Effect of corticosterone on energy balance in Passer domesticus

PADRONES MN; CID F.; CAVIEDES-VIDAL E; CHEDIACK, JG

Buenos Aires

Congreso; XVI Jornadas de la Sociedad Argentina de Biología; 2014

Asociación Argentina de Biología

In birds, blood levels of glucocorticoids, mainly corticosterone (CORT), may increase in response to stress. The objective of this study was to determine the effects in energy balance of CORT in non-migrant birds. We assayed both short- and long-term treatments, considering energy substrates in blood and digestive function. To achieve our goal we used the house sparrow (Passer domesticus) as a biological model and performed different doses of CORT solution for treatment groups. We evaluated the physiological status of the organisms under treatment with CORT, measuring blood metabolites, heterophil to lymphocyte (H/L) ratio, body weight, mass of stomach, intestine, heart and liver, and enzymatic activity levels of disaccharidases in enterocytes. We analyzed the data using an ANOVA with Tukey post-hoc test. We found that there was an increase of glucose and triglycerides levels in the short-term treatment and an increase in uric acid and glucose levels in the long-term treatment. CORT treatment decreased body mass, but this loss was no detected in the organ mass, except in the stomach. Finally, an increase of disaccharidase activities in some intestinal portions was observed. In conclusion, CORT modulated metabolic biochemical parameters in the sparrows, but its effect on digestive function was not generalized. Supported by PIP CONICET to JGC, UNSL 0612 to FDC and UNSL 0814 to ECV.