Sex differences in the excretion of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites in the Syrian hamster

Autor(es)

Chelini, Marie-Odile M. ^[1] ; Otta, Emma ^[1] ; Yamakita, Clarissa ^[2] ; Palme, Rupert ^[3]

Afiliação do(s) autor(es)

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Psychol, Dept Expt Psychol, BR-05508030 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Vet Med & Zootechnol, BR-05508030 Sao Paulo - Brazil

^[3] Univ Vet Med, Dept Biomed Sci Biochem, Vienna - Austria

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMICAL SYSTEMIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL; v. 180, n. 6, p. 919-925, AUG 2010.
• Citações Web of Science: 19

Resumo

We verified the relevance of measuring fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (FGM) to assess the stress response of the Syrian hamster. Male and female hamsters (n = 10 each) were submitted to an adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) challenge test, whereas animals in the control group received 0.5 mL of sterile isotonic saline solution. All feces voided by each animal were collected at 4 h intervals from 24 h before (baseline) until 48 h after injections. FGM were quantified using an 11-oxoetiocholanolone enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Basal concentrations of FGM were almost four times higher in males than in females. Following ACTH administration, FGM levels started rising from 8 h onwards, reaching peak concentrations 20 or 28 h post injection in males and females, respectively. Despite the much higher absolute concentrations present in males, the relative increase (500%) in response to the ACTH stimulation was similar in both sexes. Sex differences in FGM levels are in accordance with results reported by others regarding the hamster adrenal physiology. The comparison of the adrenocortical response of males and females to an ACTH challenge provided new information about the amplitude and the timing of such a response and the excretion of glucocorticoids in both sexes. We demonstrated for the first time in the Syrian hamster that adrenocortical activity can be monitored in fecal samples in a noninvasive way. Our study provides a humane, practical, and noninvasive alternative to blood removal and therefore a powerful tool for stress-related studies in a species frequently used as an animal model in medical research. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 06/57257-0 - Efeito do estresse social sobre o comportamento materno do hamster sirio (mesocricetus auratus).
• Beneficiário: Emma Otta
• Modalidade de apoio: Auxílio à Pesquisa - Regular
• Processo FAPESP: 05/59377-0 - Efeito do estresse social sobre o comportamento materno do hamster sírio
• Beneficiário: Marie Odile Monier Chelini
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Doutorado