scholarly journals Adaptive response to a future life challenge: consequences of early-life environmental complexity in dual-purpose chicks

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (11) ◽  
Author(s):  
Chao Yan ◽  
Kate Hartcher ◽  
Wen Liu ◽  
Jinlong Xiao ◽  
Hai Xiang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Plasma Corticosterone ◽  
Adaptive Plasticity ◽  
Environmental Complexity ◽  
Dual Purpose ◽  
Stress Related Genes ◽  
Life Challenge ◽  
Environmental Challenge

Abstract Conditions in early life play profound and long-lasting effects on the welfare and adaptability to stress of chickens. This study aimed to explore the hypothesis that the provision of environmental complexity in early life improves birds’ adaptive plasticity and ability to cope with a challenge later in life. It also tried to investigate the effect of the gut-brain axis by measuring behavior, stress hormone, gene expression, and gut microbiota. One-day-old chicks were split into 3 groups: (1) a barren environment (without enrichment items) group (BG, n = 40), (2) a litter materials group (LG, n = 40), and (3) a perches with litter materials group (PLG, n = 40). Then, enrichment items were removed and simulated as an environmental challenge at 31 to 53 d of age. Birds were subjected to a predator test at 42 d of age. In the environmental challenge, when compared with LG, PLG birds were characterized by decreased fearfulness, lower plasma corticosterone, improved gut microbial functions, lower relative mRNA expression of GR, and elevated mRNA expressions of stress-related genes CRH, BDNF, and NR2A in the hypothalamus (all P < 0.05). Unexpectedly, the opposite was true for the LG birds when compared with the BG (P < 0.05). Decreased plasma corticosterone and fearfulness were accompanied by altered hypothalamic gene mRNA expressions of BDNF, NR2A, GR, and CRH through the HPA axis in response to altered gut microbial compositions and functions. The findings suggest that gut microbiota may integrate fearfulness, plasma corticosterone, and gene expression in the hypothalamus to provide an insight into the gut-brain axis in chicks. In conclusion, having access to both perches and litter materials in early life allowed birds to cope better with a future challenge. Birds in perches and litter materials environment may have optimal development and adaptive plasticity through the gut-brain axis.

scholarly journals Enduring neurobehavioral effects induced by microbiota depletion during the adolescent period

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gilliard Lach ◽  
Christine Fülling ◽  
Thomaz F. S. Bastiaanssen ◽  
Fiona Fouhy ◽  
Aoife N. O’ Donovan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Antibiotic Treatment ◽  
Brain Function ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Microbiota Composition ◽  
Microbial Composition ◽  
Extrinsic Factors ◽  
Neurobehavioral Effects ◽  
Adolescent Period

Abstract The gut microbiota is an essential regulator of many aspects of host physiology. Disruption of gut microbial communities affects gut-brain communication which ultimately can manifest as changes in brain function and behaviour. Transient changes in gut microbial composition can be induced by various intrinsic and extrinsic factors, however, it is possible that enduring shifts in the microbiota composition can be achieved by perturbation at a timepoint when the gut microbiota has not fully matured or is generally unstable, such as during early life or ageing. In this study, we investigated the effects of 3-week microbiota depletion with antibiotic treatment during the adolescent period and in adulthood. Following a washout period to restore the gut microbiota, behavioural and molecular hallmarks of gut-brain communication were investigated. Our data revealed that transient microbiota depletion had long-lasting effects on microbiota composition and increased anxiety-like behaviour in mice exposed to antibiotic treatment during adolescence but not in adulthood. Similarly, gene expression in the amygdala was more severely affected in mice treated during adolescence. Taken together these data highlight the vulnerability of the gut microbiota during the critical adolescent period and the long-lasting impact manipulations of the microbiota can have on gene expression and behaviour in adulthood.

scholarly journals Perinatal exposure to tetracycline contributes to lasting developmental effects on offspring

2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth M. Hill ◽  
Christopher D. Howard ◽  
Tracy L. Bale ◽  
Eldin Jašarević
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Low Dose ◽  
Antibiotic Administration ◽  
Antibiotic Exposure ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Research Areas ◽  
Doxycycline Treatment ◽  
Specific Manner

