Inhibitory effect of serotonin on ovulation in the domestic fowl, Gallus domesticus

Serotonin (5-HT) treatment (20 mg/kg) of White Leghorn layers 8 h before expected time of egg release from the ovary inhibited ovulation. This inhibitory effect was overcome by LH administration. Progesterone injection 14 h before anticipated ovulation caused premature ovulation. 5-HT injected 15 or 60 min before or after progesterone administration inhibited this ovulation. Non-significant inhibition (P < 0.05) of ovulation resulted when 5-HT was injected 120 or 180 min apart from progesterone administration. Results from these experiments suggest that the 5-HT effect on ovulation is not mediated through direct effect on the ovary but probably by inhibiting the release of LH.     

The role of uropygial gland on sexual behavior in domestic chicken Gallus gallus domesticus

Recent studies have indicated that avian social behavior is influenced by olfactory cues. During the reproductive season a change in the chemical composition of uropygial gland secretion has been reported in some species and the hypothesis that olfactory signals may be produced by this gland has been proposed. To examine this hypothesis we performed two behavioral experiments to determine whether a female’s uropygial gland produce chemical signals that stimulate mating behaviors in domestic chickens. In Experiment 1 the role of the female’s uropygial gland in male mating behavior was examined by removing and examining the female’s uropygial gland. The frequency of mounts and copulations of intact male birds with sham-operated female birds was significantly higher than with uropygial glandectomized female birds. With respect to the number of waltzing that is one of the courtship displays intact males showed no significant difference between sham-operated female birds and uropygial glandectomized female birds. In Experiment 2 the relationship between male olfaction and the female’s uropygial gland was investigated using olfactory bulbectomized male birds. The number of mounts and copulations of sham-operated male birds with sham-operated female bird was significantly higher than with uropygial glandectomized female birds. In contrast olfactory bulbectomized male birds showed no significant differences in the number of mounts and copulations between sham-operated female birds and uropygial glandectomized female birds. These results indicate that intact and sham-operated male birds prefer to mate with female birds with the uropygial gland. The number of courtship waltzing of sham-operated male birds showed no significant difference. However olfactory bulbectomized male birds significantly courted to uropygial glandectomized female birds. Summarizing our results show that while anosmic males did not have any preference both intact and sham-operated male birds chose to mate with female birds having an intact uropygial gland suggesting that mate preference involves in male olfaction and that the female’s uropygial gland acts as a source of social odor cues in domestic chickens.     

Mesotocin and maternal care of chicks in native Thai hens (Gallus domesticus)

Oxytocin (OT) is known to induce and regulate maternal behaviors in mammals via the supraoptic nucleus and paraventricular nucleus (PVN), whereas the function of mesotocin (MT; the avian homolog of OT) is poorly understood in birds. To elucidate the association of MT and the regulation of maternal behaviors in birds, we studied changes in the number of MT-immunoreactive (ir) neurons in native Thai chickens using immunohistochemistry. We observed that MT-ir neurons and fibers appeared in discrete regions located close to the third ventricle from the level of the preoptic area through the anterior hypothalamus with an abundance observed in the nucleus supraopticus, pars ventralis (SOv), nucleus preopticus medialis (POM), and PVN. The number of MT-ir neurons was low in the SOv, POM, and PVN of non-laying hens, but it increased gradually when the hens entered the laying stage, and peaked in incubating and rearing hens. We compared the number of MT-ir neurons in the SOv, POM, and PVN of native Thai hens rearing chicks (R) with that of non-rearing chicks (NR). The number of MT-ir neurons was high in the R hens, but low in the NR hens in these nuclei. For the first time, these results indicate that the association between the MT neurons and the presence of chicks might, in part, play a role in the neuroendocrine reorganization to establish and maintain maternal behaviors in native Thai chickens. MTergic activity is likely related to the contribution of rearing behavior in this equatorial precocial species.     

Visual lateralization and development of spatial and social spacing behaviour of chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus)

We investigated whether the development of spatial behaviour of the domestic chicken is influenced by light exposure of the embryo, as is known to be the case for some other lateralized visual functions. Ninety-six chicks were incubated in the dark or exposed to light during the final days of incubation. Half of the chicks in each group had the experience of moving behind opaque screens from 10 to 12 days of age. The other half were given transparent screens as a control. Chicks were tested in a detour test and a rotated floor test and their dispersal in groups was observed in larger pens. In the rotated floor test, chicks that had had experience with opaque screens used distal cues significantly more often than chicks that had experience with transparent screens (P = 0.042), regardless of whether they had been exposed to light before hatching or incubated in the dark. There were no significant differences between treatments in the detour test or in the dispersal behaviour. Hence, visual lateralization has no influence on the development of the spatial behaviour that we tested, whereas the occlusion experience is quite specific and results in shifted attention to distal spatial cues.     

