How to Cite
Abstract
Avian species exhibit variations in adaptive features, including differences in lipid metabolism, which are essential for successful survival and reproduction in unique habitats. However, there is a lack of information on species- and tissue-specific variations in cholesterol metabolism among avian species living in similar habitats. This study aimed to investigate potential variations in tissue cholesterol levels in wild (Corvus albus, Passeriformes; and Coturnix coturnix, Galliformes) and domesticated (Gallus gallus domesticus, Galliformes, both local and exotic breeds) avian species found in Nsukka, Nigeria. These species have diverse diets and behaviours. Tissues from the brain, liver, gizzard, heart, and breast muscle were dissected and used for total lipid extraction and cholesterol quantification. The results showed significant species- and tissue-specific differences in cholesterol levels among the examined birds (One-way ANOVA, p < 0.001). Moreover, the brain and liver had notably higher cholesterol content compared to other tissues (One-way ANOVA, p < 0.001 in most cases). Lastly, multiple comparisons showed that domesticated species generally exhibited higher cholesterol levels than wild species. These findings support the hypothesis of species- and tissue-specific differences in cholesterol metabolism in avian species inhabiting similar environments but differing in diets and behaviors.
References
Al-ruwaili, M., Herzallah, S., Al-Dmoor, H. and Al-Atiyat, R. (2014). Effect of broiler commercial strains on total and free cholesterol levels of chicken muscle tissues. Glob. Vet. 12(3), 381 - 383.
Antunes, I. C., Ribeiro, M. F., Pimentel, F. B., Alves, S. P., Oliveira, M. B. P. P., Bessa, R. J. B. and Quaresma, M. A. G. (2018). Lipid profile and quality indices of ostrich meat and giblets. Poult. Sci. 97(3): 1073 - 1081.
Barnes-Vélez, J. A., Yasar, F. B. A. and Hu, J. (2022). Myelin lipid metabolism and its role in myelination and myelin maintenance. The Innov. 4(1): 100360.
Björkhem, I. and Meaney, S. (2004). Brain cholesterol: long secret life behind a barrier. Arteriosc. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 24(5): 806 - 815.
Bastiaanse, E. M. L., Ho, K. M. and Van der Laarse, A. (1997). The effect of membrane cholesterol content on ion transport processes in plasma membranes. Cardiovasc. Res. 33: 272 - 283.
Bevan, R. M., Boyd, I. L., Butler, P. J., Reid, K., Woakes, A. J. and Croxall, J. P. (1997). Heart rates and abdominal temperatures of free-ranging south Georgian shags, phalacrocorax georgianus. J. Exp. Biol. 200: 661 - 675.
Birn-Jeffery, A.V., Miller, C. E., Naish, D., Rayfield, E. J. and Hone, D. W. E. (2012). Pedal claw curvature in birds, lizards and mesozoic dinosaurs – complicated categories and compensating for mass-specific and phylogenetic control. PLoS ONE, 7(12): e50555.
Blix, A. S. (2016). Adaptations to polar life in mammals and birds. J. Exp. Biol. 219: 1093 - 1105.
Broggi, J., Gamero, A., Hohtola, E., Orell, M. and Nilsson, J-A. (2011). Interpopulation variation in contour feather structure is environmentally determined in great tits. PLoS ONE, 6(9): e24942.
Calhoon, E. A., Jimenez, A. G., Harper, J. M., Jurkowitz, M. S. and Williams, J. B. (2014). Linkages between mitochondrial lipids and life history in temperate and tropical birds. Physiol. Biochem. Zool. 87(2): 265 - 275.
Cavender, C. P., Turley, S. D. and Dietschy, J. M. (1995). Sterol metabolism in fetal, newborn, and suckled lambs and their response to cholesterol after weaning. Am. J. Physiol. Endocrinol. 269(2): E331 - E340.
Conlon, D. M., Welty, F. K., Reyes-Soffer, G. and Amengual, J. (2023). Sex-specific differences in lipoprotein production and clearance. Arterioscler. Thromb. Vasc. Biol. 43: 1617 - 1625.
Dietschy, J. M. (2009). Central nervous system: cholesterol turnover, brain development and neurodegeneration. Biol. Chem. 390: 287 - 293.
Dietschy, J. M. and Turley, S. D. (2004). Cholesterol metabolism in the central nervous system during early development and in the mature animal. J. Lipid Res. 45: 1375 - 1397.
Folch, J., Lees, M. and Stanley, G. H. S. (1957). A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipides from animal tissues. J. Biol. Chem. 226(1): 497 - 509.
Frangos, Z. J., Wilson, K. A., Aitken, H. M., Chater, R. C., Vandenberg, R. J. and O’Mara, M. L. (2023). Membrane cholesterol regulates inhibition and substrate transport by the glycine transporter, GlyT2. Life Sci. Allianc. 6(4): e202201708.
Furness, A. I., Venditti, C. and Capellini, I. (2022). Terrestrial reproduction and parental care drive rapid evolution in the trade-off between offspring size and number across amphibians. PLoS Biol. 20(1): e3001495.
Gould, R. G., Taylor, T. C. B., Hagerman, J. S., Warner, I. and Campbell, D. J. (1953). Effect of dietary cholesterol on the synthesis of cholesterol in dog tissue in vitro. J. Biol. Chem. 201(2): 519 - 528.
