Elucidation of central control mechanism to suppress temperature rise under heat stress

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H03110
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 42010:Animal production science-related
• Research Institution: Kyushu University
• Principal Investigator: Sur Chowdhury Vishwajit 九州大学, 基幹教育院, 准教授 (00535453)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): 原口 省吾 昭和大学, 医学部, 講師 (20592132) ; 豊後 貴嗣 広島大学, 統合生命科学研究科(生), 教授 (40325361)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: ニワトリヒナ / 神経ペプチドY / タウリン / 視床下部 / 摂食行動 / 受容体 / 一塩基多型

Outline of Final Research Achievements

We have found that neuropeptide Y (NPY) and taurine are important biomolecules to attenuate heat stress response in chickens. Intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of NPY showed that brain NPY may contribute to attenuate the intracellular heat stress response and enhance antioxidative status in the immune organ, spleen in chicks. ICV injection of taurine caused hypothermia and anorexia where GABAA receptor mediated hypothermia. As for the mechanism, it was found that ICV taurine activated dopamine-β-hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase to produce norepinephrine and serotonin, respectively. Inhibiting these two enzymes showed that taurine induced hypothermia was disappeared, but serotonin alone may be linked with taurine-induced anorexia in chicks. Furthermore, central taurine attenuated CRF-induced hyperthermia and stress behaviors in neonatal chicks, and the mechanism likely involves the repartitioning of amino acids to different metabolic pathways.

Free Research Field

家畜生理学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

益々深化する地球温暖化のなか、家畜の暑熱ストレス問題を軽減するため、新規の体温降下作用を有する生体分子の開発は、栄養学的、治療学的なアプローチにつながる。とりわけ、ニワトリは比較的安価なタンパク源を供給することで食糧生産にとって重要であるが、相対的に暑熱ストレスに対して弱いという欠点がある。したがって、本研究で得られた知見は、地球温暖化が進む中で、消費性の高い動物性タンパク質の生産に貢献することが期待される。