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[Comparisons of endocrine hormones levels between Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep.] [Article in Chinese]

ZHANG Xue-Feng, YANG Ying-Zhong, PEI Zhi-Wei1, WANG Sheng-Yu, CHANG Rong, GE Ri-Li^*

Department of High Altitude Disease, People’s Hospital of Golmud, Golmud 816000, China； Research Center for High Altitude Medical Sciences, Qinghai University, Xining 810000, China

Abstract

The Tibetan antelope, a prototype mammal, has developed a unique adaptation to extreme high altitude-associated hypoxia. To investigate the role of the endocrine system in adaptation to high altitude in the Tibetan antelope, comparisons of endocrine hormones levels between Tibetan antelope (n = 9) and Tibetan sheep (n = 10) were performed. Both two kinds of animals were captured at an altitude of 4 300 m and then transported to experimental base at 2 800 m altitude. The blood samples were drawn from right external jugular vein in the next morning, and the 20 hormones in hypothalamus-adenohypophysis-peripheral hormonal axis were measured with radioimmunoassay or enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) were recorded using catheterization. Moreover, hemoglobin (Hb) content was measured by blood analyser. The results showed that, the levels of FT3, FT4 and Ang II in Tibetan antelope were significantly lower than those in Tibetan sheep, whereas TRH, CRH, GHRH, F, E2, Ald, ACTH and CGRP levels were significantly greater in Tibetan antelope than those in the Tibetan sheep. Compared with Tibetan sheep, Tibetan antelope showed lower HR, mPAP, SBP, DBP and Hb content. In Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep, both Hb and Ang II were correlated positively with respective mPAP. In Tibetan antelope, FT3 level was correlated positively with GH and negatively with ACTH. These results suggest that the endocrine system of Tibetan antelope is characterized by low energy expenditure and high stress, which may be one of the mechanisms underlying the Tibetan antelope adaptation to chronic hypoxia.

Key words: Tibetan antelope; Tibetan sheep

Received: 2011-01-10　　Accepted: 2011-04-12

Corresponding author: 格日力　　E-mail: geriligao@hotmail.com

Citing This Article：

ZHANG Xue-Feng, YANG Ying-Zhong, PEI Zhi-Wei1, WANG Sheng-Yu, CHANG Rong, GE Ri-Li. [Comparisons of endocrine hormones levels between Tibetan antelope and Tibetan sheep.] [Article in Chinese]. Acta Physiol Sin 2011; 63 (4): 342-346 (in Chinese with English abstract).