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Rahimian Y, Kheiri F, Faghani M. Evaluation the effect of dietary vitamin E, sesamin and thymoquinone bioactive compounds on immunological response, intestinal traits and MUC-2 gene expression in broiler Japanese quails ( Coturnix japonica). Anim Biotechnol 2024; 35:2259437. [PMID: 37729462 DOI: 10.1080/10495398.2023.2259437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/22/2023]
Abstract
The current study was performed to determine the effect of dietary vitamin E, sesamin and thymoquinone bioactive lignans derived from sesame and black seed on immunological response, intestinal traits and Mucin2 gene expression in broiler quails. Three hundred and fifty (one days-old) quails were allotted to seven dietary treatments with five replicates as an experimental randomized design study. Treatments were basal diet as a control, control +100 and +200 mg of vitamin E, sesamin and thymoquinone per each kg of diet respectively. At 35 d of age, two quails from each pen were chosen, weighted, slaughtered, eviscerated and lymphoid organ relative weights were measured. Anti-body titers against Newcastle disease (ND), Sheep red blood cell (SRBC), and infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) and Avian influenza (AI) vaccination were determined. The serum activities of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and serum antioxidant activates such as superoxide dismutase (SOD),glutathione peroxidase(GPX), catalase (CAT) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were examined. The cell mediated immunity by dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) and phytohemagglutinin (PHA) challenges were assessed. The microflora populations of ileum, morphological traits of jejunum and mucin2 gene expression were analyzed. Data showed that the lymphoid organ (thymus, spleen and Bursa) relative weights and antibody titer against HI, AI, SRBC and IB vaccination were increased compared to the control (p ≤ 0.05). Serum activities of ALP, ALT and AST were decreased under influences of dietary treatments (p ≤ 0.05). The serum antioxidant activates of GPX,SOD,CAT and TAC were increased and Increasing in mean skin thickness after DNCB challenge and decrease wing web swelling response to PHA mitojen injection were observed (p ≤ 0.05). Salmonella enterica, E-coli and Coliforms colonies were decrease and Lactobacillus colonies increased instead (p ≤ 0.05). The villus height and surface, crypt depth and goblet cells density were increased compared to the control (p ≤ 0.05). The expression of MUC2 gene increased under influnces of vitamin E, sesamin and thymoquinone supplemented diets (p ≤ 0.05).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaser Rahimian
- Department of Animal Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Farshid Kheiri
- Department of Animal Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
| | - Mostafa Faghani
- Department of Animal Sciences, Shahrekord Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord, Iran
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Viblanc VA, Pardonnet S, Tamian A, McCaw LK, Dobson FS, Boonstra R. Down-regulating the stress axis: Living in the present while preparing for the future. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 354:114541. [PMID: 38685390 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2024.114541] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The measurement of glucocorticoid (GC) hormones provides us with a window into the stress physiology of vertebrates and the adaptative responses they use to cope with predictable and unpredictable changes in the environment. Baseline GCs inform us about the metabolic demands they are subject to at that point in their yearly life-history stage, whereas GC changes (often increases) in response to acute challenges inform us on their capacity to cope with more immediate environmental challenges. However, baseline GC levels and the kinetics of GC responses to acute stressors can vary substantially among and within species, depending on individual characteristics (age, sex, condition, life-history stage). In addition, a thorough understanding of the stress status of an animal requires moving beyond the measurement of GCs alone by focusing on downstream measures of metabolic activation, such as oxidative stress. Here, we evaluated the changes in blood cortisol and oxidative stress markers in wild adult Columbian ground squirrels (Urocitellus columbianus), following a 30-min capture-handling stress performed in mid-late June. Measurements were taken when males were post-reproductive and preparing for hibernation and adult females were weaning litters. We found three key results. First, the time-course of GC increase was markedly slower (by an order of magnitude) than what is currently reported in the literature for most species of mammals, birds and reptiles. Second, there were marked differences in the male and female response, linked to differences in life-history stage: females close to weaning had abolished GC responses, whereas post-reproductive males did not. Third, there were mild to moderate increases in oxidative damage and decreases in oxidative defenses in response to our short-term challenge, consistent with the idea that short-term acute metabolic activation may carry physiological costs. However, these changes were not correlated to the changes in GCs, a novel result suggesting a disconnect between the hormonal stress response and oxidative damage.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent A Viblanc
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France.
| | - Sylvia Pardonnet
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Anouch Tamian
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France
| | - Laura K McCaw
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
| | - F Stephen Dobson
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, IPHC UMR 7178, F-67000 Strasbourg, France; Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Rudy Boonstra
- Department of Biological Sciences, Centre for the Neurobiology of Stress, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, ON M1C 1A4, Canada
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Giovanetti L, Caliani I, Damiani G, Dell'Omo G, Costantini D, Casini S. A blood-based multi-biomarker approach reveals different physiological responses of common kestrels to contrasting environments. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 251:118674. [PMID: 38492836 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.118674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
The increase of urbanization and agricultural activities is causing a dramatic reduction of natural environments. As a consequence, animals need to physiologically adjust to these novel environments, in order to exploit them for foraging and breeding. The aim of this work was to compare the physiological status among nestling common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) that were raised in nest-boxes located in more natural, rural, or urban areas in a landscape with a mosaic of land uses around Rome in Central Italy. A blood-based multi-biomarker approach was applied to evaluate physiological responses at multiple levels, including antioxidant concentrations, immunological functions, genotoxicity, and neurotoxicity. We found lower concentrations of glutathione and GSH:GSSG ratio values and higher proportions of monocytes in urban birds compared to the other areas. We also found higher DNA damage in rural compared to urban and natural krestels and inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase activity in urban and natural birds compared to rural area. Finally, we found similar values among study areas for respiratory burst, complement system, bactericidal capacity, and plasma non-enzymatic antioxidant capacity. These results suggest that (i) city life does not necessarily cause physiological alterations in kestrels compared to life in other habitats, and (ii) environmental pressures are likely to differ in typology and intensity across habitats requiring specific responses that a multi-biomarker approach can help to detect. Further studies are needed to assess which factors are responsible for the physiological differences among city, rural, and natural birds, and whether these differences are consistent across time and space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Giovanetti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Ilaria Caliani
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
| | - Gianluca Damiani
- Ornis Italica, Piazza Crati 15, 00199, Rome, Italy; Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università s.n.c., 01100, Viterbo, Italy.
| | | | - David Costantini
- Department of Ecological and Biological Sciences, University of Tuscia, Largo Dell'Università s.n.c., 01100, Viterbo, Italy; Unité Physiologie Moléculaire et Adaptation, UMR7221 CNRS-Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, 75005, Paris, France.
| | - Silvia Casini
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, 53100, Siena, Italy.
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Andong FA, Ejere VC, Agina OA, Ekere SO, Mayowa ES. Assessment of biometrics and stress indicators of the adult Village Weaver birds ( Ploceus cucullatus) during breeding and post-breeding seasons in Jos, Nigeria. Heliyon 2024; 10:e31196. [PMID: 38784561 PMCID: PMC11112311 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
In this era of climate change, some biological conservationists' concerns are based on seasonal studies that highlight how wild birds' physiological fitness are interconnected with the immediate environment to avoid population decline. We investigated how seasonal biometrics correlated to stress parameters of the adult Village Weavers (Ploceus cucullatus) during breeding and post-breeding seasons of the Weaver birds in Amurum Forest Reserve. Specifically, we explored the following objectives: (i) the seasonal number of birds captured; (ii) whether seasonal baseline corticosterone (CORT), packed cell volume (PCV), and heterophil to lymphocytes ratio (H:L) were sex-dependent; (iii) whether H:L ratio varied with baseline (CORT); (iv) whether phenotypic condition (post-breeding moult) and brood patch varied with baseline (CORT) and H:L ratio; and (v) how body biometrics co-varied birds' seasonal baseline (CORT), (PCV) and (H:L) ratio. Trapping of birds (May-November) coincided with breeding and post-breeding seasons. The birds (n = 53 males, 39 females) were ringed, morphologically assessed (body mass, wing length, moult, brood patch) and blood collected from their brachial vein was used to assess CORT, PCV and H:L ratio. Although our results indicated more male birds trapped during breeding, the multiple analyses of variance (MANOVA) indicated that the seasonal temperature of the trapping sites correlated (P < 0.05) significantly to baseline (CORT). The general linear mixed model analyses (GLMMs) indicated that the baseline (CORT) also correlated significantly to H:L ratio of the male and female birds. However, PCV correlated significantly to body size of the birds (wing length) and not body mass. Haematological parameters such as the baseline CORT and the H:L ratio as indicators of stress in wild birds. Hence, there is the possibility that the Village Weaver birds suffered from seasonally induced stress under the constrained effect of environmental temperature. Hence, future studies should investigate whether the effect observed is also attributable to other passerine species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix A. Andong
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Vincent C. Ejere
- Department of Zoology and Environmental Biology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Onyinyechukwu A. Agina
- Department of Veterinary Pathology and Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Samuel O. Ekere
- Department of Veterinary Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria
| | - Ezekiel S. Mayowa
- AP Leventis Ornithological Research Institute, Faculty of Natural Sciences, University of Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
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Zaraisky AG, Araslanova KR, Shitikov AD, Tereshina MB. Loss of the ability to regenerate body appendages in vertebrates: from side effects of evolutionary innovations to gene loss. Biol Rev Camb Philos Soc 2024. [PMID: 38817123 DOI: 10.1111/brv.13102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
The ability to regenerate large body appendages is an ancestral trait of vertebrates, which varies across different animal groups. While anamniotes (fish and amphibians) commonly possess this ability, it is notably restricted in amniotes (reptiles, birds, and mammals). In this review, we explore the factors contributing to the loss of regenerative capabilities in amniotes. First, we analyse the potential negative impacts on appendage regeneration caused by four evolutionary innovations: advanced immunity, skin keratinization, whole-body endothermy, and increased body size. These innovations emerged as amniotes transitioned to terrestrial habitats and were correlated with a decline in regeneration capability. Second, we examine the role played by the loss of regeneration-related enhancers and genes initiated by these innovations in the fixation of an inability to regenerate body appendages at the genomic level. We propose that following the cessation of regenerative capacity, the loss of highly specific regeneration enhancers could represent an evolutionarily neutral event. Consequently, the loss of such enhancers might promptly follow the suppression of regeneration as a side effect of evolutionary innovations. By contrast, the loss of regeneration-related genes, due to their pleiotropic functions, would only take place if such loss was accompanied by additional evolutionary innovations that compensated for the loss of pleiotropic functions unrelated to regeneration, which would remain even after participation of these genes in regeneration was lost. Through a review of the literature, we provide evidence that, in many cases, the loss in amniotes of genes associated with body appendage regeneration in anamniotes was significantly delayed relative to the time when regenerative capability was lost. We hypothesise that this delay may be attributed to the necessity for evolutionary restructuring of developmental mechanisms to create conditions where the loss of these genes was a beneficial innovation for the organism. Experimental investigation of the downregulation of genes involved in the regeneration of body appendages in anamniotes but absent in amniotes offers a promising avenue to uncover evolutionary innovations that emerged from the loss of these genes. We propose that the vast majority of regeneration-related genes lost in amniotes (about 150 in humans) may be involved in regulating the early stages of limb and tail regeneration in anamniotes. Disruption of this stage, rather than the late stage, may not interfere with the mechanisms of limb and tail bud development during embryogenesis, as these mechanisms share similarities with those operating in the late stage of regeneration. Consequently, the most promising approach to restoring regeneration in humans may involve creating analogs of embryonic limb buds using stem cell-based tissue-engineering methods, followed by their transfer to the amputation stump. Due to the loss of many genes required specifically during the early stage of regeneration, this approach may be more effective than attempting to induce both early and late stages of regeneration directly in the stump itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrey G Zaraisky
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1 Ostrovityanova str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Karina R Araslanova
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Alexander D Shitikov
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
| | - Maria B Tereshina
- Shemyakin-Ovchinnikov Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 16/10 Miklukho-Maklaya str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
- Pirogov Russian National Research Medical University, 1 Ostrovityanova str., Moscow, 117997, Russia
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Viola MF, Herrera M. LG, Cruz-Neto AP. Combined effects of ambient temperature and food availability on induced innate immune response of a fruit-eating bat (Carollia perspicillata). PLoS One 2024; 19:e0301083. [PMID: 38787875 PMCID: PMC11125493 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0301083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Resilience of mammals to anthropogenic climate and land-use changes is associated with the maintenance of adequate responses of several fitness-related traits such as those related to immune functions. Isolated and combined effects of decreased food availability and increased ambient temperature can lead to immunosuppression and greater susceptibility to disease. Our study tested the general hypothesis that decreased food availability, increased ambient temperature and the combined effect of both factors would affect selected physiological and behavioral components associated with the innate immune system of fruit-eating bats (Carollia perspicillata). Physiological (fever, leukocytosis and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio) and behavioral (food intake) components of the acute phase response, as well as bacterial killing ability of the plasma were assessed after immune challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS: 10 mg/kg) in experimental groups kept at different short-term conditions of food availability (ad libitum diet or 50% food-deprived) and ambient temperature (27 and 33°C). Our results indicate that magnitude of increase in body temperature was not affected by food availability, ambient temperature or the interaction of both factors, but the time to reach the highest increase took longer in LPS-injected bats that were kept under food restriction. The magnitude of increased neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio was affected by the interaction between food availability and ambient temperature, but food intake, total white blood cell count and bacterial killing ability were not affected by any factor or interaction. Overall, our results suggest that bacterial killing ability and most components of acute phase response examined are not affected by short-term changes in food availability and ambient temperature within the range evaluated in this study, and that the increase of the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio when bats are exposed to low food availability and high ambient temperature might represent an enhancement of cellular response to deal with infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matheus F. Viola
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Animal (LaFA), Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - L. Gerardo Herrera M.