Abstract Background For more than 30 years, the tetracycline on/off system of inducible gene expression has been leveraged to study disease mechanisms across many research areas, especially that of metabolism and neuroscience. This system requires acute or chronic exposure to tetracycline derivatives, such as doxycycline, to manipulate gene expression in a temporal and tissue-specific manner, with exposure often being restricted to gestational and early developmental windows. Despite evidence showing that early life antibiotic exposure has adverse effects on gut microbiota, metabolism, physiology, immunity and behavior, little is known regarding the lasting impact of doxycycline treatment on relevant outcomes in experimental offspring. Results To examine the hypothesis that early life doxycycline exposure produces effects on offspring growth, behavior, and gut microbiota, we employed the most commonly used method for tetracycline on/off system by administering a low dose of doxycycline (0.5 mg/ml) in the drinking water to C57Bl/6J and C57BL/6J:129S1/SvImJ dams from embryonic day 15.5 to postnatal day 28. Developmental exposure to low dose doxycycline resulted in significant alterations to growth trajectories and body weight in both strains, which persisted beyond cessation of doxycycline exposure. Developmental doxycycline exposure influenced offspring bacterial community assembly in a temporal and sex-specific manner. Further, gut microbiota composition failed to recover by adulthood, suggesting a lasting imprint of developmental antibiotic exposure. Conclusions Our results demonstrated that early life doxycycline exposure shifts the homeostatic baseline of prior exposed animals that may subsequently impact responses to experimental manipulations. These results highlight the gut microbiota as an important factor to consider in systems requiring methods of chronic antibiotic administration during pregnancy and critical periods of postnatal development.

Abstract 078: Postnatal Treatment with Metyrapone Attenuates the Effects of Early Life Stress (ELS) on Diet-induced Obesity in Female Rats

Hypertension ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 68 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret O Murphy ◽  
Dianne M Cohn ◽  
Analia S Loria
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Visceral Fat ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Plasma Corticosterone ◽  
Female Rats ◽  
Male Rats ◽  
Female Rat ◽  
Diet Induced Obesity ◽  
Postnatal Treatment ◽  
Obesogenic Diet

Clinical studies have shown a positive correlation between ELS and the development of cardiometabolic disease, particularly affecting women. We previously reported that male rats exposed to Maternal Separation (MatSep), a model of ELS in rodents, do not develop exaggerated diet-induced obesity. Thus, this study tested the hypothesis that MatSep exacerbates the response to an obesogenic diet in female rats. Also, we tested whether the postnatal treatment with metyrapone (MTP), a corticosterone synthase inhibitor, would attenuate this phenotype. MatSep was performed in WKY offspring during 3 hours/day from postnatal days 2-14. Non-disturbed littermates were used as controls. Female rat offspring were untreated or treated with MTP (50 mg/kg, i.p.), 30 minutes prior the daily separation. Upon weaning, rats were placed on regular chow (ND, 18% kcal fat) or HFD (60% kcal fat) for 12 weeks. Despite no differences in food intake (metabolism cages) and blood pressure (DSI radiotelemetry) MatSep exaggerated body weight gain and fat pad weights (p<0.05) in response to HFD. Also, MatSep increased plasma corticosterone (189±48 vs. 79±18 pg/ml, p<0.05) and leptin (2.1±0.4 vs. 1.5±0.4 ng/ml, p<0.05) levels compared to control while insulin and adiponectin levels were similar between groups. Oral glucose tolerance test was impaired in MatSep rats showing a greater AUC compared to control rats (p<0.05). Importantly, MTP-treated female MatSep rats showed significantly attenuated diet-induced obesity, glucose intolerance, plasma corticosterone and leptin levels. Histological analysis revealed that MTP treatment ameliorated the adipocyte size in visceral fat from MatSep rats as well (p<0.05). Gene expression in liver indicated that glucose 6 phospatase, but not other gluconeogenic enzymes, were increased in obese MatSep rats, whereas the MTP treatment abrogated this effect. The visceral fat gene expression showed lower levels of insulin receptor in MatSep rats, but no differences in other genes related to the glucose disposal. Overall, these data reveal that female MatSep rats display a greater susceptibility for the synergistic effect between obesogenic diet and ELS compared to male rats, and this effect may be linked to early life exposure to stress hormones.

scholarly journals Maternal Style Selectively Shapes Amygdalar Development and Social Behavior in Rats Genetically Prone to High Anxiety

