Stier
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
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19
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Ruuskanen S, Rainio MJ, Uusitalo M, Saikkonen K, Helander M. Effects of parental exposure to glyphosate-based herbicides on embryonic development and oxidative status: a long-term experiment in a bird model. Sci Rep 2020; 10:6349. [PMID: 32286465 PMCID: PMC7156732 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-63365-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Controversial glyphosate-based herbicides (GBHs) are the most frequently used herbicides globally. GBH residues are detected in soil, water, crops, and food products, potentially exposing non-target organisms to health risks; these organisms include wildlife, livestock, and humans. However, the potential for GBH-related parental effects are poorly understood. In the case of birds, GBHs may be transferred directly from mothers to eggs, or they may indirectly influence offspring performance by altered maternal resource allocation to eggs. We experimentally exposed a parental generation of Japanese quails (Coturnix japonica) to GBHs (200 mg/kg feed) or respective controls. Glyphosate residues were found in eggs (ca 0.76 kg/mg). Embryonic development tended to be poorer in the eggs of GBH-exposed parents (76% of eggs showed normal development) compared to control parents (89% normal eggs). Embryonic brain tissue from GBH-exposed parents tended to express more lipid damage (20% higher), yet other biomarkers showed no apparent differences. We detected no differences in egg quality (egg, yolk, or shell mass, egg hormone concentration) across the treatment groups. Given this is the first long-term study testing parental effects of GBHs with birds, more studies are needed characterizing GBH-associated changes in maternal allocation and for example epigenetic programming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland.
| | - Miia J Rainio
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Maiju Uusitalo
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Kari Saikkonen
- Biodiversity Unit, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland
| | - Marjo Helander
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Vesilinnantie 5, 20500, Turku, Finland
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20
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Hsu BY, Verhagen I, Gienapp P, Darras VM, Visser ME, Ruuskanen S. Between- and Within-Individual Variation of Maternal Thyroid Hormone Deposition in Wild Great Tits ( Parus major). Am Nat 2019; 194:E96-E108. [PMID: 31490720 DOI: 10.1086/704738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Maternal hormones are often considered a mediator of anticipatory maternal effects; namely, mothers adjust maternal hormone transfer to prepare the offspring for the anticipated environment. The flexibility for mothers to adjust hormone transfer is therefore a prerequisite for such anticipatory maternal effects. Nevertheless, previous studies have focused only on the average differences of maternal hormone transfer between groups and neglected the substantial individual variation, despite the fact that individual plasticity in maternal hormone transfer is actually the central assumption. In this study, we studied the between- and within-individual variation of maternal thyroid hormones (THs) in egg yolk of wild great tits (Parus major) and estimated the individual plasticity of maternal yolk THs across environmental temperature, clutch initiation dates, and egg laying order using linear mixed effects models. Interestingly, our models provide statistical evidence that the two main THs-the main biologically active hormone T3 and T4, which is mostly considered a prohormone-exhibited different variation patterns. Yolk T3 showed significant between-individual variation on the average levels, in line with its previously reported moderate heritability. Yolk T4, however, showed significant between-clutch variation in the pattern over the laying sequence, suggesting a great within-individual plasticity. Our findings suggest that the role and function of the hormone within the endocrine axis likely influences its flexibility to respond to environmental change. Whether the flexibility of T4 deposition brings a fitness advantage should be examined along with its potential effects on offspring, which remain to be further investigated.
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21
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Groothuis TGG, Hsu BY, Kumar N, Tschirren B. Revisiting mechanisms and functions of prenatal hormone-mediated maternal effects using avian species as a model. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2019; 374:20180115. [PMID: 30966885 PMCID: PMC6460091 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2018.0115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal effects can adaptively modulate offspring developmental trajectories in variable but predictable environments. Hormone synthesis is sensitive to environmental factors, and maternal hormones are thus a powerful mechanism to transfer environmental cues to the next generation. Birds have become a key model for the study of hormone-mediated maternal effects because the embryo develops outside the mother's body, facilitating the measurement and manipulation of prenatal hormone exposure. At the same time, birds are excellent models for the integration of both proximate and ultimate approaches, which is key to a better understanding of the evolution of hormone-mediated maternal effects. Over the past two decades, a surge of studies on hormone-mediated maternal effects has revealed an increasing number of discrepancies. In this review, we discuss the role of the environment, genetic factors and social interactions in causing these discrepancies and provide a framework to resolve them. We also explore the largely neglected role of the embryo in modulating the maternal signal, as well as costs and benefits of hormone transfer and expression for the different family members. We conclude by highlighting fruitful avenues for future research that have opened up thanks to new theoretical insights and technical advances in the field. This article is part of the theme issue 'Developing differences: early-life effects and evolutionary medicine'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ton G. G. Groothuis
- Behavioural Biology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Behavioural Biology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland
| | - Neeraj Kumar
- Behavioural Biology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Barbara Tschirren
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, UK
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22
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Ruuskanen S, Espín S, Sánchez-Virosta P, Sarraude T, Hsu BY, Pajunen P, Costa RA, Eens M, Hargitai R, Török J, Eeva T. Transgenerational endocrine disruption: Does elemental pollution affect egg or nestling thyroid hormone levels in a wild songbird? ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 247:725-735. [PMID: 30721863 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.01.088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2018] [Revised: 01/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) include a wide array of pollutants, such as some metals and other toxic elements, which may cause changes in hormonal homeostasis. In addition to affecting physiology of individuals directly, EDCs may alter the transfer of maternal hormones to offspring, i.e. causing transgenerational endocrine disruption. However, such effects have been rarely studied, especially in wild populations. We studied the associations between environmental elemental pollution (As, Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb) and maternally-derived egg thyroid hormones (THs) as well as nestling THs in great tits (Parus major) using extensive sampling of four pairs of polluted and reference populations across Europe (Finland, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal). Previous studies in these populations showed that breeding success, nestling growth and adult and nestling physiology were altered in polluted zones compared to reference zones. We sampled non-incubated eggs to measure maternally-derived egg THs, measured nestling plasma THs and used nestling faeces for assessing local elemental exposure. We also studied whether the effect of elemental pollution on endocrine traits is dependent on calcium (Ca) availability (faecal Ca as a proxy) as low Ca increases toxicity of some elements. Birds in the polluted zones were exposed to markedly higher levels of toxic elements than in reference zones at the populations in Finland, Belgium and Hungary. In contrast to our predictions, we did not find any associations between overall elemental pollution, or individual element concentrations and egg TH and nestling plasma TH levels. However, we found some indication that the effect of metals (Cd and Cu) on egg THs is dependent on Ca availability. In summary, our results suggest that elemental pollution at the studied populations is unlikely to cause overall TH disruption and affect breeding via altered egg or nestling TH levels with the current elemental pollution loads. Associations with Ca availability should be further studied.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Silvia Espín
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland; Area of Toxicology, Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espínardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Virosta
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland; Area of Toxicology, Department of Socio-Sanitary Sciences, IMIB-Arrixaca, University of Murcia, Campus de Espínardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Tom Sarraude
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland; GELIFES, University of Groningen, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Bin-Yan Hsu
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Piia Pajunen
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
| | - Rute A Costa
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Rita Hargitai
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - János Török
- Behavioural Ecology Group, Department of Systematic Zoology and Ecology, Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Tapio Eeva
- Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
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23
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Darras VM. The Role of Maternal Thyroid Hormones in Avian Embryonic Development. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2019; 10:66. [PMID: 30800099 PMCID: PMC6375826 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2019.00066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2018] [Accepted: 01/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
During avian embryonic development, thyroid hormones (THs) coordinate the expression of a multitude of genes thereby ensuring that the correct sequence of cell proliferation, differentiation and maturation is followed in each tissue and organ. Although THs are needed from the start of development, the embryonic thyroid gland only matures around mid-incubation in precocial birds and around hatching in altricial species. Therefore, maternal THs deposited in the egg yolk play an essential role in embryonic development. They are taken up by the embryo throughout its development, from the first day till hatching, and expression of TH regulators such as distributor proteins, transporters, and deiodinases in the yolk sac membrane provide the tools for selective metabolism and transport starting from this level. TH receptors and regulators of local TH availability are expressed in avian embryos in a dynamic and tissue/cell-specific pattern from the first stages studied, as shown in detail in chicken. Maternal hyperthyroidism via TH supplementation as well as injection of THs into the egg yolk increase TH content in embryonic tissues while induction of maternal hypothyroidism by goitrogen treatment results in a decrease. Both increase and decrease of maternal TH availability were shown to alter gene expression in early chicken embryos. Knockdown of the specific TH transporter monocarboxylate transporter 8 at early stages in chicken cerebellum, optic tectum, or retina allowed to reduce local TH availability, interfering with gene expression and confirming that development of the central nervous system (CNS) is highly dependent on maternal THs. While some of the effects on cell proliferation, migration and differentiation seem to be transient, others result in persistent defects in CNS structure. In addition, a number of studies in both precocial and altricial birds showed that injection of THs into the yolk at the start of incubation influences a number of parameters in posthatch performance and fitness. In conclusion, the data presently available clearly indicate that maternal THs play an important role in avian embryonic development, but how exactly their influence on cellular and molecular processes in the embryo is linked to posthatch fitness needs to be further explored.
