Measures of Oxidative Status Markers in Relation to Age, Sex, and Season in Sick and Healthy Captive Asian Elephants in Thailand

Kosaruk, Worapong; Brown, Janine L.; Towiboon, Patcharapa; Punyapornwithaya, Veerasak; Pringproa, Kidsadagon; Thitaram, Chatchote

doi:10.3390/ani13091548

Cited by 3 publications

(24 citation statements)

References 140 publications

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“…For MDA, no age effect was observed, which aligns with previous research conducted on Asian elephants (14), as well as other species such as chimpanzees (57), horses (58), and humans (59). Regarding seasonal patterns, MDA concentrations remained relatively stable throughout the year except for 3 months during the rainy season (June, July, August) when lower concentrations were observed.…”

Section: Oxidant Markerssupporting

confidence: 90%

“…Regarding seasonal patterns, MDA concentrations remained relatively stable throughout the year except for 3 months during the rainy season (June, July, August) when lower concentrations were observed. A previous study in elephants showed no seasonal effect on MDA based on seasonal calculations (14), and although not significant, the overall mean was higher during the summer season. Studies in Asian cattle reported higher MDA concentrations during the summer, which also had the highest THI (40,48), again demonstrating how cattle are susceptible to heat stress (56).…”

Section: Oxidant Markerscontrasting

confidence: 65%

“…EEHV-HD may be associated with changes in oxidative stress markers ( 6 , 7 , 9 ) comparable to herpesvirus infections in mammals and birds ( 13 ). Recently, lower albumin and higher malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and catalase activities were found in EEHV-infected elephant calves ( 14 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A meta-analysis conducted by Sebastiano et al ( 13 ) provided evidence that oxidative stress may selectively enhance the susceptibility and progression of herpesvirus infection in vertebrates. In elephants, oxidative stress markers are influenced by age, season, and disease conditions, with acute EEHV-HD exhibiting the most significant changes ( 14 ). Physiological stress (i.e., increased glucocorticoid concentrations) also can contribute to oxidative stress in many species ( 22 , 23 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Several biological markers have been used as indicators of oxidative stress, such reactive oxygen species (ROS), MDA, 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), serum albumin, and enzymatic antioxidants (e.g., GPx and catalase) ( 14 , 24 , 25 ). ROS are endogenously produced free radicals that are associated with a wide variety of clinical disorders, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and infections ( 26 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seasonal patterns of oxidative stress markers in captive Asian elephants in Thailand and relationships to elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus shedding

Kosaruk,

Brown,

Towiboon

et al. 2023

Front. Vet. Sci.

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IntroductionOxidative stress refers to an imbalance between oxidant and antioxidant activity and accumulation of reactive oxygen species, which can have detrimental effects on animal health. Annual fluctuations in oxidative stress status can occur, increasing disease susceptibility during certain time periods. However, a full understanding of factors related to oxidative stress in Asian elephants and how to mitigate the negative consequences is lacking.MethodsThis study measured six serum oxidative stress markers [reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde (MDA), 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), albumin, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase] and two stress markers [serum cortisol and fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM)] in 23 captive Asian elephants in Thailand over a 12 months period to examine relationships with age and season.ResultsSeasonal variations were observed, with several markers exhibiting significantly higher concentrations in the summer (ROS, MDA, 8-OHdG, albumin) and lower values during the rainy/winter seasons (MDA, 8-OHdG, albumin, catalase). By contrast, GPx was the only marker to be highest during the rainy season. For the stress markers, higher fGCM concentrations were noted during the rainy season, which contrasts with earlier studies showing more activity in the winter (tourist season). Positive correlations were found between the temperature-humidity index and ROS, GPx, and fGCM, while a negative correlation was observed with serum albumin. Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV) shedding events were associated with higher concentrations of ROS and MDA. A moderate negative correlation was observed between 8-OHdG and the PCR threshold cycle of EEHV shedding (Ct), indicating DNA damage may be involved in EEHV shedding in elephants.DiscussionResults revealed significant age and seasonal effects on several oxidative stress markers, indicating those factors should be considered in study design and data interpretation. There also may be physiological adaptations in oxidative stress conditions in relation to environmental changes that could impact health outcomes.

