Circadian Rhythm of Salivary Immunoglobulin A and Associations with Cortisol as A Stress Biomarker in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus)
by
Tithipong Plangsangmas 1,2
, Janine L. Brown 3, Chatchote Thitaram 2,4, Ayona Silva-Fletcher 5, Katie L. Edwards 3,6, Veerasak Punyapornwithaya 7, Patcharapa Towiboon 2 and Chaleamchat Somgird 2,4,*
Tithipong Plangsangmas 1,2, Janine L. Brown 3, Chatchote Thitaram 2,4, Ayona Silva-Fletcher 5, Katie L. Edwards 3,6, Veerasak Punyapornwithaya 7, Patcharapa Towiboon 2 and Chaleamchat Somgird 2,4,*
1
Master’s Degree Program in Veterinary Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
2
Center of Elephant and Wildlife Research, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
3
Center for Species Survival, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA 22630, USA
4
Department of Companion Animal and Wildlife Clinics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Mae Hia, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
5
Department of Clinical Sciences and Services, The Royal Veterinary College, Hawkshead Lane, Hertfordshire AL9 7TA, UK
6
North of England Zoological Society, Chester Zoo, Upton-by-Chester, CH2 1LH, UK
7
Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety Centre for Asia Pacific (VPHCAP), Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai 50100, Thailand
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Animals 2020, 10(1), 157; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10010157
Received: 18 December 2019 / Revised: 12 January 2020 / Accepted: 13 January 2020 / Published: 17 January 2020
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Assessing the Environmental Adaptation of Wildlife and Production Animals: Applications of Physiological Indices and Welfare Assessment Tools)
Simple Summary
Salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and cortisol concentrations were measured in Asian elephants to determine circadian rhythm effects and the relationship between both biomarkers. Saliva samples were collected every 4 h from 06:00 to 22:00 h for 3 consecutive days (n = 15 samples/elephant). We used enzyme immunoassays for quantification of sIgA and cortisol concentrations. Both sIgA and cortisol followed a circadian rhythm, although the patterns differed. For both, the highest concentrations were in the early morning hours when elephants began the work day; however, sIgA concentrations were more variable during the day. There was no correlation between the two indices because the pattern of sIgA was quartic, while that of cortisol was linear. We provide basic knowledge for further studies using sIgA as a welfare biomarker.
Salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) has been proposed as a potential indicator of welfare for various species, including Asian elephants, and may be related to adrenal cortisol responses. This study aimed to distinguish circadian rhythm effects on sIgA in male and female Asian elephants and compare patterns to those of salivary cortisol, information that could potentially have welfare implications. Subjects were captive elephants at an elephant camp in Chiang Mai province, Thailand (n = 5 males, 5 females). Salivette® kits were used to collect saliva from each elephant every 4 h from 06:00 to 22:00 h for 3 consecutive days (n = 15 samples/elephant). Enzyme immunoassays were used to quantify concentrations of IgA and cortisol in unextracted saliva. Circadian rhythm patterns were determined using a generalized least-squares method. Both sIgA and cortisol followed a circadian rhythm, although the patterns differed. sIgA displayed a daily quartic trend, whereas cortisol concentrations demonstrated a decreasing linear trend in concentrations throughout the day. There was no clear relationship between patterns of sIgA and salivary cortisol, implying that mechanisms of control and secretion differ. Results demonstrate for the first time that circadian rhythms affect sIgA, and concentrations follow a daily quartic pattern in Asian elephants, so standardizing time of collection is necessary.
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Keywords:
Asian elephant; saliva; immunoglobulin A; circadian rhythm; glucocorticoids; welfare
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MDPI and ACS Style
Plangsangmas, T.; Brown, J.L.; Thitaram, C.; Silva-Fletcher, A.; Edwards, K.L.; Punyapornwithaya, V.; Towiboon, P.; Somgird, C. Circadian Rhythm of Salivary Immunoglobulin A and Associations with Cortisol as A Stress Biomarker in Captive Asian Elephants (Elephas maximus). Animals 2020, 10, 157.
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