Authors : X.Y. Chen, R.S. Jiang, H.C. Bai and Z.Y. Geng
Abstract: It is well established that stress is related to neurochemical and hormonal changes including alterations in adrenal and thyroid hormone levels. In the present study, thyroid axis and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis related hormomal, Triiodothyronine (T3), Thyroxine (T4), Thyroid-Stimulating Hormone (TSH), Adreno-Cortico-Tropic-Hormone (ACTH) and Thyroid Releasing Hormone (TRH) mRNA, ACTH mRNA changes during cold stress with different intensities were recorded in two Chinese indigenous breeds from different latitude. The results showed that Huainan partridge chicken from central China, showed obvious conversion in T3 and T4 under severe cold stress. Plasma TSH and pituitary TRH mRNA highly expressed over 12-24 h long time severe cold exposure. However, mild cold did not obviously affect those hormones mentioned above. In the Wenchang chicken which from south of China, severe and mild cold stress showed the same affection on the thyroid axis but not obvious on the adrenal axis. The results would further help the revealing of the mechanism of injury caused by cold stress and provide better controls for chicken from loss of cold stress in different areas.
X.Y. Chen, R.S. Jiang, H.C. Bai and Z.Y. Geng, 2011. Neuroendocrine Responses to Cold Stress in Chinese Indigenous Breeds from Different Latitude. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 10: 3043-3047.