The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio indexes individual variation in the behavioural stress response of wild roe deer across fluctuating environmental conditions

Carbillet, Jeffrey; Rey, Benjamin; Lavabre, Typhaine; Chaval, Yannick; Merlet, Joël; Débias, François; Régis, Corinne; Pardonnet, Sylvia; Duhayer, Jeanne; Gaillard, Jean‐Michel; Hewison, A. J. Mark; Lemaître, Jean‐François; Pellerin, Maryline; Rannou, Benoît; Verheyden, Hélène; Gilot‐Fromont, Emmanuelle

doi:10.1007/s00265-019-2755-z

Cited by 17 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 78 publications

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“…Immunological performance is known to decrease with age as a result of immunosenescence ( Bosch et al 2013 ; Neggazi et al 2016 ; Carbillet et al 2019 ). For example, Van Lieshout et al (2020) found that the proportion of lymphocytes declined with age in European badgers ( Meles meles ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot

Uchida

Vydro

et al. 2021

Current Zoology

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The benefits of dominance may not come without costs, particularly for males. For example, the “immunocompetence handicap hypothesis” states that males with enhanced mating success allocate resources to enhance reproductive output at a cost to their current health, whereas the “resource quality hypothesis” predicts that high-ranking males may benefit from increased reproduction and good health. While the predictions from each have been well tested in captive animals and in a variety of highly social primates, fewer studies have been carried out in free-living, facultatively social animals. Using adult male yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), we evaluated predictions of these hypotheses by examining the relationship between social rank and two health indicators–fecal corticosterone metabolite (FCM) levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte (N/L) ratios–after accounting for variation explained by age, body mass, and seasonality. We found that higher-ranking males tended to have a lower N/L ratio (reflecting good health) than lower-ranking individuals, whereas FCM levels were not significantly related to rank. In addition, heavier male marmots had lower N/L ratios, while body mass was not associated with FCM levels. We also found that older adult males had lower FCM levels (reflecting less physiological stress) but higher N/L ratios than younger adults. Finally, we found that FCM levels decreased as the active season progressed and FCM levels were associated with the time of the day. Overall, our results suggest that socially-dominant male marmots enjoyed better, not worse health in terms of lower N/L ratios.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot

Uchida

Vydro

et al. 2021

Current Zoology

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“…We predicted that the relationship between glucocorticoid level and telomere loss should be steeper in the roe deer population facing marked resource limitation (Chizé) than in the population living in a more productive environment (Trois-Fontaines). We also predicted that this relationship should be steeper in males, as they might experience a higher baseline stress level than females (Carbillet et al, 2019). A stronger impact of glucocorticoids on telomere shortening in males compared to females could explain, at least to some extent, why male roe deer have a shorter lifespan compared to females (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Short-term telomere dynamics is associated with glucocorticoid levels in wild populations of roe deer

Lemaître

Carbillet

Rey

et al. 2021

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part A: Molecular &

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While evidence that telomere length is associated with health and mortality in humans and birds is accumulating, a large body of research is currently seeking to identify factors that modulate telomere dynamics. We tested the hypothesis that high levels of glucocorticoids in individuals under environmental stress should accelerate telomere shortening in two wild populations of roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) living in different ecological contexts. From two consecutive annual sampling sessions, we found that individuals with faster rates of telomere shortening had higher concentrations of fecal glucocorticoid metabolites, suggesting a functional link between glucocorticoid levels and telomere attrition rate. This relationship was consistent for both sexes and populations. This finding paves the way for further studies of the fitness consequences of exposure to environmental stressors in wild vertebrates.

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“…The H/L ratio is an accurate parameter that is often used to evaluate the incidence of chronic stress [ 8 , 11 ]. This measurement is considered to be suitable for assessing the behavioral stress responses in free-ranging animals, which is because the ratio reflects the changes in cortisol levels [ 8 , 12 - 14 ]. Measurement of cortisol cannot be frequently performed due to an extremely rapid increase in its titer values during stress exposure that requires rapid sampling and efficient animal handling.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Relative white blood cell counts, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and discovery of blood parasites in wild dugong (Dugong dugon) at Lingayan Island, Toli-toli, Indonesia

et al. 2020

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Aim: This study was conducted to investigate the relative white blood cell (WBC) counts and the heterophil-to-lymphocyte (H/L) ratio and to analyze the presence of blood parasites in wild dugongs at Lingayan Island. It is expected that the results of this study could provide additional knowledge about the physiological conditions of wild dugongs in their natural habitats, which can serve as basic data in dugong conservation efforts, especially in Indonesia. Materials and Methods: A wild dugong was captured around Lingayan Island. Blood samples were collected from the saphenous vein, and blood smears were prepared immediately. The blood smears were examined for leukocyte identification, calculation of relative WBC counts, and presence of blood parasites. The H/L ratio was calculated based on the obtained relative WBC counts. Results: The relative WBC counts included heterophils 19.4%, lymphocytes 76.4%, and monocytes 3.6%, and the H/L ratio was 0.25. Intraerythrocytic parasites were identified and suspected to be Anaplasma and Babesia. Conclusion: This study reports leukocyte values from free-ranging dugongs captured in Lingayan Island, Indonesia. Based on the H/L ratio, the dugong examined, in this study, did not experience chronic stress. However, the discovery of blood parasites could be one of the threatening factors for the dugong population.

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The neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio indexes individual variation in the behavioural stress response of wild roe deer across fluctuating environmental conditions

Cited by 17 publications

References 78 publications

The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot

The benefits of being dominant: health correlates of male social rank and age in a marmot

Short-term telomere dynamics is associated with glucocorticoid levels in wild populations of roe deer

Relative white blood cell counts, heterophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and discovery of blood parasites in wild dugong (Dugong dugon) at Lingayan Island, Toli-toli, Indonesia

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