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Agustí C, Manteca X, García-Párraga D, Tallo-Parra O. Validating a Non-Invasive Method for Assessing Cortisol Concentrations in Scraped Epidermal Skin from Common Bottlenose Dolphins and Belugas. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1377. [PMID: 38731382 PMCID: PMC11083227 DOI: 10.3390/ani14091377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Society is showing a growing concern about the welfare of cetaceans in captivity as well as cetaceans in the wild threatened by anthropogenic disturbances. The study of the physiological stress response is increasingly being used to address cetacean conservation and welfare issues. Within it, a newly described technique of extracting cortisol from epidermal desquamation may serve as a non-invasive, more integrated measure of a cetacean's stress response and welfare. However, confounding factors are common when measuring glucocorticoid hormones. In this study, we validated a steroid hormone extraction protocol and the use of a commercial enzyme immunoassay (EIA) test to measure cortisol concentrations in common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) epidermal samples. Moreover, we examined the effect of sample mass and body location on cortisol concentrations. Validation tests (i.e., assay specificity, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity) suggested that the method was suitable for the quantification of cortisol concentrations. Cortisol was extracted from small samples (0.01 g), but the amount of cortisol detected and the variability between duplicate extractions increased as the sample mass decreased. In common bottlenose dolphins, epidermal skin cortisol concentrations did not vary significantly across body locations while there was a significant effect of the individual. Overall, we present a contribution towards advancing and standardizing epidermis hormone assessments in cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clara Agustí
- Animal Welfare Education Centre (AWEC), School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (X.M.); (O.T.-P.)
| | - Xavier Manteca
- Animal Welfare Education Centre (AWEC), School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (X.M.); (O.T.-P.)
| | - Daniel García-Párraga
- Fundación Oceanogràfic de la Comunitat Valenciana, Research Department, Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias, 46013 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Oriol Tallo-Parra
- Animal Welfare Education Centre (AWEC), School of Veterinary Science, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain; (X.M.); (O.T.-P.)
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2
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Barbosa JMG, Shokry E, Caetano David L, Pereira NZ, da Silva AR, de Oliveira VF, Fioravanti MCS, da Cunha PHJ, de Oliveira AE, Antoniosi Filho NR. Cancer evaluation in dogs using cerumen as a source for volatile biomarker prospection. Mol Omics 2024; 20:27-36. [PMID: 37751172 DOI: 10.1039/d3mo00147d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/27/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is one of the deadliest diseases in humans and dogs. Nevertheless, most tumor types spread faster in canines, and early cancer detection methods are necessary to enhance animal survival. Here, cerumen (earwax) was tested as a source of potential biomarkers for cancer evaluation in dogs. Earwax samples from dogs were collected from tumor-bearing and clinically healthy dogs, followed by Headspace/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS/GC-MS) analyses and multivariate statistical workflow. An evolutionary-based multivariate algorithm selected 18 out of 128 volatile metabolites as a potential cancer biomarker panel in dogs. The candidate biomarkers showed a full discrimination pattern between tumor-bearing dogs and cancer-free canines with high accuracy in the test dataset: an accuracy of 95.0% (75.1-99.9), and sensitivity and specificity of 100.0% and 92.9%, respectively. In summary, this work raises a new perspective on cancer diagnosis in dogs, being carried out painlessly and non-invasive, facilitating sample collection and periodic application in a veterinary routine.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Marcos G Barbosa
- Laboratório de Métodos de Extração e Separação, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Engy Shokry
- Laboratório de Métodos de Extração e Separação, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Lurian Caetano David
- Laboratório de Métodos de Extração e Separação, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Naiara Z Pereira
- Laboratório de Métodos de Extração e Separação, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Adriana R da Silva
- Hospital Veterinário - Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da UFG, Rodovia Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km 8 Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Vilma F de Oliveira
- Hospital Veterinário - Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da UFG, Rodovia Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km 8 Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Maria Clorinda S Fioravanti
- Hospital Veterinário - Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da UFG, Rodovia Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km 8 Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Paulo H Jorge da Cunha
- Hospital Veterinário - Escola de Veterinária e Zootecnia da UFG, Rodovia Goiânia - Nova Veneza, km 8 Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Anselmo E de Oliveira
- Laboratório de Química Teórica e Computacional, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Nelson Roberto Antoniosi Filho
- Laboratório de Métodos de Extração e Separação, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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3
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Pirotta E, Fernandez Ajó A, Bierlich KC, Bird CN, Buck CL, Haver SM, Haxel JH, Hildebrand L, Hunt KE, Lemos LS, New L, Torres LG. Assessing variation in faecal glucocorticoid concentrations in gray whales exposed to anthropogenic stressors. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad082. [PMID: 38026800 PMCID: PMC10660368 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/10/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Understanding how individual animals respond to stressors behaviourally and physiologically is a critical step towards quantifying long-term population consequences and informing management efforts. Glucocorticoid (GC) metabolite accumulation in various matrices provides an integrated measure of adrenal activation in baleen whales and could thus be used to investigate physiological changes following exposure to stressors. In this study, we measured GC concentrations in faecal samples of Pacific Coast Feeding Group (PCFG) gray whales (Eschrichtius robustus) collected over seven consecutive years to assess the association between GC content and metrics of exposure to sound levels and vessel traffic at different temporal scales, while controlling for contextual variables such as sex, reproductive status, age, body condition, year, time of year and location. We develop a Bayesian Generalized Additive Modelling approach that accommodates the many complexities of these data, including non-linear variation in hormone concentrations, missing covariate values, repeated samples, sampling variability and some hormone concentrations below the limit of detection. Estimated relationships showed large variability, but emerging patterns indicate a strong context-dependency of physiological variation, depending on sex, body condition and proximity to a port. Our results highlight the need to control for baseline hormone variation related to context, which otherwise can obscure the functional relationship between faecal GCs and stressor exposure. Therefore, extensive data collection to determine sources of baseline variation in well-studied populations, such as PCFG gray whales, could shed light on cetacean stress physiology and be used to extend applicability to less-well-studied taxa. GC analyses may offer greatest utility when employed as part of a suite of markers that, in aggregate, provide a multivariate measure of physiological status, better informing estimates of individuals' health and ultimately the consequences of anthropogenic stressors on populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrico Pirotta