- Estación de Biología Chamela, Instituto de Biología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, San Patricio, Jalisco, México
| | - Ariovaldo P. Cruz-Neto
- Laboratório de Fisiologia Animal (LaFA), Departamento de Biodiversidade, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Rio Claro, São Paulo, Brazil
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Abraham ME, Robison CI, Serpa PBS, Strandberg NJ, Erasmus MA, Fraley GS, Erf GF, Karcher DM. Cage-Free Pullets Minimally Affected by Stocking Density Stressors. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1513. [PMID: 38791730 PMCID: PMC11117258 DOI: 10.3390/ani14101513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Revised: 05/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Management choices during the pullet phase can affect behavior, welfare, and health later in life, but few studies have evaluated the pullet phase, particularly in extensive housing systems. This study was a 2 × 2 factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with two strains and two stocking densities. The Lohmann LB-Lite and Lohmann LSL-Lite were housed on the floor at high-stocking density (619-670 cm2/bird) and low-stocking density (1249-1352 cm2/bird), which changed with age from 2 to 16 weeks of age (WOA). Bird-based measures of appearance, blood parameters, organ measurements, and production values were evaluated. Stocking density alone affected (p < 0.05) only relative bursal weight (% of body weight)-3.32% in the low-density versus 3.08% in the high-density group. High-stocking density was correlated with decreased uniformity (high-89.33 ± 0.24%; low-90.41 ± 0.24; p < 0.02) and worse feather coverage in the brown strain. High-stocking density was correlated with greater uniformity (High-90.39 ± 0.24%; Low-88.47 ± 0.24%; p < 0.001) and better feather coverage in the white strain. This study's feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved by 0.07 in the low-stocking density for both strains. The remaining parameters were affected by strain and age only. Thus, while stocking density effects vary slightly depending on the strain used, cage-free pullets had limited negative effects at both the high and low-stocking densities tested in this study; there were few to no changes in the numerous bird-based welfare parameters tested.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meagan E. Abraham
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050, USA; (M.E.A.); (M.A.E.); (G.S.F.)
| | - Cara I. Robison
- Department of Animal Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824-2604, USA;
| | - Priscila B. S. Serpa
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (P.B.S.S.); (N.J.S.)
| | - Natalia J. Strandberg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Pathobiology, VA-MD College of Veterinary Medicine, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA; (P.B.S.S.); (N.J.S.)
| | - Marisa A. Erasmus
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050, USA; (M.E.A.); (M.A.E.); (G.S.F.)
| | - Gregory S. Fraley
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050, USA; (M.E.A.); (M.A.E.); (G.S.F.)
| | - Gisela F. Erf
- Department of Poultry Science, System Division of Agriculture, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR 72701, USA;
| | - Darrin M. Karcher
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050, USA; (M.E.A.); (M.A.E.); (G.S.F.)
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Adami MA, Bertellotti M, Agüero ML, Frixione MG, D'Amico VL. Assessing the impact of urban landfills as feeding sites on physiological parameters of a generalist seabird species. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2024; 202:116327. [PMID: 38581734 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2024.116327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/08/2024]
Abstract
The increasing human population and associated urban waste pose a significant threat to wildlife. Our study focused on the Kelp gull (Larus dominicanus), known for opportunistic feeding in anthropogenic areas, particularly urban landfills. We assessed the physiological status of Kelp gulls at a landfill and compared it with gulls from a protected natural site. Results indicate that gulls from the anthropogenic site exhibited lower levels of key physiological parameters linked to diet, including triglycerides, total proteins, uric acid, plasmatic enzyme activity, body condition index, and leukocyte count, in comparison to their counterparts from the natural site. These findings suggest that Kelp gulls experience inferior physical and nutritional conditions when utilizing anthropogenic sites like landfills governmentally managed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel A Adami
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos CESIMAR-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina.
| | - Marcelo Bertellotti
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos CESIMAR-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina; School of Production, Environment, and Sustainable Development, University of Chubut, Argentina
| | - María Laura Agüero
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos CESIMAR-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Martin G Frixione
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos CESIMAR-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Verónica L D'Amico
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos CESIMAR-CONICET, Bvd. Brown 2915, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
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Garcia Neto PG, Titon SCM, Muxel SM, Titon B, Figueiredo ACD, Floreste FR, Lima AS, Assis VR, Gomes FR. Immune and endocrine alterations at the early stage of inflammatory assemblage in toads after stimulation with heat-killed bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila). Comp Biochem Physiol A Mol Integr Physiol 2024; 291:111606. [PMID: 38354902 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2024.111606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The red-leg syndrome in amphibians is a condition commonly associated with the bacteria Aeromonas hydrophila and has led to population declines. However, there is little information concerning the inflammatory assemblage in infected anurans. We evaluated immune and endocrine alterations induced by stimulation with heat-killed A. hydrophila injected in Rhinella diptycha toads. Control animals were not manipulated, while the others were separated into groups that received intraperitoneal injection of 300 μl of saline or heat-killed bacteria: groups A1 (3 × 107 cells), A2 (3 × 108 cells), and A3 (3 × 109 cells). Animals were bled and euthanized six hours post-injection. We evaluated neutrophil: lymphocyte ratio (NLR), plasma bacterial killing ability (BKA), testosterone (T), melatonin (MEL), and corticosterone (CORT) plasma levels. Heat-killed A. hydrophila increased CORT and NLR, and decreased MEL, especially at higher concentrations. There was no effect of treatment on T and BKA. We then selected the saline and A3 groups to conduct mRNA expression of several genes including glucocorticoid receptor (GR), toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and IL-10. We found higher expression of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, and IFN-γ in group A3 compared to the saline group. These results indicate the beginning of an inflammatory assemblage, notably at the two highest concentrations of bacteria, and give a better understanding of how anurans respond to an infection within an integrated perspective, evaluating different physiological aspects. Future studies should investigate later phases of the immune response to elucidate more about the inflammation in amphibians challenged with A. hydrophila.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrício G Garcia Neto
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil.
| | - Stefanny C M Titon
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Sandra M Muxel
- Laboratório de Neuroimunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes n° 1730, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-000, Brazil.
| | - Braz Titon
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Aymam C de Figueiredo
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Felipe R Floreste
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Alan S Lima
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Vania R Assis
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil; Global Health and Interdisciplinary Disease Research Center and Center for Genomics, College of Public Health, Interdisciplinary Research Building (IDRB), 3720 Spectrum Boulevard. Tampa, FL 33612-9415, United States. https://twitter.com/VaniaRAssis1
| | - Fernando R Gomes
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, Rua do Matão - Travessa 14 - n° 101, Cidade Universitária, São Paulo, SP CEP 05508-900, Brazil.
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10
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Veloso-Frías J, Soto-Gamboa M, Mastromonaco G, Acosta-Jamett G. Seasonal Hair Glucocorticoid Fluctuations in Wild Mice ( Phyllotis darwini) within a Semi-Arid Landscape in North-Central Chile. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1260. [PMID: 38731264 PMCID: PMC11083726 DOI: 10.3390/ani14091260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Mammals in drylands face environmental challenges exacerbated by climate change. Currently, human activity significantly impacts these environments, and its effects on the energy demands experienced by individuals have not yet been determined. Energy demand in organisms is managed through elevations in glucocorticoid levels, which also vary with developmental and health states. Here, we assessed how anthropization, individual characteristics, and seasonality influence hair glucocorticoid concentration in the Darwin's leaf-eared mouse (Phyllotis darwini) inhabiting two areas with contrasting anthropogenic intervention in a semi-arid ecosystem of northern Chile. Hair samples were collected (n = 199) to quantify hair corticosterone concentration (HCC) using enzyme immunoassays; additionally, sex, body condition, and ectoparasite load were recorded. There were no differences in HCC between anthropized areas and areas protected from human disturbance; however, higher concentrations were recorded in females, and seasonal fluctuations were experienced by males. The results indicate that animals inhabiting semi-arid ecosystems are differentially stressed depending on their sex. Additionally, sex and season have a greater impact on corticosterone concentration than anthropogenic perturbation, possibly including temporal factors, precipitation, and primary production. The influence of sex and seasonality on HCC in P. darwini make it necessary to include these variables in future stress assessments of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseline Veloso-Frías
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;
| | - Mauricio Soto-Gamboa
- Institute of Environmental and Evolutionary Sciences, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;
| | | | - Gerardo Acosta-Jamett
- Institute of Preventive Veterinary Medicine, Austral University of Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile;
- Center for Surveillance and Evolution of Infectious Diseases (CSEID), Austral University of Chile, Valdivia 5090000, Chile
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11
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Olmastroni S, Simonetti S, Fattorini N, D'Amico V, Cusset F, Bustamante P, Cherel Y, Corsi I. Living in a challenging environment: Monitoring stress ecology by non-destructive methods in an Antarctic seabird. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 922:171249. [PMID: 38431169 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.171249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
How Antarctic species are facing historical and new stressors remains under-surveyed and risks to wildlife are still largely unknown. Adélie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae are well-known bioindicators and sentinels of Antarctic ecosystem changes, a true canary in the coal mine. Immuno-haematological parameters have been proved to detect stress in wild animals, given their rapid physiological response that allows them tracking environmental changes and thus inferring habitat quality. Here, we investigated variation in Erythrocyte Nuclear Abnormalities (ENAs) and White Blood Cells (WBCs) in penguins from three clustered colonies in the Ross Sea, evaluating immuno-haematological parameters according to geography, breeding stage, and individual penguin characteristics such as sex, body condition and nest quality. Concentrations of mercury (Hg) and stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen (as proxies of the penguin's trophic ecology) were analysed in feathers to investigate the association between stress biomarkers and Hg contamination in Adélie penguins. Colony and breeding stage were not supported as predictors of immuno-haematological parameters. ENAs and WBCs were respectively ∼30 % and ∼20 % higher in male than in female penguins. Body condition influenced WBCs, with penguins in the best condition having a ∼22 % higher level of WBCs than those in the worst condition. Nest position affected the proportion of micronuclei (MNs), with inner-nesting penguins having more than three times the proportion of MNs than penguins nesting in peripheral positions. Heterophils:Lymphocytes (H:L) ratio was not affected by any of the above predictors. Multiple factors acting as stressors are expected to increase prominently in Antarctic wildlife in the near future, therefore extensive monitoring aimed to assess the health status of penguin populations is mandatory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Olmastroni
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy.
| | - Silvia Simonetti
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Niccolò Fattorini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy; National Biodiversity Future Center, Palermo, Italy
| | - Verónica D'Amico
- Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR), (CCT Centro Nacional Patagónico -CONICET), Brown 2915, U9120ACF, Puerto Madryn, Chubut, Argentina
| | - Fanny Cusset
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 du CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Ilaria Corsi
- Department of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli 4, 53100 Siena, Italy
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12
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Schütz KE, Latimer B, McDonald N, Hunter LB, Huddart FJ, Watson T, Saunders LR, Kells NJ, Cox NR, Monaghan RM. Effects of two wintering practices on behavioral and physiological indicators of welfare of non-lactating, pregnant dairy cattle in a pasture-based system. J Dairy Sci 2024:S0022-0302(24)00758-6. [PMID: 38642653 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24441] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
In countries with pasture-based dairy systems and relatively cold winters, such as New Zealand, it is common to manage pregnant, nonlactating cows on forage crop paddocks rather than pasture due to slow pasture growth rates. Wintering dairy cattle on grazed crops can compromise welfare if wet and muddy underfoot conditions occur, which can reduce lying. This study investigated behavioral and physiological indicators of welfare of cows under 2 wintering practices: cows managed on and grazed kale crop (Brassica oleracea), and cows managed on pasture with baled hay. Following dry-off (d 0), 80 cows were randomly assigned to one of the 2 wintering practices (40 cows/practice) and monitored between d 4 and d 32 (phase 1). During this period, lying and stepping behavior was continuously recorded using leg-based accelerometers. Blood samples were obtained at d 0 and 32 for measurements of thyroxine (T4), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), white blood cells (WBC), and red blood cells (RBC). All data for phase 1 were presented descriptively due to the lack of treatment replication. Daily mean air temperature during this period was 5.2°C (range: 0.0 to 10.7°C), and rainfall was 1.1mm/d (range: 0 to 5.6mm/d). Between d 4 and 32, cows in both groups spent similar amounts of time lying (pasture with hay cows: 8.9h/24h ± 2.57, kale crop cows: 8.7h/24h ± 3.06, mean ± SEM). Both groups reduced their lying on wet and cold days and there was evidence of rebound lying once unfavorable weather conditions stopped. Cows on kale crop had numerically higher NEFA and lower WBC compared with cows managed on pasture, although most physiological values were within normal ranges. In a second phase of the study (d 34 and 35), cows were managed under controlled, replicated conditions in the 2 wintering practices using typical on-farm stocking rates (2 or 4 cows per group in the pasture with hay and kale crop treatments, respectively; n = 10 groups/treatment). During this period, cow behavior, skin and surface temperatures, hygiene scores, feed intakes and ground conditions were measured. Weather conditions during the 48-h exposure were mostly cold and dry (mean air temperature: 7.8°C, range: -2.2 to 20.5°C). Cows managed on pasture with hay spent more time lying down on the first day of exposure, however, this was likely due to less space being available to kale cows on this day. Cows managed on pasture with hay ruminated more than cows on kale crop on both days of observations (Day 1: 37.9% vs 30.9% of observations, Day 2: 36.8% vs 28.7% of observations for pasture with hay and kale crop groups, respectively) and were lying more often in postures indicative of greater thermal comfort. Cows managed on pasture with hay had higher skin and surface temperatures compared with cows on kale crop, whereas cows on kale crop had dirtier coats. Results suggest that opportunities for thermal comfort were greater for cows managed on pasture with hay bales, which may be due to increased rumination activities and more insulated lying areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Schütz
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand..