Differences in semen freezability and intracellular ATP content between the rooster (Gallus gallus domesticus) and the Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara)

This study aimed to compare viability, ATP content, and DNA integrity of rooster (Gallus gallus domesticus) and Barbary partridge (Alectoris barbara) fresh and frozen spermatozoa in order to identify factors possibly related to differences in semen freezability. Ejaculates were obtained from March to May by the abdominal massage method from 3 adult roosters and 12 adult Barbary partridges. Semen was frozen with different cryoprotectants using Lake's diluents as a base medium: 1) glycerol 11%; 2) glycerol 11% and trehalose 70 mmol/L; 3) dimethylacetamide (DMA) 6%; 4) DMA 6% and trehalose 70 mmol/L. Both fresh and frozen semen showed a lower viability and higher intracellular ATP concentrations in the Barbary partridge compared with the rooster (P < 0.05). In the Barbary partridge, semen viability after thawing did not differ among the 4 media used, but glycerol showed positive effects in avoiding a significant loss of ATP after thawing, compared with DMA containing media (P < 0.05). On the other hand, in the rooster a higher viability was recorded when semen was frozen in glycerol containing media compared to DMA (P < 0.0001), while ATP values significantly decreased after thawing (P < 0.05) without showing any differences among the semen frozen in the 4 different media. DNA integrity, as evaluated by the comet assay, was assessed only in frozen semen. In the Barbary partridge, mean scored parameter did not differ significantly among semen frozen in the 4 different media. In the rooster DNA fragmentation was higher in DMA ctr medium compared with the other media and with values found in Barbary partridge semen frozen in the same medium (P < 0.001). In both species, the addition of trehalose did not show any positive effects on viability, ATP levels and DNA integrity after thawing.In conclusion, species-related differences in semen features exist between the rooster and the Barbary partridge and the wide variation observed in ATP levels may account for differences in semen freezabililty between the two species.     

冷应激致雏鸡肺脏DNA的氧化损伤作用

目的：探讨冷应激对雏鸡肺脏DNA氧化损伤的影响。方法：以健康15日龄雏鸡为试验对象,进行冷应激（12±1℃）处理。检测了肺脏MDA含量以及SOD和GSH-Px活性,并应用KCl-SDS沉淀法和荧光检测法检测肺细胞DNA-蛋白质交联（DPC）系数和DNA-DNA交联（DDC）系数。结果：冷应激时,肺脏MDA含量随应激时间的延长逐渐升高,SOD、GSH-Px活性随应激时间的延长呈现上升趋势,肺细胞DPC和DDC含量也均随应激时间的延长呈升高趋势。结论：揭示冷应激可使肺组织氧化-抗氧化平衡破坏,引起肺组织细胞DNA的氧化损伤。     

The role of heat shock proteins in inflammatory injury induced by cold stress in chicken hearts

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of cold stress on the expression levels of heat shock proteins (Hsps90, 70, 60, 40, and 27) and inflammatory factors (iNOS, COX-2, NF-κB, TNF-α, and PTGEs) and oxidative indexes in hearts of chickens. Two hundred forty 15-day-old male chickens were randomly divided into 12 groups and kept at the temperature of 12 ± 1 °C for acute and chronic cold stress. There were one control group and five treatment groups for acute cold stress, three control groups, and three treatment groups for chronic cold stress. After cold stress, malondialdehyde level increased in chicken heart; the activity of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase in the heart first increased and then decreased. The inflammatory factors mRNA levels were increased in cold stress groups relative to control groups. The histopathological analysis showed that heart tissues were seriously injured in the cold stress group. Additionally, the mRNA levels of Hsps (70, 60, 40, and 27) increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the cold stress groups relative to the corresponding control group. Meanwhile, the mRNA level and protein expression of Hsp90 decreased significantly (P < 0.05) in the stress group, and showed a gradually decreasing tendency. These results suggested that the levels of inflammatory factors and Hsps expression levels in heart tissues can be influenced by cold stress. Hsps commonly played an important role in the protection of the heart after cold stress.     

急性冷应激对牦牛乳腺上皮细胞 HSP70 mRNA 表达的影响

本文主要研究了急性冷应激对牦牛乳腺上皮细胞热休克蛋白７０ （Heat stress protein,ＨＳＰ７０） 表达量的影响。采用实时荧光定量ＰＣＲ 技术,以急性冷刺激１０℃ 为典型研究环境,分析了ＨＳＰ７０ ｍＲＮＡ 表达的变化规律。结果显示,乳腺上皮细胞在１０℃分别冷处理２ ｈ、４ ｈ、６ ｈ 和８ ｈ,其ＨＳＰ７０ ｍＲＮＡ 的表达量变化均不显著（Ｐ ＞０. ０５）;分别在１０℃冷处理２ ｈ、４ ｈ、６ ｈ 和８ ｈ,再复温培养４ ｈ,ＨＳＰ７０ ｍＲＮＡ 的表达量均极显著增加（Ｐ ＜０. ０１）,于６ ｈ 达到峰值;在１０℃先冷处理４ ｈ,然后分别复温２ ｈ、４ ｈ、６ ｈ 和８ ｈ,ＨＳＰ７０ ｍＲＮＡ 的表达量亦均显著增加（Ｐ ＜０. ０１）,并于４ ｈ 达到峰值。结论：急性冷应激诱导牦牛乳腺上皮细胞ＨＳＰ７０ 表达量的增加不是发生在冷处理过程中,而是发生在复温过程中,并且在一定范围内随冷处理时间的增长表达量增高。     

人参多糖对低温应激大鼠颗粒细胞与卵母细胞的调节

目的 应用体外细胞培养观察人参多糖对低温应激大鼠卵巢卵母细胞发育与颗粒细胞蛋白合成的影响,为研究人参多糖对低温应激大鼠卵巢功能的变化,提高机体耐寒能力提供科学实验解释.方法 培养Wistar大鼠卵巢卵母细胞与颗粒细胞,设37℃对照组,0、-15、-25与-35℃低温应激实验组,观察细胞计数.采用放免分析法测定3H-TdR与3H-Leu CPM值.结果 带卵泡卵母细胞低温应激实验组与对照组比较,生发泡破裂百分率57.14%/36.70%,人参多糖组68.97%/41.13%;带卵丘卵母细胞低温应激实验组与对照组比较,生发泡破裂百分率75.71%/41.14%,人参多糖组71.21%/39.28%,P＜0.05.3H-TdR掺入量人参多糖为参照与对照组比较,人参多糖实验组为1279±191与913±212,低温人参多糖实验组均值为651±211与499±116.低温应激为参照与对照组比较低温实验组均值为499±116与913±212,低温人参多糖实验组均值为651±211与1279±191,P＜0.05.3H-Leu掺入量人参多糖为参照与对照组比较,人参多糖实验组为889±153与617±119,低温人参多糖实验组均值为431±1144与300±119.低温应激为参照与对照组比较低温实验组均值为300±119与617±119,低温人参多糖实验组均值为431±144与889±153,P＜0.05.结论 低温应激抑制卵母细胞发育与颗粒细胞蛋白合成,人参多糖能促进卵母细胞成熟,能使低温应激大鼠卵巢颗粒细胞蛋白合成增加,而对带卵丘的卵母细胞无作用.     

Experimental Neospora caninum infection in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) with oocysts and tachyzoites of two recent isolates reveals resistance to infection

The importance of birds in the biological cycle of Neospora caninum is not clear. We report unsuccessful Neospora infection in chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) using two isolates of N. caninum. In experiment #1, 30 White Leghorn chickens were orally inoculated with viable N. caninum oocysts (NC-SP1 isolate, 200 oocysts per bird) via the crop at 21 days of age. Groups of three birds were euthanised at intervals of 7 days (a total of 9 weeks) and one group was challenged with the same oocyst dose at 37 days p.i. and observed for 11 weeks. Blood samples were collected weekly, and sera were tested using IFAT. Chicken tissues were collected for PCR, quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry. Two dogs approximately 45 days of age were fed with tissues from chickens euthanised at 138 and 159 days p.i. The results indicated that the chickens were resistant to neosporosis as revealed by failure to seroconvert, to detect parasite DNA or N. caninum antigen by immunohistochemistry in inoculated bird tissues, and by no oocyst excretion by the dogs fed avian tissues. Similar results were obtained in experiment #2, in which 34 1-week-old chickens were each s.c. inoculated with 100,000 tachyzoites of the NcWTDMn1 isolate of N. caninum. The chickens were euthanised on days 7, 15, 22, 28, 36 and 60 p.i. At necropsy, all tissues and serum from each bird were collected. All chickens remained asymptomatic, and N. caninum antigen was not detected by immunohistochemistry. Seven chickens euthanised at day 60 p.i. demonstrated low (1:25 dilution) levels of antibodies by using the Neospora agglutination test. Two 12-week-old dogs fed tissues pooled from 10 inoculated chickens euthanised at day 60 p.i. did not excrete N. caninum oocysts. This investigation indicates that chickens are resistant to experimental infection by N. caninum.     

