TY - JOUR
T1 - Elevated glucocorticoids during gestation suggest sex-specific effects on offspring telomere lengths in a wild lizard
AU - Ensminger, David C.
AU - Siegel, Sue R.
AU - Owen, Dustin A.S.
AU - Sheriff, Michael J.
AU - Langkilde, Tracy
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank H. Engler, J. Heppner, B. Assis, K. Wild, and C. Tylan for assistance in the field and with animal care, the Penn State Biomarker Core Lab and Dr. Mark Haussmann for their expertise and assistance, and the Land-Between-the-Lakes Recreation Area and Standing Stone State Park for providing accommodations. The research presented here was overseen and approved by the Pennsylvania State University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and adhered to the Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research. Animal collection was approved by the respective states. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation (IOS1456655 to MJS and TL and DGE1255832 to DASO).
Funding Information:
We thank H. Engler, J. Heppner, B. Assis, K. Wild, and C. Tylan for assistance in the field and with animal care, the Penn State Biomarker Core Lab and Dr. Mark Haussmann for their expertise and assistance, and the Land-Between-the-Lakes Recreation Area and Standing Stone State Park for providing accommodations. The research presented here was overseen and approved by the Pennsylvania State University's Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee and adhered to the Guidelines for the Use of Animals in Research. Animal collection was approved by the respective states. All applicable international, national, and/or institutional guidelines for the care and use of animals were followed. Financial support was provided by the National Science Foundation ( IOS1456655 to MJS and TL and DGE1255832 to DASO).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier Inc.
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - The effects of maternal glucocorticoids (e.g. corticosterone, CORT) on offspring interest biologists due to increasing environmental perturbations. While little is known about the impact of maternal CORT on offspring fitness, it may modulate telomere length and compromise offspring health. Here, we use a modified real-time quantitative PCR assay to assess telomere length using small DNA quantities (<60 ng). We tested the hypothesis that increased maternal CORT during gestation decreases offspring telomere length. While CORT-driven telomere shortening is well established within individuals, cross-generational effects remain unclear. We treated wild-caught gravid female eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) with daily transdermal applications of CORT, at ecologically relevant levels, from capture to laying. Maternal CORT treatment did not alter maternal telomere length, although baseline maternal CORT concentrations had a weak, negative correlation with maternal telomere length. There was no relation between mother and offspring telomere length. There was a trend for maternal CORT treatment to shorten telomeres of sons but not daughters. Our treatment replicated exposure to a single stressor per day, likely underestimating effects seen in the wild where stressors may be more frequent. Future research should further explore fitness consequences of maternal CORT effects.
AB - The effects of maternal glucocorticoids (e.g. corticosterone, CORT) on offspring interest biologists due to increasing environmental perturbations. While little is known about the impact of maternal CORT on offspring fitness, it may modulate telomere length and compromise offspring health. Here, we use a modified real-time quantitative PCR assay to assess telomere length using small DNA quantities (<60 ng). We tested the hypothesis that increased maternal CORT during gestation decreases offspring telomere length. While CORT-driven telomere shortening is well established within individuals, cross-generational effects remain unclear. We treated wild-caught gravid female eastern fence lizards (Sceloporus undulatus) with daily transdermal applications of CORT, at ecologically relevant levels, from capture to laying. Maternal CORT treatment did not alter maternal telomere length, although baseline maternal CORT concentrations had a weak, negative correlation with maternal telomere length. There was no relation between mother and offspring telomere length. There was a trend for maternal CORT treatment to shorten telomeres of sons but not daughters. Our treatment replicated exposure to a single stressor per day, likely underestimating effects seen in the wild where stressors may be more frequent. Future research should further explore fitness consequences of maternal CORT effects.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110971
DO - 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.110971
M3 - Article
C2 - 33933630
AN - SCOPUS:85105589014
VL - 257
JO - Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology
JF - Comparative biochemistry and physiology. Part A, Molecular & integrative physiology
SN - 1095-6433
M1 - 110971
ER -