- Centre for Research into Ecological and Environmental Modelling, University of St Andrews, The Observatory, Buchanan Gardens, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland KY16 9LZ, UK
| | - Alejandro Fernandez Ajó
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - KC Bierlich
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Clara N Bird
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Samara M Haver
- Cooperative Institute for Marine Ecosystem and Resources Studies, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 104 Nash Hall, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA
| | - Joseph H Haxel
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Coastal Sciences Division, 1529 W. Sequim Bay Rd., Sequim, WA 98362, USA
| | - Lisa Hildebrand
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & Department of Biology, George Mason University, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Leila S Lemos
- Institute of Environment, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st St, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Leslie New
- Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Statistics, Ursinus College, 601 E Main St, Collegeville, PA 19426, USA
| | - Leigh G Torres
- Geospatial Ecology of Marine Megafauna Lab, Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365, USA
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4
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Northey AD, Holser RR, Shipway GT, Costa DP, Crocker DE. Adrenal response to ACTH challenge alters thyroid and immune function and varies with body reserves in molting adult female northern elephant seals. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2023; 325:R1-R12. [PMID: 37125769 PMCID: PMC10259847 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00277.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Revised: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/23/2023] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Intrinsic stressors associated with life-history stages may alter the responsiveness of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and responses to extrinsic stressors. We administered adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) to 24 free-ranging adult female northern elephant seals (NESs) at two life-history stages: early and late in their molting period and measured a suite of endocrine, immune, and metabolite responses. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of extended, high-energy fasting on adrenal responsiveness. Animals were blood sampled every 30 min for 120 min post-ACTH injection, then blood was sampled 24 h later. In response to ACTH injection, cortisol levels increased 8- to 10-fold and remained highly elevated compared with baseline at 24 h. Aldosterone levels increased 6- to 9-fold before returning to baseline at 24 h. The magnitude of cortisol and aldosterone release were strongly associated, and both were greater after extended fasting. We observed an inverse relationship between fat mass and the magnitude of cortisol and aldosterone responses, suggesting that body reserves influenced adrenal responsiveness. Sustained elevation in cortisol was associated with alterations in thyroid hormones; both tT3 and tT4 concentrations were suppressed at 24 h, while rT3 increased. Immune cytokine IL-1β was also suppressed after 24 h of cortisol elevation, and numerous acute and sustained impacts on substrate metabolism were evident. Our data suggest that female NESs are more sensitive to stress after the molt fast and that acute stress events can have important impacts on metabolism and immune function. These findings highlight the importance of considering life-history context when assessing the impacts of anthropogenic stressors on wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Allison D Northey
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, United States
| | - Rachel R Holser
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Garrett T Shipway
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, United States
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, United States
| | - Daniel E Crocker
- Department of Biology, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, California, United States
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5
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Wong CH, Tsai MA, Ko FC, Wang JH, Xue YJ, Yang WC. Skin Cortisol and Acoustic Activity: Potential Tools to Evaluate Stress and Welfare in Captive Cetaceans. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13091521. [PMID: 37174558 PMCID: PMC10177183 DOI: 10.3390/ani13091521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/05/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
As people's focus broadens from animals on farms to zoos and aquaria, the field of welfare science and the public's concern for animal welfare continue to grow. In captive animals, stress and its causes are topics of interest in welfare issues, and the identification of an objective method that can be used to assess animals' stress as a physiological state is essential. Both behavioral and physiological parameters can be used as indicators in order to assess animal stress quantitatively. To validate this approach, acoustic activity and the sloughed scrape skin cortisol concentration were used to evaluate the animal welfare of captive beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas). The acoustic activity (5 min at 10:00 am) of three captive D. leucas was routinely recorded by a transducer and analyzed using audio editing software. The calls were separated into three main categories: whistles, pulses, and combo calls. The sloughed scrape skin samples were collected non-invasively once a week from all three animals' fluke and/or flipper. Cortisol was extracted using a modified skin steroid extraction technique, and detected via commercially available enzyme immunoassays. The results showed that the cortisol concentration increased by varying levels when the whales encountered the same event. In addition, the number and distribution of the calls changed along with the events. This indicated that the changes in the cortisol concentration and acoustic behavior may have reflected the fluctuations in the environment and body condition. Therefore, the scrape cortisol measurement and acoustic recordings could be used to monitor stress levels in captive beluga whales. We recommend that aquaria consider incorporating skin scrape cortisol and acoustic activity monitoring into their standards for animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chung-Hei Wong
- School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Ming-An Tsai
- Collage of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 944, Taiwan
| | - Fung-Chi Ko
- National Museum of Marine Biology and Aquarium, Pingtung 944, Taiwan
- Institute of Marine Biology, National Dong-Hwa University, Pingtung 944, Taiwan
| | - Jiann-Hsiung Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Jing Xue
- College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chiayi University, Chiayi 600, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Cheng Yang
- School of Veterinary Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 106, Taiwan
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6
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Węgrzyn E, Rusev I, Tańska N, Miedviedieva I, Kagalo AA, Leniowski K. The use of social media in assessing the impact of war on cetaceans. Biol Lett 2023; 19:20220562. [PMID: 37016812 PMCID: PMC10734683 DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2022.0562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/06/2023] Open
Abstract
