Characterization of urinary and fecal metabolites of testosterone and their measurement for assessing gonadal endocrine function in male nonhuman primates

Möhle, U.; Heistermann, Michael; Palme, Rüpert; Hodges, J. K.

doi:10.1016/s0016-6480(02)00525-7

Cited by 150 publications

(152 citation statements)

References 30 publications

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“…This was found to be probable in some primate species due to the high concentration of circulating DHEA and the similar nature of their testosterone and DHEA metabolites (Möhle et al, 2002); however, co-measurement of the metabolites of testosterone and DHEA is unlikely to pose a problem in other primate groups (e.g. Callitrichids) due to their much lower levels of DHEA (Möhle et al, 2002). To our knowledge the issue of comeasuring metabolites of testicular origin and of DHEA using faecal androgen assays has yet to be investigated in birds, and is an area in need of further study.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing plasma and faecal measures of steroid hormones in Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae

et al. 2009

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Abstract. Physiological measurements of both stress and sex hormones are often used to estimate the consequences of natural or human-induced change in ecological studies of various animals. Different methods of hormone measurement exist, potentially explaining variation in results across studies; methods should be cross-validated to ensure they correlate.We directly compared faecal and plasma hormone measurements for the first time in a wild free-living species, the Adelie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). Blood and faecal samples were simultaneously collected from individual penguins for comparison, and assayed for testosterone and corticosterone (or their metabolites). Sex differences and variability within each measure, and correlation of values across measures were compared. For both hormones, plasma samples showed greater variation than faecal samples. Males had higher mean corticosterone concentrations than females, but the difference was only statistically significant in faecal samples. Plasma testosterone, but not faecal testosterone, was significantly higher in males than females. Correlation between sample types was poor overall, and weaker in females than in males, perhaps because measures from plasma represent hormones that are both free and bound to globulins, whereas measures from faeces represent only the free portion. Faecal samples also represent a cumulative measure of hormones over time, as opposed to a plasma 'snapshot' concentration. Our data indicate that faecal sampling appears more suitable for assessing baseline hormone concentrations, while plasma sampling may best define immediate responses to environmental events. Consequently, future studies should ensure they select the most appropriate matrix and method of hormone measurement to answer their research questions.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Comparing plasma and faecal measures of steroid hormones in Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae

et al. 2009

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“…To biologically validate a fecal androgen measurement, three C17 group-specific enzymeimmunoassays (EIA) designed to measure 17b-hydroxy (testosterone assay; [49]), 17a-hydroxy (5a-androstanolone assay; [41] and 17-oxo androgens (epiandrostone assay; [49] were tested for their ability to significantly discriminate androgen levels of different age classes, i.e. adult males vs. immatures [41].…”

Section: Hormone Analysis and Validation Of Fecal Glucocorticoid And mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…adult males vs. immatures [41]. Of the assays tested, the EIA for the measurement of epiandrosterone (EA), an abundant metabolite of testosterone in primate feces [18,41], showed the highest differential in levels between fully adult (3500.5 ± 1690.5 ng/g; mean ± SD; n = 7) and immature individuals (602.8 ± 253.9 ng/g; mean ± SD; n = 7; t-test, t = 4.485, p < 0.001), indicating its biological validity for assessing androgen status from orangutan feces.…”

Section: Hormone Analysis and Validation Of Fecal Glucocorticoid And mentioning

confidence: 99%

Species-specific patterns in fecal glucocorticoid and androgen levels in zoo-living orangutans (Pongo spp.)

