高蛋白食物和繁殖对布氏田鼠能量摄入和产热的影响

为探讨高蛋白食物和繁殖对布氏田鼠食物摄入和产热等特征的效应,将成年雌性布氏田鼠分为非繁殖对照食物组、非繁殖高蛋白组、繁殖对照食物组和繁殖高蛋白组。对照食物蛋白含量为17.7%,高蛋白食物的蛋白含量为36.6%。实验过程中测定动物的体重、食物摄入量、静止代谢率(RMR)、身体成分、内脏器官重量、褐色脂肪组织(BAT)解偶联蛋白1(UCP1)含量、血清瘦素和催乳素水平等。结果发现:高蛋白食物明显抑制布氏田鼠的体重,但动物在妊娠期和哺乳期,这种抑制作用消失。高蛋白食物明显抑制非繁殖组动物的干物质摄入、摄入能和消化能,但对哺乳期动物没有影响。高蛋白食物提高了非繁殖期和繁殖期动物的消化率,降低了血清瘦素浓度,但仅提高了繁殖期动物肾脏的重量,而降低了盲肠的重量。RMR、UCP1含量和血清催乳素浓度等则不受高蛋白食物的影响。繁殖期动物的体重、能量摄入、RMR和血清催乳素浓度等均高于非繁殖动物。这些结果表明,食物蛋白含量可影响布氏田鼠的能量代谢和产热特征等,且在繁殖期和非繁殖期有不同的反应方式。     

蛋白质,纤维素和单宁酸对东方田鼠摄食的影响

食物选择性是动物对取食生境中现存的食物种类做出的选择,是一个复杂的生态适应过程,与动物自身生理状及环境中食物的可利用量密切相关。单宁酸、蛋白质和纤维素是影响植食性动物食物选择的重要因素。在控制其它营养因子的条件下,设置10%蛋白质+2.25%纤维素+3%单宁酸(食物1)/6%单宁酸(食物2)和20%蛋白质+4.51%纤维素+3%单宁酸(食物3)/6%单宁酸(食物4)4个处理组,通过自助餐式选择笼内的喂养实验,测定单宁酸、蛋白质和纤维素对东方田鼠食物选择的影响。结果表明,东方田鼠对3%单宁酸处理组食物摄食量显著高于对6%单宁酸处理组(P0.001);但东方田鼠对6%单宁酸食物摄食量依蛋白质浓度变化,在20%蛋白质处理组的摄食量显著高于10%蛋白质处理组(P0.05);在含3%单宁酸处理组中,纤维素成为影响东方田鼠摄食的主要因素,而当单宁酸浓度增加到6%时,纤维素和蛋白质对东方田鼠摄食影响差异不显著;总之,单宁酸、蛋白质和纤维素对东方田鼠的摄食都产生重要影响,单宁酸对东方田鼠食物选择的影响程度最大,纤维素次之,蛋白质对东方田鼠摄食的影响会随单宁酸浓度的升高而增大。     

食物限制对雄性大绒鼠能量代谢特征的影响

为探讨横断山区大绒鼠适应食物匮乏的适应对策,将成年雄性大绒鼠随机分为自由取食组和饲喂正常摄食量的80% 限食组。测定了自由取食组和限食组雄性大绒鼠的体重、静止代谢率、非颤抖性产热以及体脂含量、血清瘦素含量、肝脏鲜重、褐色脂肪组织重量和消化道形态。结果显示:限食使雄性大绒鼠的体重、体脂含量、静止代谢率、非颤抖性产热、褐色脂肪组织重量和大肠、小肠长度显著降低,使盲肠内容物重量显著增加。血清瘦素含量与体重、体脂含量呈极显著正相关。在限食条件下,大绒鼠主要通过降低体重、基础代谢和产热的能量支出以及动用体内脂肪以应对食物资源短缺的环境条件,瘦素可能参与了能量代谢和体重的适应性调节。     

