Harper J M, Austad S N
Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844, USA.
Physiol Biochem Zool. 2000 Jan-Feb;73(1):12-22. doi: 10.1086/316721.
To determine the utility of fecal corticosteroid concentration as a measure of chronic stress under laboratory and field conditions, we biochemically and physiologically validated a radioimmunoassay for corticosteroids in three rodent species, house mice (Mus musculus), deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus), and red-back voles (Clethrionomys gapperi). The biochemical validations demonstrated that the assay accurately and precisely measured corticosteroid concentration in the feces. The physiological validation indicated that the assay was sensitive enough to detect the stress associated with (a) brief handling and bleeding of animals, (b) chronic caloric restriction, (c) exposure to a novel environment, and (d) exposure to a novel cold environment. Our results suggest that fecal measurements reflect stress levels experienced by these animals approximately 6-12 h before defecation. Therefore, given a judicious trapping and trap-monitoring protocol, this assay has considerable utility for measuring the stress levels at which animals actually exist in the field.
为了确定粪便皮质类固醇浓度作为实验室和野外条件下慢性应激指标的效用，我们对三种啮齿动物——家鼠（小家鼠）、鹿鼠（白足鼠）和红背田鼠（棕背䶄）的皮质类固醇放射免疫分析法进行了生化和生理验证。生化验证表明该分析方法能准确、精确地测量粪便中的皮质类固醇浓度。生理验证表明该分析方法足够灵敏，能够检测出与以下情况相关的应激：(a) 对动物进行短暂处理和采血，(b) 长期热量限制，(c) 暴露于新环境，以及 (d) 暴露于新的寒冷环境。我们的结果表明，粪便检测结果反映了这些动物在排便前约6 - 12小时所经历的应激水平。因此，在采用明智的诱捕和陷阱监测方案的情况下，该分析方法对于测量动物在野外实际所处的应激水平具有相当大的效用。
