Cross-sectional geometry of the femoral midshaft in baboons is heritable

New insights into patterns of integration in the femur and pelvis among catarrhines

OBJECTIVES

Integration reflects the level of coordinated variation of the phenotype. The integration of postcranial elements can be studied from a functional perspective, especially with regards to locomotion. This study investigates the link between locomotion, femoral structural properties, and femur-pelvis complex morphology.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We measured (1) morphological integration between femoral and pelvic morphologies using geometric morphometrics, and (2) covariation between femoral/pelvic morphologies and femoral diaphyseal cross-sectional properties, which we defined as morpho-structural integration. Morphological and morpho-structural integration patterns were measured among humans (n = 19), chimpanzees and bonobos (n = 16), and baboons (n = 14), whose locomotion are distinct.

RESULTS

Baboons show the highest magnitude of morphological integration and the lowest of morpho-structural integration. Chimpanzees and bonobos show intermediate magnitude of morphological and morpho-structural integration. Yet, body size seems to have a considerable influence on both integration patterns, limiting the interpretations. Finally, humans present the lowest morphological integration and the highest morpho-structural integration between femoral morphology and structural properties but not between pelvic morphology and femur.

DISCUSSION

Morphological and morpho-structural integration depict distinct strategies among the samples. A strong morphological integration among baboon's femur-pelvis module might highlight evidence for long-term adaptation to quadrupedalism. In humans, it is likely that distinct selective pressures associated with the respective function of the pelvis and the femur tend to decrease morphological integration. Conversely, high mechanical loading on the hindlimbs during bipedal locomotion might result in specific combination of structural and morphological features within the femur.

Circulating miRNAs associated with bone mineral density in healthy adult baboons

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and circulate in the blood, making them attractive biomarkers of disease state for tissues like bone that are challenging to interrogate directly. Here, we report on five miRNAs-miR-197-3p, miR-320a, miR-320b, miR-331-5p, and miR-423-5p-associated with bone mineral density (BMD) in 147 healthy adult baboons. These baboons ranged in age from 15 to 25 years (45-75 human equivalent years) and 65% were female with a broad range of BMD values including a minority of osteopenic animals. miRNAs were generated via RNA sequencing from buffy coats collected at necropsy and areal BMD (aBMD) measured postmortem via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) of the lumbar vertebrae. Differential expression analysis controlled for the underlying pedigree structure of these animals to account for genetic variation which may drive miRNA abundance and aBMD values. While many of these miRNAs have been associated with the risk of osteoporosis in humans, this finding is of interest because the cohort represents a model of normal aging and bone metabolism rather than a disease cohort. The replication of miRNA associations with osteoporosis or other bone metabolic disorders in animals with healthy aBMD suggests an overlap in normal variation and disease states. We suggest that these miRNAs are involved in the regulation of cellular proliferation, apoptosis, and protein composition in the extracellular matrix throughout life; and age-related dysregulation of these systems may lead to disease. These miRNAs may be early indicators of progression to disease in advance of clinically detectible osteoporosis.

Gut microbiome heritability is nearly universal but environmentally contingent

Relatives have more similar gut microbiomes than nonrelatives, but the degree to which this similarity results from shared genotypes versus shared environments has been controversial. Here, we leveraged 16,234 gut microbiome profiles, collected over 14 years from 585 wild baboons, to reveal that host genetic effects on the gut microbiome are nearly universal. Controlling for diet, age, and socioecological variation, 97% of microbiome phenotypes were significantly heritable, including several reported as heritable in humans. Heritability was typically low (mean = 0.068) but was systematically greater in the dry season, with low diet diversity, and in older hosts. We show that longitudinal profiles and large sample sizes are crucial to quantifying microbiome heritability, and indicate scope for selection on microbiome characteristics as a host phenotype.

Midfemoral Bone Volume of Walking Subjects with Chronic Hemiparesis Post Stroke

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Muscle and bone form a functional unit. Residual physical poststroke impairments such as muscle weakness, spasticity, and decrease in function can promote metabolic bone changes. Moreover, muscle strength can influence this process. Thus, the purpose of the present study was to investigate bone volume and mobility performance in subjects with chronic hemiparesis post stroke.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed on 14 subjects post stroke who were paired with healthy controls. Bone volume, isometric muscle performance, and mobility levels were measured. Midfemoral bone volumes were determined using magnetic resonance imaging, and muscular performance was measured by dynamometry. Mobility was measured using the Timed Up and Go Test and the 10-Meter Walk Test.

RESULTS

Regarding bone volume total, there was no difference in the medullary and cortical groups (P ≥ .05). During torque peak isometric flexion, the paretic group was significantly different compared with the other groups (P = .001). However, the control presented no difference compared with the nonparetic limb (P = .40). With regard to the extension isometric torque peak, the paretic limb was significantly different compared with the nonparetic (P = .033) and the control (P = .001) limbs, and the control was different from the nonparetic limb (P = .045). Bone volume variables correlated with the isometric torque peak.

CONCLUSIONS

Chronic hemiparetic subjects maintain bone geometry compared with healthy volunteers matched by age, body mass index, and gender. The correlation between bone volume midfemoral structures and knee isometric torque was possible.

Baboons as a model to study genetics and epigenetics of human disease

A major challenge for understanding susceptibility to common human diseases is determining genetic and environmental factors that influence mechanisms underlying variation in disease-related traits. The most common diseases afflicting the US population are complex diseases that develop as a result of defects in multiple genetically controlled systems in response to environmental challenges. Unraveling the etiology of these diseases is exceedingly difficult because of the many genetic and environmental factors involved. Studies of complex disease genetics in humans are challenging because it is not possible to control pedigree structure and often not practical to control environmental conditions over an extended period of time. Furthermore, access to tissues relevant to many diseases from healthy individuals is quite limited. The baboon is a well-established research model for the study of a wide array of common complex diseases, including dyslipidemia, hypertension, obesity, and osteoporosis. It is possible to acquire tissues from healthy, genetically characterized baboons that have been exposed to defined environmental stimuli. In this review, we describe the genetic and physiologic similarity of baboons with humans, the ability and usefulness of controlling environment and breeding, and current genetic and genomic resources. We discuss studies on genetics of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and intrauterine growth restriction using the baboon as a model for human disease. We also summarize new studies and resources under development, providing examples of potential translational studies for targeted interventions and therapies for human disease.

Characterization of complex, co-adapted skeletal biomechanics phenotypes: a needed paradigm shift in the genetics of bone structure and function

The genetic architecture of skeletal biomechanical performance has tremendous potential to advance our knowledge of the biological mechanisms that drive variation in skeletal fragility and osteoporosis risk. Research using traditional approaches that focus on specific gene pathways is increasing our understanding of how and to what degree those pathways may affect population-level variation in fracture susceptibility, and shows that known pathways may affect bone fragility through unsuspected mechanisms. Non-traditional approaches that incorporate a new appreciation for the degree to which bone traits co-adapt to functional loading environments, using a wide variety of redundant compensatory mechanisms to meet both physiological and mechanical demands, represent a radical departure from the dominant reductionist paradigm and have the potential to rapidly advance our understanding of bone fragility and identification of new targets for therapeutic intervention.