高原鼢鼠内脏器官与海拔的相关性研究

小型哺乳动物内脏器官的质量和消化道长度具有高度可塑性,是其对环境适应的重要指标。本研究通过对高原鼢鼠内脏器官随海拔梯度变化的比较研究,旨在从形态结构方面来探讨高原鼢鼠对环境和低氧的适应机制。结果显示,雄性高原鼢鼠心脏湿重和干重、脾脏干重、肺干重、胃湿重和干重、盲肠湿重与海拔呈显著或极显著正相关,而肾湿重、大肠长度与海拔呈负相关;雌性高原鼢鼠心脏湿重和干重、肺脏湿重和干重、胃湿重、盲肠湿重、盲肠长度与海拔呈显著或极显著正相关,肝脏湿重和干重、脾脏干重、肾脏湿重和干重、大肠干重、大肠长度与海拔呈显著或极显著负相关;其他与海拔无显著相关性。研究结果表明,内脏器官与海拔的相关性体现出高原鼢鼠面对不同的生存环境、能量需求、氧气含量、外界病原体等因素做出的代偿性适应。     

种群密度效应对成年东方田鼠内脏器官的影响

为了研究种群密度对东方田鼠(Microtus fortis)内脏器官(心、肺、肝、脾、肾、肾上腺)的影响,随机选取稳定的同性别饲养群的成年东方田鼠258只,雌雄各半,分A组30笼:2只/笼,B组15笼:4只/笼,C组11笼:6只/笼和D组9笼:8只/笼共4个密度组,饲养90d后解剖,取内脏器官,称重以及测定血浆皮质醇浓度并进行比较。结果表明:在相同密度内,除B组孕鼠的肝脏重较未孕鼠有极显著差异外,其它各组(A、C、D)怀孕鼠和未孕鼠的各内脏器官重均无显著差异。在不同密度间,怀孕鼠的肝脏重有极显著差异,孕鼠与未孕鼠的其余各内脏器官均无显著差异;雄鼠的肺重、脾脏重和雌鼠的脾脏重、肾上腺重差异显著,其余各器官重在不同密度间虽未表现出显著差异,但均具有随着密度增加而器官重量逐渐增大的趋势。各个密度组中的雄性个体血浆皮质醇浓度分别显著高于雌性,且差异显著;同一性别比较,不同密度间的雌性个体血浆皮质醇浓度差异不显著,而雄性个体血浆皮质醇浓度差异则显著,随密度增大而明显增加。可见高密度压力导致内脏器官重量上有所调节,但不同脏器受密度因素影响程度不同。     

食物限制对黑线仓鼠免疫功能的影响

温带地区小型哺乳动物经常面临着食物资源的波动。食物对动物的免疫功能具有重要影响。将19只成年雄性黑线仓鼠(Cricetulus barabensis)随机分为自由取食组(n=9)和限食组(n=10)。注射植物血球凝集素(PHA)来测定细胞介导的免疫反应,用匙孔血蓝蛋白(KLH)免疫动物,然后测定抗KLH抗体的浓度以反映其体液免疫功能。旨在检验食物限制是否会抑制黑线仓鼠的细胞免疫和体液免疫功能。结果发现,与对照组相比,限食组黑线仓鼠具有较低的体重、体脂、脾脏鲜重、血清瘦素水平、免疫球蛋白Ig G和Ig M浓度。而限食对胸腺鲜重、白细胞数、皮质酮水平以及PHA反应没有显著影响。结果表明黑线仓鼠免疫系统的不同成分对限食反应存在差异,在食物资源短缺时,黑线仓鼠防御细胞外病原体的能力降低,从而导致生存能力的下降。     

限制食粪对东方田鼠食物消化和体重生长的影响

食粪行为是植食性小型哺乳动物为满足其营养需求所采取的一种适应对策。实验室条件下,限制1月龄和12月龄东方田鼠摄食粪便,测定了限制食粪对食物消化率和体重生长的影响,旨在进一步揭示食粪行为在植食性小型哺乳动物的营养及消化对策中的作用。结果表明,限制食粪使1月龄和12月龄东方田鼠的干物质消化率分别下降27.64 %和7.89 %,粗蛋白消化率分别下降21.39 %和12.68 %;限制食粪可显著抑制东方田鼠的体重增长,且限制食粪对幼体体重的影响较成体明显。因此,研究结果充分验证了限制食粪可降低东方田鼠的食物消化率及抑制其体重生长的假设。     

