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Jiang R, Zhang X, Xia M, Zhao S, Wang Y, Pu T, Zhang C, Wu Z, Xu H, Fan K. Effects of Age and Season on Blood Parameters of Captive Giant Pandas: A Pilot Study. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3023. [PMID: 37835628 PMCID: PMC10571872 DOI: 10.3390/ani13193023] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The giant panda, Ailuropoda melanoleuca, serves as a flagship species for biodiversity conservation, embodying the intersection of ecological, evolutionary, and anthropogenic forces shaping the natural world. Hematological parameters serve as crucial indicators for assessing the physiological status of animals. However, our understanding of blood parameters and hemorheology in captive giant pandas under non-anesthetic conditions is limited. In this study, from September 2018 to August 2020, we collected blood samples from captive giant pandas under non-anesthetic conditions. Twelve captive giant pandas, ranging in age from 2 to 28 years, were divided into three groups based on their age, and the variations in basic blood parameters and hemorheological parameters across four seasons were analyzed. This provided baseline data for future blood sample comparisons in non-anesthetized captive giant pandas. Additionally, we observed seasonal changes in hematological morphology, hemorheology, and serum enzymes. Moreover, seasonality had a regulatory effect on hemorheological parameters and negatively impacted blood viscosity. Age influenced changes in serum enzymes, serum protein content, and serum metabolites, indicating differences in overall metabolic processes among giant pandas of different age groups. Whether factors such as season and climate contribute to environmental stress in captive giant pandas requires further investigation. The findings of this study may help to protect the stability of the giant panda population better and provide a reference for the medical care of captive giant pandas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruijie Jiang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 2 Yuanmingyuan W Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100091, China; (R.J.); (X.Z.)
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Xinyi Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 2 Yuanmingyuan W Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100091, China; (R.J.); (X.Z.)
| | - Maohua Xia
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Sufen Zhao
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Yunsheng Wang
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Tianchun Pu
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Chenglin Zhang
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Zhong Wu
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Haihong Xu
- Beijing Zoo, 137 Xizhimenwai Street, Xicheng District, Beijing 100044, China; (M.X.); (S.Z.); (Y.W.); (T.P.); (C.Z.); (Z.W.); (H.X.)
| | - Kai Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, 2 Yuanmingyuan W Rd, Haidian District, Beijing 100091, China; (R.J.); (X.Z.)
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Liu F, Li R, Zhong Y, Liu X, Deng W, Huang X, Price M, Li J. Age-related alterations in metabolome and microbiome provide insights in dietary transition in giant pandas. mSystems 2023; 8:e0025223. [PMID: 37273228 PMCID: PMC10308887 DOI: 10.1128/msystems.00252-23] [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: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023] Open
Abstract
We conducted UPLC-MS-based metabolomics, 16S rRNA, and metagenome sequencing on the fecal samples of 44 captive giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) from four age groups (i.e., Cub, Young, Adult, and Old) to comprehensively understand age-related changes in the metabolism and gut microbiota of giant pandas. We characterized the metabolite profiles of giant pandas based on 1,376 identified metabolites, with 152 significantly differential metabolites (SDMs) found across the age groups. We found that the metabolites and the composition/function of the gut microbiota changed in response to the transition from a milk-dominant diet in panda cubs to a bamboo-specific diet in young and adult pandas. Lipid metabolites such as choline and hippuric acid were enriched in the Cub group, and many plant secondary metabolites were significantly higher in the Young and Adult groups, while oxidative stress and inflammatory related metabolites were only found in the Old group. However, there was a decrease in the α-diversity of gut microbiota in adult and old pandas, who exclusively consume bamboo. The abundance of bacteria related to the digestion of cellulose-rich food, such as Firmicutes, Streptococcus, and Clostridium, significantly increased from the Cub to the Adult group, while the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Faecalibacterium, Sarcina, and Blautia significantly decreased. Notably, several potential pathogenic bacteria had relatively high abundances, especially in the Young group. Metagenomic analysis identified 277 CAZyme genes including cellulose degrading genes, and seven of the CAZymes had abundances that significantly differed between age groups. We also identified 237 antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) whose number and diversity increased with age. We also found a significant positive correlation between the abundance of bile acids and gut bacteria, especially Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Our results from metabolome, 16S rRNA, and metagenome data highlight the important role of the gut microbiota-bile acid axis in the regulation of age-related metabolism and provide new insights into the lipid metabolism of giant pandas. IMPORTANCE The giant panda is a member of the order Carnivora but is entirely herbivorous. The giant panda's specialized diet and related metabolic mechanisms have not been fully understood. It is therefore crucial to investigate the dynamic changes in metabolites as giant pandas grow and physiologically adapt to their herbivorous diet. This study conducted UPLC-MS-based metabolomics 16S rRNA, and metagenome sequencing on the fecal samples of captive giant pandas from four age groups. We found that metabolites and the composition/function of gut microbiota changed in response to the transition from a milk-dominant diet in cubs to a bamboo-specific diet in young and adult pandas. The metabolome, 16S rRNA, and metagenome results highlight that the gut microbiota-bile acid axis has an important role in the regulation of age-related metabolism, and our study provides new insights into the lipid metabolism of giant pandas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fangyuan Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Rengui Li
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology for Rare Animals of the Giant Panda State Park, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
| | - Yi Zhong
- China Wildlife Conservation Association, Beijing, China
| | - Xu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Wenwen Deng
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology for Rare Animals of the Giant Panda State Park, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoyu Huang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
- Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology for Rare Animals of the Giant Panda State Park, Dujiangyan, Sichuan, China