War has always brought millions of silent non-human victims but the scale of this suffering is often either unknown, neglected or difficult to quantify. Further, the complexities associated with long-term and large-scale monitoring of marine species make it difficult to assess the impacts of war and the mortality of cetaceans resulting from warfare has not been investigated. Here we propose the use of a modified form of citizen science, namely gathering the information from social media. Dolphin stranding is such a poignant incident for most people, that the probability of eyewitness posting information on social media appears high. We test this idea by collecting data on cetacean strandings along the Black Sea published on the Internet over the three months of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022. We also validate this method with a small-scale scientific study on cetacean mortality during the same period of time, conducted in 'Tuzlivski lymany' Nature National Park in Ukraine. Our dual approach has produced similar results, indicating a dramatic increase in cetacean mortality due to war operations in the Black Sea. We advocate the future use of social media to bridge the knowledge gap on the impacts of war on animals, in particular cetaceans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Węgrzyn
- Institute of Biology,
University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16C, 35-959
Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Ivan Rusev
- ‘Tuzlivski lymany’
National Nature Park, Partisanska 2, Tatarbunary, 68100
Odessa Oblast, Ukraine
| | - Natalia Tańska
- Institute of Biology,
University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16C, 35-959
Rzeszów, Poland
| | - Iryna Miedviedieva
- Institute of Biology,
University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16C, 35-959
Rzeszów, Poland
- Institute of
Ecology of the Carpathians, National Academy of Science,
Kozelnyttska 4, Lviv 79026, Ukraine
| | - Alexander A. Kagalo
- Institute of
Ecology of the Carpathians, National Academy of Science,
Kozelnyttska 4, Lviv 79026, Ukraine
| | - Konrad Leniowski
- Institute of Biology,
University of Rzeszów, Rejtana 16C, 35-959
Rzeszów, Poland
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7
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Pallin LJ, Botero-Acosta N, Steel D, Baker CS, Casey C, Costa DP, Goldbogen JA, Johnston DW, Kellar NM, Modest M, Nichols R, Roberts D, Roberts M, Savenko O, Friedlaender AS. Variation in blubber cortisol levels in a recovering humpback whale population inhabiting a rapidly changing environment. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20250. [PMID: 36424421 PMCID: PMC9686265 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-24704-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucocorticoids are regularly used as biomarkers of relative health for individuals and populations. Around the Western Antarctic Peninsula (WAP), baleen whales have and continue to experience threats, including commercial harvest, prey limitations and habitat change driven by rapid warming, and increased human presence via ecotourism. Here, we measured demographic variation and differences across the foraging season in blubber cortisol levels of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) over two years around the WAP. Cortisol concentrations were determined from 305 biopsy samples of unique individuals. We found no significant difference in the cortisol concentration between male and female whales. However, we observed significant differences across demographic groups of females and a significant decrease in the population across the feeding season. We also assessed whether COVID-19-related reductions in tourism in 2021 along the WAP correlated with lower cortisol levels across the population. The decline in vessel presence in 2021 was associated with a significant decrease in humpback whale blubber cortisol concentrations at the population level. Our findings provide critical contextual data on how these hormones vary naturally in a population over time, show direct associations between cortisol levels and human presence, and will enable comparisons among species experiencing different levels of human disturbance.
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Affiliation(s)
- L. J. Pallin
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
| | - N. Botero-Acosta
- Fundación Macuáticos Colombia, Calle 27 # 79-167, Medellín, Colombia ,Programa Antártico Colombiano, Avenida Ciudad de Cali #51 - 66, Oficina 306, Edificio World Business Center – WBC, Bogotá, D.C. Colombia
| | - D. Steel
- grid.4391.f0000 0001 2112 1969Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365 USA
| | - C. S. Baker
- grid.4391.f0000 0001 2112 1969Marine Mammal Institute, Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, OR 97365 USA
| | - C. Casey
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Institute for Marine Science, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA ,California Ocean Alliance, 9099 Soquel Ave, Aptos, CA 95003 USA
| | - D. P. Costa
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
| | - J. A. Goldbogen
- grid.168010.e0000000419368956Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove, CA 93950 USA
| | - D. W. Johnston
- grid.26009.3d0000 0004 1936 7961Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University Marine Laboratory, 135 Duke Marine Lab Road, Beaufort, NC 28516 USA
| | - N. M. Kellar
- grid.422702.10000 0001 1356 4495Marine Mammal Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - M. Modest
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Present Address: Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
| | - R. Nichols
- grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
| | - D. Roberts
- California Ocean Alliance, 9099 Soquel Ave, Aptos, CA 95003 USA
| | - M. Roberts
- California Ocean Alliance, 9099 Soquel Ave, Aptos, CA 95003 USA
| | - O. Savenko
- National Antarctic Scientific Center of Ukraine, 16 Taras Shevchenko Blvd., Kyiv, 01601 Ukraine ,grid.438834.0Ukrainian Scientific Center of Ecology of the Sea, 89 Frantsuzsky Blvd., Odesa, 65009 Ukraine
| | - A. S. Friedlaender
- California Ocean Alliance, 9099 Soquel Ave, Aptos, CA 95003 USA ,grid.205975.c0000 0001 0740 6917Department of Ocean Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Ocean Health Building, 115 McAllister Way, Santa Cruz, CA 95060 USA
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8
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Melica V, Atkinson S, Calambokidis J, Gendron D, Lang A, Scordino J. Naturally stressed? Glucocorticoid profiles in blubber of blue and gray whales in response to life history parameters. MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE 2022; 38:1524-1548. [PMID: 36619002 PMCID: PMC9815209 DOI: 10.1111/mms.12954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The goal of the present study was to carry out a thorough methodological validation and describe baseline profiles for glucocorticoid hormones (cortisol and corticosterone) in blubber from blue (n = 77) and gray (n = 103) whales from the eastern North Pacific Ocean. For each species, we modelled cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in response to life history parameters (age, sex, reproductive status) and season or geographic location. In blue whales, cortisol concentrations did not vary significantly by age class, sex, or reproductive status, whereas corticosterone was significantly lower in immature than in adult females (p < .001). In gray whales, cortisol concentrations were significantly higher in lactating whales (p < .05), while corticosterone was significantly different between females and males (p = .001) and elevated in calves (p = .003). In gray whales, corticosterone concentrations were significantly lower in males sampled later in the year (August to November) compared to both sexes sampled between March and August (p = .05), but no seasonal trend occurred in blue whales. Our results indicate that glucocorticoid actions vary between species and sex in large whales. Analysis of multiple hormones improves our understanding of the physiology of maintaining metabolic homeostasis or coping with chronic stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Melica