植物酚类化合物对东方田鼠体重增长和内脏器官发育的作用

在实验室条件下,以含0% 、3% 和6% 植物酚类化合物的食物饲喂东方田鼠,测定了植物酚类化合物对其生长发育和内脏器官发育的效应。结果表明,食物蛋白质为10% 时,含3% 和6% 酚类化合物的食物饲喂的实验个体,其体重在30 d 时较对照组个体分别降低16. 4% 和32.1% (P < 0.05),在60 d时较对照组个体分别降低16.3% 和35.4% (P < 0.05)。摄食含6% 酚类化合物食物的实验个体,其肝脏相对重量在30 d和60 d时分别较对照组个体增加6.8% 和6.2% (P < 0.05),其肾脏相对重量在30 d和60 d时较对照组个体分别增加25.5% 和19.7% (P < 0.05)。食物蛋白质为20% 时,与对照组相比,含6% 酚类化合物食物饲喂的实验个体,其体重在30 d和60 d时分别下降26.7% 和27.1% (P < 0.05),其肾脏相对重量在30 d和60 d时分别增加10.0% 和11. 0%(P <0.05)。由此可见,植物酚类化合物可影响小型植食性哺乳动物生长发育和内脏器官的发育。     

黑斑侧褶蛙肥满度及脏器重量的性别和季节差异

内脏器官的大小能反映动物的生长发育情况和生理生态状况,可作为动物对环境适应的近似指标。以黑斑侧褶蛙Pelophylax nigromaculata为研究对象,测定了2012年夏季、秋季及2013年春季其体重、体长、含水量、肥满度及脏器重量的性别和季节差异。结果显示:1)雌蛙的体重和体长均高于雄蛙,两性都在秋季最高;胴体湿重和干重无性别差异,胴体湿重夏季最高,胴体干重无季节差异。2)含水量和肥满度无性别差异,前者夏季和春季高于秋季,后者秋季高于春季;躯体肥满度和干体肥满度雄蛙均高于雌蛙,雄蛙无季节差异,雌蛙夏季最高,春季最低。体重与体长的比值(K WL)雌蛙高于雄蛙,两性都在秋季最高,春季最低。3)除肺干重雄蛙大于雌蛙,肾脏干重雌蛙大于雄蛙外,其他内脏器官的湿重和干重均无性别差异。肺湿重春季高于夏季和秋季,肾脏湿重无季节性差异;雄蛙的肺干重春季高于夏季,肾干重秋季高于夏季和春季,雌蛙均无季节差异。心脏和脾脏湿重都在夏季最高,秋季或春季最低,但干重均无季节差异。脂肪体和肝脏及卵巢和输卵管的湿重和干重均在秋季最高,春季或夏季最低。精巢的湿重及干重均无季节差异。结果表明,K WL可较好地反映成年黑斑侧褶蛙整体水平的营养和生理状况,多种器官重量有季节性的可塑性,这可能与雌、雄蛙的繁殖状态有关。     

光周期和高脂食物对布氏田鼠能量代谢和产热的影响

为了研究光周期和高脂食物对小型哺乳动物能量代谢和产热的影响,将成年雌性布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)分别驯化于长光照低脂、高脂食物和短光照低脂、高脂食物,7周后测定动物的体重、能量摄入、产热、血清瘦素浓度以及褐色脂肪组织解偶联蛋白1(BAT-UCP1)含量等参数.结果发现:1)短光照抑制体重增长、降低体脂重量和血清瘦素水平,增加非颤抖性产热(NST)和UCP1含量;2)高脂食物使摄入能减少和消化率提高,但未显著影响体重、基础代谢率、NST、UCP1含量和血清瘦素;3)血清瘦素与摄入能不相关,但与体脂含量正相关.结果暗示:短光照下瘦素作用敏感性增加和产热能力增强,可能介导了抵抗高脂食物诱导的肥胖.在野外条件下草食性的布氏田鼠能通过能量代谢和产热的适应性调节避免体重的过度增长,有利于降低捕食风险,增强生存能力.同时布氏田鼠是研究食物诱导肥胖机理的一个好模型     

