Abstract
Recent studies have demonstrated that reproduction reduces oxidative damage in various tissues of small mammal females. The present work was designed to determine whether the reduction of oxidative stress in reproductive bank vole females was associated with changes in tissue trace elements (iron, copper, zinc) that play an essential role in the production of reactive oxygen species. Lipid peroxidation (a marker of oxidative stress) and iron concentration in liver, kidneys, and skeletal muscles of reproducing bank vole females that weaned one litter were significantly lower than in non-reproducing females; linear regression analysis confirmed a positive relation between the tissue iron and lipid peroxidation. The concentrations of copper were significantly lower only in skeletal muscles of reproductive females and correlated positively with lipid peroxidation. No changes in tissue zinc were found in breeding females when compared with non-breeding animals. These data indicate that decreases in tissue iron and copper concentrations may be responsible for the reduction of oxidative stress in reproductive bank vole females.
Highlights
Reproduction is the most energetically costly period of the female’s life [1]
Recent studies have demonstrated that oxidative damage in various tissues of breeding female house mice Mus musculus [6], bank voles Myodes glareolus [7, 8], and Damaraland mole-rats Fukomys damarensis [9] is lower when compared with non-reproductive controls
Lipid peroxidation (TBARS) and iron and copper concentrations were significantly affected by reproductive state, tissue type, and their interaction (Tables 1 and 2)
Summary
Reproduction is the most energetically costly period of the female’s life [1]. In small mammals, energy intake typically increases by 66–180%, and metabolic rate (oxygen consumption) rises twofold in lactating females when compared with non-reproductives [2,3,4]. Dietary cadmium has been shown to decrease liver and kidney lipid peroxidation (a sensitive marker of oxidative stress) below control values in bank voles and Swiss mice, through lowering the tissue iron concentrations [14, 15].
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