布氏田鼠焦虑样行为、反捕食行为及HPA轴水平的性别差异

Gender differences in anxiety-like behavior, anti-predator behavior and the HPA axis levels of Brandt’s voles (Lasiopodomys brandtii)

为探讨布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)焦虑样行为、反捕食行为和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺(hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal, HPA)轴水平的性别差异,观测雌雄布氏田鼠在旷场、明暗箱和反捕食箱中的行为差异,及其HPA轴参与调控的促肾上腺激素(adrenalotropic hormone, ACTH)和皮质酮(corticosterone, CORT)水平的差异。结果表明:雄性布氏田鼠在旷场中移动的总距离和平均速度均显著高于雌性,而静止时间显著低于雌性布氏田鼠。雄性布氏田鼠进入明箱的次数与雌性布氏田鼠无显著差异,但在明箱中停留时间显著高于雌性布氏田鼠。暴露于捕食者猫气味时,雌性布氏田鼠仅移动行为的持续时间显著高于雄性布氏田鼠。雌性布氏田鼠血浆中ACTH和CORT浓度显著高于雄性布氏田鼠。综上,布氏田鼠的活动性、焦虑样行为、反捕食行为及HPA轴水平均存在性别差异,提示野生布氏田鼠受其自身内分泌水平的影响,雌雄个体采取截然不同的行为策略以适应当前环境,从而有利于其种群的稳定。

To investigate the gender differences in anxiety-like behavior, anti-predator behavior, and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA) axis levels of Brandt’s voles, the behavioral changes in the open field box, light-dark box, and anti-predator box, as well as adrenalotropic hormone(ACTH) and corticosterone(CORT) levels of the HPA axis were measured. The results showed that in the open field test, the total distance and average speed of male Brandt’s vole moving in the open field were significantly higher than those of female Brandt’s vole, and the immune time of male Brandt’s vole was significantly lower than females. In the light & dark test, male Brandt’s voles’ duration of staying in the light field was significantly longer than females. However, only the duration of female Brandt’s voles’ locomotion behavior was significantly longer than that of male Brandt’s voles when exposed to cat odor. Both the concentrations of plasma ACTH and CORT of female Brandt’s voles were higher than those of male voles. These results indicated that there were gender differences in activity, anxiety-like behavior, anti-predator behavior and HPA axis levels in Brandt’s voles. These findings suggest that under the influence of their own hormonal levels,male and female Brandt’s voles adopt different behavioral strategies to adapt to the current environment,which is beneficial to population stability.