- Fisheries Department, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska
| | - Shannon Atkinson
- Fisheries Department, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Juneau, Alaska
| | | | - Diane Gendron
- Instituto Politecnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marina (IPN-CICIMAR), La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Aimee Lang
- Ocean Associates Inc., on contract to NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, La Jolla, California
| | - Jonathan Scordino
- Marine Mammal Program, Makah Fisheries Management, Neah Bay, Washington
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9
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Thurstan RH. The potential of historical ecology to aid understanding of human-ocean interactions throughout the Anthropocene. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:351-364. [PMID: 35061243 PMCID: PMC9545720 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 10/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Marine historical ecology emerged in the scholarly literature with the aim of understanding long-term dynamics in marine ecosystems and the outcomes of past human-ocean interactions. The use of historical sources, which differ in temporal scale and resolution to most scientific monitoring data, present both opportunities and challenges for informing our understanding of past marine ecosystems and the ways in which human communities made use of them. With an emphasis upon marine social-ecological changes over the past 200 years, I present an overview of the relevant historical ecology literature and summarise how this approach generates a richer understanding of human-ocean interactions and the legacies associated with human-induced ecosystem change. Marine historical ecology methodologies continue to be developed, whereas expanded inter- and multidisciplinary collaborations provide exciting avenues for future discoveries. Beyond scholarship, historical ecology presents opportunities to foster a more sustainable relationship with oceans going forward: by challenging ingrained perceptions of what is "normal" within marine ecosystems, reconnecting human communities to the oceans and providing cautionary lessons and exemplars of sustainable human-ocean interactions from the past. To leverage these opportunities, scholars must work alongside practitioners, managers and policy makers to foster mutual understanding, explore new opportunities to communicate historical findings and address the challenges of integrating historical data into modern-day frameworks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth H. Thurstan
- Centre for Ecology and ConservationUniversity of ExeterCornwallUK
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10
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Lowe CL, Hunt KE, Neilson JL, Gabriele CM, Teerlink SS, Buck CL. Reproductive Steroid Hormone Patterns in Baleen of Two Pregnant Humpback Whales (Megaptera Novaeangliae). Integr Comp Biol 2022; 62:152-163. [PMID: 35671163 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icac070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding reproductive physiology in mysticetes has been slowed by the lack of repeated samples from individuals. Analysis of humpback whale baleen enables retrospective hormone analysis within individuals dating back three to five years before death. Using this method, we investigated differences in four steroid hormones involved in reproduction and mating during confirmed pregnant and non-pregnant periods in two female humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with known reproductive histories based on sightings and necropsy data. Cortisol, corticosterone, testosterone and estradiol concentrations were determined via enzyme immunoassay using subsamples of each baleen plate at 2 cm intervals. There were no significant differences in cortisol or corticosterone during pregnancy when compared to non-pregnancy (inter-calving interval), but there were significant differences between the two whales in average glucocorticoid concentrations, with the younger whale showing higher values overall. For testosterone, levels for the younger female peaked at parturition in one pregnancy, but also had spikes during nonpregnancy. The older female had three large spikes in testosterone, one of which was associated with parturition. Estradiol had large fluctuations in both whales but had generally lower concentrations during non-pregnancy than during pregnancy. There were peaks in estradiol before each pregnancy, possibly coinciding with ovulation, and peaks coinciding with the month of parturition. Both estradiol and testosterone could be useful for determining ovulation or impending birth. Using baleen to investigate retrospective steroid hormone profiles can be used for elucidating long-term patterns of physiological change during gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley L Lowe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011USA
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biology, Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & George Mason University, Front Royal, VI 22630USA
| | - Janet L Neilson
- Humpback Whale Monitoring Program, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99826USA
| | - Christine M Gabriele
- Humpback Whale Monitoring Program, Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99826USA
| | | | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011USA
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Fernández Ajó A, Hunt KE, Dillon D, Uhart M, Sironi M, Rowntree V, Loren Buck C. Optimizing hormone extraction protocols for whale baleen: Tackling questions of solvent:sample ratio and variation. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2022; 315:113828. [PMID: 34058189 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2021.113828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Obtaining endocrine data from alternative sample types such as baleen and other keratinized tissues has proven a valuable tool to investigate reproductive and stress physiology via steroid hormone quantification, and metabolic stress via thyroid hormone quantification in whales and other vertebrates. These alternative sample types provide an integrated measure of plasma levels over the period that the structure was growing, thus capturing months or even years of an individual's endocrine history. Additionally, their robust and stable keratin matrix allows such samples to be stored for years to decades, enabling the analysis and comparison of endocrine patterns from past and modern populations. However, the extraction and analysis of hormones from baleen and other keratinized tissues remains novel and requires both biological and analytical validations to ensure the method fulfills the requirements for its intended use. We utilized baleen recovered at necropsy from southern right whales (Eubalaena australis) that died at Península Valdés, Argentina, using a commercially available progesterone enzyme immunoassay (EIA) to address two methodological questions: 1) what is the minimum sample mass required to reliably quantify hormone content of baleen samples analyzed with commercially available EIAs, and 2) what is the optimal ratio of solvent volume to sample mass, i.e., the ratio that yields the maximum amount of hormone with high accuracy and low variability between replicates. We concluded that masses of at least 20 mg should be used whenever possible, and extraction is best performed using an 80:1 ratio of solvent to sample (volume of solvent to sample mass; μl:mg). These results can help researchers to make informed methodological decisions when using a destructive extraction method with rare or unique specimens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Fernández Ajó
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA; Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- George Mason University & Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, 1500 Remount Rd, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Danielle Dillon
