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Roth TL, Rebolloso SL, Donelan EM, Rispoli LA, Buchweitz JP. Rhinoceros horn mineral and metal concentrations vary by sample location, depth, and color. Sci Rep 2024; 14:13808. [PMID: 38877154 PMCID: PMC11178811 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64472-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Poaching is again driving rhinos to the brink of extinction due to the demand for rhino horn products consumed for cultural, medicinal, and social purposes. Paradoxically, the same horn for which rhinos are killed may contain valuable clues about the species' health. Analyses of horn composition could reveal such useful bioindicators while elucidating what people actually ingest when they consume horn derivatives. Our goals were to quantify minerals (including metals) in rhino horn and investigate sampling factors potentially impacting results. Horns (n = 22) obtained during necropsies of white (n = 3) and black (n = 13) zoo rhinos were sampled in several locations yielding 182 specimens for analysis. Initial data exposed environmental (soil) contamination in the horn's exterior layer, but also confirmed that deep (≥ 1 cm), contaminant-free samples contained measurable concentrations of numerous minerals (n = 18). Of the factors examined in deep samples, color-associated mineral differences were the most profound with dark samples higher in zinc, copper, lead, and barium (p < 0.05). Our data demonstrate that rhino horns contain both essential and potentially toxic minerals that could be relevant to rhino health status, but low concentrations make their human health benefits or risks unlikely following consumption.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terri L Roth
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA.
| | - Sarah L Rebolloso
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 4125 Beaumont Rd, Lansing, MI, 489100, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Donelan
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - Louisa A Rispoli
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH, 45220, USA
| | - John P Buchweitz
- Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Michigan State University, 4125 Beaumont Rd, Lansing, MI, 489100, USA
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van der Meijs RM, van Leeuwen W, Prins C, Wittink F, Pirovano W, Duijsings D, van den Bogert B, Bruins-van Sonsbeek LGR. GUT MICROBIOME DIVERSITY OF THREE RHINOCEROS SPECIES IN EUROPEAN ZOOS. J Zoo Wildl Med 2024; 55:301-312. [PMID: 38875187 DOI: 10.1638/2023-0046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 06/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The wild rhinoceros populations have declined drastically in the past decades because the rhinoceros are heavily hunted for their horns. Zoological institutions aim to conserve rhinoceros populations in captivity, but one of the challenges of ex situ conservation is to provide food sources that resemble those available in the wild. Considering that the mammalian gut microbiota is a pivotal player in their host's health, the gut microbiota of rhinoceros may also play a role in the bioavailability of nutrients. Therefore, this study aims to characterize the fecal microbiome composition of grazing white rhinoceros (WR; Ceratotherium simum) and greater one-horned rhinoceros (GOHR; Rhinoceros unicornis) as well as the browsing black rhinoceros (BR; Diceros bicornis) kept in European zoos. Over the course of 1 yr, 166 fecal samples in total were collected from 9 BR (n = 39), 10 GOHR (n = 56), and 14 WR (n = 71) from 23 zoological institutions. The bacterial composition in the samples was determined using 16S rRNA gene Illumina sequencing. The fecal microbiomes of rhinoceros clustered by species, with BR clustering more distantly from GOHR and WR. Furthermore, the data report clustering of rhinoceros microbiota according to individual rhinoceros and institutional origin, showing that zoological institutions play a significant role in shaping the gut microbiome of rhinoceros species. In addition, BR exhibit a relatively higher microbial diversity than GOHR and WR. BR seem more susceptible to microbial gut changes and appear to have a more diverse microbiome composition among individuals than GOHR and WR. These data expand on the role of gut microbes and can provide baseline data for continued efforts in rhinoceros conservation and health status.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Willem van Leeuwen
- University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Zernikedreef, 2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Casper Prins
- BaseClear B.V., Sylviusweg, 2333 BE Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Floyd Wittink
- University of Applied Sciences Leiden, Zernikedreef, 2333 CK Leiden, The Netherlands