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Torres R, Chin E, Rampton R, Williams TD. Are there synergistic or antagonistic effects of multiple maternally-derived egg components (antibodies and testosterone) on offspring phenotype? J Exp Biol 2019; 222:jeb.196956. [DOI: 10.1242/jeb.196956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2018] [Accepted: 03/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Eggs are ‘multivariate’ in that they contain multiple maternally-derived egg components (e.g. hormones, antibodies, mRNA, antioxidants) which are thought to influence offspring phenotype. However, most studies have focused on single egg components and on short-term effects. Here, we simultaneously manipulated two egg components, maternally-derived antibodies (MAb) and yolk testosterone (T) to assess potential synergistic or antagonistic effects on offspring phenotype from hatching to sexual maturity. We found no evidence for short-or long-term effects of either MAb or yolk T alone, or their interaction, on hatching mass, size at fledging (tarsus), body mass at sexual maturity (day 82), chick survival, humoral immune function, or any measured female reproductive trait at sexual maturity. There was a positive effect of yolk T, but not MAb, on offspring PHA response at 26 days of age but at 82 days of age MAb, but not yolk T, had a positive effect on PHA response. There was also a MAb*sex interaction on 30 day chick mass, and a positive effect of yolk T on male courtship behaviour at sexual maturity. However, we found no evidence for synergy, i.e. where offspring treated both with MAb and yolk T had higher trait values than offspring treated with either MAb or yolk T alone for any measured trait. Similarly, evidence for antagonistic (compensatory) effects, where offspring treated both with MAb and yolk T had intermediate trait values compared with offspring treated with either MAb or yolk T alone, was equivocal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roxana Torres
- Instituto de Ecologia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, A.P. 70-275, Mexico D.F., 04510, Mexico
| | - Eunice Chin
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 4H8, Canada
| | - Rowan Rampton
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 4H8, Canada
| | - Tony D Williams
- Department of Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia, V5A 4H8, Canada
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Ruuskanen S, Hsu BY, Heinonen A, Vainio M, Darras VM, Sarraude T, Rokka A. A new method for measuring thyroid hormones using nano-LC-MS/MS. J Chromatogr B Analyt Technol Biomed Life Sci 2018; 1093-1094:24-30. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jchromb.2018.06.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2017] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Ruuskanen S, Hsu BY. Maternal Thyroid Hormones: An Unexplored Mechanism Underlying Maternal Effects in an Ecological Framework. Physiol Biochem Zool 2018; 91:904-916. [DOI: 10.1086/697380] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Hsu BY, Dijkstra C, Darras VM, de Vries B, Groothuis TGG. Maternal thyroid hormones enhance hatching success but decrease nestling body mass in the rock pigeon (Columba livia). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2017; 240:174-181. [PMID: 27793722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/24/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Thyroid hormones (THs) - triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) - are essential for embryonic development in vertebrates. All vertebrate embryos are exposed to THs from maternal origin. As maternal TH levels are known to be essential to embryonic development, the natural variation of maternal THs probably represents a pathway of maternal effects that can modify offspring phenotype. However, potential fitness consequences of variation of maternal TH exposure within the normal physiological range and without confounding effects of the mother have never been experimentally investigated. We experimentally manipulated the levels of yolk T3 and T4 within the physiological range in a species in which the embryo develops outside the mother's body, the Rock Pigeon (Columba livia) eggs. Making use of the natural difference of yolk testosterone between the two eggs of pigeon clutches, we were also able to investigate the potential interaction between THs and testosterone. Elevated yolk TH levels enhanced embryonic development and hatching success, and reduced body mass but not tarsus length between day 14 and fledging. The yolk hormones increased plasma T4 concentrations in females but reduced it in males, in line with the effect on metabolic rate at hatching. Plasma concentrations of T3 and testosterone were not significantly affected. The effects of treatment did not differ between eggs with high or low testosterone levels. Our data indicate that natural variation in maternal yolk TH levels affects offspring phenotype and embryonic survival, potentially influencing maternal and chick fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin-Yan Hsu
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Cor Dijkstra
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Section of Animal Physiology and Neurobiology, KU Leuven, Naamsestraat 61, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
