关键词: 黑线仓鼠, 植物血凝素, 哺乳期, 繁殖

Abstract: Phytohaemagglutinin (PHA)induced swelling response is an immunological parameter,which is widely used in the field of ecological immunology The swelling area of PHA post-injection is roughly equal to the strengths of the cell- mediated immune response and innate immunity as a comprehensive variation. To explore the response patterns of PHA-in-duced swelling during reproduction in small mammals,we measured the dynamic variations of skin tissue thickness at 0 h pre-injection,as well as 6 h,12 h and 24 h after PHA versus PBS injection at different reproductive phases (non-productive, pregnant, lactation,and post lactation phase)in striped hamster,Cricetulus barabensis. The results were as follows:(1)Hamsters showed two types of PHA response at different productive phases. One type response peaked 6 h after PHA injection for the non-reproductive,pregnant,and post lactation phases,then gradually declined at 12 h and 24 h. The other response did not show significant differences among different time points for the lactation phase. (2)Maximum PHA response for the lactation phase showed a reduced tendency,but no significant differences were observed among different reproductive phases. Our results indicate the PHA response pattern for the lactation phase is different from that of other reproductive phases,and maximum PHA response is delayed,which may be harmful to maternal survival in a short term,while it is beneficial to promote reproductive process and accelerate offspring’s growth and development.

Key words: Striped hamster(Cricetulus barabensis), Lactation, Phytohemagglutinin, PHA, Reproduction