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Corder ML, Petricoin EF, Li Y, Cleland TP, DeCandia AL, Alonso Aguirre A, Pukazhenthi BS. Metabolomic profiling implicates mitochondrial and immune dysfunction in disease syndromes of the critically endangered black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis). Sci Rep 2023; 13:15464. [PMID: 37726331 PMCID: PMC10509206 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-41508-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The critically endangered black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis; black rhino) experiences extinction threats from poaching in-situ. The ex-situ population, which serves as a genetic reservoir against impending extinction threats, experiences its own threats to survival related to several disease syndromes not typically observed among their wild counterparts. We performed an untargeted metabolomic analysis of serum from 30 ex-situ housed black rhinos (Eastern black rhino, EBR, n = 14 animals; Southern black rhino, SBR, n = 16 animals) and analyzed differences in metabolite profiles between subspecies, sex, and health status (healthy n = 13 vs. diseased n = 14). Of the 636 metabolites detected, several were differentially (fold change > 1.5; p < 0.05) expressed between EBR vs. SBR (40 metabolites), female vs. male (36 metabolites), and healthy vs. diseased (22 metabolites). Results suggest dysregulation of propanoate, amino acid metabolism, and bile acid biosynthesis in the subspecies and sex comparisons. Assessment of healthy versus diseased rhinos indicates involvement of arachidonic acid metabolism, bile acid biosynthesis, and the pentose phosphate pathway in animals exhibiting inflammatory disease syndromes. This study represents the first systematic characterization of the circulating serum metabolome in the black rhinoceros. Findings further implicate mitochondrial and immune dysfunction as key contributors for the diverse disease syndromes reported in ex-situ managed black rhinos.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molly L Corder
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, Front Royal, 22630, USA
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, 20900, USA
- Department of Environmental Sciences and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, 22030, USA
| | - Emanuel F Petricoin
- Center for Applied Proteomics and Molecular Medicine, George Mason University, Manassas, 20900, USA
| | - Yue Li
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 20742, USA
| | | | - Alexandra L DeCandia
- Department of Biology, Georgetown University, Washington, DC, 20057, USA
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Conservation Genomics, Washington, DC, 20008, USA
| | - A Alonso Aguirre
- Department of Fish, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, 80523, USA
| | - Budhan S Pukazhenthi
- Smithsonian's National Zoo and Conservation Biology Institute, Center for Species Survival, Front Royal, 22630, USA.
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Zeinivand M, Sharifi M, Hassanshahi G, Nedaei SE. Deferoxamine has the Potential to Improve the COVID-19-Related Inflammatory Response in Diabetic Patients. Int J Pept Res Ther 2023; 29:63. [PMID: 37273802 PMCID: PMC10227407 DOI: 10.1007/s10989-023-10516-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The clinical state of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been considered a pandemic disease (COVID-19) that is rapidly spreading worldwide. Despite all global efforts, the only treatment for COVID-19 is supportive care and there has been no efficient treatment to fight this plague. It is confirmed that patients with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disorder and diabetes; are more vulnerable to COVID-19. In the severe type of COVID-19, laboratory findings showed a remarkably enhanced C-reactive protein, IL-6 serum, Iron, and ferritin, which suggest an inflammatory response. Inflammation results in iron homeostasis imbalance and causes iron overload, exacerbating the SARSCOV2 infection. More importantly, recent studies have established that SARS-CoV-2 needs iron for viral replication and also activation. As a result, managing iron overload in diabetic patients with COVID-19 could be an early therapeutic approach to limit the lethal inflammatory response of COVID-19. In this review, Deferoxamine (DFO) has been proposed as an effective iron chelator agent. Graphical Abstract
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Affiliation(s)
- Motahareh Zeinivand
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
- Student Research Committee, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Masoomeh Sharifi
- Physiology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Gholamhossein Hassanshahi
- Molecular Medicine Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, Iran
| | - Seyed Ershad Nedaei
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
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Steyrer C, Miller M, Hewlett J, Buss P, Hooijberg EH. Markers of inflammation in free-living African elephants (Loxodonta africana): Reference intervals and diagnostic performance of acute phase reactants. Vet Clin Pathol 2023; 52 Suppl 1:75-86. [PMID: 36303463 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.13197] [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: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in free-living African elephants (Loxodonta africana), and there is little information about negative APRs albumin and serum iron in elephants. OBJECTIVES We aimed to generate reference intervals (RIs) for APRs for free-living African elephants, and to determine the diagnostic performance of APRs in apparently healthy elephants and elephants with inflammatory lesions. METHODS Stored serum samples from 49 apparently healthy and 16 injured free-living elephants were used. The following APRs and methods