title: Acute phase protein quantitation in serum samples from healthy Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus).
abstract: Acute phase proteins (APPs) have been studied in many companion and large animals and have been reported to have a differential sensitivity to traditional markers of inflammation. Studies have been performed indicating the conservation of these proteins as well as the application and cross-reactivity of automated assays among different species, but few reports have detailed APPs in marine mammal species. In the present study, automated assays were utilized to generate reference intervals for C-reactive protein, haptoglobin, and serum amyloid A using 44 serum samples from healthy Atlantic bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). A total of 25 samples were obtained from dolphins under human care and 19 samples were obtained from free-ranging dolphins. Mild yet statistically significant differences were observed in levels of haptoglobin and serum amyloid A between these groups. The reference intervals from the combined groups were as follows: C-reactive protein 3.1-19.7 mg/l, haptoglobin 0-0.37 mg/ml, and serum amyloid A 17.5-42.9 mg/l. These baseline data should provide an important foundation for future studies of the application of APP quantitation in monitoring the health and stressors of dolphins under human care and with live capture of free-ranging dolphins.
authors.affiliation: Division of Comparative Pathology, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, PO Box 016960 (R-46), Miami, FL 33101, USA. c.cray@miami.edu
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cray
authors.forename: Kristopher L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Arheart
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hunt
authors.forename: Tonya
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Clauss
authors.forename: Lynda L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Leppert
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.forename: Stephen D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: McCulloch
authors.forename: Juli D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.forename: Christie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gonzalez
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: Rae
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.forename: Patricia A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Fair
authors.forename: Gregory D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Bossart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000097:blood*; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D008297:Male; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins; D000685:Serum Amyloid A Protein; D002097:C-Reactive Protein