THE ACUTE-PHASE AND HEMOSTATIC RESPONSE IN DROMEDARY CAMELS ( CAMELUS DROMEDARIUS)

Impact of travel by walk and road on testicular hormones, oxidants, traces minerals, and acute phase response biomarkers of dromedary camels

This study aimed to compare the effect of truck transport and walk travel on testicular hormones, oxidants, antioxidants and acute-phase responses of camels’ walked from Sudan to the Egyptian quarantine and were transported from the quarantine to the slaughterhouses by trucks. Blood samples were collected from walked camels (N ≤ 30) just arrived at the quarantine (Walk), unloaded (N ≤ 12) from the truck (Truck), and control camels (N ≤ 20). Animals were statistically categorized into Walk travel, Truck transport, and Control, then Total travel (Walk + truck transport) was compared to control. Haptoglobin, fibrinogen, superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), nitric oxide (NO), ascorbic acid, glucose, cholesterol, testosterone, estradiol, iron, copper, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total proteins, albumin, and creatinine were measured. Results showed that the travel by walk and truck increased haptoglobin (P ≤ 0.0001), fibrinogen (P < 0.05), ALT (P < 0.05), and creatinine (P ≤ 0.0001) but decreased NO (P ≤ 0.0001), albumin (P < 0.05), Ascorbic acid (P < 0.05), testosterone (P ≤ 0.0001), ALP (P < 0.0001), and glucose (P ≤ 0.0001). The declined NO (P ≤ 0.0001), Ascorbic acid (P ≤ 0.0001), iron (P ≤ 0.005), copper (P ≤ 0.023), cholesterol (P > 0.05), total proteins (P ≤ 0.0001), albumin (P ≤ 0.018), globulins (P ≤ 0.001), with increased haptoglobin (P ≤ 0.0001), AST (P ≤ 0.0001), ALP (P ≤ 0.0001), and testosterone (P ≤ 0.0001) was evident in camels transported by truck compared to walk transport. In conclusion, transport enhanced the acute phase proteins, retarded kidney function, antioxidant status, and energy but truck produced a significant acute-phase response and adversely affected the oxidant-antioxidant balance, destructed proteins kidney, and liver functions than the long travel by walk.

Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and hemoglobin-binding protein in free-living box turtles (Terrapene spp.)

The acute phase response is a highly conserved reaction to infection, inflammation, trauma, stress, and neoplasia. Acute phase assays are useful for wildlife health assessment, however, they are infrequently utilized in reptiles. This study evaluated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) in eastern (Terrapene carolina carolina) and ornate box turtles (Terrapene ornata ornata) and hemoglobin-binding protein (HBP) in T. ornata. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate in 90 T. carolina and 105 T. ornata was negatively associated with packed cell volume and was greater in unhealthy turtles (p < 0.05). Female T. ornata had higher ESR values than males (p < 0.05). Measurement of ESR with a microhematocrit tube proportionally overestimated values from a commercial kit (Winpette), though both methods may retain utility with separate reference intervals. Hemoglobin-binding protein concentration in 184 T. ornata was significantly increased in adults and unhealthy turtles (p < 0.05). Erythrocyte sedimentation rate values were similar between seasons and populations, and HBP values were consistent between years, indicating that these analytes may have more stable baseline values than traditional health metrics in reptiles. This study demonstrates that ESR and HBP are promising diagnostics for health assessment in wild box turtles. Incorporating these tests into wild herptile health assessment protocols may support conservation efforts and improve ecosystem health monitoring.