Gustafsson, B. E., Angelin, B., Einarsson, K. and Gustafsson, J-A. (1977). Effects of cholesterol feeding on synthesis and metabolism of cholesterol and bile acids in germfree rats. J. Lipid Res. 18: 717 - 721.
Ho, K-J. (1976). Cholesterol contents of various tissues of chickens with exogenous or indigenous hypercholesteremia. Am. J. Clin. Nutr. 29: 187 - 191.
Ikonen, E. and Zhou, X. (2021). Cholesterol transport between cellular membranes: A balancing act between interconnected lipid fluxes. Dev. Cell, 56: 1430 - 1436.
Jeske, D. J. and Dietschy, J. M. (1980). Regulation of rates of cholesterol synthesis in vivo in the liver and carcass of the rat measured using [3H] water. J. Lipid Res. 21: 364 - 376.
Kerschbaumer, M., Schäffer, S. and Pfingst, T. (2023). Claw shape variation in oribatid mites of the genera Carabodes and Caleremaeus: exploring the interplay of habitat, ecology and phylogenetics. PeerJ, 11: e16021.
Konjufca, V. H., Pesti, G. M. and Bakalli, R. I. (1997). Modulation of cholesterol levels in broiler meat by dietary garlic and copper. Poult. Sci. 76:1264 - 1271.
Lorenz, F. W., Chaikoff, I. L. and Entenman, C. (1938). Liver lipids of the laying and non-laying bird. J. Biol. Chem., 123(2): 577 - 585.
Mancinelli, A. C., Veroli, A. D., Mattioli, S., Cruciani, G., Bosco, A. D. and Castellini, C. (2022). Lipid metabolism analysis in liver of different chicken genotypes and impact on nutritionally relevant polyunsaturated fatty acids of meat. Sci. Rep. 12: 1888.
Miller, W. L. Bose, H. S. (2011). Early steps in steroidogenesis: intracellular cholesterol trafficking. J. Lipid Res. 52: 2111 - 2135.
Mouritsen, O. G. and Zuckermann, M. J. (2004). What’s so special about cholesterol? Lipids, 39, 1101 - 1113.
Musacchia, X. J. (1953). A study of the lipids in arctic migratory birds. The Cond. 55: 305 - 312.
Palmisano, B. T., Zhu, L., Eckel, R. H. and Stafford, J. M. (2018). Sex differences in lipid and lipoprotein metabolism. Mol. Metab. 15: 45e55.
Pap, P. L., Osváth, G., Daubner, T., Nord, A. and Vincze, O. (2020). Down feather morphology reflects adaptation to habitat and thermal conditions across the avian phylogeny. Evol. 74(10): 2365 - 2376.
Pereira, N. R., Muniz, E. C., Matsushita, M. and de Souza, N. E. (2002). Cholesterol and fatty acids profile of Brazilian commercial chicken giblets. Arch. Latinoam. Nutr. 52(2): 1 - 5.
Poitelon, Y., Kopec, A. M. and Belin, M. (2020). Myelin fat facts: an overview of lipids and fatty acid metabolism. Cells, 9: 812.
Punam, Rohlan, K., Maan, R., Godara, K. K., Mal, S. and Yogi, V. K. (2024). Effect of ambience and age on serum cholesterol level of broiler chickens. Int. J. Vet. Sci. Anim. Husb. 9(1): 496 - 498.
Robinson, G. A., Peng, J., Peckham, H., Radziszewska, A., Butler, G., Pineda-Torra, I., Jury, E. C. and Ciurtin, C. (2021). Sex hormones drive changes in lipoprotein metabolism. ISci. 24(11): 103257.
Rone, M. B., Fan, J. and Papadopoulos, V. (2009). Cholesterol transport in steroid biosynthesis: role of protein-protein interactions and implications in disease states. Biochim. Biophys. Acta. 1791(7): 646 - 658.
Rule, D. C., Broughton, K. S., Shellito, S. M. and Maiorano, G. (2002). Comparison of muscle fatty acid profiles and cholesterol concentrations of bison, beef cattle, elk, and chicken. J. Anim. Sci. 80: 1202 - 1211.
Susanto, E., Fadlilah, A., Amin, M. F., Sutanto., E. W., Handayani, I. M., Sholikha, R., Khasanah, N., Yolanda, G. F. and Nasikin, A. D. (2022). The Cholesterol properties of Indonesian ruminant by-product. Earth Environ. Sci. 1246: 1 - 7.
Teekell, R. A., Breidenstein, C. P. and Watts, A. B. (1974). Cholesterol metabolism in chicken. Poult. Sci. 54: 1036 - 1042.
Tomkins, G. M., Sheppard, T. H. and Chaikoff, I. L. (1953). Cholesterol synthesis by liver: its regulation by ingested cholesterol. J. Biol. Chem. 201(1): 137 - 141.
Yeh, S-J. C. and Leveille, G. A. (1971). Cholesterol and fatty acid synthesis in chicks fed different levels of protein. J. Nutr. 102: 349 - 358.
Zhanga, X., Barrazaa, K. M., Beauchampa, J. L. (2018). Cholesterol provides non-sacrificial protection of membrane lipids from chemical damage at air–water interface. PNAS. 115(13): 3255 - 3260.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright (c) 2025 Nigerian Journal of Physiological Sciences