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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

How elephant host proteins fight-or fail-against EEHV: Insights from a multi-contrast proteomic enrichment study.

Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus hemorrhagic disease (EEHV-HD) is a rapidly fatal syndrome of juvenile Asian elephants, but the host-response programs distinguishing progression from survival and the underlying pathophysiology remain poorly defined. The serum proteome of 62 Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) was profiled using a multi-contrast design stratified by age, clinical status, and infection history; protein abundance was analyzed by empirical Bayes linear modeling and Gene Ontology enrichment with semantic similarity reduction. Clinically affected elephants showed enrichment of inflammatory and stress-associated processes-including cytokine signaling and chromatin remodeling-with suppression of type I interferon signaling and homeostatic functions, whereas asymptomatic exposed elephants showed enrichment of metabolic pathways, including fatty acid and pyruvate metabolism, vesicle-mediated transport, and protein quality control. Disease-versus-exposure comparisons distinguished a progression program (inflammatory escalation with loss of proteostasis and cell adhesion) from a resilience program (preserved metabolic and cellular homeostasis); juvenile susceptibility was further associated with impaired lipid and calcium regulation and disrupted intracellular transport. Collectively, these patterns support a pathology-centered model in which fatal EEHV-HD reflects endothelial injury coupled with maladaptive inflammation and metabolic failure. Protein-level interpretation identified candidate drivers of inflammatory amplification, endothelial barrier disruption, coagulation imbalance, and resilience-including JAK1, IL1RL2, IFI44, KCNJ15, MSN, HECW2, ITPR3, MFN2, AKT1, BMPER, and DROSHA-providing a mechanistic bridge between serum proteomic changes and the vascular lesions, thrombocytopenia, DIC-like coagulopathy, edema, and hemorrhage of EEHV-HD. These findings nominate candidate proteomic signatures for future diagnostic and risk-stratification studies; longitudinal individual-level validation is required before clinical application. Because diagnostic screening identified all PCR-positive sick cases as EEHV1A and pooled group-level serum profiles were analyzed, these signatures should be interpreted as exploratory host-response programs specifically reflecting acute EEHV1A disease requiring individual-level validation.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Some clinico-pathologic findings in elephants (Elephas maximus) infected with Fasciola jacksoni.

Severe submandibular and ventral abdominal oedema was observed in an Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in which liver flukes (Fasciola jacksoni) were recovered from the bile ducts at post-mortem examination. Clinico-pathologic examination of blood samples and serum from this elephant and another 8 elephants showed that most had anemia and hypoproteinemia. Fecal samples from 6 of the elephants contained from 6 to 83 eggs per gram. Treatment of elephants with nitroxynil (10 mg/kg) by subcutaneous injection produced severe local reactions at the injection site. Feces collected 2 and 4 months after treatment were free of trematode eggs. Hematologic values measured 4 months after treatment showed that the hemoglobin concentration, packed cell volume, erythrocyte count and plasma protein concentration had increased to within the normal range.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Dislocation of the elbow and its social consequences for an African elephant.

A dislocated elbow of a male elephant calf (Loxodonta africana) in the Addo Elephant National Park resulted in it being harassed by other elephants and consequently leaving its maternal herd at the age of 6 years, rather than the more usual age of 9-10 years. In the absence of large predators the elephant had survived for 9 years and had adapted its locomotion and intraspecific behaviour to its injury. The humeral joint of the affected forelimb was carried in partial extension while the cubital and carpal joints were permanently in partial flexion. Substantial secondary osteoarthritic changes, extensive fusion and compensatory remodelling of the humerus, radius and ulna had taken place together with compensatory development in the musculature. The planes of articulation of the limb bones had also been considerably rotated inward.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Arteriovenous anastomoses in the skin of seals. I. The Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddelli and the elephant seal Mirounga leonina (Pinnipedia: Phocidae).

The structure, distribution, density and innervation of arteriovenous anastomoses (AVAs) have been compared in the skin of Weddell and elephant seals, as part of a study of the structure and function of arteriovenous anastomoses in mammals. In both genera AVAs were coiled vessels with the segmental structure typical of "epithelioid" anastomoses and possessed a dense peripheral adrenergic innervation. In both Weddell and elephant seals there was no statistically significant difference between the mean density of AVAs in body skin and flipper skin. The majority, approximately 71% of AVAs occurred superficially in the dermis, fewer (23%) occurred in the deeper dermis, and 6% were present in the thick hypodermis (bubber). The density of AVAs in Weddell and elephant seals is approximately eight times greater than that reported in other animals and the superficial position of anastomoses over the whole of the body surface is characteristic of phocid seals. When open, AVAs in Weddell and elephant seals allow maximal heat loss from the skin surface by passing large volumes of blood into the superficial veins. AVAs in seals are important in dissipation of body heat, particularly when the animals are out of the water, and the entire surface area is thermoregulatory rather than specific regions such as the flippers.

