TY - JOUR
T1 - Fur removal promotes an earlier expression of involution-related genes in mammary gland of lactating mice
AU - Król, Elżbieta
AU - Turner, Frances
AU - Derous, Davina
AU - Mitchell, Sharon E.
AU - Martin, Samuel A.M.
AU - Douglas, Alex
AU - Speakman, John R.
N1 - Funding Information:
The study was funded by Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) grants BB/G009953/1, BB/P009875/1 and BB/J020029/1, awarded to JRS. EK was supported by BBSRC grants BB/C504794/1 and BB/R018812/1.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s).
PY - 2023/1/18
Y1 - 2023/1/18
N2 - Peak lactation occurs when milk production is at its highest. The factors limiting peak lactation performance have been subject of intense debate. Milk production at peak lactation appears limited by the capacity of lactating females to dissipate body heat generated as a by-product of processing food and producing milk. As a result, manipulations that enhance capacity to dissipate body heat (such as fur removal) increase peak milk production. We investigated the potential correlates of shaving-induced increases in peak milk production in laboratory mice. By transcriptomic profiling of the mammary gland, we searched for the mechanisms underlying experimentally increased milk production and its consequences for mother–young conflict over weaning, manifested by advanced or delayed involution of mammary gland. We demonstrated that shaving-induced increases in milk production were paradoxically linked to reduced expression of some milk synthesis-related genes. Moreover, the mammary glands of shaved mice had a gene expression profile indicative of earlier involution relative to unshaved mice. Once provided with enhanced capacity to dissipate body heat, shaved mice were likely to rear their young to independence faster than unshaved mothers.
AB - Peak lactation occurs when milk production is at its highest. The factors limiting peak lactation performance have been subject of intense debate. Milk production at peak lactation appears limited by the capacity of lactating females to dissipate body heat generated as a by-product of processing food and producing milk. As a result, manipulations that enhance capacity to dissipate body heat (such as fur removal) increase peak milk production. We investigated the potential correlates of shaving-induced increases in peak milk production in laboratory mice. By transcriptomic profiling of the mammary gland, we searched for the mechanisms underlying experimentally increased milk production and its consequences for mother–young conflict over weaning, manifested by advanced or delayed involution of mammary gland. We demonstrated that shaving-induced increases in milk production were paradoxically linked to reduced expression of some milk synthesis-related genes. Moreover, the mammary glands of shaved mice had a gene expression profile indicative of earlier involution relative to unshaved mice. Once provided with enhanced capacity to dissipate body heat, shaved mice were likely to rear their young to independence faster than unshaved mothers.
KW - heat dissipation limit
KW - involution-related genes
KW - mammary gland involution
KW - milk production
KW - milk synthesis-related genes
KW - mother-young conflict
UR - http://www.ebi.ac.uk/arrayexpre ss
U2 - 10.1007/s00360-023-01474-9
DO - 10.1007/s00360-023-01474-9
M3 - Article
C2 - 36650338
AN - SCOPUS:85146394423
SN - 0174-1578
VL - 193
SP - 171
EP - 192
JO - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
JF - Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology
ER -