Postnatal protein deprivation in rhesus monkeys

We studied the growth of 97 rhesus monkeys (M. mulatta) that from birth until 120 days of age were fed a diet containing 13.4%, 6.7%, 3.35% protein or a commercial simulated human-milk formula (SMA) affording 9% protein. After 120 days, all animals were fed SMA. Females fed the diet lowest in protein, but not the other diets, were moderately affected, gaining less weight than their well-fed counterparts did, but they recovered their deficit during the repletion period, so that at 240 days no group differences remained. Males fed the two lowest-protein diets were severely and profoundly affected, in keeping with the depth of their protein deficiency. Moreover, unlike the females, they recovered none of their weight deficit during the repletion period. Food intake during deprivation was lower in the animals eating the low-protein diets. During SMA repletion, intakes followed no simple rule, but they did not converge. Except for the males fed the 3.35% protein diet, relative food intake (ml formula/kg body weight) did not differ substantially between diets or sexes at any time during the deprivation and diminished as the animals got older. Those males' relative intakes did not decline. During repletion, the SMA females ate the most in proportion to weight and the 13.4% group the least. The lowest-protein males, in contrast, ate the most in proportion to their weight during both deprivation and repletion. Males fed the lowest-protein diet gained little for what they ate; those fed the highest-protein diet gained much. Females were more efficient than males were when eating the low-protein diet and less efficient when eating the high-protein diet. When fed SMA during repletion, males' food efficiencies (grams gained/liter of diet) were nearly equal; females still differed: the SMA group was the least efficient and the low-protein group most efficient. Its counterpart, protein efficiency, was greatest (during deprivation) for females eating the low-protein diet and least (among females) for those eating the high-protein diet. Males were least protein efficient if eating the low-protein diet. Evidently, a 4 month bout of protein deprivation had prolonged effects on the amount of food the animals needed to produce a given gain in weight.     

High-protein nutrition during pregnancy and lactation programs blood pressure, food efficiency, and body weight of the offspring in a sex-dependent manner

Maternal low-protein diet during pregnancy is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease of the offspring in later life. The impact of high-protein diet during pregnancy on the cardiovascular phenotype of the offspring, however, is still unknown. We examined the influence of a high-protein diet during pregnancy and lactation on the renal, hemodynamic, and metabolic phenotype of the F1 generation. Female Wistar rats were either fed a normal protein diet (20% protein: NP) or an isocaloric high-protein diet (40% protein: HP) throughout pregnancy and lactation. At weaning, the offspring were fed with standard diet, and they were allocated according to sex and maternal diet to four groups: normal-protein male (NPm, n = 25), normal-protein female (NPf, n = 19), high-protein male (HPm, n = 24), high-protein female (HPf, n = 29). During the experiment (22 wk), the animals were characterized by repeated measurement of body weight, food intake, blood pressure, glucose tolerance, energy expenditure, and kidney function. At the end of the study period histomorphological analyses of the kidneys and weight measurement of reproductive fat pads were conducted. There were no differences in birth weight between the study groups. No influence of maternal diet on energy expenditure, glucose tolerance, and plasma lipid levels was detected. Blood pressure and glomerulosclerosis were elevated in male offspring only, whereas female offspring were characterized by an increased food efficiency, higher body weight, and increased fat pads. Our study demonstrates that a high-protein diet during pregnancy and lactation in rats programs blood pressure, food efficiency, and body weight of the offspring in a sex-dependent manner.     

Patterns and mechanisms of growth of fifth-instar Manduca sexta caterpillars following exposure to low- or high-protein food during early instars.

For many insect herbivores, variation in protein availability is a pervasive part of the environment. I explore how variable protein availability affects growth rates of fifth-instar Manduca sexta caterpillars and how growth is related to behavior and physiology. Groups of larvae were reared on low- or high-protein artificial diets (5.9% and 17.7% casein by dry weight, respectively) and then transferred in the fifth instar to the same or opposite diet. During or after the 24-h period following transfer, I measured growth rate, consumption rate, growth efficiency, midgut proteolytic activity, and masses of midgut contents and tissues. Fifth-instar caterpillars reared in earlier instars on high-protein diet grew about 20% more rapidly over 24 h than did caterpillars reared on low-protein diet. This growth pattern appears to be caused by differences in consumption and growth efficiency: caterpillars reared on high protein consumed more food, and used it more efficiently, than did caterpillars reared on low-protein diet. Over the short term (24 h), in contrast, fifth instars that received low-protein diet grew as rapidly as caterpillars that received high-protein diet. Increased (compensatory) consumption appears to be the primary mechanism by which caterpillars consuming low-protein food maintained growth rates.     