Animals↗
PubMed2026

Transcriptomic changes in the gut mucosa of fasting northern elephant seal pups reveal immune modulation during early microbiome establishment.

Fasting is an integral component of the life-history of many species. Following abrupt weaning, northern elephant seal pups (Mirounga angustirostris) undergo an extended post-weaning fast of approximately 60 days. During this period, enteric bacterial diversity increases, suggesting that host immune regulation may facilitate the establishment of microbial communities. However, the molecular processes occurring within the intestinal mucosa during this transition remain poorly understood. To investigate these mechanisms, we characterized transcriptional changes in the enteric mucosa of male and female northern elephant seal pups sampled at weaning and after one month of fasting. Total RNA isolated from rectal swabs was sequenced and aligned to the Mirounga angustirostris reference genome. Differential gene expression and gene set enrichment analyses were used to identify genes and pathways associated with fasting and sex-specific responses. Fasting was accompanied primarily by transcriptional downregulation, including genes involved in antimicrobial defense, inflammation, protein turnover, and epithelial remodeling. In contrast, several genes associated with B-cell activity and immune recognition were upregulated. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis revealed coordinated activation of immune-regulatory pathways indicating dynamic modulation of intestinal immunity rather than generalized immune suppression. Pronounced sex-specific differences were also observed. Male pups exhibited transcriptional patterns consistent with enhanced immune tolerance, whereas females showed broader immune-pathway activation, including enrichment of pro-inflammatory and stress-response pathways. Several non-coding RNAs also displayed sex-specific changes in expression. Together, these findings suggest that fasting induces transcriptional remodeling of the gut and may contribute to immune regulation during a critical period of microbiome establishment in northern elephant seal pups.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Primary structures of alpha-crystallin A chains of elephant, whale, hyrax and rhinoceros.

As part of a study of the evolutionary development of the eye lens protein alpha-crystallin the 173-residue A chain of this protein has been studied in elephant, whale, hyrax and rhinoceros. The primary structures were inferred mainly from amino acid compositions of peptides obtained by enzymic digestions and CNBr cleavage. The positions of substitutions, as compared to the known bovine A chain, were confirmed by Edman degradation. In accordance with the previously observed slow rate of evolution of the A chain only a small number of substitutions was found among these species. Elephant and hyrax share a number of unique substitutions, strongly indicating a common ancestry of these two species within the mammalian class.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Arteriosclerosis in the African elephant: Part 2. Medial sclerosis.

SUMMARY: A type of spontaneous arteriosclerosis, described as medial sclerosis and quite distinct from atherosclerosis, was found in the aortas, coronary arteries and aortic branch arteries of free-living elephants (Loxodonta africana) in Uganda and Kenya. The lesions took the form of calcified fibrotic plaques in the inner tunica media. The calcification appeared to commence in the internal elastic lamina and was associated with atrophy of medial smooth muscle fibres and their replacement by fibrous tissue. In the aorta, medial sclerosis was found to be associated with aortic dilatation, decreased wall thickness and decreased extensibility. These changes were shown to result in substantial increases in the tangential stresses carried by the tissues of the aorta and coronary arteries. As with atherosclerosis, medial sclerosis increased progressively with age; and the approximate involvement of the aorta at different ages could be predicted from linear regression equations. There was no difference in the severity of lesions between male and female animals. Biochemically, the lesions of medial sclerosis were associated with decreased amounts of elastin and increased amounts of collagen in arterial walls. Arterial tissue showing medial calcification always contained less than 30% elastin by weight. In addition, the severity of medial sclerosis in individual elephants was found to be positively correlated with the concentration of calcium in their sera. The pathogenesis of these lesions is discussed and it is suggested that mechanical stress, medial anoxia and high serum calcium levels all contribute to the aetiology of medial sclerosis.

Africa, Eastern↗
PubMed1975

Some hematological values of free-ranging African elephants.

Blood samples were collected from 23 free-ranging African elephants(Loxodonta africana) in Tanzania. Red and white blood cell counts, white blood cell differential, hemoglobin, blood copper, and blood inorganic phosphate were determined. No correlation of any of these measurements with age and sex was discernible, except that the total white count was significantly higher in females than in males in all age groups. The findings are compared with those previously reported for captive and free-ranging African elephants.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Encephalomyocarditis virus infection of captive elephants.

