Defining the link between oxidative stress, behavioural reproductive suppression and heterothermy in the Natal mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus natalensis)

Jacobs, P.; Finn, Kyle T.; Vuuren, Andries K. Janse van; Suess, Tobias; Hart, Daniel W.; Bennett, Nigel C.

doi:10.1016/j.cbpb.2022.110753

Cited by 7 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 165 publications

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“…Therefore, only male and female non-breeders were used in this study (see Hart, et al [ 98 ] on how reproductive status was determined). The use of non-breeders only circumvents complications of oxidative stress associated with reproduction [ 99 , 100 ].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tissue Oxidative Ecology along an Aridity Gradient in a Mammalian Subterranean Species

et al. 2022

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Climate change has caused aridification which can alter habitat vegetation, soil and precipitation profiles potentially affecting resident species. Vegetation and soil profiles are important for subterranean mole-rats as increasing aridity causes soils to become harder and geophytes less evenly distributed, and the inter-geophyte distance increases. Mole-rats obtain all water and dietary requirements from geophytes, and thus digging in harder soils may amplify stressors (hyperthermia, dehydration- or exercise-induced damage). This study assessed the oxidative status of the wild common mole-rat along an aridity gradient (arid, semi-arid and mesic). Kidney and liver oxidative markers, including total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured. Liver oxidative status did not demonstrate any significance with the degree of the aridity gradient. Aridity affected the TAC and OSI of the kidney, with individuals in the most arid habitats possessing the highest TAC. The evolution of increased group size to promote survival in African mole-rats in arid habitats may have resulted in the additional benefit of reduced oxidative stress in the kidneys. The SOD activity of the kidneys was higher than that of the liver with lower oxidative damage, suggesting this species pre-emptively protects its kidneys as these are important for water balance and retention.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Tissue Oxidative Ecology along an Aridity Gradient in a Mammalian Subterranean Species

et al. 2022

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“…For example, in Damaraland mole-rats, the BFs are 50% less active than NBFs, which likely results in Damaraland mole-rat BFs possessing higher body condition and increased fat reserves compared with their NBFs [80,81]. By contrast, in Natal mole-rat ( C. h. natalensis ), with similar colony sizes and mechanisms of female reproductive suppression [82] to the common mole-rat, BFs and NBFs have similar activity levels [83], body condition [84] and body fat (D. M. Scantlebury 2023, unpublished results). Unsurprisingly, and similar to the patterns observed in common mole-rats, there was no difference in immunocompetence between breeding and non-breeding Natal mole-rats [85].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The best of both worlds: no apparent trade-off between immunity and reproduction in two group-living African mole-rat species

Wallace

Hart

Venter

et al. 2023

Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B

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Co-operatively breeding mammals often exhibit a female reproductive skew and suppression of the subordinate non-breeding group members. According to evolutionary theory and the immunity–fertility axis, an inverse relationship between reproductive investment and survival (through immunocompetence) is expected. As such, this study investigated if a trade-off between immunocompetence and reproduction arises in two co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, namely the Damaraland mole-rat ( Fukomys damarensis ) and common mole-rat ( Cryptomys hottentotus hottentotus ), which possess female reproductive division of labour. This study also attempted to investigate the relationship between the immune and endocrine systems in Damaraland mole-rats. There was no trade-off between reproduction and immunocompetence in co-operatively breeding African mole-rat species, and in the case of the Damaraland mole-rats, breeding females (BFs) possessed increased immunocompetence compared with non-breeding females (NBFs). Furthermore, the increased levels of progesterone possessed by Damaraland mole-rat BFs compared with NBFs appear to be correlated to increased immunocompetence. In comparison, BF and NBF common mole-rats possess similar immunocompetence. The species-specific differences in the immunity–fertility axis may be due to variations in the strengths of reproductive suppression in each species. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolutionary ecology of inequality’.

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“…The social mole-rats were captured and transported as outlined for solitary mole-rats. A subset of animals ( Table 1 ) was sampled within 72 h of being in captivity (similar to other studies [ 79 , 94 ]). An additional subset was maintained under laboratory conditions for more than six months before sampling.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Therefore, this study sought to investigate the comparison of the redox status between family members of Bathyergidae due to their unique physiology, life-history, and reproductive system as well as the current understanding of their oxidative ecology ( Supplementary File S1 ) [ 22 , 51 , 55 , 71 , 74 , 76 , 77 , 78 , 79 , 80 , 81 , 82 , 83 , 84 , 85 , 86 , 87 , 88 , 89 , 90 , 91 , 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 , 97 , 98 , 99 , 100 , 101 , 102 , 103 , 104 , 105 , 106 , 107 , 108 , 109 , 110 , 111 , 112 , 113 ]. The current study included eight different subspecies and species of African mole-rats, namely the NMR, the DMR, the highveld mole-rat ( Cryptomys hottentotus pretoriae ) (CHP), the common mole-rat ( C. h. hottentotus ) (CHH), the Natal mole-rat ( C. h. natalensis ) (CHN), the Cape mole-rat (Georychus capensis ) (GC), and the Cape Dune mole-rat ( Bathyergus suillus ) (BS) […”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Evolution and Ecology of Oxidative and Antioxidant Status: A Comparative Approach in African Mole-Rats

et al. 2023

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The naked mole-rat of the family Bathyergidae has been the showpiece for ageing research as they contradict the traditional understanding of the oxidative stress theory of ageing. Some other bathyergids also possess increased lifespans, but there has been a remarkable lack of comparison between species within the family Bathyergidae. This study set out to investigate how plasma oxidative markers (total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), and the oxidative stress index (OSI)) differ between five species and three subspecies of bathyergids, differing in their maximum lifespan potential (MLSP), resting metabolic rate, aridity index (AI), and sociality. We also investigated how oxidative markers may differ between captive and wild-caught mole-rats. Our results reveal that increased TOS, TAC, and OSI are associated with increased MLSP. This pattern is more prevalent in the social-living species than the solitary-living species. We also found that oxidative variables decreased with an increasing AI and that wild-caught individuals typically have higher antioxidants. We speculate that the correlation between higher oxidative markers and MLSP is due to the hypoxia-tolerance of the mole-rats investigated. Hormesis (the biphasic response to oxidative stress promoting protection) is a likely mechanism behind the increased oxidative markers observed and promotes longevity in some members of the Bathyergidae family.

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Defining the link between oxidative stress, behavioural reproductive suppression and heterothermy in the Natal mole-rat (Cryptomys hottentotus natalensis)

Cited by 7 publications

References 165 publications

Tissue Oxidative Ecology along an Aridity Gradient in a Mammalian Subterranean Species

Tissue Oxidative Ecology along an Aridity Gradient in a Mammalian Subterranean Species

The best of both worlds: no apparent trade-off between immunity and reproduction in two group-living African mole-rat species

The Evolution and Ecology of Oxidative and Antioxidant Status: A Comparative Approach in African Mole-Rats

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