Meeting Abstract

14.1  Sunday, Jan. 4  Mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor expression in brains of translocated chukar, Alectoris chukar DICKENS, M.J.*; MEDDLE, S.L.; ROMERO, L.M.; Tufts University; University of Edinburgh; Tufts University molly.dickens@tufts.edu

Translocation has become an increasingly important tool in the rescue of declining animal species. Unfortunately, translocations have a surprisingly low rate of success and although stress is often blamed for translocation failure, very few studies have made this direct link between chronic stress and unsuccessful translocations. This study follows up on prior experiments, which found alterations to the stress response and hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis following translocation. Here, we investigate changes in corticosterone binding receptors in the avian brain. Using simulated translocation procedures with a model species, chukar (Alectoris chukar), we investigated how the components of translocation alter expression of mineralocorticoid (MR) and glucocorticoid receptors (GR) in the Hippocampus (HP) and well as GR in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). Brains were collected from four groups either upon the first capture of the individual (Pre-Capture) or upon recapture of the following groups: 1) captured and released (Trap/Release); 2) captured, held in captivity and released to home territory (Captivity/Return); and 3) captured, held in captivity and released to unfamiliar territory (Captivity/Translocate). We ran in situ hybridization on 15 micron sections to determine relative expression of MR and GR in the regions of interest. We hypothesize that if the procedures cause chronic stress then we will see increasing disruption of MR and GR expression with the additional translocation components.