Four African elephants at each of 2 widely separated zoologic gardens in Florida died following a fulminating illness. Tissue suspensions obtained from an elephant from each of the zoologic gardens were inoculated into newborn mice, 3- to 4-week-old mice, and buffalo green monkey and baby hamster kidney cell cultures. Encephalitis and myocarditis developed in the mice. The cell cultures were destroyed within 24 to 72 hours, and intracytoplasmic viral inclusions were observed in infected cells by electron microscopy. The viral agent was neutralized by known antiserum to encephalomyocarditis virus.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Cyclic release of luteinizing hormone and the effects of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone injection in Asiatic elephants.

Cyclic changes in serum concentration of luteinizing hormone (LH) were observed throughout the estrous cycle of Asiatic elephants (Elephas maximus). The increase in serum LH was correlated with a slight increase in serum estradiol concentration and the onset of behavioral heat (willingness to mate). In a second series of studies, injection of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone after 3 days of estrone administration induced an increase in serum LH. These studies indicate that the Asiatic elephant exhibits a cyclic LH release that can be experimentally induced by estrone and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone administration.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Structure of northern elephant seal population breeding on San Nicholas Island, California, in 1971.

The structure of the population of northern elephant seals, Mirounga angustirostris, on San Nicolas Island, California, was studied during the 1970 and 1971 breeding season. At the population peak on 31 January 1971, there were 77 males, 306 females, 315 pups, and 6 yearlings on shore. The breeding population was subdivided into 15 groups, containing from 3 to 75 breeding animals. Fourteen of the groups were considered territories defended by individual males, and one group, the largest, was controlled by three males in a social hierarchy. The relatively small size of the San Nicolas population and the large amount of available beach space allowed the existence of numerous small breeding groups. Female elephant seals, although gregarious, apparently prefer to be in small groups when conditions permit it. It is likely that the same males that were territorial would have formed the nucleus of a social hierarchy if space had been limited enough to cause all of the females in the population to congregate in one large group.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

The chromosomes of the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina (Phocidae: Mammalia).

Chromosome analyses were carried out on bone marrow cells from three elephant seal pups (Mirounga leonina), a species characterized by a 2n = 34 chromosome number. Arm ratios for the different chromosomes were calculated to facilitate the classification of chromosomes into groups. The karyotype of the southern elephant seal differs from other reported 34-chromosome phocids in the morphology of the Y chromosome and in that of one of the autosomal chromosome pairs.

Animals↗
PubMed1976

Serum enzyme activities in the African elephant (loxodonta africana).

The serum activities of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alpha-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase and creatine phosphokinase have been measured in the African elephant. In general, the values were broadly comparable with those of man except that alanine aminotransferase was much lower and creatine phosphokinase higher. No variation due to age, sex, season or location was observed.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1977

Laboratory characteristics of poxviruses isolated from captive elephants in Germany.

Proxviruses isolated from captive elephants in Germany have been characterized. Although related to vaccinia and even more closely to cowpox virus, the separate identity of elephantpox virus was established by both biological and serological methods. Elephantpox virus produces A-type inclusions in infected cells, as did cowpox, but had a lower ceiling temperature, was more heat resistant and affected rabbits differently. Cross neutralization tests on absorbed sera indicated that elephantpox, cowpox and vaccinia viruses shared one surface antigen, that elephantopox and vaccinia shared an antigen absent from cowpox, and that vaccinia virus had a surface antigen absent from elephantopox and cowpox viruses.

Animals↗
PubMed1979

Sedation of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) with xylazine.

Doses of 100 to 300 mg of a 10 per cent solution of xylazine satisfactorily sedated six elephants ranging from 150 to 255 cm shoulder height. At these dosages all animals were sedated in the standing position. The time taken to produce the initial signs of sedation ranged from 10 +/- 4 to 20 +/- 4 minutes and the effects lasted from 60 +/- 8 to 100 +/- 15 minutes. The time taken from injection to complete recovery ranged from 360 +/- 31 to 540 +/- 21 minutes. Recovery was uncomplicated. Repeated administration of as much as seven injections per animal at intervals of three to four days had no adverse effects. Disturbances during induction delayed the onset of action of the drug.

Animals↗
PubMed1975

Serum progesterone and estrogens in elephants.

Serum progesterone and estrogens were measured by radioimmunoassay in the serum of immature, mature, and pregnant African and Asian elephants. Progesterone was elevated from 26 to 215 pg/ml in nonpregnant animals and up to 480 pg/ml in late pregnancy animals. No relationship to reproductive state was evident for the low levels of estrogens which ranged from 9 to 37 pg/ml.

Africa↗