Conservation Endocrinology Research Group, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand.
Domest Anim Endocrinol. 2012 May;42(4):249-55. doi: 10.1016/j.domaniend.2012.01.002. Epub 2012 Jan 28.
Fecal corticosterone metabolites and plasma corticosterone in Japanese quail selected for low- or high-plasma corticosterone responses to brief mechanical restraint (low- and high-stress lines), and in a line of unselected quail, were measured in this study. No line differences were observed in baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations, but fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations and daily fecal corticosterone metabolite production were 20% higher in quail of the high-stress line than in unselected or low-stress quail for males and females living together in group cages (P < 0.05). No differences were observed between lines in corticosterone metabolite concentrations and production for male birds in individual cages. Baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations, fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations, and production appeared to be higher for males and females in group cages compared with males in individual cages. This difference might have been because of greater corticosterone secretion by male quail living in mixed sex groups than living individually. Correlations between baseline plasma corticosterone concentrations and fecal corticosterone metabolite concentrations in low-stress and high-stress quail, and for all birds combined, were r = 0.521 (P = 0.038), r = 0.604 (P = 0.013), and r = 0.431 (P = 0.002), respectively. The low- and high-stress lines that have been selected for low- and high-corticosterone responses differ in other characteristics, including growth and reproductive performance, and the current results are consistent with the assumption that these other differences are a consequence of greater daily corticosterone secretion in quail of the high-stress line.
本研究测定了选择用于低或高血浆皮质酮应对短暂机械束缚的日本鹌鹑（低压力和高压力线）以及未经选择的鹌鹑系的粪便皮质酮代谢物和血浆皮质酮。未观察到基线血浆皮质酮浓度的品系差异，但在雄性和雌性共同生活在群体笼中的情况下，高压力线的鹌鹑的粪便皮质酮代谢物浓度和每日粪便皮质酮代谢物产生量比未经选择或低压力线的鹌鹑高 20%（P < 0.05）。在单独笼养的雄性鸟类中，未观察到代谢物浓度和产生量在品系之间存在差异。基线血浆皮质酮浓度、粪便皮质酮代谢物浓度和产生量似乎在群体笼中雄性和雌性比单独笼养的雄性更高。这种差异可能是因为生活在混合性别群体中的雄性鹌鹑比单独生活的鹌鹑分泌更多的皮质酮。低压力和高压力鹌鹑以及所有鸟类的基线血浆皮质酮浓度与粪便皮质酮代谢物浓度之间的相关性分别为 r = 0.521（P = 0.038）、r = 0.604（P = 0.013）和 r = 0.431（P = 0.002）。已经选择用于低和高皮质酮反应的低压力和高压力线在其他特征上存在差异，包括生长和繁殖性能，当前的结果与以下假设一致，即这些其他差异是由于高压力线鹌鹑的每日皮质酮分泌量增加所致。
