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Pearson AB, Hückstädt LA, Kinsey ST, Schmitt TL, Robeck TR, St Leger J, Ponganis PJ, Tift MS. Relationship between red blood cell lifespan and endogenous carbon monoxide in the common bottlenose dolphin and beluga. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2024; 326:R134-R146. [PMID: 37982188 DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00172.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/17/2023] [Accepted: 11/15/2023] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
Certain deep-diving marine mammals [i.e., northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris), Weddell seal (Leptonychotes weddellii)] have blood carbon monoxide (CO) levels that are comparable with those of chronic cigarette smokers. Most CO produced in humans is a byproduct of heme degradation, which is released when red blood cells (RBCs) are destroyed. Elevated CO can occur in humans when RBC lifespan decreases. The contribution of RBC turnover to CO concentrations in marine mammals is unknown. Here, we report the first RBC lifespans in two healthy marine mammal species with different diving capacities and heme stores, the shallow-diving bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) and deep-diving beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), and we relate the lifespans to the levels of CO in blood and breath. The belugas, with high blood heme stores, had the longest mean RBC lifespan compared with humans and bottlenose dolphins. Both cetacean species were found to have three times higher blood CO content compared with humans. The estimated CO production rate from heme degradation indicates some marine mammals may have additional mechanisms for CO production, or delay CO removal from the body, potentially from long-duration breath-holds.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This is the first study to determine the red blood cell lifespan in a marine mammal species. High concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO) were found in the blood of bottlenose dolphins and in the blood and breath of belugas compared with healthy humans. Red blood cell turnover accounted for these high levels in bottlenose dolphins, but there may be alternative mechanisms of endogenous CO production that are contributing to the CO concentrations observed in belugas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna B Pearson
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
| | - Luis A Hückstädt
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
- Centre for Ecology and Conservation, University of Exeter, Penryn, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen T Kinsey
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
| | - Todd L Schmitt
- SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Todd R Robeck
- SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, San Diego, California, United States
| | - Judy St Leger
- Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, United States
| | - Paul J Ponganis
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States
| | - Michael S Tift
- Department of Biology and Marine Biology, University of North Carolina Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina, United States
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Monteiro JP, Ferreira HB, Melo T, Flanagan C, Urbani N, Neves J, Domingues P, Domingues MR. The plasma phospholipidome of the bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus) is modulated by both sex and developmental stage. Mol Omics 2023; 19:35-47. [PMID: 36314173 DOI: 10.1039/d2mo00202g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Lipidomics represent a valid complementary tool to the biochemical analysis of plasma in humans. However, in cetaceans, these tools have been unexplored. Here, we evaluated how the plasma lipid composition of Tursiops truncatus is modulated by developmental stage and sex, aiming at a potential use of lipidomics in integrated strategies to monitor cetacean health. We characterized the fatty acid profile and detected a total of 26 fatty acids in T. truncatus plasma. The most abundant fatty acids were palmitic acid (C16:0), stearic acid (C18:0) and oleic acid (C18:1n-9). Interestingly, there are consistent differences between the fatty acid profile of mature female and mature male specimens. Phospholipidome analysis identified 320 different lipid species belonging to phosphatidylcholine (PC, 105 lipid species), lysophosphatidylcholine (42), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE, 67), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (18), phosphatidylglycerol (14), lysophosphatidylglycerol (8), phosphatidylinositol (14), lysophosphatidylinositol (2), phosphatidylserine (3), sphingomyelin (45) and ceramides (2) classes. The statistical analysis of the phospholipidome showed that its composition allows discriminating mature animals between sexes and mature males from immature males. Notably, discrimination between sexes is mainly determined by the contents of PE plasmalogens and lysophospholipids (LPC and LPE), while the differences between mature and immature male animals were mainly determined by the levels of PC lipids. This is the first time that a correlation between developmental stage and sex and the lipid composition of the plasma has been established in cetaceans. Being able to discern between age and sex-related changes is an encouraging step towards using these tools to also detect differences related to disease/dysfunction processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- João P Monteiro
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Helena B Ferreira
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Tânia Melo
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | | | | | | | - Pedro Domingues
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - M Rosário Domingues
- Mass Spectrometry Centre, LAQV-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal. .,CESAM-Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
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Solé M, Figueres E, Mañanós E, Rojo-Solís C, García-Párraga D. Characterisation of plasmatic B-esterases in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and their potential as biomarkers of xenobiotic chemical exposures. Environ Pollut 2022; 313:120149. [PMID: 36115493 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.120149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
