Showing papers on "Primate published in 2003"

Relaxed selective pressure on an essential component of pheromone transduction in primate evolution

Abstract: The vomeronasal organ (VNO) detects pheromones in many vertebrate species but is likely to be vestigial in humans. TRPC2(TRP2), a gene that is essential for VNO function in the mouse, is a pseudogene in humans. Because TRPC2 is expressed only in the VNO, the loss of selective pressure on this gene can serve as a molecular marker for the time at which the VNO became vestigial. By analyzing sequence data from the TRPC2 gene of 15 extant primate species, we provide evidence that the VNO was most likely functional in the common ancestor of New World monkeys and Old World monkeys and apes, but then became vestigial in the common ancestor of Old World monkeys and apes. We propose that, at this point in evolution, other modalities, notably the development of color vision, may have largely replaced signaling by pheromones.

A Primer of Primate Pathology: Lesions and Nonlesions

Abstract: Nonhuman primates are important laboratory animals for biomedical, pharmacology, and toxicology research. To effectively use primates as models, their gross and histologic anatomy, physiology and natural history, as well as common health problems and the source from which the primate is obtained, must be known and understood by pathologists involved in study design and/or interpretation. The first very important lesson in the "primer" is: there is no such thing as a generic monkey. Brand names (ie, species and subspecies) are important. Several taxonomic groups of primates are used in research including: prosimians, such as galagos and lemurs; New World monkeys, particularily marmosets; Old World monkeys, especially macaques and baboons; and the chimpanzee, an African ape. Differences between taxa are exemplified by the glucocorticoid resistance of New World monkeys compared to Old World monkeys, which results in the requirement for Vitamin D3 and their high circulating levels of steroids such as cortisone and progesterone. Differences in ovarian histology between Old and New World monkeys probably relate to steroid receptor biology as well. There are also variations in disease manifestations, even among closely related primate species such as rhesus and cynomolgus macaques (cynos). For example type D retrovirus infection is accompanied by lymphomas in cynos, but not rhesus. The second important lesson in this "primer" is: "not test article related" does not always mean "normal." Lymphoid nodules in bone marrow or salivary gland, a common background finding in macaques, often signal the presence of type D retrovirus. Other histologic changes and normal anatomic variations may be confusing to individuals not routinely examining primate tissues. The objective of this paper is to familiarize pathologists with the use of primates in research as well as lesions and nonlesions (normal anatomy or physiology) of primates that may influence study design and confound interpretation.

Evolution of a pigmentation gene, the melanocortin-1 receptor, in primates.

Abstract: The melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) forms a critical switch in the production of orange/red pheomelanin and black/brown eumelanin pigments during hair development in mammals. The molecular evolution of the melanocortin-1 receptor gene was investigated in a broad range of primate species, including several groups with large differences in distribution of orange/red and black hairs. Primate MC1R has been subject to purifying selection throughout most of its evolution, with small changes in selective constraint being detected early in primate evolution. In contrast to the situation in humans and domestic mammals, many intraspecific and intrageneric differences in primate coat color cannot be attributed to changes in the MC1R coding sequence. Nevertheless, important changes in the biochemical function of MC1R are suggested by mutations in sites of known functional importance, particularly in New World monkeys and lemurs. The evolution of the MC1R in lion tamarins is anomalous, with a combination of a high nonsynonymous to synonymous substitution rate (dN/dS) ratio, deletions, and substitutions. Am J Phys Anthropol 121:000–000, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Novel Member of the CD209 (DC-SIGN) Gene Family in Primates

Abstract: Two CD209 family genes identified in humans, CD209 (DC-SIGN) and CD209L (DC-SIGNR/L-SIGN), encode C-type lectins that serve as adhesion receptors for ICAM-2 and ICAM-3 and participate in the transmission of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses (HIV and SIV, respectively) to target cells in vitro. Here we characterize the CD209 gene family in nonhuman primates and show that recent evolutionary alterations have occurred in this family across primate species. All of the primate species tested, specifically, Old World monkeys (OWM) and apes, have orthologues of human CD209. In contrast, CD209L is missing in OWM but present in apes. A third family member, that we have named CD209L2, was cloned from rhesus monkey cDNA and subsequently identified in OWM and apes but not in humans. Rhesus CD209L2 mRNA was prominently expressed in the liver and axillary lymph nodes, although preliminary data suggest that levels of expression may vary among individuals. Despite a high level of sequence similarity to both human and rhesus CD209, rhesus CD209L2 was substantially less effective at binding ICAM-3 and poorly transmitted HIV type 1 and SIV to target cells relative to CD209. Our data suggest that the CD209 gene family has undergone recent evolutionary processes involving duplications and deletions, the latter of which may be tolerated because of potentially redundant functional activities of the molecules encoded by these genes.

