Constant light in early life induces fear-related behavior in chickens with suppressed melatonin secretion and disrupted hippocampal expression of clock-and BDNF-associated genes

作     者：Yang Yang Wei Cong Jie Liu Mindie Zhao Peirong Xu Wanwan Han Deyun Wang Ruqian Zhao Yang Yang;Wei Cong;Jie Liu;Mindie Zhao;Peirong Xu;Wanwan Han;Deyun Wang;Ruqian Zhao

作者机构：MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health&Food SafetyInstitute of ImmunologyNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing 210095People’s Republic of China Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology&BiochemistryCollege of Veterinary MedicineNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing 210095People’s Republic of China Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary MedicineCollege of Veterinary MedicineNanjing Agricultural UniversityNanjing 210095People’s Republic of China 

出 版 物：《Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology》 (畜牧与生物技术杂志（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2022年第13卷第6期

页      面：1799-1809页

核心收录：

学科分类：0905[农学-畜牧学] 09[农学] 

基　　金：supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31972638) the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (PAPD) the Postgraduate Research&Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX18_0716) Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Meat Production and Processing,Quality,Safety Control 

主　　题：BDNF/ERK Constant light Fear-related behavior Hippocampus 

摘      要：Background: Light management plays an important role in the growth and behavior of broiler chickens. Constant light in early post hatch stage has been a common practice in broiler industry for improving growth performance,while whether and how constant light in early life affects the behavior of broiler chickens is rarely ***: In this study, newly hatched chicks were kept in either constant(24 L:0 D, LL) or(12 L:12 D, LD) photoperiod for 7 d and then maintained in 12 L:12 D thereafter until 21 days of age. Constant light increased the average daily feed intake but not the body weight, which led to higher feed conversion ratio. Chickens in LL group exhibited fear-related behaviors, which was associated with higher corticosterone, lower melatonin and 5-HT levels. Concurrently, constant light exposure increased the mRNA expression of clock-related genes and suppressed the expression of antioxidative genes in the hippocampus. Moreover, brain derived neurotrophic factor/extracel ular signal-regulated kinase(BDNF/ERK) pathway was suppressed in the hippocampus of chickens exposed to constant light in the first week post ***: These findings indicate that constant light exposure in early life suppress melatonin secretion and disrupts hippocampal expression of genes involved in circadian clock and BDNF/ERK pathway, thereby contributing to fear-related behaviors in the chicken.