Transgenerational transmission of a stress-coping phenotype programmed by early-life stress in the Japanese quail

This study was funded by a BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellowship to K.A. Spencer (BB/L002264/1).An interesting aspect of developmental programming is the existence of transgenerational effects that influence offspring characteristics and performance later in life. These transgenerational effects have been hypothesized to allow individuals to cope better with predictable environmental fluctuations and thus facilitate adaptation to changing environments. Here, we test for the first time how early-life stress drives developmental programming and transgenerational effects of maternal exposure to early-life stress on several phenotypic traits in their offspring in a functionally relevant context using a fully factorial design. We manipulated pre- and/or post-natal stress in both Japanese quail mothers and offspring and examined the consequences for several stress-related traits in the offspring generation. We show that pre-natal stress experienced by the mother did not simply affect offspring phenotype but resulted in the inheritance of the same stress-coping traits in the offspring across all phenotypic levels that we investigated, shaping neuroendocrine, physiological and behavioural traits. This may serve mothers to better prepare their offspring to cope with later environments where the same stressors are experienced.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Early-life adversity programs long-term cytokine and microglia expression within the HPA axis in female Japanese quail

This work was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC grant no. BB/L002264/1 to K.A.S., C.Z. and S.D.H.), a David Phillips Research Fellowship (K.A.S.) and an EASTBIO BBSRC Doctoral Training Programme studentship (grant no. BB/J01446X/1 to D.J.W., supervisors K.A.S., S.D.H.). Data are available from Mendeley (Walker, 2019): http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/ 6r7d2pg2zk.1Stress exposure during prenatal and postnatal development can have persistent and often dysfunctional effects on several physiological systems, including immune function, affecting the ability to combat infection. The neuroimmune response is inextricably linked to the action of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Cytokines released from neuroimmune cells, including microglia, activate the HPA axis, while glucocorticoids in turn regulate cytokine release from microglia. Because of the close links between these two physiological systems, coupled with potential for persistent changes to HPA axis activity following developmental stress, components of the neuroimmune system could be targets for developmental programming. However, little is known of any programming effects of developmental stress on neuroimmune function. We investigated whether developmental stress exposure via elevated prenatal corticosterone (CORT) or postnatal unpredictable food availability had long-term effects on pro- (IL-1β) and anti-inflammatory (IL-10) cytokine and microglia-dependent gene (CSF1R) expression within HPA axis tissues in a precocial bird, the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). Following postnatal stress, we observed increased IL-1β expression in the pituitary gland, reduced IL-10 expression in the amygdala and hypothalamus, and reduced CSF1R expression within the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. Postnatal stress disrupted the ratio of IL-1β:IL-10 expression within the hippocampus and hypothalamus. Prenatal stress only increased IL-1β expression in the pituitary gland. We found no evidence for interactive or cumulative effects across life stages on basal cytokine and glia expression in adulthood. We show that postnatal stress may have a larger impact than elevated prenatal CORT on basal immunity in HPA-axis-specific brain regions, with changes in cytokine homeostasis and microglia abundance. These results provide evidence for postnatal programming of a pro-inflammatory neuroimmune phenotype at the expense of reduced microglia, which could have implications for central nervous system health and subsequent neuroimmune responses.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

A marker of biological age explains individual variation in the strength of the adult stress response

This research was funded by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) under grants BB/J016446/1, BB/J015091/1 and BB/J016292/1. The project has also received funding from the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (grant agreement no. AdG 666669 (D.N.) and 268926 (P.M.)) K.A.S. was also funded by a BBSRC David Phillips Research Fellowship. The raw data and R script from this experiment are publicly available at: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.846830 [38].The acute stress response functions to prioritize behavioural and physiological processes that maximize survival in the face of immediate threat. There is variation between individuals in the strength of the adult stress response that is of interest in both evolutionary biology and medicine. Age is an established source of this variation-stress responsiveness diminishes with increasing age in a range of species-but unexplained variation remains. Since individuals of the same chronological age may differ markedly in their pace of biological ageing, we asked whether biological age-measured here via erythrocyte telomere length-predicts variation in stress responsiveness in adult animals of the same chronological age. We studied two cohorts of European starlings in which we had previously manipulated the rate of biological ageing by experimentally altering the competition experienced by chicks in the fortnight following hatching. We predicted that individuals with greater developmental telomere attrition, and hence greater biological age, would show an attenuated corticosterone (CORT) response to an acute stressor when tested as adults. In both cohorts, we found that birds with greater developmental telomere attrition had lower peak CORT levels and a more negative change in CORT levels between 15 and 30 min following stress exposure. Our results, therefore, provide strong evidence that a measure of biological age explains individual variation in stress responsiveness: birds that were biologically older were less stress responsive. Our results provide a novel explanation for the phenomenon of developmental programming of the stress response: observed changes in stress physiology as a result of exposure to early-life adversity may reflect changes in ageing.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Diseño y desarrollo de una aplicación de escritorio como soporte para la toma de decisiones de zonas de control en la asignación de las ayudas agrarias