Tarsiers : past, present, and future

Abstract: Tarsiiformes, or tarsiers for short, are a group of living species of special interest to primatologists because their combination of derived and ancient characteristics make them pivotal to understanding the roots of primate evolution. These small-bodied, nocturnal, solitary creatures resemble lower primates in their behavior but genetically, DNA evidence aligns them more closely with higher primates, such as monkeys, apes, and humans. These astounding creatures exhibit an ability found in no other living mammal - they can turn their heads 180 degrees in either direction to see both prey and predators. The world's only exclusively carnivorous primate, they eat live food (primarily insects, but the occasional vertebrate, such as lizards, snakes, or frogs will also do). This unique combination of behavior and anatomy makes the tarsier an especially interesting and controversial animal for study among primate behaviorists, evolutionists, and taxonomists, who view the tarsiers as ""living fossils"" that link past and present, lower and higher primates in the long chain of evolutionary history. This new volume presents alternative and contrasting perspectives on the most debated questions that have arisen in tarsier studies. Top researchers bring together perspectives from anatomical, behavioral, genetic, and conservation studies in this new and exciting addition to the understanding of primate evolution. A volume in the Rutgers Series on Human Evolution, edited by Robert Trivers, Lee Cronk, Helen Fisher, and Lionel Tiger.

An Infectious Clone of Woolly Monkey Hepatitis B Virus

Abstract: Members of the Hepadnaviridae family have been isolated from birds, rodents, and primates. A new hepadnavirus isolated from the woolly monkey, a New World primate, is phylogenetically distinct from other primate isolates. An animal model has been established for woolly monkey hepatitis B virus (WMHBV) by using spider monkeys, since woolly monkeys are endangered. In this study, a greater-than-genome length construct was prepared without amplification by using covalently closed circular DNA extracted from the liver of an infected woolly monkey. Transfection of the human liver cell line Huh7 with WMHBV DNA resulted in the production of viral transcripts, DNA replicative intermediates, and secreted virions at levels similar to those obtained with an infectious human HBV clone, demonstrating that the host range restriction of WMHBV is not at the level of genome replication. WMHBV particles from the medium of transfected cultures initiated an infection in a spider monkey similar to that obtained with virions derived from woolly monkey serum. In an attempt to adapt the virus for higher levels of replication in spider monkeys, immunosuppressed and newborn animals were inoculated. Neither procedure produced persistent infections, and the level of viral replication remained several logs lower than that observed in persistently infected woolly monkeys. These data demonstrate the production of an infectious clone for WMHBV and extend the characterization of the spider monkey animal model.

The pyramidal neuron in occipital, temporal and prefrontal cortex of the owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus): regional specialization in cell structure.

Abstract: Recent studies have revealed marked regional variation in pyramidal cell morphology in primate cortex. In particular, pyramidal cells in human and macaque prefrontal cortex (PFC) are considerably more spinous than those in other cortical regions. PFC pyramidal cells in the New World marmoset monkey, however, are less spinous than those in man and macaques. Taken together, these data suggest that the pyramidal cell has become more branched and more spinous during the evolution of PFC in only some primate lineages. This specialization may be of fundamental importance in determining the cognitive styles of the different species. However, these data are preliminary, with only one New World and two Old World species having been studied. Moreover, the marmoset data were obtained from different cases. In the present study we investigated PFC pyramidal cells in another New World monkey, the owl monkey, to extend the basis for comparison. As in the New World marmoset monkey, prefrontal pyramidal cells in owl monkeys have relatively few spines. These species differences appear to reflect variation in the extent to which PFC circuitry has become specialized during evolution. Highly complex pyramidal cells in PFC appear not to have been a feature of a common prosimian ancestor, but have evolved with the dramatic expansion of PFC in some anthropoid lineages.