were included: albumin, bromocresol green; haptoglobin, colorimetric assay; serum amyloid A (SAA), multispecies immunoturbidometric assay, and serum iron with ferrozine method. Reference intervals were generated using the nonparametric method. Indices of diagnostic accuracy were determined by receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS Reference intervals were: albumin 41-55 g/L, haptoglobin 0.16-3.51 g/L, SAA < 10 mg/L, and serum iron 8.60-16.99 μmol/L. Serum iron and albumin concentrations were lower and haptoglobin and SAA concentrations were higher in the injured group. Serum iron had the best ability to predict health or inflammation, followed by haptoglobin, SAA, and albumin, with the area under the ROC curve ranging from 0.88-0.93. CONCLUSIONS SAA concentrations were lower in healthy African vs Asian elephants, and species-specific RIs should be used. Serum iron was determined to be a diagnostically useful negative APR which should be added to APR panels for elephants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christine Steyrer
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies and Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Michele Miller
- Department of Science and Innovation-National Research Foundation Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jennie Hewlett
- Department of Production Animal Studies and Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Peter Buss
- Department of Production Animal Studies and Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.,Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, South Africa
| | - Emma H Hooijberg
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies and Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
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Hooijberg EH, Cray C. Acute phase reactants in nondomesticated mammals-A veterinary clinical pathology perspective. Vet Clin Pathol 2023; 52 Suppl 1:19-36. [PMID: 36289012 DOI: 10.1111/vcp.13189] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Applications for acute phase reactants (APRs) in nondomesticated mammals include identifying inflammatory disease, monitoring the course of specific disease processes and recovery during rehabilitation, detecting preclinical or subclinical disease, being used as bioindicators for monitoring population and ecosystem health, and as markers of stress and animal welfare. Serum amyloid A, haptoglobin, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, albumin, and iron are most commonly measured. The procedure for evaluating an APR in a nondomesticated mammalian species should follow a stepwise approach beginning with an assessment of analytical performance, followed by an evaluation of overlap performance, clinical performance, and impact on patient outcomes and management. The lack of species-specific standards and antibodies for nondomesticated mammals presents a challenge, and more attention needs to be focused on assessing cross-reactivity and ensuring adequate analytical performance of APR assays. Sample selection for the initial evaluation of APRs should consider preanalytical influences and should originate from animals with confirmed inflammatory disease and healthy animals. Reference intervals should be generated according to published guidelines. Further evaluation should focus on assessing the diagnostic utility of APRs in specific disease scenarios relevant to a species. Greater attention should be paid to assay performance and uniformity of methods when using APRs for population and ecosystem surveillance. Veterinary clinical pathologists should work closely with zoo veterinarians and wildlife researchers to optimize the accuracy and utility of APR measurements in these various conservation medicine scenarios.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma H Hooijberg
- Department of Companion Animal Clinical Studies and Centre for Veterinary Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Carolyn Cray
- Division of Comparative Pathology, Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA
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Malesza IJ, Bartkowiak-Wieczorek J, Winkler-Galicki J, Nowicka A, Dzięciołowska D, Błaszczyk M, Gajniak P, Słowińska K, Niepolski L, Walkowiak J, Mądry E. The Dark Side of Iron: The Relationship between Iron, Inflammation and Gut Microbiota in Selected Diseases Associated with Iron Deficiency Anaemia—A Narrative Review. Nutrients 2022; 14:nu14173478. [PMID: 36079734 PMCID: PMC9458173 DOI: 10.3390/nu14173478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron is an indispensable nutrient for life. A lack of it leads to iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), which currently affects about 1.2 billion people worldwide. The primary means of IDA treatment is oral or parenteral iron supplementation. This can be burdened with numerous side effects such as oxidative stress, systemic and local-intestinal inflammation, dysbiosis, carcinogenic processes and gastrointestinal adverse events. Therefore, this review aimed to provide insight into the physiological mechanisms of iron management and investigate the state of knowledge of the relationship between iron supplementation, inflammatory status and changes in gut microbiota milieu in diseases typically complicated with IDA and considered as having an inflammatory background such as in inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer or obesity. Understanding the precise mechanisms critical to iron metabolism and the awareness of serious adverse effects associated with iron supplementation may lead to the provision of better IDA treatment. Well-planned research, specific to each patient category and disease, is needed to find measures and methods to optimise iron treatment and reduce adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida J. Malesza