| | - B Latimer
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand.; School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - N McDonald
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - L B Hunter
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - F J Huddart
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - T Watson
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - L-R Saunders
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - N J Kells
- School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New Zealand
| | - N R Cox
- AgResearch Ltd., Ruakura Research Centre, 10 Bisley Road, Hamilton 3214, New Zealand
| | - R M Monaghan
- AgResearch Invermay Agricultural Centre, Puddle Alley, Mosgiel 9053, New Zealand
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13
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de Albuquerque VJ, Folador A, Müller C, Pompermaier A, Hartmann M, Hartmann PA. How do different concentrations of aluminum and zinc affect the survival, body size, morphology and immune system of Physalaemus cuvieri (Fitzinger, 1826) tadpole? JOURNAL OF TOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH. PART A 2024; 87:342-356. [PMID: 38310537 DOI: 10.1080/15287394.2024.2311828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2024]
Abstract
The assessment of amphibian responses as bioindicators of exposure to chemical pollutants is an important tool for conservation of native species. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic aluminum (Al) and zinc (Zn) exposure on survival, body size, morphology (malformations), and immune system (leukocyte profile) in P. cuvieri tadpoles. Ecotoxicological analyses were performed utilizing chronic toxicity tests in which 210 tadpoles at the 25th Gosner developmental stage were exposed to Al and Zn. Individuals of P. cuvieri were maintained in glass containers containing various concentrations of aluminum sulfate (0.1, 0.2, or 0.3 mg/L) and zinc sulfate (0.18, 0.27 or 0.35 mg/L), and tests were performed in triplicate. After 14 days, amphibians were weighed, measured and survival rate, malformations in the oral and intestine apparatus, leukocyte profile, and ratio between neutrophils and lymphocytes determined. The differing concentrations of Al and Zn did not produce lethality in P. cuvieri where 95% of the animals survived 326 hr following metal exposure. Individuals exposed to Zn achieved greater body growth and weight gain compared to controls. Aluminum increased weight gain compared controls. These metals also produced malformations of the oral and intestine apparatus and enhanced occurrence of hemorrhages, especially at the highest doses. Lymphocytes were the predominant cells among leukocytes, with lymphopenia and neutrophilia observed following Al and Zn treatment, as evidenced by elevated neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, an important indicator of stress in animals. Data suggest that further studies need to be carried out, even with metal concentrations higher than those prescribed by CONAMA, to ensure the conservation of this species.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alexandre Folador
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brasil
| | - Caroline Müller
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brasil
| | - Aline Pompermaier
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brasil
| | - Marília Hartmann
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brasil
| | - Paulo Afonso Hartmann
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação, Universidade Federal da Fronteira Sul, Erechim, RS, Brasil
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Sayed AEDH, Emeish WFA, Bakry KA, Al-Amgad Z, Lee JS, Mansour S. Polystyrene nanoplastic and engine oil synergistically intensify toxicity in Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus : Polystyrene nanoplastic and engine oil toxicity in Nile tilapia. BMC Vet Res 2024; 20:143. [PMID: 38622626 PMCID: PMC11020678 DOI: 10.1186/s12917-024-03987-z] [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: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Polystyrene nanoplastic (PS-NPs) and Engine oil (EO) pose multiple ecotoxic effects with increasing threat to fish ecosystems. The current study investigated the toxicity of 15 days exposure to PS-NPs and / or EO to explore their combined synergistic effects on Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (O. niloticus). Hematobiochemical parameters, proinflammatory cytokines, and oxidative stress biomarkers as well as histological alterations were evaluated. The experimental design contained 120 acclimated Nile tilapia distributed into four groups, control, PS-NPs (5 mg/L), EO (1%) and their combination (PS-NPs + EO). After 15-days of exposure, blood and tissue samples were collected from all fish experimental groups. Results indicated that Nile tilapia exposed to PS-NPs and / or EO revealed a significant decrease in almost all the measured hematological parameters in comparison to the control, whereas WBCs and lymphocyte counts were significantly increased in the combined group only. Results clarified that the combined PS-NPs + EO group showed the maximum decrease in RBCs, Hb, MCH and MCHC, and showed the maximum significant rise in interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in comparison to all other exposed groups. Meanwhile, total antioxidant capacity (TAC) showed a significant (p < 0.05) decline only in the combination group, whereas reduced glutathione (GSH) showed a significant decline in all exposed groups in comparison to the control. Both malondialdehyde (MDA) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) showed a significant elevation only in the combination group. Uric acid showed the maximum elevation in the combination group than all other groups, whereas creatinine showed significant elevation in the EO and combination group when compared to the control. Furthermore, the present experiment proved that exposure to these toxicants either individually or in combination is accompanied by pronounced histomorpholgical damage characterized by severe necrosis and hemorrhage of the vital organs of Nile tilapia, additionally extensively inflammatory conditions with leucocytes infiltration. We concluded that combination exposure to both PS-NPs and EO caused severe anemia, extreme inflammatory response, oxidative stress, and lipid peroxidation effects, thus they can synergize with each other to intensify toxicity in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa El-Din H Sayed
- Department of Zoology, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt.
- Department of Biotechnology, Molecular Biology Research & Studies Institute, Assiut University, Assiut, 71516, Egypt.
| | | | - Karima A Bakry
- Fish Diseases Department, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
| | - Zeinab Al-Amgad
- General Authority for Veterinary Services, Qena Veterinary Directorate, Qena, Egypt
| | - Jae-Seong Lee
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, 16419, South Korea
| | - Salwa Mansour
- Zoology Department, South Valley University, Qena, Egypt
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15
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Knozowski P, Nowakowski JJ, Stawicka AM, Dulisz B, Górski A. Effect of Management of Grassland on Prey Availability and Physiological Condition of Nestling of Red-Backed Shrike Lanius collurio. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1093. [PMID: 38612334 PMCID: PMC11011085 DOI: 10.3390/ani14071093] [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: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 03/28/2024] [Accepted: 03/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
The study aimed to determine the influence of grassland management on the potential food base of the red-backed shrike Lanius collurio and the condition of chicks in the population inhabiting semi-natural grasslands in the Narew floodplain. The grassland area was divided into three groups: extensively used meadows, intensively used meadows fertilised with mineral fertilisers, and intensively used meadows fertilised with liquid manure, and selected environmental factors that may influence food availability were determined. Using Barber traps, 1825 samples containing 53,739 arthropods were collected, and the diversity, abundance, and proportion of large arthropods in the samples were analysed depending on the grassland use type. In the bird population, the condition of the chicks was characterised by the BCI (Body Condition Index) and haematological parameters (glucose level, haemoglobin level, haematocrit, and H:L ratio). The diversity of arthropods was highest in extensively used meadows. Still, the mean abundance and proportion of arthropods over 1 cm in length differed significantly for Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Arachne, and Carabidae between grassland use types, with the highest proportion of large arthropods and the highest abundance recorded in manure-fertilised meadows. The highest Body Condition Indexes and blood glucose levels of nestlings indicating good nestling nutrition were recorded in nests of birds associated with extensive land use. The H:L ratio as an indicator of the physiological condition of nestlings was high on manure-fertilised and extensively managed meadows, indicating stress factors associated with these environments. This suggests that consideration should be given to the effects of chemicals, such as pesticides or drug residues, that may come from slurry poured onto fields on the fitness of red-backed shrike chicks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Knozowski
- Department of Botany and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland; (A.M.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Jacek J. Nowakowski
- Department of Botany and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland; (A.M.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Anna Maria Stawicka
- Department of Botany and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland; (A.M.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Beata Dulisz
- Department of Botany and Evolutionary Ecology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland; (A.M.S.); (B.D.)
| | - Andrzej Górski
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Biology and Biotechnology, University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Plac Łódzki 3, 10-727 Olsztyn, Poland;
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16
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Okomoda VT, Isah S, Solomon SG, Ikhwanuddin M. Salinity tolerance in Clarias gariepinus (Burchell, 1822): insight on blood parameter variations and gill histological changes. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024; 50:605-616. [PMID: 38165562 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-023-01293-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
This study was designed to evaluate the tolerance of Clarias gariepinus juveniles to a gradual and abrupt increase in salinity over time. To this effect, C. gariepinus juveniles were exposed to three salinity incremental protocols namely 1 g L-1 day-1, 5 g L-1 day-1, and 10 g L-1 day-1. Changes in the hematological parameters and the gill histology of fish were analyzed to determine the impact of osmotic stress on the health status of the fish and its osmoregulatory ability. The result obtained showed that juveniles of C. gariepinus can tolerate salinity stress up to 14 g L-1. At 15 g L-1 and beyond, all samples died regardless of gradual (i.e., 1 g L-1 day-1 administered for 15 days) or abrupt salinity exposure (i.e., 5 g L-1 day-1 administered for three days and 10 g L-1 day-1 administered for two days). Interestingly, more than 90% of the fish survived a direct 10 g L-1 exposure for 24 h without prior acclimation. The hematological parameters accessed in the fish exposed to 10 g L-1 (either gradually or abruptly) showed a significant increase in the white blood cells and a decrease in the red blood cells, packed cell volume, hemoglobin concentration, and all derived blood parameters. The results of the serum biochemistry show a lower total protein and albumin in the salinity-treated fish compared to the control group. However, the serum glucose and the plasma electrolytes (i.e., K+, Na+, and Cl-) were higher in the former group than in the latter. Aside from the stress response expressed in the blood parameters, severe gill degenerations were seen in the histological micrograph obtained for the salinity-treated fish, while the control had a near-normal gill architecture. It was concluded that C. gariepinus could tolerate salinity exposure of 10 g L-1 day-1 (administered gradually or abruptly) and below without killing the fish within 24 h.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Tosin Okomoda
- Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forestry and Fisheries, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (Formerly, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi), Makurdi P.M.B. 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria.
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries Research (AQUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
| | - Safiya Isah
- Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forestry and Fisheries, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (Formerly, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi), Makurdi P.M.B. 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria
| | - Shola Gabriel Solomon
- Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, College of Forestry and Fisheries, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (Formerly, Federal University of Agriculture Makurdi), Makurdi P.M.B. 2373, Makurdi, Nigeria
| | - Mhd Ikhwanuddin
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence, Institute of Tropical Aquaculture and Fisheries Research (AQUATROP), Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia.
- STU-UMT Joint Shellfish Research Laboratory, Shantou University, Shantou, 515063, Guangdong, China.
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17
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Udino E, Oscos-Snowball MA, Buchanan KL, Mariette MM. A prenatal acoustic signal of heat reduces a biomarker of chronic stress at adulthood across seasons. Front Physiol 2024; 15:1348993. [PMID: 38617060 PMCID: PMC11009423 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2024.1348993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
During development, phenotype can be adaptively modulated by environmental conditions, sometimes in the long-term. However, with weather variability increasing under climate change, the potential for maladaptive long-term responses to environmental variations may increase. In the arid-adapted zebra finch, parents emit "heat-calls" when experiencing heat during incubation, which adaptively affects offspring growth in the heat, and adult heat tolerance. This suggests that heat-call exposure may adjust individual phenotype to hot conditions, potentially compromising individual sensitivity to cool weather conditions. To test this hypothesis, we manipulated individual prenatal acoustic and postnatal thermal experiences during development, and sought to assess subsequent chronic responses to thermal fluctuations at adulthood. We thus measured heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratios in adults, when held in outdoor aviaries during two summers and two winters. We found that birds exposed to heat-calls as embryos, had consistently lower H/L ratios than controls at adulthood, indicative of lower chronic stress, irrespective of the season. Nonetheless, in all birds, the H/L ratio did vary with short-term weather fluctuations (2, 5 or 7 days), increasing at more extreme (low and high) air temperatures. In addition, the H/L ratio was higher in males than females. Overall, while H/L ratio may reflect how individuals were being impacted by temperature, heat-call exposed individuals did not show a stronger chronic response in winter, and instead appeared more resilient to thermal variability than control individuals. Our findings therefore suggest that heat-call exposure did not compromise individual sensitivity to low temperatures at adulthood. Our study also reveals that prenatal sound can lead to long-term differences in individual physiology or quality/condition, as reflected by H/L ratios, which are consistent with previously-demonstrated reproductive fitness differences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eve Udino
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Max Planck Institute for Biological Intelligence, Seewiesen, Germany
| | - Marja A. Oscos-Snowball
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Werribee, VIC, Australia
| | - Katherine L. Buchanan
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
| | - Mylene M. Mariette
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Geelong, VIC, Australia
- Doñana Biological Station (EBD-CSIC), Sevilla, Spain
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Panase P, Vongkampang T, Wangkahart E, Sutthi N. Impacts of astaxanthin-enriched Paracoccus carotinifaciens on growth, immune responses, and reproduction performance of broodstock Nile tilapia during winter season. FISH PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOCHEMISTRY 2024:10.1007/s10695-024-01331-8. [PMID: 38512396 DOI: 10.1007/s10695-024-01331-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
The growth, immune response, and reproductive performance of broodstock of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) under winter stress conditions were investigated the effects of supplementary diets with astaxanthin-enriched Paracoccus carotinifaciens. Throughout an eight-week period in the winter season, male and female tilapia were fed with diets containing different levels of P. carotinifaciens dietary supplementation: 0 g/kg (T1; control), 5 g/kg (T2), 10 g/kg (T3), and 20 g/kg (T4). Subsequently, a four-week mating system was implemented during the winter stress period. The results revealed that there were no significant differences observed in growth, hematological indices, and blood chemical profiles among all treatment groups for both male and female tilapia. However, a significant increase in cholesterol content was noted in both male and female tilapia fed with the T4 diet (p<0.05). The total carotenoid content in the muscle was evaluated, and significantly higher values were found in both male and female tilapia that fed T4 supplementation (p<0.05). Moreover, immunological parameters such as myeloperoxidase and antioxidant parameters in the liver including superoxide dismutase activity and catalase enzyme activity showed significant increases in tilapia fed with the T4 diet. The impact of P. carotinifaciens supplementation on broodstock tilapia indicated a significant increase in spermatozoa concentration in males and increased egg production in females after consumption of the T4 diet (p<0.05). Thus, this study highlighted that the presence of astaxanthin-enriched P. carotinifaciens in the diet of broodstock Nile tilapia can lead to the accumulation of carotenoids in their muscle tissue, improvement in antioxidant status, enhancement of immune function, and potential enhancement of reproductive capabilities, even under overwintering conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paiboon Panase
- Fisheries Division, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
- Unit of Excellence Physiology and Sustainable Production of Terrestrial and Aquatic Animals, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand
| | - Thitiwut Vongkampang
- Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand
| | - Eakapol Wangkahart
- Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand
- Applied Animal and Aquatic Sciences Research Unit, Division of Fisheries, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha sarakham, 44150, Thailand
| | - Nantaporn Sutthi
- Unit of Excellence Physiology and Sustainable Production of Terrestrial and Aquatic Animals, School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Phayao, Phayao, 56000, Thailand.
- Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha Sarakham, 44150, Thailand.
- Applied Animal and Aquatic Sciences Research Unit, Division of Fisheries, Faculty of Technology, Mahasarakham University, Maha sarakham, 44150, Thailand.
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19
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Mikula P, Hollerova A, Hodkovicova N, Doubkova V, Marsalek P, Franc A, Sedlackova L, Hesova R, Modra H, Svobodova Z, Blahova J. Long-term dietary exposure to the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs diclofenac and ibuprofen can affect the physiology of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) on multiple levels, even at "environmentally relevant" concentrations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 917:170296. [PMID: 38301789 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.170296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of emerging environmental contaminants, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) diclofenac (DCF) and ibuprofen (IBP), on physiological functions in juvenile common carp (Cyprinus carpio). Fish were exposed for 6 weeks, and for the first time, NSAIDs were administered through diet. Either substance was tested at two concentrations, 20 or 2000 μg/kg, resulting in four different treatments (DCF 20, DCF 2000, IBP 20, IBP 2000). The effects on haematological and biochemical profiles, the biomarkers of oxidative stress, and endocrine disruption were studied, and changes in RNA transcription were also monitored to obtain a comprehensive picture of toxicity. Fish exposure to high concentrations of NSAIDs (DCF 2000, IBP 2000) elicited numerous statistically significant changes (p < 0.05) in the endpoints investigated, with DCF being almost always more efficient than IBP. Compared to control fish, a decrease in total leukocyte count attributed to relative lymphopenia was observed. Plasma concentrations of total proteins, ammonia, and thyroxine, and enzyme activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) were significantly elevated in either group, as were the activities of certain hepatic antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, glutathione-S-transferase) in the DCF 2000 group. The transcriptomic profile of selected genes in the tissues of exposed fish was affected as well. Significant changes in plasma total proteins, ammonia, ALT, and ALP, as well as in the transcription of genes related to thyroid function and the antioxidant defense of the organism, were found even in fish exposed to the lower DCF concentration (DCF 20). As it was chosen to match DCF concentrations commonly detected in aquatic invertebrates (i.e., the potential feed source of fish), it can be considered "environmentally relevant". Future research is necessary to shed more light on the dietary NSAID toxicity to fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Premysl Mikula
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic
| | - Aneta Hollerova
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Nikola Hodkovicova
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Preventive Medicine, Veterinary Research Institute, Hudcova 296/70, 621 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Veronika Doubkova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Marsalek
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic
| | - Ales Franc
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Sedlackova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Masaryk University, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, 612 42 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Renata Hesova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic
| | - Helena Modra
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic; Department of Environmentalistics and Natural Resources, Faculty of Regional Development and International Studies, Mendel University in Brno, tr. Generala Piky 7, 613 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Zdenka Svobodova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic
| | - Jana Blahova
- Department of Animal Protection and Welfare and Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Hygiene and Ecology, University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, Palackeho tr. 1946/1, Czech Republic.
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20
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Sánchez CA, Phelps KL, Frank HK, Geldenhuys M, Griffiths ME, Jones DN, Kettenburg G, Lunn TJ, Moreno KR, Mortlock M, Vicente-Santos A, Víquez-R LR, Kading RC, Markotter W, Reeder DM, Olival KJ. Advances in understanding bat infection dynamics across biological scales. Proc Biol Sci 2024; 291:20232823. [PMID: 38444339 PMCID: PMC10915549 DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2023.2823] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past two decades, research on bat-associated microbes such as viruses, bacteria and fungi has dramatically increased. Here, we synthesize themes from a conference symposium focused on advances in the research of bats and their microbes, including physiological, immunological, ecological and epidemiological research that has improved our understanding of bat infection dynamics at multiple biological scales. We first present metrics for measuring individual bat responses to infection and challenges associated with using these metrics. We next discuss infection dynamics within bat populations of the same species, before introducing complexities that arise in multi-species communities of bats, humans and/or livestock. Finally, we outline critical gaps and opportunities for future interdisciplinary work on topics involving bats and their microbes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Hannah K. Frank
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA 70118, USA
| | - Marike Geldenhuys
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Devin N. Jones
- Department of Microbiology & Cell Biology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT 59717, USA
| | | | - Tamika J. Lunn
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
- Center for the Ecology of Infectious Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Kelsey R. Moreno
- Department of Psychology, Saint Xavier University, Chicago, IL 60655, USA
| | - Marinda Mortlock
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | | | - Luis R. Víquez-R
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
| | - Rebekah C. Kading
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Center for Vector-borne and Infectious Diseases, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA
| | - Wanda Markotter
- Centre for Viral Zoonoses, Department of Medical Virology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - DeeAnn M. Reeder
- Department of Biology, Bucknell University, Lewisburg, PA 17837, USA
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21
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Sandmeier FC. Quantification of Thermal Acclimation in Immune Functions in Ectothermic Animals. BIOLOGY 2024; 13:179. [PMID: 38534449 DOI: 10.3390/biology13030179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 03/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
This short review focuses on current experimental designs to quantify immune acclimation in animals. Especially in the face of rapidly changing thermal regimes, thermal acclimation of immune function has the potential to impact host-pathogen relationships and the fitness of hosts. While much of the field of ecoimmunology has focused on vertebrates and insects, broad interest in how animals can acclimate to temperatures spans taxa. The literature shows a recent increase in thermal acclimation studies in the past six years. I categorized studies as focusing on (1) natural thermal variation in the environment (e.g., seasonal), (2) in vivo manipulation of animals in captive conditions, and (3) in vitro assays using biological samples taken from wild or captive animals. I detail the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, with an emphasis on mechanisms of acclimation at different levels of organization (organismal and cellular). These two mechanisms are not mutually exclusive, and a greater combination of the three techniques listed above will increase our knowledge of the diversity of mechanisms used by animals to acclimate to changing thermal regimes. Finally, I suggest that functional assays of immune system cells (such as quantification of phagocytosis) are an accessible and non-taxa-specific way to tease apart the effects of animals upregulating quantities of immune effectors (cells) and changes in the function of immune effectors (cellular performance) due to structural changes in cells such as those of membranes and enzymes.
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22
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Pereira-Figueiredo I, Rosa I, Sancho Sanchez C. Forced Handling Decreases Emotionality but Does Not Improve Young Horses' Responses toward Humans and their Adaptability to Stress. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:784. [PMID: 38473169 DOI: 10.3390/ani14050784] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2023] [Revised: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Horses are often still exposed to stressful or inadequate conditions and difficult relationships with humans, despite growing concerns about animal welfare. In the present study, we investigated the impact of different approaches of short-term handling sessions on young Lusitanian horses raised on a high-breed farm, specifically on their later adaptability to humans and stressful environments. Thirty-one foals (3 months old ± 15 days), from both sexes, were separated into three groups, one submitted to 3 consecutive days of handling sessions (Int-H), another to one handling session each month for 3 months (Month-H), and one left undisturbed (control). At 8 months old ± 15 days, all foals were evaluated during behavioral tests (restraint in a stock and forced-person test). Evaluations were based on behavioral observations and physiological assessments. The handled foals (Int-H and Month-H) reacted less to being isolated and restrained and better tolerated human contact and veterinary procedures than the control ones. The handled foals displayed less evasive and negative behaviors toward human approach, but also sought less human contact and did not interact, regardless of the handling timeframe. All animals displayed signs of stress when restrained in the stock, with increased neutrophil counts and CHCM levels in the blood, and no differences in metabolic (CK and LDH) and other hematological parameters. The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in handled foals than in control ones, suggesting low standards of welfare. Our data suggest that early forced handling decreases fearfulness in new environments; however, it does not improve the horses' relationship with humans, and it decreases welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Pereira-Figueiredo
- Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, C. Pintor Fernando Gallego, 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Thekidsfellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology, 6060-309 Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
| | - Ilda Rosa
- Thekidsfellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology, 6060-309 Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
- Animal Behaviour and Welfare Laboratory, Center of Interdisciplinary Investigation in Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Lisbon, 1300-477 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Consuelo Sancho Sanchez
- Neuroscience Institute of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, C. Pintor Fernando Gallego, 1, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
- Thekidsfellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology, 6060-309 Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
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23
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Rutkoski CF, Grott SC, Israel NG, Guerreiro FDC, Carneiro FE, Bitschinski D, Warsneski A, Horn PA, Lima D, Bastolla CLV, Mattos JJ, Bainy ACD, da Silva EB, de Albuquerque CAC, Alves TC, de Almeida EA. Prednisone and prednisolone effects on development, blood, biochemical and histopathological markers of Aquarana catesbeianus tadpoles. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2024; 268:106869. [PMID: 38387247 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2024.106869] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic glucocorticoids are often found in surface waters and can cause harmful effects to aquatic organisms such as amphibians. In this work we evaluated the effects of the drugs prednisone (PD) and prednisolone (PL) on developmental, molecular, blood, biochemical and histological markers. Aquarana catesbeianus tadpoles were exposed for 16 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of 0, 0.1, 1 and 10 µg/L of both drugs. PD increased the transcript levels of the enzyme deiodinase III (Dio3), the hormones cortisol and T4 and delayed development. Changes in the thyroid gland occurred after tadpoles were exposed to both drugs, with a reduction in the diameter and number of follicles and an increase/or decrease in area. Also, both drugs caused a decrease in lymphocytes (L) and an increase in neutrophils (N), thrombocytes, the N:L ratio and lobed and notched erythrocytes. Increased activity of the enzymes superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase and glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase was observed after exposure to PD. Furthermore, both drugs caused an increase in the activity of the enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase. However, only PD caused oxidative stress in exposed tadpoles, evidenced by increased levels of malondialdehyde and carbonyl proteins. Both drugs caused an increase in inflammatory infiltrates, blood cells and melanomacrophages in the liver. Our results indicate that PD was more toxic than PL, affecting development and causing oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Fatima Rutkoski
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Suelen Cristina Grott
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Nicole Grasmuk Israel
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | | | | | - Daiane Bitschinski
- Biodiversity Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Aline Warsneski
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Priscila Aparecida Horn
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
| | - Daína Lima
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Camila Lisarb Velasquez Bastolla
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Jacó Joaquim Mattos
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | - Afonso Celso Dias Bainy
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil
| | | | | | - Thiago Caique Alves
- Environmental Engineering Post-Graduation Program, University of Blumenau, Blumenau, SC, Brazil
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24
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Múrria C, Maceda-Veiga A, Barata C, Gomà J, Faria M, Antich A, Arnedo MA, Bonada N, Prat N. From biomarkers to community composition: Negative effects of UV/chlorine-treated reclaimed urban wastewater on freshwater biota. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 912:169561. [PMID: 38142994 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169561] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 11/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
The use of urban wastewater reclaimed water has recently increased across the globe to restore stream environmental flows and mitigate the effects of water scarcity. Reclaimed water is disinfected using different treatments, but their effects into the receiving rivers are little studied. Physiological bioassays and biomarkers can detect sub-lethal effects on target species, but do not provide information on changes in community structure. In contrast, official monitoring programs use community structure information but often at coarse taxonomic resolution level that may fail to detect species level impacts. Here, we combined commonly used biomonitoring approaches from organism physiology to community species composition to scan a broad range of effects of disinfection of reclaimed water by UV-light only and both UV/chlorine on the biota. We (1) performed bioassays in one laboratory species (water flea Daphnia magna) and measured biomarkers in two wild species (caddisfly Hydropsyche exocellata and the barbel Luciobarbus graellsii), (2) calculated standard indices of biotic quality (IBQ) for diatoms, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fishes, and (3) analysed community species composition of eukaryotes determined by Cytochrome Oxidase C subunit I (cox1) metabarcoding. Only the UV/chlorine treatment caused significant changes in feeding rates of D. magna and reduced antioxidant defenses, increased anaerobic metabolism and altered the levels of lipid peroxidiation in H. exocellata. However, inputs of reclaimed water were significantly associated with a greater proportion of circulating neutrophils and LG-PAS cells in L. graellsii. Despite IBQ did not discriminate between the two water treatments, metabarcoding data detected community composition changes upon exposure to UV/chlorine reclaimed water. Overall, despite the effects of UV/chlorine-treated water were transient, our study suggests that UV-light treated is less harmful for freshwater biota than UV/chlorine-treated reclaimed water, but those effects depend of the organizational level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cesc Múrria
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca Zoological Systematics & Evolution (ZooSysEvo), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
| | - Alberto Maceda-Veiga
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca FORESTREAM, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Carlos Barata
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Joan Gomà
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management (FEHM), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Melissa Faria
- Institute for Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18, 08034 Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Adrià Antich
- Department of Marine Ecology, Centre for Advanced Studies of Blanes (CEAB-CSIC), Blanes (Girona), Catalonia, Spain
| | - Miquel A Arnedo
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca Zoological Systematics & Evolution (ZooSysEvo), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Núria Bonada
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management (FEHM), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Narcís Prat
- Departament de Biologia Evolutiva, Ecologia i Ciències Ambientals, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain; Grup de Recerca Freshwater Ecology, Hydrology and Management (FEHM), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
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25
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Supanta J, Brown JL, Bansiddhi P, Thitaram C, Punyapornwithaya V, Punturee K, Towiboon P, Somboon N, Khonmee J. Physiological changes in captive elephants in northern Thailand as a result of the COVID-19 tourism ban-stress biomarkers. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1351361. [PMID: 38406629 PMCID: PMC10884277 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1351361] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
The international travel ban instituted by the Thai government in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected how tourist camp elephants were managed, with reductions in exercise opportunities, longer chaining hours, and diminished food provisioning. This study was conducted to determine how those changes affected health and welfare biomarkers in individual elephants over the 2 years of the countrywide lockdown (April 2020-April 2022). Blood and fecal samples were collected from 58 elephants at six camps (monthly in Year 1, quarterly in Year 2) and analyzed for stress biomarkers - fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), serum oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)], and stress leukograms. Overall, fGCM concentrations increased within the first few months and remained higher than pre-COVID levels, as did the H/L ratio, a measure affected by cortisol. Serum 8-OHdG, an indicator of DNA oxidative damage, also increased over time, while monocytosis and lymphopenia further suggested alterations in immune function as a result of stress. By contrast, another marker of oxidative stress, serum MDA, declined, possibly in response to reduced roughage and supplement intake. A notable finding was a seasonal pattern of fGCM that was significantly different from previous studies. Whereas higher fGCM during the rainy season were observed in this study, previously, concentrations were highest during the winter, high tourist season. Thus, ironically, both the presence and absence of tourists have been associated with increased fGCM concentrations, albeit for different reasons. Camp management factors negatively affecting stress outcomes included shorter chain lengths, longer chain hours, lack of exercise, and reduced roughage and supplements. Overall, it was clear that camps struggled to maintain adequate care for elephants during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of tourist income and need for contingency plans to cope with potential future disruptions to tourism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jarawee Supanta
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Janine L. Brown
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant, Wildlife, and Companion Animals Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, Front Royal, VA, United States
| | - Pakkanut Bansiddhi
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant, Wildlife, and Companion Animals Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Chatchote Thitaram
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant, Wildlife, and Companion Animals Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | | | - Khanittha Punturee
- Department of Medical Technology, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Patcharapa Towiboon
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Nopphamas Somboon
- Small Animal Hospital, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Jaruwan Khonmee
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Center of Elephant and Wildlife Health, Chiang Mai University Animal Hospital, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
- Elephant, Wildlife, and Companion Animals Research Group, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
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26
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Byrd AJ, Talbott KM, Smiley TM, Verrett TB, Gross MS, Hladik ML, Ketterson ED, Becker DJ. Determinants of spring migration departure dates in a New World sparrow: Weather variables reign supreme. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e10874. [PMID: 38390000 PMCID: PMC10883105 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.10874] [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: 06/26/2023] [Revised: 12/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Numerous factors influence the timing of spring migration in birds, yet the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic variables on migration initiation remains unclear. To test for interactions among weather, migration distance, parasitism, and physiology in determining spring departure date, we used the Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) as a model migratory species known to harbor diverse and common haemosporidian parasites. Prior to spring migration departure from their wintering grounds in Indiana, USA, we quantified the intrinsic variables of fat, body condition (i.e., mass ~ tarsus residuals), physiological stress (i.e., ratio of heterophils to lymphocytes), cellular immunity (i.e., leukocyte composition and total count), migration distance (i.e., distance to the breeding grounds) using stable isotopes of hydrogen from feathers, and haemosporidian parasite intensity. We then attached nanotags to determine the timing of spring migration departure date using the Motus Wildlife Tracking System. We used additive Cox proportional hazard mixed models to test how risk of spring migratory departure was predicted by the combined intrinsic measures, along with meteorological predictors on the evening of departure (i.e., average wind speed and direction, relative humidity, and temperature). Model comparisons found that the best predictor of spring departure date was average nightly wind direction and a principal component combining relative humidity and temperature. Juncos were more likely to depart for spring migration on nights with largely southwestern winds and on warmer and drier evenings (relative to cooler and more humid evenings). Our results indicate that weather conditions at take-off are more critical to departure decisions than the measured physiological and parasitism variables.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison J Byrd
- Environmental Resilience Institute Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
- Department of Biology Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
| | | | - Tara M Smiley
- Department of Ecology and Evolution Stony Brook University Stony Brook New York USA
| | - Taylor B Verrett
- School of Biological Sciences University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
| | - Michael S Gross
- U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center Sacramento California USA
| | - Michelle L Hladik
- U.S. Geological Survey California Water Science Center Sacramento California USA
| | - Ellen D Ketterson
- Environmental Resilience Institute Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
- Department of Biology Indiana University Bloomington Indiana USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- School of Biological Sciences University of Oklahoma Norman Oklahoma USA
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Gao Q, Tian W, Yang H, Hu H, Zheng J, Yao X, Hu B, Liu H. Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San alleviates the imbalance of intestinal homeostasis in dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mice by regulating gut microbiota and inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome activation. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2024; 319:117136. [PMID: 37704122 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2023.117136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Shen-Ling-Bai-Zhu-San (SLBZS) is a classic formula for strengthening the spleen and dispelling dampness, which has shown excellent efficacy in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in traditional Chinese medicine clinical studies. However, its exact pharmacological mechanism needs to be further elucidated. AIM OF THE STUDY This study aims to investigate the restorative effect and mechanism of SLBZS on disturbed intestinal homeostasis in DSS-induced colitis mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS A colitis model was induced by 3% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) for seven days, and SLBZS was administered by gavage. The influence of SLBZS on DSS-induced clinical symptoms and disease activity index (DAI) was monitored and analyzed. Alcian blue and fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated wheat germ agglutinin (FITC-WGA) staining were used to assess intestinal mucus changes. The expression of intestinal barrier function indexes and immune-associated indexes were determined by H&E staining, real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR), and Western blot. And gut microbiota changes were detected by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. The antibiotic experiment was used to explore the role of gut microbiota in SLBZS treatment. RESULTS The results showed that SLBZS significantly improved the physiological indexes including body weight, DAI score, and colon length of colitis mice. We focused on the effects of SLBZS on intestinal homeostasis in colitis mice. First, SLBZS could enhance the secretion of intestinal mucin and the expression levels of tight junctions and adhesive junctions. Second, SLBZS inhibited the expression level of inflammatory factors and reduced the protein expression level of NLRP3 inflammasome. Third, 16S rDNA sequencing analysis revealed that SLBZS repaired the dysfunctional gut microbiota of colitis mice, such as enhancing the abundance of short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria including Faecalibaculum, Colidextribacter, and Coprococcus. Further, by gut microbiota-depleted mice, we found that SLBZS could not exert an anti-colitis effect when gut microbiota was absent. CONCLUSIONS SLBZS restored intestinal environmental homeostasis by enhancing intestinal barrier function, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome, and restoring disturbed gut microbiota. And SLBZS could not ameliorate colitis mice with depleted gut microbiota. Our finding provided a theoretical basis for the clinical application of SLBZS in IBD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianru Gao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Weiyi Tian
- College of Basic Medical Sciences, Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Dongqing Road 4, Guiyang, 550025, PR China.
| | - Huabing Yang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Haiming Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Junping Zheng
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Xiaowei Yao
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Baifei Hu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
| | - Hongtao Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Hubei University of Chinese Medicine, Huangjiahu West Road 16, Wuhan, 430065, PR China.
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Bodinof Jachowski CM, Alaasam V, Blumenthal A, Davis AK, Hopkins WA. The habitat quality paradox: loss of riparian forest cover leads to decreased risk of parasitism and improved body condition in an imperiled amphibian. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coad101. [PMID: 38293638 PMCID: PMC10823334 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad101] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 11/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Amphibian declines are a global phenomenon but responses of populations to specific threats are often context dependent and mediated by individual physiological condition. Habitat degradation due to reduced riparian forest cover and parasitism are two threats facing the hellbender salamander (Cryptobranchus alleganiensis), but their potential to interact in nature remains largely unexplored. We investigated associations between forest cover, parasitic infection and physiology of hellbenders to test the hypotheses that physiological condition responds to infection and/or habitat degradation. We sampled 17 stream reaches in southwest Virginia, USA, on a year-round basis from 2013 to 2016 and recorded 841 captures of 405 unique hellbenders. At each capture we documented prevalence of two blood-associated parasites (a leech and trypanosome) and quantified up to three physiological condition indices (body condition, hematocrit, white blood cell [WBC] differentials). We used generalized linear mixed models to describe spatiotemporal variation in parasitic infection and each condition index. In general, living in the most heavily forested stream reaches, where hellbender density was highest, was associated with the greatest risk of parasitism, elevated neutrophil-to-lymphocyte (N:L) ratios and eosinophils, slightly lower hematocrit and lower mean body condition in hellbenders. All condition indices fluctuated temporally in a manner consistent with seasonal variation in hellbender metabolic demands and breeding phenology and were associated with land use during at least part of the year. Paradoxically, relatively low levels of forest cover appeared to confer a potential advantage to individuals in the form of release from parasites and improved body condition. Despite improved body condition, individuals from less forested areas failed to exhibit fluctuating body condition in response to spawning, which was typical in hellbenders from more forested habitats. We postulate this lack of fluctuation could be due to reduced conspecific competition or reproductive investment and/or high rates of filial cannibalism in response to declining forest cover.
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Affiliation(s)
- Catherine M Bodinof Jachowski
- Department of Forestry and Environmental Conservation, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634, USA
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | | | - Arden Blumenthal
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Andrew K Davis
- Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - William A Hopkins
- Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
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29
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DeAnglis IK, Andrews BR, Lock LR, Dyer KE, Yang A, Volokhov DV, Fenton MB, Simmons NB, Downs CJ, Becker DJ. Bat cellular immunity varies by year and dietary habit amidst land conversion. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coad102. [PMID: 38293641 PMCID: PMC10823333 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
Monitoring the health of wildlife populations is essential in the face of increased agricultural expansion and forest fragmentation. Loss of habitat and habitat degradation can negatively affect an animal's physiological state, possibly resulting in immunosuppression and increased morbidity or mortality. We sought to determine how land conversion may differentially impact cellular immunity and infection risk in Neotropical bats species regularly infected with bloodborne pathogens, and to evaluate how effects may vary over time and by dietary habit. We studied common vampire bats (Desmodus rotundus), northern yellow-shouldered bats (Sturnira parvidens) and Mesoamerican mustached bats (Pteronotus mesoamericanus), representing the dietary habits of sanguivory, frugivory and insectivory respectively, in northern Belize. We compared estimated total white blood cell count, leukocyte differentials, neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio and infection status with two bloodborne bacterial pathogens (Bartonella spp. and hemoplasmas) of 118 bats captured in a broadleaf, secondary forest over three years (2017-2019). During this period, tree cover decreased by 14.5% while rangeland expanded by 14.3%, indicating increasing habitat loss and fragmentation. We found evidence for bat species-specific responses of cellular immunity between years, with neutrophil counts significantly decreasing in S. parvidens from 2017 to 2018, but marginally increasing in D. rotundus. However, the odds of infection with Bartonella spp. and hemoplasmas between 2017 and 2019 did not differ between bat species, contrary to our prediction that pathogen prevalence may increase with land conversion. We conclude that each bat species invested differently in cellular immunity in ways that changed over years of increasing habitat loss and fragmentation. We recommend further research on the interactions between land conversion, immunity and infection across dietary habits of Neotropical bats for informed management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella K DeAnglis
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Arkansas, 1 University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, 72701, USA
| | - Benjamin R Andrews
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Lauren R Lock
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Kristin E Dyer
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Anni Yang
- Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, 100 East Boyd St, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
| | - Dmitriy V Volokhov
- Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, 10903 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - M Brock Fenton
- Department of Biology, University of Western Ontario, 1151 Richmond Street, London, Ontario, N6A 3K7, Canada
| | - Nancy B Simmons
- Department of Mammalogy, Division of Vertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History, 200 Central Park West, New York, NY, 10024, USA
| | - Cynthia J Downs
- Department of Environmental Biology, SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Daniel J Becker
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Oklahoma, 730 Van Vleet Oval, Norman, OK, 73019, USA
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30
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Franco-Belussi L, de Oliveira Júnior JG, Goldberg J, De Oliveira C, Fernandes CE, Provete DB. Multiple morphophysiological responses of a tropical frog to urbanization conform to the pace-of-life syndrome. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 12:coad106. [PMID: 38293639 PMCID: PMC10823355 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/01/2024]
Abstract
The Pace-of-Life syndrome proposes that behavioural, physiological and immune characteristics vary along a slow-fast gradient. Urbanization poses several physiological challenges to organisms. However, little is known about how the health status of frogs is affected by urbanization in the Tropics, which have a faster and more recent urbanization than the northern hemisphere. Here, we analysed a suite of physiological variables that reflect whole organism health, reproduction, metabolic and circulatory physiology and leukocyte responses in Leptodactylus podicipinus. Specifically, we tested how leukocyte profile, erythrocyte morphometrics and germ cell density, as well as somatic indices and erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities differ throughout the adult life span between urban and rural populations. We used Phenotypic Trajectory Analysis to test the effect of age and site on each of the multivariate data sets; and a Generalised Linear Model to test the effect of site and age on nuclear abnormalities. Somatic indices, erythrocyte nuclear abnormalities, erythrocyte morphometrics and leukocyte profile differed between populations, but less so for germ cell density. We found a large effect of site on nuclear abnormalities, with urban frogs having twice as many abnormalities as rural frogs. Our results suggest that urban frogs have a faster pace of life, but the response of phenotypic compartments is not fully concerted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilian Franco-Belussi
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, 15054-000, Brazil
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79002970, Brazil
| | - José Gonçalves de Oliveira Júnior
- Graduate Program in Animal Biology, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil
| | - Javier Goldberg
- Instituto de Diversidad y Ecología Animal - CONICET; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Classius De Oliveira
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas de São José do Rio Preto, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Carlos E Fernandes
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79002970, Brazil
| | - Diogo B Provete
- Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, 79002970, Brazil
- Gothenburg Global Biodiversity Centre, Göteborg, Box 100, S 405 30, Sweden
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31
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Zhelev Z, Minchev D, Angelov M. Blood parameters of adult marsh frogs Pelophylax ridibundus (Amphibia: Ranidae) in rice paddies subjected to intense agrochemical use. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:1368-1381. [PMID: 38036908 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-30974-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Accepted: 11/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
We present the results of an in situ study of a set of blood parameters in adult marsh frogs (Pelophylax ridibundus (Pallas 1771) from populations inhabiting the largest system of rice fields in Bulgaria, the Tsalapitsa rice fields (TRF), under chronic stress conditions. This study was conducted in spring 2022 to assess the health status of TRF frogs compared to that of frogs occupying a reference site (RS). Furthermore, this study also compared the results obtained for the TRF population with those obtained in a study conducted at the exact same location with P. ridibundus individuals in 2013 (Zhelev et al. 2018). This comparison highlights the potential effects of persistent use of agrochemicals (pesticides and fertilizers) on the marsh frogs of later generations. Our results suggest that the general health of marsh frogs in the polluted site (PS) in southern Bulgaria has severely deteriorated. Frogs of both sexes were anemic with weakened immune systems compared to those living in the RS. The long-term use of agrochemicals in the PS affected males to a greater extent than it did females. Statistically significant hypochromia was observed in males, combined with general leukopenia, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, monocytosis, eosinophilia, and higher neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhivko Zhelev
- Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, 24 Tsar Asen St, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Danail Minchev
- Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Biology, Paisii Hilendarski University of Plovdiv, 24 Tsar Asen St, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
| | - Mladen Angelov
- East Aegean River Basin Directorate, 35 Yanko Sakazov St, 4000, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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32