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Ruuskanen S, Groothuis TGG, Schaper SV, Darras VM, de Vries B, Visser ME. Temperature-induced variation in yolk androgen and thyroid hormone levels in avian eggs. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2016; 235:29-37. [PMID: 27255366 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2016.05.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Revised: 05/20/2016] [Accepted: 05/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Global warming has substantially changed the environment, but the mechanisms to cope with these changes in animals, including the role of maternal effects, are poorly understood. Maternal effects via hormones deposited in eggs, have important environment-dependent effects on offspring development and fitness: thus females are expected to adjust these hormones to the environment, such as the ambient temperature. Longer-term temperature variation could function as a cue, predicting chick rearing conditions to which yolk hormone levels are adjusted, while short-term temperature variation during egg formation may causally affect hormone transfer to eggs. We studied the effects of ambient temperature on yolk androgens (testosterone and androstenedione) and thyroid hormones (thyroxine and triiodothyronine) in great tits (Parus major) using data from unmanipulated clutches from a wild population and from aviary birds (ad libitum food) exposed to different experimental temperature treatments during five years. Both in the wild and in captivity, longer-term pre-laying ambient temperature was not associated with clutch mean yolk hormone levels, while the way androstenedione and thyroxine levels varied across the laying sequence did associate with pre-laying temperature in the wild. Yolk testosterone levels were positively correlated with short-term temperature (during yolk formation) changes within clutches in both wild and captivity. We also report, for the first time in a wild bird, that yolk thyroxine levels correlated with a key environmental factor: thyroxine levels were negatively correlated with ambient temperature during egg formation. Thus, yolk hormone levels, especially testosterone, seem to be causally affected by ambient temperature. These short-term effects might reflect physiological changes in females with changes in ambient temperature. The adaptive value of the variation with ambient temperatures pre-laying or during egg formation should be studied with hormone manipulations in different thermal environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvi Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Finland; Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands.
| | - Ton G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Sonja V Schaper
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands.
| | - Veerle M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Belgium.
| | - Bonnie de Vries
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Marcel E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), The Netherlands.
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Ruuskanen S, Gienapp P, Groothuis TGG, Schaper SV, Darras VM, Pereira C, de Vries B, Visser ME. Heritable variation in maternally derived yolk androgens, thyroid hormones and immune factors. Heredity (Edinb) 2016; 117:184-90. [PMID: 27381323 DOI: 10.1038/hdy.2016.49] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2015] [Revised: 04/29/2016] [Accepted: 05/08/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Maternal reproductive investment can critically influence offspring phenotype, and thus these maternal effects are expected to be under strong natural selection. Knowledge on the extent of heritable variation in the physiological mechanisms underlying maternal effects is however limited. In birds, resource allocation to eggs is a key mechanism for mothers to affect their offspring and different components of the egg may or may not be independently adjusted. We studied the heritability of egg components and their genetic and phenotypic covariation in great tits (Parus major), using captive-bred full siblings of wild origin. Egg mass, testosterone (T) and androstenedione (A4) hormone concentrations showed moderate heritability, in agreement with earlier findings. Interestingly, yolk triiodothyronine hormone (T3), but not its precursor, thyroxine hormone (T4), concentration was heritable. An immune factor, albumen lysozyme, showed moderate heritability, but yolk immunoglobulins (IgY) did not. The genetic correlation estimates were moderate but statistically nonsignificant; a trend for a positive genetic correlation was found between A4 and egg mass, T and lysozyme and IgY and lysozyme, respectively. Interestingly, phenotypic correlations were found only between A4 and T, and T4 and T3, respectively. Given that these egg components are associated with fitness-related traits in the offspring (and mother), and that we show that some components are heritable, it opens the possibility that natural selection may shape the rate and direction of phenotypic change via egg composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Ruuskanen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland.,Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - P Gienapp
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - T G G Groothuis
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - S V Schaper
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - V M Darras
- Laboratory of Comparative Endocrinology, Biology Department, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - C Pereira
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - B de Vries
- Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - M E Visser
- Department of Animal Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW), Wageningen, The Netherlands.,Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
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