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Jakub Winkler-Galicki
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Nowicka
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | | | - Marta Błaszczyk
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Paulina Gajniak
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Karolina Słowińska
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Leszek Niepolski
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Jarosław Walkowiak
- Department of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Metabolic Diseases, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
| | - Edyta Mądry
- Department of Physiology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 61-701 Poznan, Poland
- Correspondence:
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ASSESSMENT OF CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS AND SERUM AMYLOID A QUANTITATION IN CLINICALLY NORMAL AND ABNORMAL SOUTHERN WHITE RHINOCEROS ( CERATOTHERIUM SIMUM SIMUM) AND SOUTHERN BLACK RHINOCEROS ( DICEROS BICORNIS MINOR). J Zoo Wildl Med 2022; 53:319-330. [PMID: 35758573 DOI: 10.1638/2021-0072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) and an immunoassay for serum amyloid A (SAA) were used to examine serum samples from clinically normal and abnormal southern white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum) and southern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis minor) under managed care. CZE resolved seven fractions as well as subfractions for α1 globulins. Reference intervals were calculated for white rhinoceros (n = 33) and found to have some differences over previously reported intervals generated using agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) methods in sera from free-ranging animals. In addition, the coefficient of variation related to fraction quantitation was found to be overlapping or superior to that reported for AGE. No significant differences were observed in CZE measurands and total protein between clinically normal and abnormal rhinoceros. In contrast to CZE, significant differences in SAA levels (P < 0.001) were observed in samples from the white rhinoceros between clinically normal and abnormal animals. In addition, in limited sample sets with repeated measures, SAA provided prognostic value. Future studies should generate more robust reference intervals and delineate the application of both SAA quantitation and CZE in routine health assessments and in prognostication.
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Roth TL, Philpott M, Wojtusik J. Rhinoceros serum labile plasma iron and associated redox potential: interspecific variation, sex bias and iron overload disorder disconnect. CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2022; 10:coac025. [PMID: 37155459 PMCID: PMC9040876 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coac025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 05/10/2023]
Abstract
A consequence of the poaching crisis is that managed rhinoceros populations are increasingly important for species conservation. However, black rhinoceroses (BR; Diceros bicornis) and Sumatran rhinoceroses (SR; Dicerorhinus Sumatrensis) in human care often store excessive iron in organ tissues, a condition termed iron overload disorder (IOD). IOD research is impeded by the challenge of accurately monitoring body iron load in living rhinoceroses. The goals of this study were to (i) determine if labile plasma iron (LPI) is an accurate IOD biomarker and (ii) identify factors associated with iron-independent serum oxidative reduction potential (ORP). Serum (106 samples) from SRs (n = 8), BRs (n = 28), white rhinoceros (n = 24) and greater one-horned rhinoceros (GOH; n = 16) was analysed for LPI. Samples from all four species tested positive for LPI, and a higher proportion of GOH rhinoceros samples were LPI positive compared with those of the other three species (P < 0.05). In SRs, the only LPI-positive samples were those from individuals clinically ill with IOD, but samples from outwardly healthy individuals of the other three species were LPI positive. Serum ORP was lower in SRs compared with that in the other three species (P < 0.001), and iron chelation only reduced ORP in the GOH species (P < 0.01; ~5%). Serum ORP sex bias was revealed in three species with males exhibiting higher ORP than females (P < 0.001), the exception being the SR in which ORP was low for both sexes. ORP was not associated with age or serum iron concentrations (P ≥ 0.05), but was positively correlated with ferritin (P < 0.01). The disconnect between LPI and IOD was unanticipated, and LPI cannot be recommended as a biomarker of advanced rhino IOD. However, data provide valuable insight into the complex puzzle of rhinoceros IOD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terri L Roth
- Corresponding author: Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220, USA. Tel: 513-569-8220.