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
| | - Marcela Uhart
- Southern Right Whale Health Monitoring Program, Los Alerces 3376, Puerto Madryn, Chubut 9120, Argentina; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, VM3B Ground Floor, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Mariano Sironi
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (FCEFyN), Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Vélez Sársfield 299, Córdoba 5000, Argentina
| | - Victoria Rowntree
- Instituto de Conservación de Ballenas, Capital Federal, O'Higgins 4380, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires 1429, Argentina; Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1089 Veterinary Medicine Drive, VM3B Ground Floor, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Biology, University of Utah, 257 South 1400 East University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USA; Ocean Alliance/Whale Conservation Institute, 32 Horton St, Gloucester, MA 01930, USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, 617 S. Beaver St., PO Box 5640, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA
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Nabi G, Robeck TR, Yujiang H, Tang B, Zheng J, Wang K, Wang D. Circulating concentrations of thyroid hormones and cortisol in wild and semi-natural Yangtze finless porpoise ( Neophocaena asiaeorientalis). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab034. [PMID: 35559363 PMCID: PMC8120013 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 04/21/2021] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Our understanding about how environmental and biological variables may influence circulating thyroid and adrenal hormones in free-ranging cetaceans is limited. As such, we used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to determine concentrations of circulating cortisol and thyroid hormones (THs; tT3, tT4) in 132 Yangtze finless porpoises (YFPs) located in Poyang Lake, (PL, n = 92) and Tian-E-Zhou Oxbow reserve (TZO, n = 40). For overall hormone comparisons, animals were partitioned by age [juvenile and adult (male and non-pregnant, non-lactating female)], sex, season (winter or spring) and geographical location. Geographically, during winter, circulating THs were significantly higher in the PL versus TZO population. Seasonally, within PL, THs were significantly higher in the winter versus spring season. Animals were further binned into groups as follows: juvenile male (JM) and juvenile female (JF), adult male (AM), non-pregnant adult female, pregnant female and non-pregnant lactating female. Intra-group comparisons between locations showed a significant increase in JM THs at PL. Significant increases in THs during winter compared to spring were detected between JM and JF groups. Mean comparisons of cortisol within and between locations for each group identified a significant increase for TZO AM versus TZO pregnant female and JM and JF. Seasonally, in PL, only JF has significantly higher cortisol in winter versus spring. Finally, we established reference values of THs and cortisol for YFPs in different geographical locations. These references are important baselines from which the effects of environmental and biological variables on THs and cortisol may be evaluated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghulam Nabi
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Physiology, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Hebei Province, College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | | | - Hao Yujiang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Bin Tang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Jinsong Zheng
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Kexiong Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Ding Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Biodiversity and Conservation, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430072, China
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Mamzer HM. Ritual Slaughter: The Tradition of Pilot Whale Hunting on the Faroe Islands. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:552465. [PMID: 33898540 PMCID: PMC8062700 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.552465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Faroese people consider grindadráp, the hunting of pilot whales, as a part of their cultural heritage, but from the point of view of veterinary sciences and biology, the method of killing pilot whales is a form of a ritual slaughter performed on fully conscious animals that are aware of their circumstances. Pilot whales are social, intelligent, and communicative animals that demonstrate complex social behaviors. Therefore, this traditional whaling method should be considered as a procedure in which animals are exposed to high levels of distress. In the context of contemporary civilizational development and material welfare, the practice of whaling may appear to be an inadequate and cruel relic of the past. This text explores social and cultural issues caused by pilot whale hunts and presents an understanding of the term tradition and some perspectives of how traditions change. The specificity of pilot whales as a species is presented, setting a foundation for a discussion about hunting itself. The conclusion of the text discusses different social perceptions of grindadráp by presenting arguments for and against the hunting. This analysis includes a presentation of actions undertaken bywhale hunting opponents.
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Mansouri F, Winfield ZC, Crain DD, Morris B, Charapata P, Sabin R, Potter CW, Hering AS, Fulton J, Trumble SJ, Usenko S. Evidence of multi-decadal behavior and ecosystem-level changes revealed by reconstructed lifetime stable isotope profiles of baleen whale earplugs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 757:143985. [PMID: 33321341 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Biological time series datasets provide an unparalleled opportunity to investigate regional and global changes in the marine environment. Baleen whales are long-lived sentinel species and an integral part of the marine ecosystem. Increasing anthropogenic terrestrial and marine activities alter ocean systems, and such alterations could change foraging and feeding behavior of baleen whales. In this study, we analyzed δ13C and δ15N of baleen whale earplugs from three different species (N = 6 earplugs, n = 337 laminae) to reconstruct the first continuous stable isotope profiles with a six-month resolution. Results of our study provide an unprecedented opportunity to assess behavioral as well as ecological changes. Abrupt shifts and temporal variability observed in δ13C and δ15N profiles could be indicative of behavior change such as shift in foraging location and/or trophic level in response to natural or anthropogenic disturbances. Additionally, five out of six individuals demonstrated long-term declining trends in δ13C profiles, which could suggest influence of emission of depleted 13CO2 from fossil fuel combustion referred to as the Suess effect. After adjusting the δ13C values of earplugs for the estimated Suess effect and re-evaluating δ13C profiles, significant decline in δ13C values as well as different rate of depletion suggest contribution of other sources that could impact δ13C values at the base of the food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farzaneh Mansouri
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Zach C Winfield
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | | | - Brooke Morris
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | | | - Richard Sabin
- Division of Vertebrates, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | - Charles W Potter
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC 20013, USA
| | - Amanda S Hering
- Department of Statistical Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - James Fulton
- Department of Geoscience, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | | | - Sascha Usenko
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA.