El control de las ayudas agrarias es imprescindible dentro del contexto normativo de la agricultura europea. Los procesos de control que realizan las administraciones públicas se basan, en gran medida, en visitas de campo a zonas concretas que varían anualmente en función de factores definidos para cada campaña. Esta metodología origina una movilización importante de personal y equipos que redunda en altos costes económicos y temporales, lo que implica que las zonas elegidas para el control sean las más óptimas posibles para rentabilizar al máximo el trabajo. Esta necesidad de optimización pone de manifiesto la necesidad de automatizar la selección de las zonas, tal que los criterios que intervengan en el proceso sean valorados de forma objetiva e imparcial atendiendo a parámetros que aparecen regulados en la normativa vigente. Este marco planteado es idóneo para el desarrollo y empleo de un SIG que permita de manera automática, sistemática y objetiva la selección de dichas zonas mediante una evaluación multicriterio. El objetivo de este trabajo es el desarrollo de una aplicación de escritorio adaptada a unas necesidades particulares, empleando librerías de código libre para determinar las zonas de control mediante una evaluación multicriterio.The control of agricultural aid is essential in the context of European agricultural policy. The control processes carried out by the government are based on field visits to specific areas, such areas change annually depending on factors for each campaign. This methodology results in a significant mobilization of personnel and equipement causing high economic costs and time, which means that the areas chosen for the control must be the most optimal possible to maximize the job. The need for optimization emphasizes the need to automate the selection of areas, such that the criteria involved in the process must be evaluated objectively and impartially on the basis of parameters present in the regulations. The framework proposed is suitable for the development and use of a GIS to automatically enable, the systematic and objective selection of these areas through a multi-criteria evaluation. The aim of this study is to develop a desktop application adapted to some particular needs, using open source libraries to identify areas of control via a multicriteria evaluation

Control de campo de ayudas agrarias basado en telefonía móvil

Hoy día, la mayoría de los datos que se manejan llevan asociados una componente geográfica. Bajo este contexto asistimos a un acercamiento de tecnologías empleadas por usuarios expertos hacia usuarios genéricos. En este marco se plantea la integración de las nuevas tecnologías en el control de las ayudas agrarias. Actualmente, los procesos de control de ayudas agrarias se basan fundamentalmente en visitas de campo con objeto de certificar el uso del suelo. Esta metodología de control origina una movilización importante de personal y equipos, empleando simultáneamente dispositivos como cámara fotográfica, tablet-PC, GPS, etc. El objetivo de este proyecto ha sido el desarrollo de una aplicación para telefonía móvil aprovechando los distintos sensores que se encuentran integrados en él, utilizando terminales que añaden nuevas funcionalidades, asegurando la integridad de la información, mejorando su correcta interpretación así como estableciendo diferentes canales de difusión. El proyecto se ha desarrollado bajo Android, empleando librerías de código abierto y de ejecución independiente al fabricante del dispositivo telefónico. El resultado es un software que integra información de diferentes sensores, presentando el terminal móvil apto para los trabajos de control de campo, reduciendo el material a emplear y mejorando la integridad de la información.Today, most data we use is associated with a geographic component. In this context we are witnessing a convergence in technologies used by expert users to generic users. In this framework we look at the integration of new technologies in the control of agricultural aid. Currently, control processes agricultural subsidies are fundamentally based on field visits in order to certify the land use. This control methodology results in a significant mobilization of personnel and equipment, using devices like a camera, tablet PC, GPS, etc. The objective of this project has been to develop a mobile application taking advantage of the different sensors that are integrated into it, using terminals that add new functionality, ensuring data integrity, improving its correct interpretation as well as establishing different channels diffusion. The project has been developed under Android, using open source libraries independent to the device manufacturer. The result is software that integrates information from different sensors, introducing the mobile terminal suitable for the work of field control, reducing the material to be used and improved data integrity

LINHE Project: Development of new protocols for the integration of digital cameras and LiDAR, NIR and Hyperspectral sensors.