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Section: Oxidant Markerssupporting

confidence: 90%

Section: Oxidant Markerscontrasting

confidence: 65%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Seasonal patterns of oxidative stress markers in captive Asian elephants in Thailand and relationships to elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus shedding

Kosaruk,

Brown,

Towiboon

et al. 2023

Front. Vet. Sci.

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Physiological plasticity in elephants: highly dynamic glucocorticoids in African and Asian elephants

Pokharel,

Brown

2023

Conservation Physiology

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Slowly reproducing and long-lived terrestrial mammals are often more at risk from challenges that influence fitness and survival. It is, therefore, important to understand how animals cope with such challenges and how coping mechanisms translate over generations and affect phenotypic plasticity. Rapidly escalating anthropogenic challenges may further diminish an animal’s ability to reinstate homeostasis. Research to advance insights on elephant stress physiology has predominantly focused on relative or comparative analyses of a major stress response marker, glucocorticoids (GCs), across different ecological, anthropogenic, and reproductive contexts. This paper presents an extensive review of published findings on Asian and African elephants from 1980 to 2023 (May) and reveals that stress responses, as measured by alterations in GCs in different sample matrices, often are highly dynamic and vary within and across individuals exposed to similar stimuli, and not always in a predictable fashion. Such dynamicity in physiological reactivity may be mediated by individual differences in personality traits or coping styles, ecological conditions, and technical factors that often are not considered in study designs. We describe probable causations under the ‘Physiological Dynamicity Model’, which considers context–experience–individuality effects. Highly variable adrenal responses may affect physiological plasticity with potential fitness and survival consequences. This review also addresses the significance of cautious interpretations of GCs data in the context of normal adaptive stress versus distress. We emphasize the need for long-term assessments of GCs that incorporate multiple markers of ‘stress’ and ‘well-being’ to decipher the probable fitness consequences of highly dynamic physiological adrenal responses in elephants. Ultimately, we propose that assessing GC responses to current and future challenges is one of the most valuable and informative conservation tools we have for guiding conservation strategies.

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Physiological changes in captive elephants in northern Thailand as a result of the COVID-19 tourism ban—stress biomarkers

Supanta,

Brown,

Bansiddhi

et al. 2024

Front. Vet. Sci.

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The international travel ban instituted by the Thai government in March 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected how tourist camp elephants were managed, with reductions in exercise opportunities, longer chaining hours, and diminished food provisioning. This study was conducted to determine how those changes affected health and welfare biomarkers in individual elephants over the 2 years of the countrywide lockdown (April 2020–April 2022). Blood and fecal samples were collected from 58 elephants at six camps (monthly in Year 1, quarterly in Year 2) and analyzed for stress biomarkers — fecal glucocorticoid metabolites (fGCM), serum oxidative stress [malondialdehyde (MDA) and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG)], and stress leukograms. Overall, fGCM concentrations increased within the first few months and remained higher than pre-COVID levels, as did the H/L ratio, a measure affected by cortisol. Serum 8-OHdG, an indicator of DNA oxidative damage, also increased over time, while monocytosis and lymphopenia further suggested alterations in immune function as a result of stress. By contrast, another marker of oxidative stress, serum MDA, declined, possibly in response to reduced roughage and supplement intake. A notable finding was a seasonal pattern of fGCM that was significantly different from previous studies. Whereas higher fGCM during the rainy season were observed in this study, previously, concentrations were highest during the winter, high tourist season. Thus, ironically, both the presence and absence of tourists have been associated with increased fGCM concentrations, albeit for different reasons. Camp management factors negatively affecting stress outcomes included shorter chain lengths, longer chain hours, lack of exercise, and reduced roughage and supplements. Overall, it was clear that camps struggled to maintain adequate care for elephants during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of tourist income and need for contingency plans to cope with potential future disruptions to tourism.

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Measures of Oxidative Status Markers in Relation to Age, Sex, and Season in Sick and Healthy Captive Asian Elephants in Thailand

Cited by 3 publications

References 140 publications

Seasonal patterns of oxidative stress markers in captive Asian elephants in Thailand and relationships to elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus shedding

Seasonal patterns of oxidative stress markers in captive Asian elephants in Thailand and relationships to elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus shedding

Physiological plasticity in elephants: highly dynamic glucocorticoids in African and Asian elephants

Physiological changes in captive elephants in northern Thailand as a result of the COVID-19 tourism ban—stress biomarkers

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