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15
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Crain DD, Karpovich SA, Quakenbush L, Polasek L. Using claws to compare reproduction, stress and diet of female bearded and ringed seals in the Bering and Chukchi seas, Alaska, between 1953-1968 and 1998-2014. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coaa115. [PMID: 33442472 PMCID: PMC7786451 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/20/2020] [Indexed: 05/08/2023]
Abstract
Rapid climate warming is decreasing sea ice thickness, extent and duration. Marine mammals such as bearded (Erignathus barbatus) and ringed (Pusa hispida) seals, which use sea ice for pupping, molting and resting, may be negatively affected. Claws from bearded and ringed seals store up to 14 and 12 years of sequential analyte data, respectively. These data can be used to compare reproduction, stress and diet across decades. In this study, we compare progesterone, cortisol and carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in female bearded and ringed seals during 1953-1968 (pre-1968, a period prior to sea ice decline) to 1998-2014 (post-1998, a period during sea ice decline). When comparing these periods, bearded seals had statistically higher cortisol concentrations post-1998, and for both species δ13C was more negative post-1998, while progesterone and δ15N did not change. There was a positive relationship between progesterone and cortisol Z-scores for both species, except for ringed seals post-1998. There was a negative relationship between cortisol Z-scores and δ13C for bearded seals evident in post-1998 indicating that higher cortisol Z-scores are associated with more negative δ13C in bearded seals in recent years. This negative relationship between cortisol and δ13C in bearded seals suggests a shift to higher prey diversity, possibly due to changes in sea ice in the Pacific Arctic evident post 1998. Progesterone Z-scores corresponded to expected differences among non-pregnant, unimplanted, implanted and post-partum individuals. Using these data, pregnancy history was determined for reproductive years for each individual female sampled, which could allow for yearly pregnancy rates to be calculated given a large enough representative sample of the population. These results combine decades of observational studies with hormones and stable isotopes to infer changes in reproduction, stress and diet, as well as the connection between these life history parameters.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shawna A Karpovich
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA
| | - Lori Quakenbush
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1300 College Road, Fairbanks, AK 99701, USA
| | - Lori Polasek
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 1255 W 8 St, Juneau, AK 99802, USA
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16
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Pokharel SS, Yoneda H, Yanagi M, Sukumar R, Kinoshita K. The tail-tale of stress: an exploratory analysis of cortisol levels in the tail-hair of captive Asian elephants. PeerJ 2021; 9:e10445. [PMID: 33505782 PMCID: PMC7789861 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.10445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Assessment of physiological states by measuring biomarkers, such as cortisol, has significantly contributed to the monitoring of health, welfare and management of animals. Immunoreactive cortisol in hair (hC) has been used widely for deciphering 'stressful' past-events in various wild and captive animals. However, no such studies have been done in long-lived mammals. METHODS In this first exploratory study in elephants, we assessed (i) tail-hair growth rate (TGR) and (ii) hC levels in tail-hair samples from six captive Asian elephants from two zoos in Japan for comparing hC levels with zoo-keepers' records of distinct biological events over a c.0.5-2.0-year period. Tail-hair samples were cut into segments (based on monthly growth rate), pulverized or minced and a validated cortisol enzyme-immunoassay employed to measure hC levels. RESULTS When the hC levels of all individuals were compared with the keepers' records, a posteriori, most of the high hC levels were found to be associated with 'stressful' or distinct behavioural events such as pathological (anaemia, colic infection, skin infection, oral sores), psychosocial (reluctance in entering the enclosure, presence of a calf) and husbandry practice-related (contact trials/ space sharing) conditions, indicating that tail-hair indeed can be a potential 'retrospective' calendar of physiological health of an animal. CONCLUSIONS Our observations open up the possibility of using the tail-hair as an alternative matrix to reconstruct the physiological history of elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanjeeta Sharma Pokharel
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Moe Yanagi
- Wildlife Research Center, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Raman Sukumar
- Centre for Ecological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka, India
- Institute for Advanced Study, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
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17
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Lowe CL, Hunt KE, Robbins J, Seton RE, Rogers M, Gabriele CM, Neilson JL, Landry S, Teerlink SS, Buck CL. Patterns of cortisol and corticosterone concentrations in humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae) baleen are associated with different causes of death. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab096. [PMID: 34987826 PMCID: PMC8710851 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Baleen whales are subject to a myriad of natural and anthropogenic stressors, but understanding how these stressors affect physiology is difficult. Measurement of adrenal glucocorticoid (GC) hormones involved in the vertebrate stress response (cortisol and corticosterone) in baleen could help fill this data gap. Baleen analysis is a powerful tool, allowing for a retrospective re-creation of multiple years of GC hormone concentrations at approximately a monthly resolution. We hypothesized that whales that died from acute causes (e.g. ship strike) would have lower levels of baleen GCs than whales that died from extended illness or injury (e.g. long-term entanglement in fishing gear). To test this hypothesis, we extracted hormones from baleen plates of four humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) with well-documented deaths including multiple and chronic entanglements (n = 1, female), ship strike (n = 2, male and female) and chronic illness with nutritional stress (n = 1, male). Over ~3 years of baleen growth and during multiple entanglements, the entangled whale had average corticosterone levels of 80-187% higher than the other three whales but cortisol levels were similar to two of the other three whales. The nutritionally stressed and chronically ill whale showed a slow increase in both cortisol and corticosterone spanning ~3 years, followed by a sharp decline in both hormones before death, possibly indicative of adrenal failure in this moribund individual. This whale's correlation between cortisol and corticosterone was significant but there were no correlations in the other three whales. Our results show that cortisol and corticosterone concentrations vary according to the type and duration of illness or injury. Single-point GC concentrations should be interpreted with caution as low values can occur in whales experiencing pronounced stress and individual baselines can be highly variable. Baleen analysis is a promising tissue type for retrospective analyses of physiological responses to various stressors affecting baleen whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carley L Lowe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Corresponding author: Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA. Tel: 702-524-3667. Fax: 928-523-7500.
