elevated plasma corticosterone decreases yolk testosterone and progesterone in chickens linking maternal stress and hormone-mediated maternal effects升高血浆皮质甾酮降低蛋黄睾丸激素和孕激素在鸡把产妇压力和hormone-mediated母性效应.pdfVIP

Elevated Plasma Corticosterone Decreases Yolk Testosterone and Progesterone in Chickens: Linking Maternal Stress and Hormone-Mediated Maternal Effects 1,2 1. 2 . Rie Henriksen , Ton G. Groothuis , Sophie Rettenbacher * 1 Behavioural Biology, Institute of Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2 Biochemistry, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna, Vienna, Austria Abstract Despite considerable research on hormone-mediated maternal effects in birds, the underlying physiology remains poorly understood. This study investigated a potential regulation mechanism for differential accumulation of gonadal hormones in bird eggs. Across vertebrates, glucocorticoids can suppress reproduction by downregulating gonadal hormones. Using the chicken as a model species, we therefore tested whether elevated levels of plasma corticosterone in female birds influence the production of gonadal steroids by the ovarian follicles and thus the amount of reproductive hormones in the egg yolk. Adult laying hens of two different strains (ISA brown and white Leghorn) were implanted subcutaneously with corticosterone pellets that elevated plasma corticosterone concentrations over a period of nine days. Steroid hormones were subsequently quantified in plasma and yolk. Corticosterone-implanted hens of both strains had lower plasma progesterone and testosterone levels and their yolks contained less progesterone and testosterone. The treatment also reduced egg and yolk mass. Plasma estrogen concentrations decreased in white Leghorns only whereas in both strains yolk estrogens were unaffected. Our results demonstrate for the first time that m