Long-term colony housing in Long Evans rats: immunological, hormonal, and behavioral consequences.
The distribution pattern and the function of blood immune cells were investigated for 10 weeks in three mixed-sex colonies of Long Evans rats. After colony formation, a despotic dominance system was established between the males. This paper focuses on differences between subdominant colony and pair-housed control males. A reduced body mass development and hormonal status in subdominant males indicate stressful colony conditions. Subdominant males had lower numbers of CD4 and CD8 T cells, pronounced granulocytosis and reduced lymphocyte proliferation rates as compared with controls. The persistency of changes in subdominant males offers the opportunity to investigate the effects of long-term immuno-modulation on health.
University of Bayreuth, Department of Animal Physiology, D-95440 Bayreuth, Germany. volker.stefanski@uni-bayreuth.de
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Knopf
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Schulz
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D001835:Body Weight; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology; D002455:Cell Division / Q000276:immunology; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006799:Housing, Animal; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000166:cytology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D020318:Rats, Long-Evans / Q000276:immunology*; D012930:Social Dominance; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
D003345:Corticosterone; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine