During food shortages, the gray mouse lemur（Microcebus murinus） of Madagascar experiences daily torpor thereby reducing energy expenditures. The present study aimed to understand the impacts of torpor on the immune ...During food shortages, the gray mouse lemur（Microcebus murinus） of Madagascar experiences daily torpor thereby reducing energy expenditures. The present study aimed to understand the impacts of torpor on the immune system and antioxidant response in the gut of these animals.This interaction may be of critical importance given the trade-off between the energetically costly immune response and the need to defend against pathogen entry during hypometabolism. The protein levels of cytokines and antioxidants were measured in the small intestine（duodenum, jejunum,and ileum） and large intestine of aroused and torpid lemurs. While there was a significant decrease of some pro-inflammatory cytokines（IL-6 and TNF-a） in the duodenum and jejunum during torpor as compared to aroused animals, there was no change in anti-inflammatory cytokines. We observed decreased levels of cytokines（IL-12p70 and M-CSF）, and several chemokines（MCP-1and MIP-2） but an increase in MIP-1a in the jejunum of the torpid animals. In addition, we evaluated antioxidant response by examining the protein levels of antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant capacity provided by metabolites such as glutathione（and others）. Our results indicatedthat levels of antioxidant enzymes did not change between torpor and aroused states, although antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in the ileum during torpor. These data suggest a suppression of the immune response, likely as an energy conservation measure, and a limited role of antioxidant defenses in supporting torpor in lemur intestine.展开更多
基金supported by a Discovery grant from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) of Canada (Grant No. 6793)a grant from the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada (Grant No. G-14-0005874) to KBS. KBS holds the Canada Research Chair in Molecular PhysiologySNT held a NSERC postgraduate scholarship and BAK held a NSERC postdoctoral fellowship
文摘During food shortages, the gray mouse lemur（Microcebus murinus） of Madagascar experiences daily torpor thereby reducing energy expenditures. The present study aimed to understand the impacts of torpor on the immune system and antioxidant response in the gut of these animals.This interaction may be of critical importance given the trade-off between the energetically costly immune response and the need to defend against pathogen entry during hypometabolism. The protein levels of cytokines and antioxidants were measured in the small intestine（duodenum, jejunum,and ileum） and large intestine of aroused and torpid lemurs. While there was a significant decrease of some pro-inflammatory cytokines（IL-6 and TNF-a） in the duodenum and jejunum during torpor as compared to aroused animals, there was no change in anti-inflammatory cytokines. We observed decreased levels of cytokines（IL-12p70 and M-CSF）, and several chemokines（MCP-1and MIP-2） but an increase in MIP-1a in the jejunum of the torpid animals. In addition, we evaluated antioxidant response by examining the protein levels of antioxidant enzymes and total antioxidant capacity provided by metabolites such as glutathione（and others）. Our results indicatedthat levels of antioxidant enzymes did not change between torpor and aroused states, although antioxidant capacity was significantly higher in the ileum during torpor. These data suggest a suppression of the immune response, likely as an energy conservation measure, and a limited role of antioxidant defenses in supporting torpor in lemur intestine.