| | - Megan Price
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jing Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-resources and Eco-environment (Ministry of Education), College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
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Liu S, Li C, Yan W, Jin S, Wang K, Wang C, Gong H, Wu H, Fu X, Deng L, Lei C, He M, Wang H, Cheng Y, Wang Q, Lin S, Huang Y, Li D, Yang X. Using Blood Transcriptome Analysis to Determine the Changes in Immunity and Metabolism of Giant Pandas with Age. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9120667. [PMID: 36548828 PMCID: PMC9784451 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9120667] [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] [Received: 09/12/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
A low reproductive rate coupled with human activities has endangered the giant panda, a species endemic to southwest China. Although giant pandas feed almost exclusively on bamboo, they retain carnivorous traits and suffer from carnivorous diseases. Additionally, their immune system is susceptible to aging, resulting in a reduced ability to respond to diseases. This study aimed to determine the genes and pathways expressed differentially with age in blood tissues. The differentially expressed genes in different age groups of giant pandas were identified by RNA-seq. The elderly giant pandas had many differentially expressed genes compared with the young group (3 years old), including 548 upregulated genes and 401 downregulated genes. Further, functional enrichment revealed that innate immune upregulation and adaptive immune downregulation were observed in the elderly giant pandas compared with the young giant pandas. Meanwhile, the immune genes in the elderly giant pandas changed considerably, including genes involved in innate immunity and adaptive immunity such as PLSCR1, CLEC7A, CCL5, CCR9, and EPAS1. Time series analysis found that giant pandas store glycogen by prioritizing fat metabolism at age 11, verifying changes in the immune system. The results reported in this study will provide a foundation for further research on disease prevention and the energy metabolism of giant pandas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Song Liu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Caiwu Li
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Wenjun Yan
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Senlong Jin
- Sichuan Wolong National Nature Reserve Administration, Wenchuan 623006, China
| | - Kailu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Chengdong Wang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Huiling Gong
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Honglin Wu
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Xue Fu
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Linhua Deng
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Changwei Lei
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Ming He
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Hongning Wang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
| | - Yanxi Cheng
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Qian Wang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Shanshan Lin
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Yan Huang
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
| | - Desheng Li
- China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda, Key Laboratory of State Forestry and Grassland Administration on Conservation Biology of Rare Animals in the Giant Panda National Park, Chengdu 610083, China
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xin Yang
- Key Laboratory of Bio-Resource and Eco-Environment of Ministry of Education, Animal Disease Prevention and Food Safety Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610017, China
- Correspondence: (D.L.); (X.Y.)
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Yin D, Lin D, Guo H, Gu H, Ying C, Zhang Y, Zhang J, Liu K, Tang W. Integrated analysis of blood mRNAs and microRNAs reveals immune changes with age in the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis). Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 256:110635. [PMID: 34119650 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2021.110635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Accepted: 06/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Populations of Yangtze finless porpoises (YFPs) have rapidly declined in recent decades, raising the specter of extinction. In order to protect YFPs, a greater understanding of their biology is needed, including studying how their immune functioning changes with age. Here, we systematically studied the hematologic and biochemical parameters, as well as mRNAs and miRNAs profiles of old, adult, and young YFPs. The lymphocyte (LYMPH), neutrophils (NEUT) and eosinophils (EOS) counts in old YFPs were lower than those in young or adult YFPs. When comparing old to adult YFPs, the latter showed higher expression of genes associated with the innate and adaptive immune systems, including complement components, major histocompatibility complex, interleukins, TNF receptors, and chemokines/cytokines. When comparing old to young YFPs, the most striking difference was in higher toll-like receptor signaling in the latter. When comparing adult to young YFPs, the former exhibited higher expression of genes related to adaptive immunity and the FoxO signaling pathway, but lower expression of genes associated with the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Negative miRNA-mRNA interactions were predicted in comparisons of the old and adult (326), old and young (316), adult and young (211) groups. Overall, these results delineate a progression from early innate immune function dominance to adaptive immune function enhancement (young to adult) and deterioration (adult to old), and the changes in miRNAs profile correlate with the effects of age on immune functions. This study is the first to observe the changes of immune function of Yangtze finless porpoise with age using transcriptome method, and the study's findings are of great significance for protecting this endangered species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Denghua Yin
- Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China; Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, CAFS, WuXi 214081, China
| | - Danqing Lin
- Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, CAFS, WuXi 214081, China
| | - Hongyi Guo
- Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Hailong Gu
- Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Congping Ying
- Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, CAFS, WuXi 214081, China
| | - Ya Zhang
- Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Jialu Zhang
- Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, CAFS, WuXi 214081, China
| | - Kai Liu
- Scientific Observing and Experimental Station of Fishery Resources and Environment in the Lower Reaches of the Changjiang River, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Freshwater Fisheries Research Center, CAFS, WuXi 214081, China.
| | - Wenqiao Tang
- Shanghai Universities Key Laboratory of Marine Animal Taxonomy and Evolution, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China.
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