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Seasonal flexibility of the gut structure and physiology in Eremias multiocellata

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Abstract

Although gut seasonal plasticity has been extensively reported, studies on physiological flexibility, such as water-salt transportation and motility in reptiles, are limited. Therefore, this study investigated the intestinal histology and gene expression involved in water-salt transport (AQP1, AQP3, NCC, and NKCC2) and motility regulation (nNOS, CHRM2, and ADRB2) in desert-dwelling Eremias multiocellata during winter (hibernating period) and summer (active period). The results showed that mucosal thickness, the villus width and height, the enterocyte height of the small intestine, and the mucosal and submucosal thicknesses of the large intestine were greater in winter than in summer. However, submucosal thickness of the small intestine and muscularis thickness of the large intestine were lower in winter than in summer. Furthermore, AQP1, AQP3, NCC, nNOS, CHRM2, and ADRB2 expressions in the small intestine were higher in winter than in summer; AQP1, AQP3, and nNOS expressions in the large intestine were lower in winter than in summer, with the upregulation of NCC and CHRM2 expressions; no significant seasonal differences were found in intestinal NKCC2 expression. These results suggest that (i) intestinal water-salt transport activity is flexible during seasonal changes where AQP1, AQP3 and NCC play a vital role, (ii) the intestinal motilities are attenuated through the concerted regulation of nNOS, CHRM2, and ADRB2, and (iii) the physiological flexibility of the small and large intestine may be discrepant due to their functional differences. This study reveals the intestinal regulation and adaptation mechanisms in E. multiocellata in response to the hibernation season.

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Data availability

The data sets generated during and (or) analysed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

Abbreviations

ADRB2:

Adrenoceptor beta 2

AQPs:

Aquaporins

CHRM2:

Cholinergic receptor muscarinic 2

ENS:

Enteric nervous system

NCC:

Na+-Cl˗ cotransporter

NKCC2:

Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter

NO:

Nitric oxide

nNOS:

Neuronal nitric oxide synthase

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Yongping Ma for assistance with experiments. We also appreciate the valuable comments and suggestions by the anonymous reviewer. This research was funded by the Ningxia Natural Science Foundation (Grants No.2022AAC03259), the Program for Excellent Talents of North Minzu University (2019BGBZ01) and the Program for Excellent Talents in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region.

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  1. College of Biological Sciences and Engineering, North Minzu University, Yinchuan, 750021, China

    Qiu-Mei Zhong, Yang-Hui Zheng & Jian-Li Wang

  2. Key Laboratory of Ecological Protection of Agro-Pastoral Ecotones in the Yellow River Basin of National Ethnic Affairs Commission, Yinchuan, 750021, China

    Qiu-Mei Zhong, Yang-Hui Zheng & Jian-Li Wang

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Zhong, QM., Zheng, YH. & Wang, JL. Seasonal flexibility of the gut structure and physiology in Eremias multiocellata. J Comp Physiol B 193, 281–291 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-023-01485-6

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