Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.

Non-invasive measurement of stress hormone metabolites in feces has become routine practice for the evaluation of distress and pain in animal experiments. Since metabolism and excretion of glucocorticoids may be variable, awareness and adequate consideration of influencing factors are essential for...

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Main Authors: Thomas Kolbe, Rupert Palme, Alexander Tichy, Thomas Rülicke
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2015-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4540567?pdf=render
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author Thomas Kolbe
Rupert Palme
Alexander Tichy
Thomas Rülicke
author_facet Thomas Kolbe
Rupert Palme
Alexander Tichy
Thomas Rülicke
author_sort Thomas Kolbe
collection DOAJ
description Non-invasive measurement of stress hormone metabolites in feces has become routine practice for the evaluation of distress and pain in animal experiments. Since metabolism and excretion of glucocorticoids may be variable, awareness and adequate consideration of influencing factors are essential for accurate monitoring of adrenocortical activity. Reference values are usually provided by baselines compiled prior to the experiment and by age matched controls. The comparison of stress hormone levels between animals of different ages or between studies looking at hormone levels at the beginning and at the end of a long term study might be biased by age-related effects. In this study we analyzed fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM) during the lifetime of untreated female mice of the strains C57BL/6NCrl and Crl:CD1. For this purpose feces for each individual mouse were collected every two months over a period of 24 hours, at intervals of four hours, until the age of 26 months. Results of the study revealed that age of the animals had a significant impact on the level and circadian rhythm of stress hormone metabolites. Furthermore, long-term observation of mice revealed a strain specific excretion profile of FCM influenced by strong seasonal variability.
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spelling doaj.art-0ef38e3cea1e47dba30ed345549bf0c52022-12-21T19:43:42ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032015-01-01108e013611210.1371/journal.pone.0136112Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.Thomas KolbeRupert PalmeAlexander TichyThomas RülickeNon-invasive measurement of stress hormone metabolites in feces has become routine practice for the evaluation of distress and pain in animal experiments. Since metabolism and excretion of glucocorticoids may be variable, awareness and adequate consideration of influencing factors are essential for accurate monitoring of adrenocortical activity. Reference values are usually provided by baselines compiled prior to the experiment and by age matched controls. The comparison of stress hormone levels between animals of different ages or between studies looking at hormone levels at the beginning and at the end of a long term study might be biased by age-related effects. In this study we analyzed fecal corticosterone metabolites (FCM) during the lifetime of untreated female mice of the strains C57BL/6NCrl and Crl:CD1. For this purpose feces for each individual mouse were collected every two months over a period of 24 hours, at intervals of four hours, until the age of 26 months. Results of the study revealed that age of the animals had a significant impact on the level and circadian rhythm of stress hormone metabolites. Furthermore, long-term observation of mice revealed a strain specific excretion profile of FCM influenced by strong seasonal variability.http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4540567?pdf=render
spellingShingle Thomas Kolbe
Rupert Palme
Alexander Tichy
Thomas Rülicke
Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
PLoS ONE
title Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
title_full Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
title_fullStr Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
title_full_unstemmed Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
title_short Lifetime Dependent Variation of Stress Hormone Metabolites in Feces of Two Laboratory Mouse Strains.
title_sort lifetime dependent variation of stress hormone metabolites in feces of two laboratory mouse strains
url http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC4540567?pdf=render
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