Development of beta-cell mass in fetuses of rats deprived of protein and/or energy in last trimester of pregnancy

Fetal malnutrition is now proposed as a risk factor of later obesity and type II diabetes. We previously analyzed the long-term impact of reduced protein and/or energy intake strictly limited to the last week of pregnancy in Wistar rats. Three protocols of gestational malnutrition were used: 1) low-protein isocaloric diet (5 instead of 15%) with pair feeding to the mothers receiving the control diet, 2) restricted diet (50% of control diet), and 3) low protein-restricted diet (50% of low-protein diet). Only isolated protein restriction induced a long-term beta-cell mass decrease. In the present study, we used the same protocols of food restriction to analyze their short-term impact (on day 21.5 of pregnancy) on beta-cell mass development. A 50% beta-cell mass decrease was present in the three restricted groups, but low-protein diet, either associated or not to energy restriction, increased fetal beta-cell insulin content. Among all the parameters analyzed to further explain our results, we found that the fetal plasma level of taurine was lowered by low-protein diet and was the main predictor of the fetal plasma insulin level (r = 0.63, P < 0.01). In conclusion, rat fetuses exposed to protein and/or energy restriction during the third part of pregnancy have a similar dramatic decrease in beta-cell mass, and their ability to recover beta-cell mass development retardation depends on the type of malnutrition used. Moreover, our results support the hypothesis that taurine might play an important role in fetal beta-cell mass function.     

Renal response to dietary protein in the house sparrow Passer domesticus

Many birds switch seasonally or during ontogeny between diets of varying protein content. In mammals, high-protein diets induce hypertrophy of the kidney in general and of the thick ascending limbs (TAL) in particular, along with increases in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and urine flow. A hypothesis to explain these phenomena is that the TAL become increasingly sensitive to peptide hormones (glucagon and antidiuretic hormone [ADH]) released in response to protein feeding; the consequent enhancement of ion reabsorption dilutes urine reaching the macula densa, thereby suppressing tubulo-glomerular feedback (TGF) and causing a rise in GFR. Avian kidneys possess most of the elements involved in this mechanism, including loops of Henle with TAL, sensitivity of TAL to ADH (arginine vasotocin [AVT] in birds), and the elements of TGF. We therefore hypothesized that switching from a low-protein to a high-protein diet would induce responses in birds similar to those found in mammals. We tested this hypothesis by feeding house sparrows, Passer domesticus, isocaloric diets containing either 8% or 30% protein. Birds on high-protein food had larger renal medullae, both in mass and in TAL diameter, but no increase in whole-kidney mass. Urine flow was approximately doubled on high-protein food, but there was no change in GFR. We were not able to detect an increased sensitivity of AVT-induced adenylyl cyclase activity in TAL from high-protein animals, and responsiveness to glucagon was higher in TAL from birds eating low-protein food. We are unable to conclude that a suppression of TGF is responsible for the rise in urine flow in birds eating high-protein foods, and the mechanisms behind the medullary hypertrophy and the diuresis remain to be fully explored.     

Getting a head start: diet, sub-adult growth, and associative learning in a seed-eating passerine

Developmental stress, and individual variation in response to it, can have important fitness consequences. Here we investigated the consequences of variable dietary protein on the duration of growth and associative learning abilities of zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, which are obligate graminivores. The high-protein conditions that zebra finches would experience in nature when half-ripe seed is available were mimicked by the use of egg protein to supplement mature seed, which is low in protein content. Growth rates and relative body proportions of males reared either on a low-protein diet (mature seed only) or a high-protein diet (seed plus egg) were determined from body size traits (mass, head width, and tarsus) measured at three developmental stages. Birds reared on the high-protein diet were larger in all size traits at all ages, but growth rates of size traits showed no treatment effects. Relative head size of birds reared on the two diets differed from age day 95 onward, with high-diet birds having larger heads in proportion to both tarsus length and body mass. High-diet birds mastered an associative learning task in fewer bouts than those reared on the low-protein diet. In both diet treatments, amount of sub-adult head growth varied directly, and sub-adult mass change varied inversely, with performance on the learning task. Results indicate that small differences in head growth during the sub-adult period can be associated with substantial differences in adult cognitive performance. Contrary to a previous report, we found no evidence for growth compensation among birds on the low-protein diet. These results have implications for the study of vertebrate cognition, developmental stress, and growth compensation.     