| | - Kathleen E Hunt
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
- Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation & George Mason University, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
| | - Jooke Robbins
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Rosemary E Seton
- Allied Whale, College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME 04609, USA
| | - Matthew Rogers
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center Auke Bay Laboratories, Juneau, AK 99801, USA
| | | | - Janet L Neilson
- Glacier Bay National Park & Preserve, Gustavus, AK 99826, USA
| | - Scott Landry
- Center for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Suzie S Teerlink
- NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Regional Office, Protected Resources Division, Juneau AK, 99801 USA
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86001, USA
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18
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Hudson JM, Matthews CJD, Watt CA. Detection of steroid and thyroid hormones in mammalian teeth. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2021; 9:coab087. [PMID: 36439380 PMCID: PMC8633673 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coab087] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 08/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine tools can provide an avenue to better understand mammalian life histories and predict how individuals and populations may respond to environmental stressors; however, few options exist for studying long-term endocrine patterns in individual marine mammals. Here, we (i) determined whether hormones could be measured in teeth from four marine mammal species: narwhal (Monodon monoceros), beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), killer whale (Orcinus orca) and Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus); (ii) validated commercially available enzyme immunoassay kits for use with tooth extracts; and (iii) conducted biological validations for each species to determine whether reproductive hormone concentrations in teeth correlated with age of sexual maturity. Tooth extracts from all species had measurable concentrations of progesterone, testosterone, 17β-estradiol, corticosterone, aldosterone and triiodothyronine (T3); however, cortisol was undetectable. Parallelism between the binding curves of assay kit standards and serially diluted pools of tooth extract for each species was observed for all measurable hormones. Slopes of accuracy tests ranged from 0.750 to 1.116, with r2 values ranging from 0.977 to 1.000, indicating acceptable accuracy. Biological validations were inconsistent with predictions for each species, with the exception of female killer whales (n = 2), which assumed higher progesterone and testosterone concentrations in mature individuals than immature individuals. Instead, we observed a decline in progesterone and testosterone concentrations from infancy through adulthood in narwhal (n = 1) and walruses (n = 2) and higher reproductive hormone concentrations in immature individuals than mature individuals in belugas (n = 8 and 10, respectively) and male killer whales (n = 1 and 2, respectively). While unexpected, this pattern has been observed in other taxa; however, further analytical and biological validations are necessary before this technique can be used to assess individual mammalian endocrine patterns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justine M Hudson
- Corresponding author: Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, R3T 2N6, Canada. Tel: 1 (204) 984-0550.
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Winfield ZC, Mansouri F, Potter CW, Sabin R, Trumble SJ, Usenko S. Eighty years of chemical exposure profiles of persistent organic pollutants reconstructed through baleen whale earplugs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:139564. [PMID: 32512296 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of effort, significant knowledge gaps still exist regarding the global transport and distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine ecosystems, especially for periods prior to the 1970s. Furthermore, for long-lived marine mammals such as baleen whales, POPs impacts on early developmental (first years of life), as well as lifetime exposure profiles for periods of use and phase-out, are not well characterized. Recently, analytical techniques capable of reconstructing lifetime (i.e., birth to death; ~6 mos. resolution) chemical exposure profiles in baleen whale earplugs have been developed. Earplugs represent a unique opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal trends of POPs in the marine ecosystem. Baleen whale earplugs were collected from six whales (one blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and five fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus)), including four from archived collections and two from recent strandings. Lifespans for some of these individuals date back to the 1930s and provide insight into early periods of POP use. POP concentrations (reported in ng g-1 dry wt.) were determined in laminae (n = 35) and were combined with age estimates and calendar year to reconstruct lifetime POP exposure profiles and lifetime bioaccumulation rates. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found to be the most dominant POPs (spanning the past 80 y), were detected as early as the 1930s and were ubiquitous in the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Lifetime bioaccumulation rates determined using baleen whale earplugs were 56 times higher in the North Pacific as compared to the North Atlantic. This suggest baleen whales from the North Pacific may be to be exposed to increased levels of POPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach C Winfield
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Farzaneh Mansouri
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Charles W Potter
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Wash, DC 20013, USA
| | - Richard Sabin
- Division of Vertebrates, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | | | - Sascha Usenko
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Wash, DC 20013, USA.
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Lübcker N, Whiteman JP, Newsome SD, Millar RP, de Bruyn PJN. Can the carbon and nitrogen isotope values of offspring be used as a proxy for their mother's diet? Using foetal physiology to interpret bulk tissue and amino acid δ 15N values. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa060. [PMID: 32765882 PMCID: PMC7397484 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Revised: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 06/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The measurement of bulk tissue nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon isotope values (δ13C) chronologically along biologically inert tissues sampled from offspring can provide a longitudinal record of their mothers' foraging habits. This study tested the important assumption that mother-offspring stable isotope values are positively and linearly correlated. In addition, any change in the mother-offspring bulk tissues and individual amino acids that occurred during gestation was investigated. Whiskers sampled from southern elephant seal pups (Mirounga leonina) and temporally overlapping whiskers from their mothers were analyzed. This included n = 1895 chronologically subsampled whisker segments for bulk tissue δ15N and δ13C in total and n = 20 whisker segments for amino acid δ15N values, sampled from recently weaned pups (n = 17), juvenile southern elephant seals (SES) < 2 years old (n = 23) and adult female SES (n = 17), which included nine mother-offspring pairs. In contrast to previous studies, the mother-offspring pairs were not in isotopic equilibrium or linearly correlated during gestation: the Δ15N and Δ13C mother-offspring offsets increased by 0.8 and 1.2‰, respectively, during gestation. The foetal bulk δ15N values were 1.7 ± 0.5‰ (0.9-2.7‰) higher than mothers' δ15N values before birth, while the foetal δ13C increased by ~1.7‰ during gestation and were 1.0 ± 0.5‰ (0.0-1.9‰) higher than their mothers' δ13C at the end of pregnancy. The mother-offspring serine and glycine Δ15N differed by ~4.3‰, while the foetal alanine δ15N values were 1.4‰ lower than that of their mothers during the third trimester of pregnancy. The observed mother-offspring δ15N differences are likely explained by shuttling of glutamate-glutamine and glycine-serine amongst skeletal muscle, liver, placenta and foetal tissue. Foetal development relies primarily on remobilized endogenous maternal proteinaceous sources. Researchers should consider foetal physiology when using offspring bulk tissue isotope values as biomarkers for the mother's isotopic composition as part of monitoring programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nico Lübcker