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Moreira LM, Sousa LS, Guamán CAG, Vieira MC, Santini MB, Cardoso AR, Leme FDOP, Lara LJC, Araújo ICS. Effects of cold stress on physiologic metabolism in the initial phase and performance of broiler rearing. J Therm Biol 2024; 119:103773. [PMID: 38181614 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/07/2024]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the effects of 8 h of cold stress (18 °C) every day in broiler chicks during the first 7 days of rearing on crop filling analysis, yolk sac consumption, digestive and immune organs weights, and physiological metabolism at seven days and performance between 1 and 35 days. Cobb500 male broiler chickens (n = 274) were randomly assigned to two treatments. The treatments consisted of varying environmental temperatures during the first week post-housing. Chicks were reared at a thermoneutral temperature (32 °C) or under cold stress (18 °C) for 8 h/day during the first week, and both groups were subsequently reared at a thermoneutral temperature for 8-35 days. The thermoneutral group reached 90% full crop after 48 h of housing (P < 0.05), while the cold-stressed group had more empty crops at 2 h and 48 h after housing (P < 0.05). The chick cloacal temperature was not affected by the treatments (P > 0.05). Additionally, the treatment did not affect serum amylase and corticosterone levels, feed intake, body weight gain, or feed conversion ratio (P > 0.05, while the cold-stressed group had elevated heterophil/lymphocyte count at day 7 (P < 0.05). The thermoneutral group showed higher viability (%) at 7 and 35 days and a higher production factor at 35 days (P < 0.05). Broiler chickens under cyclic cold stress experienced decreased yolk sac absorption during the first week and increased feed intake and feed conversion ratio after 35 days of rearing. Viability was also lower in the cold-stressed group. An appropriate strategy to minimize these adverse effects is to rear the chicks in a thermoneutral environment during the first week.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Lorena Salim Sousa
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Matheus Barros Santini
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Minas Gerais, Brazil
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Lamar SK, Frank HK, La Flamme A, Gartrell B, Ormsby D, Nelson N. The effects of annual cycle, source population, and body condition on leukocyte profile and immune challenge in a basal reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2024; 341:60-72. [PMID: 37921244 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Leukocyte profiles are broadly used to assess the health status of many species. Reference intervals, and an understanding of the factors that may influence these intervals, are necessary for adequate interpretation of leukograms. Using a data set that spans over three decades, we investigated variation in leukocyte profile in several populations of the evolutionarily unique reptile, the tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus). To do this, we first established reference intervals for each leukocyte type according to best practices. Next, we determined that source population and sampling date were the two most important predictors of leukocyte makeup. We found significant differences in the ratio of heterophils: lymphocytes (H:L) between populations, with tuatara on the more resource-stressed sampling island having a significantly higher ratio of H:L. Finally, we found that sampling location, sex, and life stage did not explain variation in the responses of tuatara to stimulation with Concanavalin A and lipopolysaccharide in both 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-di-phenyltetrazolium bromide and Griess assay experiments. Our results offer important insight into the function of leukocytes in reptiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah K Lamar
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Hannah K Frank
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- School of Science and Engineering, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
| | - Anne La Flamme
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Brett Gartrell
- Wildbase, Tāwharau Ora, School of Veterinary Science, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand
| | - Diane Ormsby
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Nicola Nelson
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
- Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
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Werber Y. Human-wildlife conflicts in the aerial habitat: Wind farms are just the beginning. Sci Prog 2024; 107:368504241231157. [PMID: 38373435 PMCID: PMC10878230 DOI: 10.1177/00368504241231157] [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] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
The aerial habitat occupies an enormous three-dimensional space around Earth and is inhabited by trillions of animals. Humans have been encroaching on the aerial habitat since the time of the pyramids, but the last century ushered in unprecedented threats to aerial wildlife. Skyscrapers, jet-age transportation and recently huge wind turbines kill millions of flying animals annually and despite substantial efforts, our detection and mitigation capabilities are lagging far behind. Given the situation, our readiness to handle the impact of millions of drones buzzing through the sky carrying batteries, payloads and soon also people, is questionable at best. In radar aero-ecology, radars are used to document and analyse animal movement high above the ground, opening a hatch to ecological processes in the aerial habitat. Differentiating bats from birds, a simple task at ground level, was impossible aloft, which limited our ability to study and characterise high-altitude bat behaviour. Many high-altitude infrastructure developments around the world were thus planned and executed with no regard to possible impacts on bats and caused millions of bat fatalities. BATScan, the first automatic bat identifier for radar, demonstrates how artificial intelligence can be implemented together with ecological insight to solve basic scientific questions and minimise negative human impact on natural habitats. We demonstrate a facet of the complexity of bat aero-ecology using the Israeli BATScan database and substantiate the claim that activities taken by the wind energy industry to minimise bat mortality may prove limited and leave bats unprotected. We further discuss upcoming challenges in the face of a forthcoming transportation revolution that will change the human-aerial wildlife conflict from a conservation concern to a major human safety issue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuval Werber
- Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
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35
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Moss RA, Murphy KM, Gardner ST, Watkins MM, Finger JW, Kelley MD, Elsey RM, Warner DA, Mendonça MT. Exposure to ecologically relevant estrogen levels do not influence morphology or immune parameters in hatchling American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol 2024; 275:109767. [PMID: 37827394 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpc.2023.109767] [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: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/26/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Human activity has increased concentrations of endocrine-disrupting contaminants (EDCs) in many ecological systems. Many EDCs are xenoestrogens, which imitate naturally derived estrogen like estradiol 17-β (E2). These pollutants can critically affect a broad range of biological functions, particularly in organisms inhabiting aquatic environments. E2 and associated receptors are involved in regulating innate immune responses, where documentation of exogenous E2 on immune parameters is important for understanding health consequences. In this study, we explore the impact of environmentally relevant concentrations of E2 on circulating glucocorticoid levels and several innate immune parameters in hatchling American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Twenty-three hatchling alligators were randomly placed in one of three groups that differed in dietary E2 concentration: control (no E2 exposure), low E2 (0.5 μg/kg E2), or high E2 (1 μg/kg E2) for 10 weeks. Following this period, several biomarkers were quantified to monitor the impact of E2: growth, change in body condition, white blood cell (WBC) counts, glucocorticoid levels, and general antibody response. Blood E2 concentrations were greater in individuals exposed to E2, but plasma corticosterone levels were reduced among the experimental groups. Morphology, growth, and immune parameters of E2 exposed animals did not differ from controls. These results suggest that acute exposure to increased environmental estrogen concentrations may alter plasma hormone concentrations but have little to no impact on immediate morphology or immune responses. Future studies may expand on this by monitoring biomarkers in wild populations across time, which will provide insight into how different ontogenetic stages are impacted by environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Regan A Moss
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America; Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10027, United States of America
| | - Kaitlyn M Murphy
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America.
| | - Steven T Gardner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America
| | - Madison M Watkins
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America
| | - John W Finger
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States of America
| | - Meghan D Kelley
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America; Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487, United States of America
| | - Ruth M Elsey
- Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Grand Chenier, LA 70643, United States of America; 728 Saratoga Drive, Murfreesboro, TN 37130, United States of America
| | - Daniel A Warner
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America
| | - Mary T Mendonça
- Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, United States of America
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Poliserpi MB, Brodeur JC. Behavioral and physiological changes in the passerine Agelaioides badius following the ingestion of coated seeds with imidacloprid in a 30-day experiment. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 905:167078. [PMID: 37717765 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.167078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
The wide use of neonicotinoid seed treatment represents a hazard for farmland birds that feed on treated seeds. This study aimed to characterize the long-term effects of the neonicotinoid imidacloprid (IMI) in the passerine grayish baywing (Agelaioides badius). The birds were fed ad libitum for 32 days only with seeds treated with 53.1 (Low, 11 % of LD50) and 514 (High, (112 % of LD50) mg IMI/kg seed; these concentrations representing respectively, 1.8 and 17.1 % of 3 g IMI/kg, an average application rate used to treat crop seeds in Argentina. The effects exerted by IMI on birds were evaluated at behavioral, physiological, hematological, genotoxic, and biochemical levels. No differences in food consumption were observed between Control and Low treatments birds, indicating a lack of aversion to treated seeds. High treatment birds only decreased their food consumption by 20 % in the first 3 days of exposure. Birds from High treatment experienced an early loss of body weight, reduction in their mobility, lack of response to threats (i.e., predator call and approaching person), and altered their use of the cage. On the contrary, birds from Low treatment experienced a delay in the onset of effects like reduction in mobility, lack of response to threats, and a tendency to reduce their body weight. At the end of exposure, glutathione S transferase activity in the plasma of treated birds decreased, and cholinesterase activity increased in the liver of treated birds. This study highlights that consumption equivalent to 1.8 % of the daily diet of baywings as IMI-treated seeds, is sufficient to generate behavioral and physiological alterations and death. In the wild, these effects may have ecological consequences, by impairing the survival of birds, representing a risk to farmland bird populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Belen Poliserpi
- Instituto de Recursos Biológicos, Centro de Investigaciones de Recursos Naturales (CIRN), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Julie Celine Brodeur
- Instituto de Recursos Biológicos, Centro de Investigaciones de Recursos Naturales (CIRN), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), 1686 Hurlingham, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Argentina
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Carvalho Seabra J, Martinez do Vale M, Spercoski KM, Hess T, Patricio Viviani de Moura P, Dittrich JR. Time-Budget and Welfare Indicators of Stabled Horses in Three Different Stall Architectures: A Cross-Sectional Study. J Equine Vet Sci 2023; 131:104936. [PMID: 37813129 DOI: 10.1016/j.jevs.2023.104936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/11/2023]
Abstract
Keeping horses in single stalls can lead to the development of abnormal and stereotypic behaviors (ASB). Opportunities for social interactions and stall architecture can influence behavior. The current study aimed to identify how three different stall architectures influenced time-budget and physiological parameters in horses. Stall types included: (1) 3.2 × 3.7 m with tactile contact between horses (B1); (2) 2.6 × 3.5 m with visual contact between horses and outside view (B2); (3) 2.3 × 3.4 m with visual contact and outside view (B3). Ten horses from B1 and B3, and nine from B2 were randomly selected, filmed for 24 hours and the video was analyzed with continuous behavioral sampling. Nine horses from B1, 8 from B2 and 7 from B3 were randomly selected for blood sampling used to determine cortisol levels, cortisol circadian rhythm (CCR), white blood cells (WBC) and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio. The effects of different stall architectures were analyzed by ANOVA and post hoc Tukey test. B1 had higher social interaction time (2.77% of the time-budget) (P = .020), with no other differences. Time spent eating represented a low proportion of horses' time-budget (14.31%) and all horses demonstrated ASB behaviors (21.10% of the time-budget). Twenty-five percent of the horses presented low WBC, 38% of the horses had high cortisol levels, and 29% of the horses had an altered CCR. Those alterations along with high prevalence of ASB indicate that horses were in a state of chronic stress. The stalls' architecture did not affect the presence of abnormal behaviors or indicators of stress.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Tanja Hess
- Department of Animal Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
| | | | - João Ricardo Dittrich
- Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
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Pelletier D, Blier PU, Vézina F, Dufresne F, Paquin F, Christen F, Guillemette M. Under pressure-exploring partner changes, physiological responses and telomere dynamics in northern gannets across varying breeding conditions. PeerJ 2023; 11:e16457. [PMID: 38054014 PMCID: PMC10695113 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.16457] [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: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Life history theory predicts trade-offs between reproduction and survival in species like the northern gannet (Morus bassanus). During breeding, demanding foraging conditions lead them to expand their foraging range and diversify their diet, increasing the risk of reproductive failure. Changing partners may enhance breeding success but lead to more physiological costs. Methods To investigate the physiological costs of reproduction upon partner changes, we measured and compared 21 biomarkers related to telomere dynamics, oxidative stress, inflammation, hematology, nutritional status, and muscle damage. We used a longitudinal approach with gannets (n = 38) over three contrasting years (2017, 2018 and 2019). Results Our results suggest that annual breeding conditions exert a greater influence on physiological changes than partnership status. Individuals that changed partner experienced greater short-term stress than retained partners. This transient increase in stress was marked by short-term increases in oxidative lipid damage, lower antioxidant capacity, signs of inflammation, and greater weight loss than individuals that retained partners. During favorable conditions, individuals that changed mates had stabilized telomere length, decreased antioxidant capacity, glucose concentration, and muscle damage, along with increased oxygen transport capacity. Conversely, unfavorable breeding conditions led to increased telomere attrition, stabilized antioxidant capacity, decreased inflammation susceptibility, diminished oxygen transport capacity, and increased muscle damage. In the cases where partners were retained, distinct physiological changes were observed depending on the year's conditions, yet the telomere dynamics remained consistent across both partnership status categories. During the favorable year, there was an increase in unsaturated fatty acids and oxygen transport capacity in the blood, coupled with a reduction in inflammation potential and protein catabolism. In contrast, during the unfavorable year in the retained mates, we observed an increase in oxidative DNA damage, antioxidant capacity, weight loss, but a decrease in inflammation susceptibility as observed in changed mates. Discussion Our study shows that behavioral flexibility such as mate switching can help seabirds cope with the challenges of food scarcity during reproduction, but these coping strategies may have a negative impact on physiological status at the individual level. In addition, the marked reduction in telomere length observed during harsh conditions, coupled with the stabilization of telomere length in favorable conditions, highlights the long-term physiological impact of annual breeding conditions on seabirds. These findings underscore the effect on their potential survival and fitness, emphasizing that the influence of annual breeding conditions is greater than that of partnership status.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Pelletier
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
- Department of Biology, Cégep de Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Pierre U. Blier
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - François Vézina
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - France Dufresne
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Frédérique Paquin
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Felix Christen
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
| | - Magella Guillemette
- Department of Biology, Université du Québec à Rimouski, Rimouski, Québec, Canada
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Gujar G, Tiwari M, Yadav N, Monika D. Heat stress adaptation in cows - Physiological responses and underlying molecular mechanisms. J Therm Biol 2023; 118:103740. [PMID: 37976864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2023.103740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Heat stress is a key abiotic stressor for dairy production in the tropics which is further compounded by the ongoing climate change. Heat stress not only adversely impacts the production and welfare of dairy cows but severely impacts the economics of dairying due to production losses and increased cost of rearing. Over the years, selection has ensured development of high producing breeds, however, the thermotolerance ability of animals has been largely overlooked. In the past decade, the ill effects of climate change have made it pertinent to rethink the selection strategies to opt for climate resilient breeds, to ensure optimum production and reproduction. This has led to renewed interest in evaluation of the impacts of heat stress on cows and the underlying mechanisms that results in their acclimatization and adaptation to varied thermal ambience. The understanding of heat stress and associated responses at various level of animal is crucial to device amelioration strategies to secure optimum production and welfare of cows. With this review, an effort has been made to provide an overview on temperature humidity index as an important indicator of heat stress, general effect of heat stress in dairy cows, and impact of heat stress and subsequent response at physiological, haematological, molecular and genetic level of dairy cows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gayatri Gujar
- Livestock Production Management, Bikaner, Rajasthan, 334001, India.
