Neonatal nutrition, adult antioxidant defences and sexual attractiveness in the zebra finch.
Early nutrition has recently been shown to have pervasive, downstream effects on adult life-history parameters including lifespan, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Damage to biomolecules caused by oxidants, such as free radicals generated during metabolic processes, is widely recognized as a key contributor to somatic degeneration and the rate of ageing. Lipophilic antioxidants (carotenoids, vitamins A and E) are an important component of vertebrate defences against such damage. By using an avian model, we show here that independent of later nutrition, individuals experiencing a short period of low-quality nutrition during the nestling period had a twofold reduction in plasma levels of these antioxidants at adulthood. We found no effects on adult external morphology or sexual attractiveness: in mate-choice trials females did not discriminate between adult males that had received standard- or lower-quality diet as neonates. Our results suggest low-quality neonatal nutrition resulted in a long-term impairment in the capacity to assimilate dietary antioxidants, thereby setting up a need to trade off the requirement for antioxidant activity against the need to maintain morphological development and sexual attractiveness. Such state-dependent trade-offs could underpin the link between early nutrition and senescence.
Blount
Jonathan D
JD
Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
Metcalfe
Neil B
NB
Arnold
Kathryn E
KE
Surai
Peter F
PF
Devevey
Godefroy L
GL
Monaghan
Pat
P
D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000378:metabolism*; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D012726:Sexual Behavior, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D020308:Songbirds / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
D000975:Antioxidants