Interaction of estrogen and 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) with hepatic fatty acid synthesis and metabolism of male chickens (Gallus domesticus)

This study tested the hypothesis that 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) antagonizes estrogen-induced hepatic lipid synthesis and metabolism in birds. Twenty immature male chickens (Gallus domesticus) were divided evenly into four groups: (1) vehicle control; (2) estrogen alone (1.0 mg/kg estradiol cypionate injected on three consecutive days); (3) TCDD alone (50 μg/kg injected on the fourth day); and (4) a combination of the estrogen and TCDD treatments. On day 14, liver samples were collected for quantitative fatty acid analysis by capillary gas chromatography. Birds treated with estrogen alone had increased total triacylglyceride concentrations with specific increases in the Δ9 desaturase products 16:1n7, 18:1n7, 18:1n9, and 20:1n9. In addition, estrogen treatment specifically increased 22:6n3 concentrations in both triacylglycerides and phospholipids. However, these increases in Δ9 desaturase products or 22:6n3 did not occur for birds treated with estrogen in combination with TCDD. TCDD and estrogen plus TCDD treatments increased phospholipid concentrations of the diet-derived polyunsaturated fatty acids 18:2n6, 18:3n6, 20:3n6, 18:3n3, and 20:5n3, although only the estrogen plus TCDD group had significantly increased total phospholipids. In cholesterol esters, all three treatments decreased concentrations of total fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, and Δ9 desaturase products compared to the control group.     

The effect of temperature on energy distribution during the last-larval stadium of the female house cricket, Acheta domesticus

The distribution of energy during the last stadium of the house cricket at two temperatures was the main theme of this study. Food consumption, growth, and oxygen consumption were greater in the first half of the stadium at both 25 and 35°C. An RQ > 1 indicated the conversion of carbohydrates to lipids during the first half of the instar at both temperatures. The duration of the stadium increased from 6 days at 35°C to 14 days at 25°C. The same maximal weight, protein content and lipid content were attained at both 25 and 35°C. A weight loss (mostly in stored lipids) after the midstadium peak weight was greater at the lower temperature. The absorption efficiency and the production of metabolic wastes were not affected by temperature, but the metabolic efficiency was much higher at 35 than at 25°C during the first half as well as the latter half of the stadium. Although during the first half of the stadium more energy was ingested, absorbed, and made available for growth at 25 than at 35°C, only slightly more growth occurred at 25°C. During the last half of the stadium less energy was ingested at 25 than at 35°C, and much more growth occurred at 35°C because of the even greater heat loss at 25 than at 35°C. Therefore at a lower temperature cricket larvae eat slightly more and reach the same maximal weight as at a higher temperature, but they end up smaller because they waste more energy during the extended duration of the stadium at the lower temperature.     

Effect of cold acclimation and rapid cold-hardening on the survival of Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) under cold stress

Spodoptera frugiperda is a highly invasive pest species that recently invaded Africa and Asia causing severe economic losses, primarily related to corn and rice crops. Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors that influence the invasion of pests into new habitats. However, little is known regarding the thermal tolerance characteristics of invasive S. frugiperda. Thus, we investigated the response of four developmental stages of S. frugiperda (i.e., eggs, third and sixth instar larvae, and pupae) to cold acclimation (CA) and rapid cold-hardening (RCH). All individuals suffered high mortality with 24-h temperature treatments at <?5°C and >35 °C. The CA treatment significantly increased the survival rate of the eggs and third instar larvae, although it did not affect the sixth instar larvae and it decreased the pupation rate. The RCH treatment at 5 °C for 5 h or 2 °C for 2 h increased the cold tolerance capabilities of the third and sixth instar larvae, respectively. Thus, the larval stage appears to be crucial for the cold tolerance of S. frugiperda. Our findings improve the current understanding of the cold tolerance characteristics of S. frugiperda and indicate its potential for survival in the newly invaded temperate regions of Asia.     