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua L. Cohen ◽  
Matthew E. Glover ◽  
Phyllis C. Pugh ◽  
Andrew D. Fant ◽  
Rebecca K. Simmons ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Psychological Health ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Developmental Trajectory ◽  
Emotional Behavior ◽  
Developmental Gene ◽  
Developmental Gene Expression ◽  
Maternal Style ◽  
Anxiety Depression ◽  
Cross Fostering

The early-life environment critically influences neurodevelopment and later psychological health. To elucidate neural and environmental elements that shape emotional behavior, we developed a rat model of individual differences in temperament and environmental reactivity. We selectively bred rats for high versus low behavioral response to novelty and found that high-reactive (bred high-responder, bHR) rats displayed greater risk-taking, impulsivity and aggression relative to low-reactive (bred low-responder, bLR) rats, which showed high levels of anxiety/depression-like behavior and certain stress vulnerability. The bHR/bLR traits are heritable, but prior work revealed bHR/bLR maternal style differences, with bLR dams showing more maternal attention than bHRs. The present study implemented a cross-fostering paradigm to examine the contribution of maternal behavior to the brain development and emotional behavior of bLR offspring. bLR offspring were reared by biological bLR mothers or fostered to a bLR or bHR mother and then evaluated to determine the effects on the following: (1) developmental gene expression in the hippocampus and amygdala and (2) adult anxiety/depression-like behavior. Genome-wide expression profiling showed that cross-fostering bLR rats to bHR mothers shifted developmental gene expression in the amygdala (but not hippocampus), reduced adult anxiety and enhanced social interaction. Our findings illustrate how an early-life manipulation such as cross-fostering changes the brain's developmental trajectory and ultimately impacts adult behavior. Moreover, while earlier studies highlighted hippocampal differences contributing to the bHR/bLR phenotypes, our results point to a role of the amygdala as well. Future work will pursue genetic and cellular mechanisms within the amygdala that contribute to bHR/bLR behavior either at baseline or following environmental manipulations.

scholarly journals A gene expression atlas for different kinds of stress in the mouse brain

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiziano Flati ◽  
Silvia Gioiosa ◽  
Giovanni Chillemi ◽  
Andrea Mele ◽  
Alberto Oliverio ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Coping With Stress ◽  
Gene Expression Atlas ◽  
Sequence Read Archive ◽  
Brain Transcriptome ◽  
Expression Atlas ◽  
Differential Gene ◽  
Stress Related Genes ◽  
Public Repositories ◽  
The Brain

AbstractStressful experiences are part of everyday life and animals have evolved physiological and behavioral responses aimed at coping with stress and maintaining homeostasis. However, repeated or intense stress can induce maladaptive reactions leading to behavioral disorders. Adaptations in the brain, mediated by changes in gene expression, have a crucial role in the stress response. Recent years have seen a tremendous increase in studies on the transcriptional effects of stress. The input raw data are freely available from public repositories and represent a wealth of information for further global and integrative retrospective analyses. We downloaded from the Sequence Read Archive 751 samples (SRA-experiments), from 18 independent BioProjects studying the effects of different stressors on the brain transcriptome in mice. We performed a massive bioinformatics re-analysis applying a single, standardized pipeline for computing differential gene expression. This data mining allowed the identification of novel candidate stress-related genes and specific signatures associated with different stress conditions. The large amount of computational results produced was systematized in the interactive “Stress Mice Portal”.

scholarly journals Levels of Predominant Intestinal Microorganisms in 1 Month-Old Full-Term Babies and Weight Gain During the First Year of Life

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (7) ◽  
pp. 2412
Author(s):  
Sonia González ◽  
Marta Selma-Royo ◽  
Silvia Arboleya ◽  
Cecilia Martínez-Costa ◽  
Gonzalo Solís ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Weight Gain ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Later Life ◽  
Full Term ◽  
First Year ◽  
Term Infants ◽  
Term Newborns ◽  
Infant Weight Gain ◽  
First Year Of Life