| | - Megan Philpott
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220 USA
| | - Jessye Wojtusik
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, 3400 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45220 USA
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Wojtusik J, Curry E, Roth TL. Rhinoceros Serum microRNAs: Identification, Characterization, and Evaluation of Potential Iron Overload Biomarkers. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:711576. [PMID: 34977204 PMCID: PMC8716540 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.711576] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Iron overload disorder (IOD) in critically endangered Sumatran (Dicerorhinus sumatrensis) and black (Diceros bicornis) rhinoceros is an over-accumulation of iron in organs which may exacerbate other diseases and indicate metabolic disturbances. IOD in rhinos is not well understood and diagnostics and therapeutics are limited in effectiveness. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNAs capable of altering protein synthesis. miRNA expression responds to physiological states and could serve as the basis for development of diagnostics and therapeutics. This study aimed to identify miRNAs differentially expressed among healthy rhinos and those afflicted with IOD or other diseases ("unhealthy"), and assess expression of select miRNAs to evaluate their potential as biomarkers of IOD. miRNAs in serum of black (n = 11 samples; five individuals) and Sumatran (n = 7 samples; four individuals) rhinos, representing individuals categorized as healthy (n = 9), unhealthy (n = 5), and afflicted by IOD (n = 3) were sequenced. In total, 715 miRNAs were identified, of which 160 were novel, 131 were specific to black rhinos, and 108 were specific to Sumatran rhinos. Additionally, 95 miRNAs were specific to healthy individuals, 31 specific to unhealthy, and 63 were specific to IOD individuals. Among healthy, unhealthy, and IOD states, 21 miRNAs were differentially expressed (P ≤ 0.01). Five known miRNAs (let-7g, miR-16b, miR-30e, miR-143, and miR-146a) were selected for further assessment via RT-qPCR in serum from black (n = 61 samples; seven individuals) and Sumatran (n = 38 samples; five individuals) rhinos. let-7g, miR-30e, and miR-143 all showed significant increased expression (P ≤ 0.05) during IOD (between 1 and 2 years prior to death) and late IOD (within 1 year of death) compared to healthy and unhealthy individuals. miR-16b expression increased (P ≤ 0.05) in late IOD, but was not different among IOD, healthy, and unhealthy states (P > 0.05). Expression of miR-146a increased in IOD and late IOD as compared to unhealthy samples (P ≤ 0.05) but was not different from the healthy state (P > 0.05). Selected serum miRNAs of black and Sumatran rhinos, in particular let-7g, miR-30e, and miR-143, could therefore provide a tool for advancing rhino IOD diagnostics that should be further investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessye Wojtusik
- Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW), Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden, Cincinnati, OH, United States
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Sullivan KE, Mylniczenko ND, Nelson SE, Coffin B, Lavin SR. Practical Management of Iron Overload Disorder (IOD) in Black Rhinoceros (BR; Diceros bicornis). Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10111991. [PMID: 33138144 PMCID: PMC7692874 DOI: 10.3390/ani10111991] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Black rhinoceros under human care are predisposed to Iron Overload Disorder that is unlike the hereditary condition seen in humans. We aim to address the black rhino caretaker community at multiple perspectives (keeper, curator, veterinarian, nutritionist, veterinary technician, and researcher) to describe approaches to Iron Overload Disorder in black rhinos and share learnings. This report includes sections on (1) background on how iron functions in comparative species and how Iron Overload Disorder appears to work in black rhinos, (2) practical recommendations for known diagnostics, (3) a brief review of current investigations on inflammatory and other potential biomarkers, (4) nutrition knowledge and advice as prevention, and (5) an overview of treatment options including information on chelation and details on performing large volume voluntary phlebotomy. The aim is to use evidence to support the successful management of this disorder to ensure optimal animal health, welfare, and longevity for a sustainable black rhinoceros population. Abstract Critically endangered black rhinoceros (BR) under human care are predisposed to non-hemochromatosis Iron Overload Disorder (IOD). Over the last 30 years, BR have been documented with diseases that have either been induced by or exacerbated by IOD, prompting significant efforts to investigate and address this disorder. IOD is a multi-factorial chronic disease process requiring an evidence-based and integrative long-term approach. While research continues to elucidate the complexities of iron absorption, metabolism, and dysregulation in this species, preventive treatments are recommended and explained herein. The aim of this report is to highlight the accumulated evidence in nutrition, clinical medicine, and behavioral husbandry supporting the successful management of this disorder to ensure optimal animal health, welfare, and longevity for a sustainable black rhinoceros population.
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