| | - Manish Tiwari
- Animal Biotechnology, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132001, India
| | - Nistha Yadav
- Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, College of Veterinary and Animal Science, Bikaner, Rajasthan, 334001, India
| | - Dr Monika
- Veterinary Parasitology, Jaipur, Rajasthan, 302012, India
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Harris S, Scioscia G, Raya Rey A. The influence of tourist visitation on the heterophyl to lymphocyte ratios and trophic values of Magellanic penguins ( Spheniscus magellanicus) at Martillo Island, Argentina. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad063. [PMID: 38053739 PMCID: PMC10694407 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023]
Abstract
Wildlife tourism is increasing worldwide and monitoring the impact of tourism on wild populations is of the utmost importance for species conservation. The Magellanic penguin Spheniscus magellanicus colony at Martillo Island, Argentina, was studied in the 2016-2020 breeding seasons. In all seasons, adults and chicks belonged to: (i) an area close to or within the tourist trail or (ii) an area far from the tourist trail and out of sight of the tourists. Blood samples were taken for carbon and nitrogen stable isotope composition, in order to estimate trophic niches, and for smears that were made in situ and were then stained in the laboratory where leucocyte counts and differentiation were made under optical microscope. Heterophil to lymphocyte ratios were used as proxies of stress. Repeated sampling showed individual stress levels reduced while wintering. In 2017, stress levels and trophic values were lower than 2018 for the same individuals. Trophic levels did not differ between tourism and no tourism areas within each season, and differed between 2017 and the remaining seasons, indicating a possible diet shift that year. Stress levels were higher for the tourism area than the no tourism area for adults and chicks in all years except for 2020, when stress levels in the tourism area were lower and similar to the no tourism area that year and previous years. Vessel transit within the Beagle Channel and tourist visitation to the penguin colony was greatly reduced in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. A combination of internal characteristics and external factors may be affecting the stress physiology of individuals. Therefore, future research should include sampling of multiple aspects of penguin physiology, behaviour and environmental context in order to evaluate each effect on Magellanic penguin stress and, ultimately, inform the conservation of this iconic species in time.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Harris
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vida silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Houssay 200 (9410) Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- Wildlife Conservation Society representación Argentina, Amenábar 1595 piso 2 oficina 19 (1426) CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Gabriela Scioscia
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vida silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Houssay 200 (9410) Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
| | - Andrea Raya Rey
- Laboratorio de Ecología y Conservación de Vida silvestre, Centro Austral de Investigaciones Científicas, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Houssay 200 (9410) Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
- Wildlife Conservation Society representación Argentina, Amenábar 1595 piso 2 oficina 19 (1426) CABA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Ciencias Polares, Ambiente y Recursos Naturales (ICPA), Universidad de Tierra del Fuego (UNTDF), Walanika 250 (9410) Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina
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Pollo F, Salinas Z, Baraquet M, Otero MA, Grenat PR, Salas N, Martino AL, Sinsch U. Hemoparasites Do Not Affect Life-History Traits and Cellular Immune Response in Treefrog Hosts Boana cordobae. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3566. [PMID: 38003183 PMCID: PMC10668743 DOI: 10.3390/ani13223566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We provide the first evidence for hemoparasites in the endemic Cordoba treefrog Boana cordobae. We collected 37 adult frogs at 1200 m a.s.l. in the Comechingones Mountains in the Córdoba province (Argentina). Each individual was sexed, then snout-vent length and body mass were recorded, a toe was collected for skeletochronological age determination, and a slide with a blood smear was prepared for hemoparasite screening, before releasing the frogs in situ. A total of 81% (n = 30) of the frogs were infected by hemogregarines and trypanosomes with a high intensity of infections. Dactylosoma was found for the first time in Argentina. Hemoparasites had no significant effect on the leukocyte profile, which we assessed from the May-Grünwald-Giemsa-stained blood smears. The neutrophils/lymphocytes ratio, indicative of stress, was insignificantly higher (0.06) in parasitized frogs than in parasite-free individuals (0.04). Infected frogs were larger than the controls, but this effect vanished when correcting size data for age. Young frogs (first-breeders) dominated the age distribution of parasite-free individuals, suggesting that infection of frogs takes usually place after sexual maturation. Vectors transmitting hemoparasites to B. cordobae remain to be identified. We demonstrate that moderate to high intensities of hemoparasites do not significantly affect the cellular immune response of B. cordobae, or any of the life-history traits studied, nor did they show any external sign of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Favio Pollo
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Zulma Salinas
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Mariana Baraquet
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Manuel A. Otero
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Pablo R. Grenat
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Nancy Salas
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Adolfo L. Martino
- Ecología, Departamento de Ciencias Naturales, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físico-Químicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Ruta Nacional N° 36–km 601, Río Cuarto X5804BYA, Argentina; (F.P.); (Z.S.); (M.B.); (M.A.O.); (P.R.G.); (N.S.); (A.L.M.)
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Tierra, Biodiversidad y Ambiente, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Rosario S2000EZ, Argentina
| | - Ulrich Sinsch
- Department of Biology, Zoology Group, University of Koblenz, 56070 Koblenz, Germany
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Joseph J, Nishizawa H, Jalimin SN, Othman R, Jaaman SA, Bali J, Xuelei Z. Health status and genetic compositions of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) foraging in Brunei Bay. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293979. [PMID: 37943882 PMCID: PMC10635546 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293979] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Long-term monitoring of sea turtle aggregations is critical for understanding the impacts of environmental changes on their population health and habitat suitability. Brunei Bay is a significant foraging ground for green turtles in the South China Sea. We analyzed the body size, hematology and body condition of green turtles for their health status in their foraging ground in Brunei Bay over a period of nine years (2011-2019). Additionally, we used mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) to evaluate changes in the size and genetic composition of green turtle aggregations. Our findings revealed that the size composition of the green turtle population varied seasonally, but there were no significant temporal changes in genetic and size compositions. Hematology parameters and Fulton's body condition index were consistent with those reported for apparently healthy green turtles. Furthermore, we found that blood reference intervals indicated the turtles were healthy. These results provide valuable baseline data for future comparisons with other foraging aggregations and for long-term monitoring of green turtles in Brunei Bay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juanita Joseph
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Siti Nabilla Jalimin
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Rafidah Othman
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Saifullah Arifin Jaaman
- Institute of Oceanography and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia
| | - James Bali
- Protected Areas & Biodiversity Conservation Division, Sarawak Forestry Corporation Sdn. Bhd., Kota Sentosa, Kuching, Sarawak. Malaysia
| | - Zhang Xuelei
- MNR Key Laboratory of Marine Eco-Environmental Science and Technology, First Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR), Qingdao, China
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Alrashada YN, Hassanien HA, Abbas AO, Alkhamis SA, Alkobaby AI. Dietary propolis improves the growth performance, redox status, and immune response of Nile tilapia upon a cold-stress challenge. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0293727. [PMID: 37917758 PMCID: PMC10621851 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/17/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the potential of adding propolis (PR) to the diet of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to mitigate the harmful effect of cold stress (CS) on the growth performance, redox status, and immunological response. Two trials were conducted in this study. First, 210 Nile tilapia fingerlings (28.61±0.20 g) were used in a preliminary trial to determine the appropriate PR level and supplementation period to be applied for the main trial. Fish were assigned into 7 treatment groups (3 aquaria replicates × 10 fish per aquarium in each treatment group) according to the rate of PR supplementation in the fish diets at 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 g/kg for 6 consecutive weeks. The average body weight and body weight gain were determined weekly. It was found that PR supplementation at 10 g/kg in fish diet for 4 weeks was enough to obtain significant results on the growth performance of Nile tilapia. For the main trial of the present study, 480 Nile tilapia fingerlings (average weight 29.93±0.11 g) were distributed into randomized 2 PR × 2 CS factorial treatment groups (6 replicate aquariums containing 20 fish in each group). Fish of PR groups received a basal diet for a feeding period of 4 weeks, included with 10 g/kg PR (+ PR group) or without PR inclusion (- PR group). Fish of the CS groups were either challenged with cold stress at 18°C (+ CS group) or maintained at a temperature of 26°C during the feeding period (- CS group). The results showed that CS challenge significantly (p < 0.05) impaired the growth indices, redox status, and immune response in the challenged fish compared to the non-challenged fish. On contradictory, the inclusion of PR into fish diets enhanced (p < 0.05) the feed intake, growth indices, antioxidant enzyme activity, and immunological parameters. Moreover, PR treatment alleviated the CS deterioration of fish weights, specific growth rates, feed efficiency, antioxidant enzyme activity, lymphocyte proliferation, and phagocytosis activity and alleviated the elevated mortality, H/L ratio, and malondialdehyde levels by cold stress. It is concluded that the inclusion of propolis at 10 g/kg in the diet of Nile tilapia fish could be approved as a nutritional approach to enhance their performance, especially when stressed by low-temperature conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yousof N. Alrashada
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hesham A. Hassanien
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed O. Abbas
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Sami A. Alkhamis
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
| | - Akram I. Alkobaby
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
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Iribarne J, Brachetta V, Kittlein M, Schleich C, Zenuto R. Effects of acute maternal stress induced by predator cues on spatial learning and memory of offspring in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. Anim Cogn 2023; 26:1997-2008. [PMID: 37632596 DOI: 10.1007/s10071-023-01822-w] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/28/2023]
Abstract
One of the main selection pressures to which animals are exposed in nature is predation, which affects a wide variety of biological traits. When the mother experiences this stressor during pregnancy and/or lactation, behavioral and physiological responses may be triggered in the offspring as well. Thus, in order to broaden and deepen knowledge on the transgenerational effects of predation stress, we evaluated how maternal stress experienced during pregnancy and/or lactation affects the spatial abilities of progeny at the onset of adulthood in the subterranean rodent Ctenomys talarum. The results showed that, contrary to what was observed in other rodent species, maternal exposure to predator cues during pregnancy and lactation did not negatively affect the spatial abilities of the offspring, even registering some minor positive effects. Concomitantly, no effects of predatory cues on physiological parameters associated with stress were observed in the progeny. This difference in results between the present study and previous works on maternal stress highlights the importance of considering the species to be evaluated (strain, age and origin-wild or captive-) and the type of stressor used (artificial or natural, intensity of exposure) in the evaluation of the possible transgenerational effects of maternal stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Iribarne
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina.
