Tiefenbacher S, Lee B, Meyer J S, Spealman R D
New England Primate Research Center, Harvard Medical School, Southborough, Massachusetts 01772, USA.
Am J Primatol. 2003 Jun;60(2):69-75. doi: 10.1002/ajp.10080.
The use of noninvasive measures of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function is of growing interest among preclinical and clinical investigators. This report describes a method for the repeated assessment of salivary free cortisol in awake, unrestrained squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) based on a saliva sampling technique previously developed for rhesus monkeys. Individually housed adult male squirrel monkeys were trained to chew on dental rope attached to a pole, from which saliva was extracted by centrifugation and analyzed for cortisol by radioimmunoassay (RIA). Eight of nine monkeys readily acquired the task, reliably providing adequate saliva samples for the assay. Salivary free cortisol levels were examined in these subjects under basal conditions and in response to two types of neuroendocrine challenge. Levels of salivary free cortisol showed relatively low intra- and interindividual variability, with mean individual morning levels ranging between 17.1 and 37.9 microg/dl. Squirrel monkeys demonstrated a consistent daily rhythm in salivary free cortisol ranging from a high of 27.4 +/- 5.2 microg/dl (mean +/- SEM) at 12 P.M. to a low of 7.5 +/- 1.6 microg/dl at 6 P.M. Intravenous (IV) challenges with 1 microg/kg ACTH, or 10 and 50 microg/kg CRF resulted in significant increases in salivary free cortisol. The described sampling technique provides a reliable and sensitive means for repeated measurement of HPA activity in unrestrained, awake squirrel monkeys. In addition, our findings illustrate several features of HPA system rhythmicity and reactivity using salivary cortisol instead of blood plasma or serum.
下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴功能的非侵入性测量方法在临床前和临床研究人员中越来越受到关注。本报告描述了一种基于先前为恒河猴开发的唾液采样技术，对清醒、不受约束的松鼠猴（松鼠猴属）唾液游离皮质醇进行重复评估的方法。将单独饲养的成年雄性松鼠猴训练咀嚼连接在杆子上的牙线，通过离心从牙线中提取唾液，并通过放射免疫测定法（RIA）分析皮质醇。9只猴子中有8只很容易学会了这项任务，可靠地提供了足够的唾液样本用于检测。在基础条件下以及对两种类型的神经内分泌刺激作出反应时，对这些受试者的唾液游离皮质醇水平进行了检测。唾液游离皮质醇水平在个体内和个体间的变异性相对较低，个体平均早晨水平在17.1至37.9微克/分升之间。松鼠猴的唾液游离皮质醇呈现出一致的每日节律，从中午12点的27.4±5.2微克/分升（平均值±标准误）的高峰到下午6点的7.5±1.6微克/分升的低谷。静脉注射（IV）1微克/千克促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）、10微克/千克和50微克/千克促肾上腺皮质激素释放因子（CRF）会导致唾液游离皮质醇显著增加。所描述的采样技术为在不受约束、清醒的松鼠猴中重复测量HPA活性提供了一种可靠且灵敏的方法。此外，我们的研究结果利用唾液皮质醇而非血浆或血清说明了HPA系统节律性和反应性的几个特征。
