Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we e...Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we examined how preconception and postconception paternal cat odor(CO)exposure affects anxiety-like behavior and antipredator response in Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii).We found that preconception paternal CO exposure inhibited maternal investment when offspring were raised by mothers alone,while postconception exposure increased paternal investment towards the offspring raised by both parents.The increased paternal behavior may be associated with an increasing grooming behavior received from their mates,which alleviated the anxiety-like behavior in CO-exposed males.Both paternal experiences increased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring but differentially altered adult phenotypes.Specifcally,adult females from preconception CO-exposed fathers spent less time in defensive concealing,whereas the offspring of postconception CO-exposed fathers showed more in response to acute cat urine exposure.Correspondingly,baseline corticosterone levels were decreased and increased in these offspring,respectively.Our results indicate that in biparental species,paternal predation risk exposure affects offspring phenotypes in pathway-dependent and age-specifc manners and that only the presence of both parents can elicit adaptive responses to a high predation-risk environment.展开更多
Maternal effects play a crucial role in regulating populations of small mammals and anti-predator behaviors of offspring.The present study investigated the effects of maternal stress induced by exposure to predator od...Maternal effects play a crucial role in regulating populations of small mammals and anti-predator behaviors of offspring.The present study investigated the effects of maternal stress induced by exposure to predator odors during gestation on the behavioral and physiological responses of offspring in Brandt’s vole(Lasiopodomys brandtii).Effects included changes in growth,behaviors,hormone levels in serum,and fosB/ΔfosB mRNA and FosB/ΔFosB protein expression in the hypothalamus.Our results showed that when pregnant voles were exposed to cat and rabbit urine odors for 18 days(1 h/day),the weight of the female offspring decreased;however,the thymus and ovary indices increased,compared with the control group.Male offspring of voles exposed to cat odor spent more time exploring and foraging,and showed a decrease in corticosterone(CORT)compared with voles in the control group.Both fosB/ΔfosB mRNA and FosB/ΔFosB protein expressions were downregulated in the hypothalamus of male offspring in the cat odor-exposed group compared to that in offspring in the control group.However,the mRNA levels of fosB/ΔfosB in the hypothalamus of female offspring did not decrease in response to cat urine odor.Our findings suggested that maternal stress induced by predator odors during gestation restrained the growth of female offspring and increased the duration of exploring and foraging behaviors of male offspring by regulating the HPA axis,which,in turn,reduced the sensitivity of offspring to unfamiliar environments and increased their probability of becoming prey.展开更多
基金supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31770422 and 31900334)Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province(BK20190910)+2 种基金Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China(2018M630610 and 2019T120468)Students’Project for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Training Program of Yangzhou University(XCX20230796)Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.
文摘Paternal predation risk can program offspring phenotypes via maternal responses and epigenetic marks of spermatozoa.However,the processes and consequences of this experience in biparental species are unknown.Here,we examined how preconception and postconception paternal cat odor(CO)exposure affects anxiety-like behavior and antipredator response in Brandt’s voles(Lasiopodomys brandtii).We found that preconception paternal CO exposure inhibited maternal investment when offspring were raised by mothers alone,while postconception exposure increased paternal investment towards the offspring raised by both parents.The increased paternal behavior may be associated with an increasing grooming behavior received from their mates,which alleviated the anxiety-like behavior in CO-exposed males.Both paternal experiences increased the levels of anxiety-like behavior in adolescent offspring but differentially altered adult phenotypes.Specifcally,adult females from preconception CO-exposed fathers spent less time in defensive concealing,whereas the offspring of postconception CO-exposed fathers showed more in response to acute cat urine exposure.Correspondingly,baseline corticosterone levels were decreased and increased in these offspring,respectively.Our results indicate that in biparental species,paternal predation risk exposure affects offspring phenotypes in pathway-dependent and age-specifc manners and that only the presence of both parents can elicit adaptive responses to a high predation-risk environment.
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.31770422 and No.31370415)the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions。
文摘Maternal effects play a crucial role in regulating populations of small mammals and anti-predator behaviors of offspring.The present study investigated the effects of maternal stress induced by exposure to predator odors during gestation on the behavioral and physiological responses of offspring in Brandt’s vole(Lasiopodomys brandtii).Effects included changes in growth,behaviors,hormone levels in serum,and fosB/ΔfosB mRNA and FosB/ΔFosB protein expression in the hypothalamus.Our results showed that when pregnant voles were exposed to cat and rabbit urine odors for 18 days(1 h/day),the weight of the female offspring decreased;however,the thymus and ovary indices increased,compared with the control group.Male offspring of voles exposed to cat odor spent more time exploring and foraging,and showed a decrease in corticosterone(CORT)compared with voles in the control group.Both fosB/ΔfosB mRNA and FosB/ΔFosB protein expressions were downregulated in the hypothalamus of male offspring in the cat odor-exposed group compared to that in offspring in the control group.However,the mRNA levels of fosB/ΔfosB in the hypothalamus of female offspring did not decrease in response to cat urine odor.Our findings suggested that maternal stress induced by predator odors during gestation restrained the growth of female offspring and increased the duration of exploring and foraging behaviors of male offspring by regulating the HPA axis,which,in turn,reduced the sensitivity of offspring to unfamiliar environments and increased their probability of becoming prey.