A total of 164 blood samples from 16 clinically healthy bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus), were obtained from an aquarium in Spain between 2019 and 2020, as part of their preventive medicine protocol. In addition to conventional haematological and biochemical analyses, plasmatic B-esterase activities were characterised to determine the potential application of such analyses in wild counterparts. The hydrolysis rates for the substrates of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) and carboxylesterase (CE) activity in plasma were measured, the last using two commercial substrates, p-nitrophenyl acetate (pNPA) and p-nitrophenyl butyrate (pNPB). Activity rates (mean ± SEM in nmol/min/mL plasma) were (in descending order): AChE (125.6 ± 3.8), pNPB-CE (65.0 ± 2.2), pNPA-CE (49.7 ± 1.1) and BuChE (12.8 ± 1.3). These values for dolphins are reported in here for the first time in this species. Additionally, the in vitro sensitivity of two B-esterases (AChE and pNPB-CE) to chemicals of environmental concern was determined, and the protective role of plasmatic albumin assessed. Out of the B-esterases measured in plasma of dolphin, AChE activity was more responsive in vitro to pesticides, while CEs had a low response to plastic additives, likely due to the protective presence of albumin. However, the clear in vitro interaction of these environmental chemicals with purified AChE from electric eels and recombinant human hCEs (hCE1 and hCE2) and albumin, predicts their impact in other tissues that require in vivo validation. A relationship between esterase-like activities and health parameters in terrestrial mammals has already been established. Thus, B-esterase measures could be easily included in marine mammal health assessment protocols for dolphins as well, once the relationship between these measures and the animal's fitness has been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Solé
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de La Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - E Figueres
- Institut de Ciències del Mar, CSIC, Psg. Marítim de La Barceloneta 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - E Mañanós
- Institute of Aquaculture Torre La Sal (IATS),-CSIC, 12595, Cabanes, Castellón, Spain
| | - C Rojo-Solís
- Veterinary Services, Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera (Científic) 1B, 46013, València, Spain
| | - D García-Párraga
- Veterinary Services, Oceanogràfic, Ciudad de Las Artes y Las Ciencias, C/Eduardo Primo Yúfera (Científic) 1B, 46013, València, Spain
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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] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [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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Clegg ILK, Boys RM, Stockin KA. Increasing the Awareness of Animal Welfare Science in Marine Mammal Conservation: Addressing Language, Translation and Reception Issues. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:1596. [PMID: 34071616 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Traditional conservation strategy focuses on population-level effects. However, the rapidly evolving scientific discipline of animal welfare science, in conjunction with growing societal expectations around the value of individuals, is prompting change in conservation. Despite growing recognition of this approach in terrestrial conservation efforts, limited application of animal welfare science to marine mammals has been observed. To investigate the factors underlying this disparity, we undertook an initial “Welfare in the Wild” workshop at the 32nd European Cetacean Society conference (La Spezia, Italy) to explore expert opinion on this topic. Secondly, we analysed the English language peer-reviewed literature to assess to what extent marine mammal welfare research is reported. The results of the workshop reveal a range of views about the scientific discipline of animal welfare science, with participants’ definitions varying depending on their disciplinary expertise. Meanwhile, the extensive literature review spanning 1950 to July 2020 revealed extremely low reporting of research related to welfare in the context of marine mammals, with only 0.96% (n = 299) of all published articles on marine mammal taxa (n = 31,221) featuring the word welfare in either the title, abstract or keywords. This highlighted a need to explore differences and distil common themes. Here we suggest practical solutions to the language, translation and reception issues of this cross-disciplinary collaboration between animal welfare science and marine mammal conservation. Abstract Integrating welfare principles into conservation strategy is an emerging synthesis that encourages consideration of individual animals’ quality of life in research, policies and law. However, these principles have gained limited traction in marine compared to terrestrial animal conservation. This manuscript investigates several factors that may be contributing to this disparity. In order to gauge current understanding of animal welfare science principles by marine mammal researchers and other stakeholders, a “Welfare in the Wild” workshop was convened at the 32nd European Cetacean Society conference (La Spezia, Italy, April 2018). The workshop was attended by 30 participants who completed pre- and post-workshop surveys on animal welfare principles. The survey results highlight a range of different views about exactly what animal welfare science is and how it can be applied to marine mammals. Specifically, participants’ definitions appeared to vary depending on the type of employment or research they engaged in, indicating a need for an interdisciplinary common language. Secondly, we analysed the peer-reviewed literature in order to ascertain where marine mammal publications exploring welfare were being published. From 1950 to July 2020, a total of 299 articles featured both marine mammal taxa (one or more) and the word welfare in the title, abstract or keywords. This represents just 0.96% of the total peer-reviewed published papers on marine mammal taxa (n = 31,221) during the same period. When examining articles published within “Welfare and Ethics” (n = 6133) and “Aquatic-focused” (n = 139,352) journals, just 1.2% (n = 71) and 0.04% (n = 57) of articles, respectively, featured the word welfare when examining marine mammals. With the aim of exploring how explicitly including welfare evaluations in marine mammal research and management can benefit conservation outcomes, we framed our workshop and quantitative literature review findings to provide practical solutions to the language, translation and reception issues of this burgeoning cross-disciplinary collaboration.
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