The effects of nutritional status of rabbits and sheep on their resistance to the ticksRhipicephalus evertsi evertsi andR. appendiculatus

Rabbits and sheep were exposed to low-and high-protein diets and subsequently infested three times with adults ofRhipicephalus appendiculatus andRhipicephalus evertsi evertsi. The mean weight ofR.e. evertsi females which dropped from rabbits maintained on a high-protein diet decreased from 515.0±24.9 mg (naive) to 381.5±25.0 (second infestation) to 340.3±23.3 mg (third infestation) while the weight of ticks fed on animals which were exposed to a low-protein diet did not change significantly (2.7%). The mean weight of engorged females ofR. appendiculatus which completed their blood meal on rabbits (high protein) decreased from 520.9±31.8 (naive) to 369.3±39 mg (3rd infestation), a significant decrease of 29.1% compared to a 12.3% decrease in weight between the 1 st and 3rd infestation of females fed on animals on a low-protein diet.Rhipicephalus e. evertsi fed on sheep exhibited the same phenomenon. The mean decrease in weight of 4rd-infestation ticks which dropped from sheep fed lucerne was 26.2% compared to 16.6% for ticks from sheep which were fed on grass.Hosts maintained on a low-protein diet failed to acquire resistance to ticks, lost weight and developed anaemia while those on a high-protein diet developed resistance, maintained weight and did not develop anaemia.The nutritional stress of the hosts and its application in South Africa are discussed.     

The effects of wintertime undernutrition on plasma leptin and insulin levels in an arctic ruminant, the reindeer

We examined the effects of prolonged undernutrition on plasma leptin and insulin levels and some serum protein metabolites in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L.) during winter and spring. The reindeer (male < 1 year) were fed their preferred winter feed, low-protein lichen ad libitum for 5 weeks, followed by 40% restriction of energy for 8 weeks and refeeding with high-protein pellets for 6 weeks. The control group received high-protein reindeer pellets ad libitum throughout the experiment. Plasma leptin decreased by 46% and insulin by 54% in the lichen group already during the ad libitum period between January and February, with parallel decreases in body weight, serum total proteins, albumin and urea. Leptin remained low during most of the energy restriction period in March and April, but increased at the end of April while body weight decreased. During the refeeding period in May and June, the body weight and insulin of the lichen group increased in parallel with total proteins and urea, but leptin remained unchanged. Similar significant reductions in plasma leptin (40%) as in the lichen group also took place in the control group fed high-protein pellets ad libitum in January and February, although their feed intake, serum total proteins and body weight remained unchanged. The results show that leptin decreases in reindeer during mid-winter, independent of food or protein intake, and suggest that the decrease may be cued by seasonal factors such as the short photoperiod.     

Effect of a selectiveβ 2-adrenergic agonist (Cenbuterol) on energy balance and body composition in normal and protein deficient rats

In rats fed a normal (22% protein) diet, injection of clenbuterol (1 mg/kg/d for 21 d) did not affect energy intake, energy expenditure or weight gain, but reduced energetic efficiency, and fat and energy gains and increased body protein content. Presenting a low-protein (8%) diet reduced energy intake, gain and efficiency, body protein content and the mass of the gastrocnemius muscle when compared to rats fed the control diet. Injection of the protein-deficient rats with clenbuterol (1 mg/kg/d for 21 d) caused hypophagia and reduced body weight and energy gains, energy expenditure and total body fat. However, the total body content of protein was not significantly reduced and the percentage of body protein in this protein deficient, clenbuterol-treated group was greater than that of untreated rats on both the high- and low-protein diets. The ratio of body protein to fat following clenbuterol treatment was increased by over 50% in both normal and protein-deficient rats. The results show that in protein deficient animals, clenbuterol treatment may help conserve body protein at the expense of fat, resulting in a smaller, but leaner body mass.     

Effect of short-term vs. long-term elevation of dietary protein intake on responsiveness of rat thick ascending limbs to peptide hormones

We compared the renal responses of rats on three diet regimens. Rats received either 8% protein food (low-protein, LP) for 10 weeks following weaning, 8% protein for 9 weeks followed by 1 week on 30% protein (short-term high-protein, SHP), or 30% protein for 10 weeks (high-protein, HP). Kidneys from HP rats were enlarged by approximately 50%, or 20% when corrected for body mass. Most of this hypertrophy resulted from enlargement of the inner stripe of the outer medulla, site of the thick ascending limbs (TAL), and TAL from HP rats were larger in diameter. SHP rats had TAL diameters similar to HP rats, but changes in renal mass or height of renal zones did not reach statistical significance. The activity of adenylyl cyclase (AC) in TAL, measured from the accumulation of cAMP in isolated tubules, increased with dose of both arginine vasopressin (AVP) and glucagon in all rats. However, HP rats had significantly higher hormone-induced AC activity than LP or SHP rats, which were not different from each other. Our results suggest that tubule hypertrophy may precede up-regulation of hormone-sensitive AC activity during the progression of renal response to elevated dietary protein.