The early life gut microbiota has been reported to be involved in neonatal weight gain and later infant growth. Therefore, this early microbiota may constitute a target for the promotion of healthy neonatal growth and development with potential consequences for later life. Unfortunately, we are still far from understanding the association between neonatal microbiota and weight gain and growth. In this context, we evaluated the relationship between early microbiota and weight in a cohort of full-term infants. The absolute levels of specific fecal microorganisms were determined in 88 vaginally delivered and 36 C-section-delivered full-term newborns at 1 month of age and their growth up to 12 months of age. We observed statistically significant associations between the levels of some early life gut microbes and infant weight gain during the first year of life. Classifying the infants into tertiles according to their Staphylococcus levels at 1 month of age allowed us to observe a significantly lower weight at 12 months of life in the C-section-delivered infants from the highest tertile. Univariate and multivariate models pointed out associations between the levels of some fecal microorganisms at 1 month of age and weight gain at 6 and 12 months. Interestingly, these associations were different in vaginally and C-section-delivered babies. A significant direct association between Staphylococcus and weight gain at 1 month of life was observed in vaginally delivered babies, whereas in C-section-delivered infants, lower Bacteroides levels at 1 month were associated with higher later weight gain (at 6 and 12 months). Our results indicate an association between the gut microbiota and weight gain in early life and highlight potential microbial predictors for later weight gain.

scholarly journals Are Honey Bees at Risk from Microplastics?

Toxics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 109
Author(s):  
Yahya Al Naggar ◽  
Markus Brinkmann ◽  
Christie M. Sayes ◽  
Saad N. AL-Kahtani ◽  
Showket A. Dar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gene Expression ◽  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Honey Bees ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Aquatic Systems ◽  
Wide Spread ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Potential Threat ◽  
Persistent Pollutants ◽  
Research Questions

Microplastics (MPs) are ubiquitous and persistent pollutants, and have been detected in a wide variety of media, from soils to aquatic systems. MPs, consisting primarily of polyethylene, polypropylene, and polyacrylamide polymers, have recently been found in 12% of samples of honey collected in Ecuador. Recently, MPs have also been identified in honey bees collected from apiaries in Copenhagen, Denmark, as well as nearby semiurban and rural areas. Given these documented exposures, assessment of their effects is critical for understanding the risks of MP exposure to honey bees. Exposure to polystyrene (PS)-MPs decreased diversity of the honey bee gut microbiota, followed by changes in gene expression related to oxidative damage, detoxification, and immunity. As a result, the aim of this perspective was to investigate whether wide-spread prevalence of MPs might have unintended negative effects on health and fitness of honey bees, as well as to draw the scientific community’s attention to the possible risks of MPs to the fitness of honey bees. Several research questions must be answered before MPs can be considered a potential threat to bees.

scholarly journals Early-Life Development of the Bifidobacterial Community in the Infant Gut

2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 3382
Author(s):  
Silvia Saturio ◽  
Alicja M. Nogacka ◽  
Marta Suárez ◽  
Nuria Fernández ◽  
Laura Mantecón ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Gestational Age ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Feeding Habits ◽  
Its Region ◽  
23S Rrna ◽  
Delivery Mode ◽  
Short And Long Term ◽  
Quantitative Changes ◽  
The Impact

The establishment of the gut microbiota poses implications for short and long-term health. Bifidobacterium is an important taxon in early life, being one of the most abundant genera in the infant intestinal microbiota and carrying out key functions for maintaining host-homeostasis. Recent metagenomic studies have shown that different factors, such as gestational age, delivery mode, or feeding habits, affect the gut microbiota establishment at high phylogenetic levels. However, their impact on the specific bifidobacterial populations is not yet well understood. Here we studied the impact of these factors on the different Bifidobacterium species and subspecies at both the quantitative and qualitative levels. Fecal samples were taken from 85 neonates at 2, 10, 30, 90 days of life, and the relative proportions of the different bifidobacterial populations were assessed by 16S rRNA–23S rRNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequencing. Absolute levels of the main species were determined by q-PCR. Our results showed that the bifidobacterial population establishment is affected by gestational age, delivery mode, and infant feeding, as it is evidenced by qualitative and quantitative changes. These data underline the need for understanding the impact of perinatal factors on the gut microbiota also at low taxonomic levels, especially in the case of relevant microbial populations such as Bifidobacterium. The data obtained provide indications for the selection of the species best suited for the development of bifidobacteria-based products for different groups of neonates and will help to develop rational strategies for favoring a healthy early microbiota development when this process is challenged.

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