| Effects of immune activation and glucocorticoid administration on feather growth in greenfinches. | |
| | |
MedLine Citation:
|
PMID: 21898848 Owner: NLM Status: Publisher |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
|
Elevation of glucocorticoid (GC) hormone levels is an integral part of stress response (as well as its termination) and immunomodulation. These hormones are also responsible for mobilizing energy stores by stimulation of gluconeogenesis and inhibition of protein synthesis. Elevation of GCs is thus incompatible with other protein-demanding processes, such as moult. Previous studies have shown that chronic elevation of GC hormones suppresses feather growth. Here, we asked whether similar effect would also occur in the case of acute GC elevation and induction of an inflammatory response by foreign antigen. We performed an experiment on captive wild-caught greenfinches (Carduelis chloris) injecting birds with phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) and dexamethasone (DEX) in a factorial design. To assess the possible somatic impacts of these manipulations, we removed one of the outermost tail feathers before the experiment and measured mass and rachis diameter and length of the replacement feathers grown in captivity. Immunostimulation by PHA reduced rachis length, but did not affect feather mass or rachis diameter. Single injection of a synthetic GC hormone DEX significantly reduced all three parameters of feather size. Altogether, these findings demonstrate the sensitivity of feather growth to manipulation of immune and adrenal functions. Our results corroborate the somatic costs of immune activation and suggest that even a short-term elevation of GC hormones may induce long-term somatic costs with a potential impact on fitness. Our findings also imply that a single injection of DEX, frequently used as a diagnostic tool, can have lasting effects and researchers must consider this when designing experiments. J. Exp. Zool. 313A, 2011. © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc. |
| | |
Authors:
|
Marju Männiste; Peeter Hõrak |
Related Documents
:
|
2659508 - Nutritional modulation of intestinal mucosal immunity. 21282378 - The wnt agonist r-spondin1 regulates systemic graft-versus-host disease by protecting i... 20236708 - Antibody-mediated protection and the mucosal immune system of the genital tract: releva... 21062118 - Epithelial barrier and antigen uptake in lymphoepithelium of human adenoids. 8778208 - Role of b7 signaling in the differentiation of naive cd4+ t cells to effector interleuk... 17889308 - Alveolar type ii cells from ethanol-fed rats produce a fibronectin-enriched extracellul... |
Publication Detail:
|
Type: JOURNAL ARTICLE Date: 2011-9-6 |
Journal Detail:
|
Title: Journal of experimental zoology. Part A, Ecological genetics and physiology Volume: - ISSN: 1932-5231 ISO Abbreviation: - Publication Date: 2011 Sep |
Date Detail:
|
Created Date: 2011-9-7 Completed Date: - Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
|
Nlm Unique ID: 101297745 Medline TA: J Exp Zool A Ecol Genet Physiol Country: - |
Other Details:
|
Languages: ENG Pagination: - Citation Subset: - |
Copyright Information:
|
Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc., A Wiley Company. |
Affiliation:
|
Department of Zoology, Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, Tartu University, Tartu, Estonia. |
Export Citation:
|
APA/MLA Format Download EndNote Download BibTex |
| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
|
|
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
Previous Document: First evidence of a cDNA encoding for a melatonin receptor (mel 1b) in brain, retina, and testis of ...
Next Document: Ovarian development of a river catfish Hemibagrus nemurus (Valenciennes, 1840) in captivity.