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - John P Whiteman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Old Dominion University, 5115 Hampton Boulevard, Norfolk, VA, 23529, USA
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Seth D Newsome
- Department of Biology, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA
| | - Robert P Millar
- Centre for Neuroendocrinology and Department of Immunology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0001, South Africa
- Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, Neurosciences Institute and Institute of Infectious Diseases and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory 7925, South Africa
| | - P J Nico de Bruyn
- Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
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Crain DD, Thomas A, Mansouri F, Potter CW, Usenko S, Trumble SJ. Hormone comparison between right and left baleen whale earplugs. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2020; 8:coaa055. [PMID: 32607240 PMCID: PMC7311829 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coaa055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/31/2020] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Marine animals experience additional stressors as humans continue to industrialize the oceans and as the climate continues to rapidly change. To examine how the environment or humans impact animal stress, many researchers analyse hormones from biological matrices. Scientists have begun to examine hormones in continuously growing biological matrices, such as baleen whale earwax plugs, baleen and pinniped vibrissae. Few of these studies have determined if the hormones in these tissues across the body of the organism are interchangeable. Here, hormone values in the right and left earplugs from the same individual were compared for two reasons: (i) to determine whether right and left earplug hormone values can be used interchangeably and (ii) to assess methods of standardizing hormones in right and left earplugs to control for individuals' naturally varying hormone expressions. We analysed how absolute, baseline-corrected and Z-score normalized hormones performed in reaching these goals. Absolute hormones in the right and left earplugs displayed a positive relationship, while using Z-score normalization was necessary to standardize the variance in hormone expression. After Z-score normalization, it was possible to show that the 95% confidence intervals of the differences in corresponding lamina of the right and left earplugs include zero for both cortisol and progesterone. This indicates that the hormones in corresponding lamina of right and left earplugs are no different from zero. The results of this study reveal that both right and left earplugs from the same baleen whale can be used in hormone analyses after Z-score normalization. This study also shows the importance of Z-score normalization to interpretation of results and methodologies associated with analysing long-term trends using whale earplugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle D Crain
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
| | - Amanda Thomas
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
| | - Farzaneh Mansouri
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
| | - Charles W Potter
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, PO Box 37012 SI Bldg, Room 153, MRC 010, Washington, DC 20013 USA
| | - Sascha Usenko
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
| | - Stephen J Trumble
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, 101 Bagby Ave. Waco TX 76706, USA
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Barbosa JMG, Pereira NZ, David LC, de Oliveira CG, Soares MFG, Avelino MAG, de Oliveira AE, Shokry E, Filho NRA. Cerumenogram: a new frontier in cancer diagnosis in humans. Sci Rep 2019; 9:11722. [PMID: 31409861 PMCID: PMC6692389 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-48121-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2019] [Accepted: 07/22/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer is the deadliest human disease and the development of new diagnosis methods is important to increase the chances of a cure. In this work it was developed a new method, named here for the first time as cerumenogram, using cerumen (earwax) as a new biomatrix for diagnosis. Earwax samples collected from cancer patients (cancer group) and cancer-free patients (control group) were analyzed by Headspace/Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HS/GC-MS), following with multivariate analysis steps to process the raw data generated. In total, 158 volatile organic metabolites (VOMs) were identified in the cerumen samples. The 27 selected as potential VOMs biomarkers for cancer provided 100% discrimination between the cancer and control groups. This new test can thus be routinely employed for cancer diagnoses that is non-invasive, fast, cheap, and highly accurate.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Marcos Gonçalves Barbosa
- Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
| | - Naiara Zedes Pereira
- Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Lurian Caetano David
- Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Camilla Gabriela de Oliveira
- Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus I - Colemar Natal e Silva, 74605-020, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Marina Ferraz Gontijo Soares
- Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus I - Colemar Natal e Silva, 74605-020, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Melissa Ameloti Gomes Avelino
- Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus I - Colemar Natal e Silva, 74605-020, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Anselmo Elcana de Oliveira
- Laboratory of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (LQTC), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Engy Shokry
- Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Nelson Roberto Antoniosi Filho
- Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil. .,Laboratory of Extraction and Separation Methods (LAMES), Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Campus II - Samambaia, 74690-900, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
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Dalle Luche G, Bengtson Nash S, Kucklick JR, Mingramm FMJ, Boggs ASP. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry for the quantification of steroid hormone profiles in blubber from stranded humpback whales ( Megaptera novaeangliae). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2019; 7:coz030. [PMID: 32742659 PMCID: PMC6664595 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coz030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2018] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Marine mammal blubber is known to have quantifiable concentrations of steroid hormones and is increasingly chosen as a matrix for the detection of these reproductive and stress biomarkers. Steroid hormones act through complex cascades, often in concert, yet studies conducted on cetaceans have rarely measured more than two steroids simultaneously. Due to the role of steroid hormones in multiple physiological processes, and variability in concentration among individuals, data on single compounds are often difficult to interpret. Here a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous analyses of multiple steroid hormones in cetacean blubber was validated and applied to samples from 10 stranded humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae). Progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, testosterone, androstenedione, oestrone, oestradiol, cortisone, cortisol, corticosterone and 11-deoxycorticosterone were reliably (relative standard deviation on six replicates <15%) and accurately (recovery of an amended sample between 70% and 120%) quantified, but not 11-deoxycortisol. With the exception of progesterone, testosterone, oestradiol and cortisol, these compounds were quantified for the first time in humpback whales. Given that blubber is frequently collected from free-swimming cetaceans in ongoing research programs, the technique developed here could substantially strengthen understanding and monitoring of the physiological condition of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Dalle Luche
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - Susan Bengtson Nash
- Southern Ocean Persistent Organic Pollutants Program, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD, Australia
| | - John R Kucklick
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Institute of Standard and Technology, Charleston, SC , USA
| | | | - Ashley S P Boggs
- Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Institute of Standard and Technology, Charleston, SC , USA
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