Assessment of the Acute Phase Response in Healthy and Injured Southern White Rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum simum)

Acute phase reactants (APRs) have not been investigated in white rhinoceros (Ceratotherium simum). This study aimed to identify clinically useful APRs in this species. Reference intervals (RIs) were generated for albumin, fibrinogen, haptoglobin, iron and serum amyloid A (SAA) from 48 free-ranging animals, except for SAA (n = 23). APR concentrations between healthy animals and those with tissue injury (inflammation) (n = 30) were compared. Diagnostic performance was evaluated using receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analyses. RIs were: albumin 18–31 g/L, fibrinogen 1.7–2.9 g/L, haptoglobin 1.0–4.3 g/L, iron 9.7–35.0 μmol/L, SAA <20 mg/L. Iron and albumin were lower and fibrinogen, haptoglobin and SAA higher in injured vs. healthy animals. Iron showed the best diagnostic accuracy followed by fibrinogen, albumin, haptoglobin and SAA. Iron ≤ 15.1 μmol/L and haptoglobin >4.7 g/L were significant predictors of inflammatory status and together correctly predicted the clinical status of 91% of cases. SAA > 20 mg/L had a specificity of 100%. In conclusion, albumin and iron are negative and fibrinogen, haptoglobin and SAA positive APRs in the white rhinoceros. The combination of iron and haptoglobin had an excellent diagnostic accuracy for detecting inflammation.

Deiminated proteins in extracellular vesicles and serum of llama (Lama glama)-Novel insights into camelid immunity

Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) are phylogenetically conserved calcium-dependent enzymes which post-translationally convert arginine into citrulline in target proteins in an irreversible manner, causing functional and structural changes in target proteins. Protein deimination causes generation of neo-epitopes, affects gene regulation and also allows for protein moonlighting. Furthermore, PADs have been found to be a phylogenetically conserved regulator for extracellular vesicle (EVs) release. EVs are found in most body fluids and participate in cellular communication via transfer of cargo proteins and genetic material. In this study, post-translationally deiminated proteins in serum and serum-EVs are described for the first time in camelids, using the llama (Lama glama L. 1758) as a model animal. We report a poly-dispersed population of llama serum EVs, positive for phylogenetically conserved EV-specific markers and characterised by TEM. In serum, 103 deiminated proteins were overall identified, including key immune and metabolic mediators including complement components, immunoglobulin-based nanobodies, adiponectin and heat shock proteins. In serum, 60 deiminated proteins were identified that were not in EVs, and 25 deiminated proteins were found to be unique to EVs, with 43 shared deiminated protein hits between both serum and EVs. Deiminated histone H3, a marker of neutrophil extracellular trap formation, was also detected in llama serum. PAD homologues were identified in llama serum by Western blotting, via cross reaction with human PAD antibodies, and detected at an expected 70 kDa size. This is the first report of deiminated proteins in serum and EVs of a camelid species, highlighting a hitherto unrecognized post-translational modification in key immune and metabolic proteins in camelids, which may be translatable to and inform a range of human metabolic and inflammatory pathologies.

'Candidatus Bartonella dromedarii' in the dromedary camels of Iran: Molecular investigation, phylogenetic analysis, hematological findings, and acute-phase proteins quantitation

The genus Bartonella is comprised of Gram-negative coccobacilli, aerobic, and facultative intracellular bacteria which are transmitted by hematophagous vectors (e.g., fleas, lice, sandflies, and ticks). Each species of Bartonella infects one or few related mammals as reservoir host(s). If a Bartonella spp. infects a nonspecific host like humans, it can lead to a more acute disease. Bartonella spp. has been detected more recently for the first time in camels in Israel by Rasis and colleagues. However, the epidemiological and public health importance of this new pathogen in camels is not clear. In this study, we aimed to detect the Bartonella spp. in the blood samples of Iranian camels, measure their prevalence, and determine their species. Also, the relationship between Bartonella spp. infection and different hematological factors and acute-phase proteins (Hp, a1AGP, SAA) was investigated. Finally, the sequences of three DNA regions, i.e.16S rDNA, rpoB, and ITS, were determined and phylogenetically analyzed. From the 106 examined blood samples of camels from Fars province (southern area of Iran), 18 samples were positive (17%). The findings also showed that Bartonella spp. positive camels had significantly lower Hb, MCH, and MCHC but higher RDW, SAA, and WBC (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. Our Bartonella strain was genetically similar to the 'Candidatus Bartonella dromedarii' but different from Bartonella bovis. Thus, more studies are required to investigate the phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of 'Candidatus Bartonella dromedarii'. Also, there is a need to evaluate precisely the risk factors, transmission routes, and zoonotic potential of this species.