Weingrill¹,

Willems²,

Zimmermann³

et al. 2011

General and Comparative Endocrinology

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In contrast to most primate species, including the other great apes, orangutans maintain a fission-fusion social system in the wild without being part of a stable community. In zoos, however, they are kept in permanent groups, usually consisting of one adult male and several females. In zoo orangutans, we predict higher levels of glucocorticoids and androgens in the Bornean species compared to its congener from Sumatra, due to the much more solitary lifestyle of Bornean orangutans and the apparent higher frequency of male aggression directed towards females in this species in the wild. To compare hormone levels of the two orangutan species, we validated a fecal glucocorticoid and a fecal androgen assay. Subsequently, fecal samples from a total of 73 female and 38 male orangutans housed in 29 European zoos were analyzed to investigate the effect of species, social group size, age and (for female glucocorticoid levels) reproductive state and the presence of adult males on fecal hormone metabolite concentrations. The results of linear mixed effect models indicate that both male and female Bornean orangutans show a steeper increase in glucocorticoid levels with increasing group size than Sumatran orangutans. We therefore conclude that Sumatran zoo orangutans are better able to adjust to social housing conditions than their Bornean congeners. In addition, our analyses reveal higher glucocorticoid levels in lactating females of both species compared to non-lactating and juvenile females. Concerning androgen levels in males, our analyses revealed significantly higher concentrations in Bornean than Sumatran orangutans. These differences in both glucocorticoid and androgen output between the two species of orangutan are presumably linked to ecological and behavioral differences and could possibly be attributed to phenotypic plasticity. However, given that we found interspecific differences in hormone excretion in captivity, where both species live under very similar conditions, we conclude that this variation has a genetic basis. a b s t r a c tIn contrast to most primate species, including the other great apes, orangutans maintain a fission-fusion social system in the wild without being part of a stable community. In zoos, however, they are kept in permanent groups, usually consisting of one adult male and several females. In zoo orangutans, we predict higher levels of glucocorticoids and androgens in the Bornean species compared to its congener from Sumatra, due to the much more solitary lifestyle of Bornean orangutans and the apparent higher frequency of male aggression directed towards females in this species in the wild. To compare hormone levels of the two orangutan species, we validated a fecal glucocorticoid and a fecal androgen assay. Subsequently, fecal samples from a total of 73 female and 38 male orangutans housed in 29 European zoos were analyzed to investigate the effect of species, social group size, age and (for female glucocorticoid levels) reproductive state and the presence of adult males on f...

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“…As demonstrated (23), testosterone is almost absent in common marmoset feces and the main metabolite in this material is androsterone. Other androgens detected in marmoset feces by these investigators were androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroandrosterone, and epiandrosterone.…”

Section: Hormone Determinationmentioning

confidence: 62%

“…Additionally, we can also assume that the absence of fluctuations in the final androgen profile may be due to a reversed pattern of the various androgens measured (e.g., testosterone metabolites such as androsterone, dehydroepiandrosterone and epiandrosterone), thus preventing the detection of any changes. Although testosterone and DHT increased significantly in urine of cotton-top tamarins after intramuscular injection of testosterone (26), for common marmosets testosterone does not differ in feces from intact and castrated males (23). According to these investigators, testosterone metabolism is complex in primates and part of the problem of discriminating gonadal status in males is that there are individual differences in androgen excretion between species and between individuals of the same species.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fecal androgen levels in common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) males living in captive family groups

Castro

Sousa

2005

Braz J Med Biol Res

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In captive common marmoset groups, the reproductive inhibition observed in subordinate female seems to be a result of olfactory, visual and behavioral cues from the dominant female. However, few studies have examined the relationship among adult males living in the same social group. These studies have shown that reproductive failure among peer males seems to be based on hormonal and behavioral mechanisms. New insights on sexual strategies in primates have been shown using fecal steroids, but so far no information is available for common marmoset males. In the present study, we evaluated the influence of light-dark cycle, age and reproductive condition on the profile of fecal androgens in males living in the same family group. Feces were collected from six fathers and six sons for androgen determination during the light phase of the 24-h cycle for eight days randomly distributed over a 4-week period. Androgen levels were determined by enzyme immunoassay technique. Adult sons showed higher androgen levels (166.97 ± 22.95 ng/g) than fathers (80.69 ± 44.38 ng/g) and juveniles (49.06 ± 23.15 ng/g; P < 0.05). No diurnal variation (P > 0.05) in fecal androgen profile was observed in adults or juveniles. No indication of androgen-mediated social competition between fathers and adult sons was demonstrable. These results provide basic information on fecal androgen profile useful to investigate the socioendocrinology of free-ranging common marmoset males and verify that, in contrast to daughters, the reproductive suppression of sons is not based on physiological inhibition of their gonads.

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Characterization of urinary and fecal metabolites of testosterone and their measurement for assessing gonadal endocrine function in male nonhuman primates

Cited by 150 publications

References 30 publications

Comparing plasma and faecal measures of steroid hormones in Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae

Comparing plasma and faecal measures of steroid hormones in Adelie penguins Pygoscelis adeliae

Species-specific patterns in fecal glucocorticoid and androgen levels in zoo-living orangutans (Pongo spp.)

Fecal androgen levels in common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) males living in captive family groups

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