GnRH Perikarya in Medial Basal Hypothalamus of Pubertal Female Rhesus Macaque are Ensheathed With Glia

Abstract: A previous study in our laboratory revealed that the cell bodies of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons in the preoptic area (POA) of early to midpubertal female rhesus monkeys were extensively invested with thick glial processes. Because the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) plays a critical role in the control of pulsatile and cyclic gonadotropin release in the primate, we have now focused on the ultrastructural milieu of GnRH neurons of this region in the same sample of monkeys. The ensheathment of the perikarya of GnRH neurons in the MBH with such glial processes was more pronounced than in the POA. Whereas the mean proportion of the cell membrane covered by these glia was 57% in the POA, it was 72% in the MBH. In addition, the cell bodies of GnRH neurons in the MBH of the pubertal monkey (unlike those in the POA) were less well innervated than were those in the adult cycling monkey, further highlighting differences between these brain regions. Differences in the anatomical milieu of the MBH between immature monkeys, in which GnRH release is still relatively quiescent, and adult cycling monkeys are consistent with the hypothesis that GnRH neurons within the MBH are under particular constraint in the immature animals. The functional significance of these observations must, however, await further studies.

Olfactory sensitivity for aliphatic aldehydes in squirrel monkeys and pigtail macaques.

Abstract: Using a conditioning paradigm, the olfactory sensitivity of three squirrel monkeys and three pigtail macaques for a homologous series of aliphatic aldehydes (n-butanal to n-nonanal) was assessed. With only few exceptions, the animals of both species significantly discriminated concentrations below 1 ppm from the odorless solvent, and with n-butanal and n-hexanal individual pigtail macaques even demonstrated thresholds below 1 ppb. The results showed (1) both primate species to have a well-developed olfactory sensitivity for aliphatic aldehydes, (2) pigtail macaques to generally perform better than squirrel monkeys in detecting members of this class of odorants, and (3) no significant correlation between perceptibility in terms of olfactory detection thresholds and carbon chain length of the aliphatic aldehydes in both species tested. These findings lend further support to the growing body of evidence suggesting that between-species comparisons of the number of functional olfactory receptor genes or of neuroanatomical features are poor predictors of olfactory performance. Further, our findings suggest that olfaction may play an important and hitherto underestimated role in the regulation of behavior in the species tested.

Seasonal changes in the seminiferous epithelium of rhesus and bonnet monkeys

Abstract: With a view to elucidate seasonal variations in testicular spermatogenesis, quantitative analysis of spermatogenic cells was carried out in non-human primate species viz. rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and bonnet (M. radiata) monkeys during breeding (October-December) and non-breeding (May-June) seasons. The results revealed significant inhibition of testicular germ cell population during non-breeding compared with the breeding period in both the species. Quantitative determination of Sertoli cell-germ cell ratio showed a marked decrease in the number of type A-spermatogonia, spermatocytes (non-pachytene and pachytene) and spermatids (in steps 1-12 of spermiogenesis) in rhesus monkey during the non-breeding period. Bonnet monkeys exhibited the significant decline in the number of primary spermatocytes and spermatids during the non-breeding phase. In addition, average diameter of round seminiferous tubules and nuclear diameter of Leydig cells also decreased significantly in rhesus monkeys. However, bonnet monkeys did not show any significant change in nuclear diameter/morphology of Leydig cells, testicular tubular diameter and number of type A-spermatogoniae. Sertoli cell number did not show any significant change during both breeding and non-breeding periods in both the species. The results of this study indicate a prominent seasonal variation in testicular spermatogenic/Leydig cells in rhesus monkeys than those observed in bonnet monkeys.

A promoter that acquired p53 responsiveness during primate evolution

Abstract: The tumor suppressor p53 activates the transcription of human PIG3 through direct interaction with a polymorphic microsatellite sequence, (TGYCC)(n). Here, the evolution of this p53-responsive element was recapitulated. Comparison between primate species revealed that the PIG3 promoter acquired this sequence element in its full length only in Hominoidea (apes and humans), whereas the number of TGYCC repeats is far lower in monkeys. Accordingly, only the PIG3 promoters from Hominoidea respond efficiently to p53, whereas those from monkeys respond poorly or not at all. In parallel, the PIG3 gene was strongly induced by p53 in human and chimpanzee cells but was unaffected by p53 in cells derived from a common marmoset monkey. Thus, a novel p53 target gene appeared as recently as during the evolution of primates. This suggests that mechanisms of tumor suppression are subject to ongoing evolution in humans and their closest relatives.