The effect of temperature on feeding,growth, and metabolism during the last larval stadium of the female house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Eighth instar female house crickets at 35°C developed faster, gained slightly more wet weight, and consumed less food, water, and oxygen than at 25°C. The duration of the 8th stadium at 25°C was 13 days (undisturbed), but was 14 days when disturbed by daily weighing. The duration of the 8th stadium at 30°C was 8 days and at 35°C was 6 days. During the first half of the 8th stadium at 25, 30, and 35°C, there was a high rate of food and water consumption resulting in statistically equal maximum dry weight achievement (124 mg). Respiratory quotients greater than one during this time indicated the conversion of ingested carbohydrate to fat. During the latter half of the 8th stadium, food and water consumption declined and the crickets lost weight. The period of weight loss was proportionally much longer at 25°C than at 30 or 35°C. Respiratory quotients lower than 1.0 during the latter half of the 8th stadium at 30 and 35°C indicated the metabolism of stored lipids. The respiratory quotient at 25°C never fell below 1.0, possibly because some food remained in the gut. The absorption efficiency was not influenced by temperature (25–35°C). Though the caloric content of the faeces was lower at 25°C than at 30 or 35°C, which correlated to the much longer time for food passage at 25°C than at 35°C, the difference in total calories egested was insufficient to alter the absorption efficiency. A longer period of reduced feeding and greater dry weight loss during the latter half of the 8th stadium at 25°C resulted in a lower metabolic efficiency at 25°C than at 30 or 35°C. Eighth instar crickets in response to a step-function transfer from 30°C–25 or 35°C showed an immediate (<1 hr) and complete metabolic adjustment which was not affected by the temperature history during the 7th stadium. House crickets did not exhibit temperature acclimation in the range 20–40°C, the metabolic rate being determined by ambient temperature. The Q₁₀ for oxygen consumption in the range 20–40°C was about 2.     

NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase from the chicken (Gallus gallus): Sequence characterization,functional expression and kinetic study

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases have been well known to be responsible for the synthesis of endogenous compounds and the metabolism of exogenous compounds in almost all living organisms, which require NADPH-cytochrome P450 oxidoreductase (POR) as an electron donor to function. In this study, a 2031 bp open reading frame of POR gene was cloned from 35-day-old Roman hen liver, encoding an enzyme of 676 amino acids. Sequence analysis showed that chicken POR shares high homology with other vertebrates PORs and possesses the conserved binding domains of FAD, FMN, and NADPH. The genomic sequences of POR genes from chicken and other four vertebrates have highly conserved exon/intron organization structure. By fusion with bacterial signal peptide, chicken POR gene was functionally expressed in E. coli membrane and showed activities in reduction of cytochrome c and oxidation of NADPH. The Km values for cytochrome c and NADPH were 21.9 ± 2.3 μM and 2.4 ± 0.3 μM respectively. A Ping-Pong mechanism was proposed for chicken POR.     

Contrasting dynamics of cold resistance traits in field-fresh Myrmica ants during the active season

As a result of acclimation populations of long-lived ectotherms should display lowered ability to counter cold stress in warmer periods of active season, and increased resistance in colder ones. We tested this proposition by investigating dynamics of cold resistance in Myrmica ants during most of the active season in two types of habitats. Resistance of ants to knock-down by cold and their rate of recovery after chill coma were expected to be lower in summer.Cooled at a rate of 0.17 °C min⁻¹, the ants showed lower capability to resist knock-down in summer, and a significant lowering in knock-down temperature in response to colder weather both in spring and autumn as confirmed by linear regression against air temperatures. In a more eurytopic species M. rubra the responses were significantly faster in meadow than in forest habitats. However, times of recovery of the ants after 10 min at −3 °C did not change in parallel to air temperatures. Whereas M. rubra from forest habitats took less time to recover in early summer and early autumn, in their conspecifics from meadow habitats the contrary was the case. Regardless of habitat, recoveries tended to be faster in other investigated species, of which M. ruginodis (a forest stenotopic) recovered faster in early summer than later.According to the knock-down data, in warmer months the ants are indeed less resistant to cold stress, whilst the recovery data do not always support the proposition. The contrasting seasonal dynamics of the two measures of low-temperature resistance in field-fresh Myrmica suggest that knock-down (chill coma onset) is a better index of thermal acclimation, whilst the rate of recovery from chill coma is more indicative of interspecific differences and, possibly, behavioural thermoregulation.     

冷应激大鼠睾丸细胞AR和ABP的检测

目的为研究冷应激大鼠睾丸细胞雄激素受体和雄激素结合蛋白的变化,本实验检测了睾丸细胞雄激素受体和雄激素结合蛋白的含量。方法采用放射配体—3H-睾酮结合分析法。结果冷应激实验组与对照组比较,雄激素受体最大结合量(单位:fmol/mgDNA)为143.38±9.47和87.46±15.11;雄激素结合蛋白(单位:fmol/mgpro.)为34.98±8.16和12.94±3.63;差异有显著性,P<0.05。结论冷应激导致睾酮水平下降的同时,反馈地引起其受体浓度增加的变化是机体代偿适应性反应。