The LINHE project aims to develop applications for forest management based on the combined use of LiDAR data, images from spaceborne (multi and hyperspectral) and airborne sensors (panchromatic, colour, near infrared), and NIR field data from a portable sensor. The integration of the different types of data should be performed in a rapid, intuitive, cost-effective and dynamic way. In order to achieve this objective, new algorithms were developed and existing ones were tested, for the correlation of data collected in the field and those gathered by the different sensors. Specific software (LINHE prototype viewer) was developed to support data gathering and consultations, and it was tested in three different forest ecosystems, so as to validate the tool for forest management purposes. The optimisation of the synergic capabilities derived from the combined use of the different sensors will allow the enhancement of their efficiency and provide accurate information for operational forestry

Diet and SIRT1 Genotype Interact to Modulate Aging-Related Processes in Patients with Coronary Heart Disease: From the CORDIOPREV Study

We investigated whether long-term consumption of two healthy diets (low-fat (LF) or Mediterranean (Med)) interacts with SIRT1 genotypes to modulate aging-related processes such as leucocyte telomere length (LTL), oxidative stress (OxS) and inflammation in patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). LTL, inflammation, OxS markers (at baseline and after 4 years of follow-up) and SIRT1-Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs7069102 and rs1885472) were determined in patients from the CORDIOPREV study. We analyzed the genotype-marker interactions and the effect of diet on these interactions. Regardless of the diet, we observed LTL maintenance in GG-carriers for the rs7069102, in contrast to carriers of the minor C allele, where it decreased after follow-up (p = 0.001). The GG-carriers showed an increase in reduced/oxidized glutathione (GSH/GSSG) ratio (p = 0.003), lower lipid peroxidation products (LPO) levels (p < 0.001) and a greater decrease in tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) levels (p < 0.001) after follow-up. After the LF diet intervention, the GG-carriers showed stabilization in LTL which was significant compared to the C allele subjects (p = 0.037), although the protective effects found for inflammation and OxS markers remained significant after follow-up with the two diets. Patients who are homozygous for the SIRT1-SNP rs7069102 (the most common genotype) may benefit from healthy diets, as suggested by improvements in OxS and inflammation in patients with CHD, which may indicate the slowing-down of the aging process and its related diseases

Diabetes Remission Is Modulated by Branched Chain Amino Acids According to the Diet Consumed: From the CORDIOPREV Study

Scope: Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAA) plasma levels may be differentially associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remission through the consumption of the Mediterranean diet (Med) and a low-fat (LF) diet. Methods: One hundred eighty-three newly diagnosed T2DM patients within the CORDIOPREV study are randomized to consume the Med or a LF diet. BCAA plasma levels (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) are measured at fasting and after 120 min of an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at the baseline of the study and after 5 years of the dietary intervention. Results: Isoleucine, leucine, and valine plasma levels after 120 min of an OGTT in the Med diet (N = 80) are associated by COX analysis with T2DM remission: HR per SD (95% CI): 0.53 (0.37–0.77), 0.75 (0.52–1.08), and 0.61 (0.45–0.82), respectively; no association is found in patients who consumed a LF diet (N = 103). BCAA plasma levels combined in a score show a HR of 3.33 (1.55–7.19) of T2DM remission for patients with a high score values in the Med diet, while in those with a LF diet, no association is found. Conclusión: The study suggests that BCAA measurements potentially be used as a tool to select the most suitable diet to induce T2DM remission by nutritional strategies

Paced-Mating Increases the Number of Adult New Born Cells in the Internal Cellular (Granular) Layer of the Accessory Olfactory Bulb

The continuous production and addition of new neurons during life in the olfactory bulb is well accepted and has been extensively studied in rodents. This process could allow the animals to adapt to a changing environment. Olfactory neurogenesis begins in the subventricular zone where stem cells proliferate and give rise to young undifferentiated neuroblasts that migrate along the rostral migratory stream to the olfactory bulb (OB). Olfaction is crucial for the expression of sexual behavior in rodents. In female rats, the ability to control the rate of sexual interactions (pacing) has important physiological and behavioral consequences. In the present experiment we evaluated if pacing behavior modifies the rate of new cells that reach the main and accessory olfactory bulb. The BrdU marker was injected before and after different behavioral tests which included: females placed in a mating cage (control), females allowed to pace the sexual interaction, females that mated but were not able to control the rate of the sexual interaction and females exposed to a sexually active male. Subjects were sacrificed fifteen days after the behavioral test. We observed a significant increase in the density of BrdU positive cells in the internal cellular layer of the accessory olfactory bulb when females paced the sexual interaction in comparison to the other 3 groups. No differences in the cell density in the main olfactory bulb were found. These results suggest that pacing behavior promotes an increase in density of the new cells in the accessory olfactory bulb