The sugar composition of fruits in the diet of spider monkeys ( Ateles geoffroyi ) in tropical humid forest in Costa Rica

Abstract: Spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) detect sucrose at a threshold lower than any primate yet tested and prefer sucrose to glucose or fructose in laboratory tests. This preferential selection of sucrose led to the hypothesis that such acute discrimination is related to a diet of sucrose-rich fruits. Furthermore, it has been suggested that fruit sugars may be related to distinct guilds of vertebrate seed-dispersers. The objectives of this study were: (1) to test if spider monkeys select sucrose-rich fruits both within and among plant species and (2) to test the hypothesis that sugar concentration is related to bird, bat or monkey seed-dispersal syndromes. Data were collected from one troop of spider monkeys in south-western Costa Rica. Interspecific comparison of ingested fruits shows that spider monkeys consumed species with significantly higher concentrations of glucose and fructose than sucrose. Similarly, at the intraspecific level, food-fruits had significantly more fructose and glucose than non-food fruits, but no difference was found for sucrose. The three different sugar types were not correlated with the importance of the species in the diet based on the amount of time they spent consuming each species. Although sucrose concentrations were significantly higher in primate-dispersed species compared with those dispersed by other vertebrates, soluble carbohydrates in primate-dispersed fruits were principally composed of glucose and fructose. Neither fructose nor glucose concentrations showed significant differences across the three categories of seed dispersal.

Immune and airway effects of house dust mite aeroallergen exposures during postnatal development of the infant rhesus monkey.

Abstract: Summary Background The effect of chronic environmental aeroallergen exposure on the immune system and airways has not been experimentally defined in very young children. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the immunophenotype of peripheral blood and airway leucocytes in the newborn rhesus macaque monkey, following recurrent aerosol exposure to house dust mite (HDM) (Dermatophagoides farinae). Methods A regimen of HDM aerosolization was initiated for 2 h per day, three times per week, starting when rhesus macaque monkeys were 1 week of age. All monkeys were inoculated with diptheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine at 5 weeks of age to simulate human infant vaccination schedules. Results Following 8 weeks of HDM aeroallergen exposure, infant monkeys exhibited a significant reduction in the total peripheral blood lymphocyte numbers and a decreased frequency of peripheral blood CD4+ T lymphocytes with a CD45RA−‘memory’ immunophenotype. Lavage CD4+ T lymphocytes from HDM-exposed monkeys showed elevated expression of CD25, as well as an increase in CD45RA−/CD62L−/CD11ahigh immunophenotype. Eosinophils were more abundant within airways of HDM-exposed monkeys, accumulating maximally within the trachea. Conclusion These data demonstrate the development of immunological responses following chronic inhalation of a common environmental allergen during postnatal maturation in the non-human primate.

Serum Vitamin A Esters Are High in Captive Rhesus (Macaca mulatta) and Marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) Monkeys

Abstract: We showed previously that hepatic vitamin A concentrations of captive rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) are subtoxic to toxic, with livers exhibiting stellate cell hypertrophy and hyperplasia. Although marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) livers are also high in vitamin A, no stellate cell irregularities were observed. To further characterize the effects of high dietary vitamin A from preformed sources, stored serum samples were analyzed from monkeys used for biomedical research and housed at the Wisconsin Primate Research Center. The monkeys had been fed commercially available monkey diets, providing vitamin A (as retinyl acetate) at levels exceeding NRC recommendations by a factor of four. The serum from both rhesus and marmoset monkeys had total serum vitamin A (retinol, retinyl esters and metabolites) within the expected range for both species, i.e., 1.44 +/- 0.34 and 1.41 +/- 0.72 micromol/L serum for rhesus and marmoset monkeys, respectively. However, high serum retinyl ester concentrations as a percentage of total serum vitamin A were present in both species, 12 +/- 5.1% (range, 5.5-23%) for rhesus and 27 +/- 14% (range, 10-57%) for the marmosets. Serum retinol concentrations were normal, i.e., 1.21 +/- 0.28 (rhesus) and 0.92 +/- 0.43 micromol/L (marmoset), compared with published values.

Human chromosome 16 conservation in primates.