| | - V Brachetta
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - M Kittlein
- Grupo de Ecologia y Genetica de Poblacion de Mamiferos, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - C Schleich
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
| | - R Zenuto
- Grupo de Ecologia Fisiologica y del Comportamiento, Departamento Biologia, FCEyN, Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas y Costeras (IIMyC) CONICET - Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Mar del Plata, Argentina
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Megía-Palma R, Redondo L, Blázquez-Castro S, Barrientos R. Differential recovery ability from infections by two blood parasite genera in males of a Mediterranean lacertid lizard after an experimental translocation. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL ZOOLOGY. PART A, ECOLOGICAL AND INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 339:816-824. [PMID: 37434416 DOI: 10.1002/jez.2732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2023] [Revised: 06/26/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/13/2023]
Abstract
Different blood parasites can co-infect natural populations of lizards. However, our knowledge of the host's ability to recover from them (i.e., significantly reduce parasitemia levels) is scarce. This has interest from an ecological immunology perspective. Herein, we investigate the host recovery ability in males of the lizard Psammodromus algirus infected by parasite genera Schellackia and Karyolysus. The role of lizard hosts is dissimilar in the life cycle of these two parasites, and thus different immune control of the infections is expected by the vertebrate host. As Schellackia performs both sexual and asexual reproduction cycles in lizards, we expect a better immune control by its vertebrate hosts. On the contrary, Karyolysus performs sexual reproductive cycles in vectors, hence we expect lower immune control by the lizards. We carried out a reciprocal translocation experiment during the lizards' mating season to evaluate both parasitemia and leukocyte profiles in male lizards, being one of the sampling plots close to a road with moderate traffic. These circumstances provide a combination of extrinsic (environmental stress) and intrinsic factors (reproductive vs. immune trade-offs) that may influence host's recovery ability. We recaptured 33% of the lizards, with a similar proportion in control and translocated groups. Karyolysus infected 92.3% and Schellackia 38.5% of these lizards. Hosts demonstrated ability to significantly reduce parasitemia of Schellackia but not of Karyolysus. This suggests, in line with our predictions, a differential immune relationship of lizards with these parasites, at time that supports that parasites with different phylogenetic origins should be analyzed separately in investigations of their effects on hosts. Furthermore, lizards close to the road underwent a stronger upregulation of lymphocytes and monocytes when translocated far from the road, suggesting a putative greater exposure to pathogens in the latter area.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Megía-Palma
- Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Parasitology, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
- CIBIO, Centro de Investigação em Biodiversidade e Recursos Genéticos, InBIO Laboratório Associado, Campus de Vairão, Universidade do Porto, Vairão, Portugal
- BIOPOLIS Program in Genomics, Biodiversity and Land Planning, CIBIO, Campus de Vairão, Vairão, Portugal
| | - L Redondo
- Road Ecology Lab, Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
- Biodiversity Node S.L., Madrid, Spain
| | - S Blázquez-Castro
- Universidad de Alcalá (UAH), Department of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Parasitology, Alcalá de Henares, Spain
| | - R Barrientos
- Road Ecology Lab, Departamento de Biodiversidad, Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain
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Syafiqa NN, Zulkifli I, Zuki ABM, Meng Goh Y, Kaka U. Physiological, haematological and electroencephalographic responses to heat stress in Katjang and Boer goats. Saudi J Biol Sci 2023; 30:103836. [PMID: 37920797 PMCID: PMC10618512 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2023.103836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the effect of repeated heat stress on serum levels of cortisol (CORT), acute phase proteins (APP) and heat shock protein (HSP) 70, haematological indicators, and electroencephalographic (EEG) response in the native Katjang and exotic Boer goats. Six female Katjang (15.7 kg ± 0.68) and six female Boer (16.8 kg ± 1.16) goats aged 5 to 6 months old were exposed to 38 ± 1℃ for 8 h, and the procedure was repeated at three different weeks (weeks 1, 2 and 3). Measurements of rectal temperatures and EEG activity and collection of blood samples were conducted before heat exposure (0 h), immediately after the heat exposure (8 h), and 8 h after completion of heat exposure (16 h) (recovery period). The current results revealed that the Boer animals had significantly higher rectal temperatures (RT), haemoglobin (Hb) and packed cell volume (PCV) counts than their Kajang counterparts. There were significant breed × stage of heat treatment (SHT) × week of heat treatment (WHT) interactions for neutrophil to lymphocyte ratios (NLR). In general, the Katjang animals had elevated NLR compared to those of Boer. The Boer goats had reduced capacity to express serum HSP70 compared to their Katjang counterparts following the heat challenge at week 3. Boer goats demonstrated higher delta waves than the Katjang group, which suggested the former were more stressed following the heat exposure. Breed had a negligible effect on CORT, APP, WBC counts and backfat thickness. Our findings suggested that the Katjang breed, as measured by RT, HB and PCV count, and EEG activity, could be more tolerant to heat stress than Boer. The Katjang goats showed higher HSP70 expression than their Boer counterparts, suggesting improved thermoregulation in the former.
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Affiliation(s)
- Norsam N. Syafiqa
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Idrus Zulkifli
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Abu Bakar Md. Zuki
- Department of Veterinary Pre-Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Yoh Meng Goh
- Institute of Tropical Agriculture and Food Security, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Department of Veterinary Pre-Clinical Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Ubedullah Kaka
- Department of Companion Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
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Quirici V, Valeris-Chacín CE, Parada P, Cuevas E, Wingfield JC. Baseline Corticosterone, Stress Responses, and Leukocyte Profiles in Chicks of Precocial Birds in Rural and Urban Environments. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:2138. [PMID: 38004278 PMCID: PMC10672541 DOI: 10.3390/life13112138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The urban environment produces complex relationship among urban stressors that could change the levels of the steroid hormone, glucocorticoid (GCs). Studies that have evaluated baseline corticosterone (Cort) levels (the main GC in birds) and stress responses during development in urban and rural environments have obtained contrasting results. This ambiguity could partially be because the studies were carried out in altricial species, where parental care and sibling competition can affect Cort levels. Therefore, in this study, we compared levels of circulating baseline levels of CORT (blood sample obtained within 3 min of capture) and stress responses (blood sample obtained 30 min after capture) and the H/L ratio (an alternative method to measure stress) in chicks of a precocial bird, southern lapwings (Vanellus chilensis), from one rural (6 chicks), one urban low-polluted (13 chicks), and one urban high-polluted (10 chicks) site of Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile. We observed higher baseline Cort (2.41 ± 1.78 ng/mL) in the urban high-polluted site, a higher H/L ratio (0.51 ± 0.20) in the urban low-polluted site, and similar stress response across the three sites. We propose that the difference in stress physiology we observed within Santiago de Chile is because the two zones are at extremes in terms of stressors (noise, light, chemical, and human presence). It is unusual to find a precocious bird that lives in both urban and rural areas; therefore, the results of this study will advance our knowledge of the effect of the urban environment during the development of wildlife, which is relevant in terms of management and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Quirici
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Av. República 440, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Carlos E. Valeris-Chacín
- Departamento de Ciencias Ecológicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 8330015, Chile
- Cape Horn International Center for Global Change Studies and Biocultural Conservation (CHIC), O’Higgins 310, Cabo de Hornos, Puerto Williams 6350000, Chile
| | - Pablo Parada
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Av. República 440, Santiago 8370251, Chile
| | - Elfego Cuevas
- Centro de Investigación para la Sustentabilidad, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andres Bello, Av. República 440, Santiago 8370251, Chile
- Escuela de Medicina Veterinaria, Facultad de Ciencias de la Vida, Universidad Andrés Bello, Quillota 980, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
| | - John C. Wingfield
- Department of Neurobiology, Physiology and Behavior, University of California, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
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Sapozhnikova YP, Koroleva AG, Yakhnenko VM, Volkova AA, Avezova TN, Glyzina OY, Sakirko MV, Tolstikova LI, Sukhanova LV. Thermal Preconditioning Alters the Stability of Hump-Snout Whitefish ( Coregonus fluviatilis) and Its Hybrid Form, Showing Potential for Aquaculture. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:1348. [PMID: 37887058 PMCID: PMC10603914 DOI: 10.3390/biology12101348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
One of the little-studied ways that climate warming or temperature increases in aquaculture could affect aquatic animals is through accelerated aging. This study is dedicated to understanding the principles of molecular and cellular aging in the target tissues of juvenile whitefishes (Yenisei hump-snout whitefish and its hybrid) under the influence of acute heat stress (up to 26 °C), and the effects of thermal preconditioning as pre-adaptation. Non-adapted stressed hump-snout whitefish showed a higher induction threshold for functionally active mitochondria in the blood and a decrease in telomerase activity in the liver after heat shock exposure as a long-term compensatory response to prevent telomere shortening. However, we observed heat-induced telomere shortening in non-adapted hybrids, which can be explained by a decrease in mitochondrial membrane stability and a gradual increase in energy demand, leading to a decrease in protective telomerase activity. The pre-adapted groups of hump-snout whitefish and hybrids showed a long-term or delayed response of telomerase activity to heat shock, which served as a therapeutic mechanism against telomere shortening. We concluded that the telomerase and telomere responses to thermal stress demonstrate plasticity of tolerance limits and greater stability in hump-snout whitefish compared with hybrids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yulia P. Sapozhnikova
- Limnological Institute Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia; (V.M.Y.); (A.A.V.); (T.N.A.); (O.Y.G.); (M.V.S.); (L.I.T.); (L.V.S.)
| | - Anastasia G. Koroleva
- Limnological Institute Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 3 Ulan-Batorskaya, 664033 Irkutsk, Russia; (V.M.Y.); (A.A.V.); (T.N.A.); (O.Y.G.); (M.V.S.); (L.I.T.); (L.V.S.)
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Minias P. The effects of urban life on animal immunity: Adaptations and constraints. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 895:165085. [PMID: 37379938 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Land transformation, including urbanization, is a dominant form of anthropogenic change to the global environment at the dawn of the Anthropocene epoch. More and more species are brought into direct contact with humans, being either required to develop broad-scale adaptations to urban environment or filtered out from urbanized areas. While behavioural or physiological adaptations are at the forefront of urban biology research, there is accumulating evidence for divergent pathogen pressure across urbanization gradients, requiring adjustments in host immune function. At the same time, host immunity may be constrained by unfavourable components of an urban environment, such as poor-quality food resources, disturbance, or pollution. Here, I reviewed existing evidence for adaptations and constrains in the immune system of urban animals, focusing on the recent implementation of metabarcoding, genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic approaches in urban biology research. I show that spatial variation in pathogen pressure across urban and non-urban landscapes is highly complex and may be context-dependent, but there is solid evidence for pathogen-driven immunostimulation in urban-dwelling animals. I also show that genes coding for molecules directly involved in interactions with pathogens are the prime candidates for immunogenetic adaptations to urban life. Evidence emerging from landscape genomics and transcriptomics show that immune adaptations to urban life may have a polygenic nature, but immune traits may not be among the key biological functions experiencing broad-scale microevolutionary changes in response to urbanization. Finally, I provided recommendations for future research, including i) a better integration of different 'omic' approaches to obtain a more complete picture of immune adaptations to urban life in non-model animal taxa, ii) quantification of fitness landscapes for immune phenotypes and genotypes across urbanization gradient, and iii) much broader taxonomic coverage (including invertebrates) necessary to draw more robust conclusions on how general (or taxa-specific) are immune responses of animals to urbanization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Piotr Minias
- Department of Biodiversity Studies and Bioeducation, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Łódź, Banacha 1/3, 90-237 Łódź, Poland.
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Hassanien HA, Alrashada YN, Abbas AO, Abdelwahab AM. Dietary propolis complementation relieves the physiological and growth deterioration induced by Flavobacterium columnare infection in juveniles of common carp (Cyprinus carpio). PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292976. [PMID: 37831671 PMCID: PMC10575500 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The current study was proposed to explore the role of dietary propolis (PR) supplementation in alleviating the negative effects of columnaris disease (CD) challenge on the growth performance, plasma biochemicals, antioxidant activity, stress indicators, and immunological reactions of common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fish. Five hundred forty common carp juveniles were evenly placed in thirty-six 100-L tanks and stocked for acclimatization to the lab conditions with a control diet within a started period of 14 days. Fish (average initial weight of 7.11±0.06 g) were randomly distributed into one of six treatment groups (6 replicate tanks × 15 fish per tank in each treatment group). Fish in the first group was assigned as a negative control without CD challenge or PR supplementation. Fish in the other five groups were challenged with CD by immersion of fish for 60 min into a 10-L water bath supplemented with 6×106 CFU/mL (median lethal dose, LD50) of pathogenic F. columnare bacteria. After infection, the fish were restored to their tanks and fed on a basal diet supplemented with PR at 0, 3, 6, 9, or 12 g/kg diet. The experimental period continued for 6 consecutive weeks in which the feed was introduced twice a day (8:00 and 15:00 h) at a rate of 2% of the fish biomass. Ten percent of water was siphoned and renewed after each meal every day, in addition to 50% of water refreshment after cleaning the tank every three days. The tanks were continuously aerated and provided with standard rearing conditions for carp fish (24.0±1.12°C, 7.7±0.22 pH, 6.3±0.16 mg/L O2, and 14L/10D photoperiod). The growth performance traits such as feed intake (FI), weight gain (WG), final weight (FW), specific growth rate (SGR), feed efficiency (FE), and cumulative mortality rates (CM) were recorded during the experimental period. At the end of the trial, blood samples were obtained from the fish to evaluate some plasma biochemicals, including aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine (CRE), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), antioxidant biomarkers, including total antioxidant capacity (TAOC), total superoxide dismutase (TSOD), reduced glutathione (rGSH), and catalase (CAT), stress indicators, including heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, cortisol (COR), malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase (MPO), and immunological reactions, including peripheral blood leukocyte proliferation (PBLP), phagocytosis activity (PHG), lysozyme activity (LYS), alternative complement hemolytic action (ACH50), and total immunoglobulin concentration (TIG). In addition, samples of infected fish gills were taken to quantify the number of F. columnare in the PR-supplemented groups using the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technique. The results showed that incorporating PR into the dietary ingredients of common carp has a protective effect against the challenge with F. columnare infection. There were linear and quadratic positive trends (P < 0.05) in most parameters of growth performance, plasma biochemicals, antioxidant activity, stress indicators, and immunological reactions with the increased PR-supplemented levels in the diet of infected fish. The best results were obtained when using PR at 9 g/kg in the diet, while higher levels (12 g/kg PR) showed an adverse trend in the evaluated parameters. The FI, WG, FW, SGR, and FE were improved by approximately 37, 104, 34, 73, and 49% in the fish treated with 9 g/kg PR compared to none-PR-infected fish. In addition, adding PR at the 9 g/kg diet level was the best dose that reduced the H/L ratio, COR, MDA, and MPO by about 14, 52, 48, and 29%, respectively, in the infected fish. Furthermore, the mortality rate was reduced by 94%, and the number of pathogenic bacteria cells adherent to the fish gills was lowered by 96% in the infected fish treated with 9 g/kg PR compared to none-PR infected fish. Our results concluded that dietary supplementation with 9 g/kg PR could be a promising nutritional approach for improving the growth performance, physiological profile, and health status of common carp fish, particularly when challenged with F. columnare or similar bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hesham A. Hassanien
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Yousof N. Alrashada
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed O. Abbas
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
- Animal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Abdelwahab M. Abdelwahab
- Department of Animal and Fish Production, College of Agriculture and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Hofuf, AL-HASA, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
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