Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
Maternal phenotypes can have long-term effects on offspring phenotypes. These maternal effects may begin during gestation, when maternal glucocorticoid (GC) levels may affect foetal GC levels, thereby having an organizational effect on the offspring phenotype. Recent studies have showed that materna...
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2024-06-01
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| Online Access: | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.431/ |
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| author | Amin, Bawan Fishman, Ruth Quinn, Matthew Matas, Devorah Palme, Rupert Koren, Lee Ciuti, Simone |
| author_facet | Amin, Bawan Fishman, Ruth Quinn, Matthew Matas, Devorah Palme, Rupert Koren, Lee Ciuti, Simone |
| author_sort | Amin, Bawan |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maternal phenotypes can have long-term effects on offspring phenotypes. These maternal effects may begin during gestation, when maternal glucocorticoid (GC) levels may affect foetal GC levels, thereby having an organizational effect on the offspring phenotype. Recent studies have showed that maternal effects may be different between the sexes. However, how maternal GC levels relate to foetal levels is still not completely understood. Here we related, for the first time in a free-ranging large mammal, the fallow deer (Dama dama), maternal GC levels with foetal in utero GC levels. We did this in a non-invasive way by quantifying cortisol metabolites from faecal samples collected from pregnant does during late gestation, as proxy for maternal GC level. These were then related to GC levels from hair of their neonate offspring (n = 40). We have shown that maternal GC levels were positively associated with foetal GC levels, but only in female offspring. These findings highlight sex differences, which may have evolved to optimize male growth at the cost of survival. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-799ea55d44524985b4e0257842626d21 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2804-3871 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-06-01 |
| publisher | Peer Community In |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Peer Community Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-799ea55d44524985b4e0257842626d212025-02-07T10:17:18ZengPeer Community InPeer Community Journal2804-38712024-06-01410.24072/pcjournal.43110.24072/pcjournal.431Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal Amin, Bawan0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5371-585XFishman, Ruth1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5769-3459Quinn, Matthew2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0392-9865Matas, Devorah3Palme, Rupert4https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9466-3662Koren, Lee5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7425-501XCiuti, Simone6https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1052-9509Laboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Faculty of Social and Behavioural Sciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, NetherlandsFaculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel; Department of Brain Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, IsraelLaboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United KingdomFaculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, IsraelUnit of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Experimental Endocrinology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, AustriaFaculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, IsraelLaboratory of Wildlife Ecology and Behaviour, School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Dublin, IrelandMaternal phenotypes can have long-term effects on offspring phenotypes. These maternal effects may begin during gestation, when maternal glucocorticoid (GC) levels may affect foetal GC levels, thereby having an organizational effect on the offspring phenotype. Recent studies have showed that maternal effects may be different between the sexes. However, how maternal GC levels relate to foetal levels is still not completely understood. Here we related, for the first time in a free-ranging large mammal, the fallow deer (Dama dama), maternal GC levels with foetal in utero GC levels. We did this in a non-invasive way by quantifying cortisol metabolites from faecal samples collected from pregnant does during late gestation, as proxy for maternal GC level. These were then related to GC levels from hair of their neonate offspring (n = 40). We have shown that maternal GC levels were positively associated with foetal GC levels, but only in female offspring. These findings highlight sex differences, which may have evolved to optimize male growth at the cost of survival.https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.431/cortisolfree-rangingfallow deerhair-testingfaecal metabolites |
| spellingShingle | Amin, Bawan Fishman, Ruth Quinn, Matthew Matas, Devorah Palme, Rupert Koren, Lee Ciuti, Simone Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal Peer Community Journal cortisol free-ranging fallow deer hair-testing faecal metabolites |
| title | Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
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| title_full | Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
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| title_fullStr | Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
|
| title_full_unstemmed | Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
|
| title_short | Sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free-ranging large mammal
|
| title_sort | sex differences in the relationship between maternal and foetal glucocorticoids in a free ranging large mammal |
| topic | cortisol free-ranging fallow deer hair-testing faecal metabolites |
| url | https://peercommunityjournal.org/articles/10.24072/pcjournal.431/ |
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