Abstract: A study was made of the organization of the chromosome orthologous to HSA16 in primates using a panel of 8 BAC probes spanning human chromosome 16. The probes were used in FISH experiments on great apes and on representatives of the Old World monkeys, New World monkeys, and lemurs. The domestic cat was used as an outgroup. The results indicate that 16p and 16q were separate chromosomes in a primate ancestor. They fused in a Catarrhini ancestor giving rise to the present day form found in HSA, great apes, and Old World monkeys. Several rearrangements were found in New World monkeys.

Development of a novel non-human primate model for preclinical gene vector safety studies. Determining the effects of intracerebral HSV-1 inoculation in the common marmoset: a comparative study.

Abstract: The owl monkey (Aotus trivirgatus) has served as the standard non-human primate model of herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1) infection because it is highly susceptible to HSV-1 encephalitis. Owl monkeys, however, are expensive, difficult to obtain, and difficult to maintain in captivity, thus greatly hampering the efficiency of preclinical gene therapy trials for brain tumors using HSV-1-based vectors. We have therefore compared the susceptibility of the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) with the owl monkey in a model of intracerebral inoculation of wildtype HSV-1 F-strain at increasing titers. The common marmosets consistently succumbed earlier to viral encephalitis than the owl monkeys. The histological evaluation of the common marmoset revealed extensive HSV-1 infection with a concomitant yet less marked inflammatory response compared to the owl monkeys. PCR for HSV-1 demonstrated a similar extra-CNS shedding route in both experimental models. Our findings show that the common marmoset is at least as susceptible to intracerebral HSV-infection as the owl monkey and that it can therefore serve as a valid and reliable experimental model for the important preclinical safety tests of HSV-based therapeutic viral vector constructs in the brain.

Observations on the vomeronasal organ of prenatal Tarsius bancanus borneanus with implications for ancestral morphology.

Abstract: Adult primates have at least five known phenotypes of vomeronasal organ (VNO), ranging from the typical morphology seen in most other mammals to complete absence. With such morphological disparity, the phylogenetic value and any inferences on ancestral VNO morphology of the primate VNO are left uncertain. The present study investigated the VNO of embryonic and fetal Tarsius bancanus borneanus (n = 4) in comparison with prenatal specimens from four other species of primates in an effort to clarify adult morphological variations. In all except one of the fetal primates, the VNO communicated to the nasopalatine duct. One exception occurred in the largest fetal Tarsius (25 mm crown-rump length), in which the VNO communicated with the nasal cavity alone. The vomeronasal neuroepithelium was well differentiated from a thinner, non-sensory epithelium in all Tarsius and New World monkeys studied, as well as late embryonic and fetal Microcebus myoxinus. In anterior sections, this neuroepithelium was found in a more superior location in Tarsius and New World monkeys compared with Microcebus myoxinus. In all primates, masses of cell bodies were found superior to the VNO, intermingled with nerve fibres. These morphologically resembled luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone neurons described in other mammals, including humans, suggesting that a primitive association of these neurons with the VNO may exist in all primate taxa. The present study revealed that prenatal similarities exist in Tarsius and New World primates in VNO epithelial morphology. However, these are transient stages of morphology. If tarsiers and anthropoids do represent a clade (Haplorhini), then the atypical morphology seen in adult tarsiers and New World monkeys probably represents the adult VNO morphology of a haplorhine common ancestor.

The Determination of Human-ABO Blood Groups in Captive Cynomolgus Macaques (Macaca fascicularis)

Abstract: In human, we can determine the ABO blood group by hemagglutination of red blood cell (RBC) with anti-A and anti-B antibodies due to the expression of antigen A/B on the surface of RBC. However, in non-human primate, except for apes, the RBC does not express the antigen A/B on the surface, but synthesize and secrete the antibody A/B into the serum. Therefore, in order to determine the human-ABO blood type in non- human primate, the agglutination of human A and/or B red blood cells with the antibody in monkey sera under the light microscope is observed. In this study, the aim is to determine the human-ABO blood groups in cynomolgus macaques (Macaca fascicularis), one species among other non- human primates that do not express antigen A/B on the RBC surface. Seventy-two cynomolgus macaques (8->20 years old) reared at the Primate Research Unit, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, were used. The result showed that the ratio of O:A:B:AB of ABO blood group was 1.0:1.2:3.5:1.5 in 43 female monkeys, 1.0:1.6:6.0:1.0 in 29 male monkeys, and 1.0:1.3:4.3:1.3 in all monkeys. From this study, it can be concluded that most of cynomolgus macaques in our laboratory have type-B blood group.