Changes in the Milk Metabolome of the Giant Panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) with Time after Birth – Three Phases in Early Lactation and Progressive Individual Differences (original) (raw)
Related papers
Bears produce the most altricial neonates of any placental mammal. We hypothesized that the transition from colostrum to mature milk in bears reflects a temporal and biochemical adaptation for altricial development and immune protection. Comparison of bear milks with milks of other eutherians yielded distinctive protein profiles. Proteomic and metabolomic analysis of serial milk samples collected from six giant pandas showed a prolonged transition from colostrum to main-phase lactation over approximately 30 days. Particularly striking are the persistence or sequential appearance of adaptive and innate immune factors. The endurance of immunoglobulin G suggests an unusual duration of trans-intestinal absorption of maternal antibodies, and is potentially relevant to the underdeveloped lymphoid system of giant panda neonates. Levels of certain milk oligosaccharides known to exert anti-microbial activities and/or that are conducive to the development of neonatal gut microbiomes underwent an almost complete changeover around days 20–30 postpartum, coincident with the maturation of the protein profile. A potential metabolic marker of starvation was detected, the prominence of which may reflect the natural postpartum period of anorexia in giant panda mothers. Early lactation in giant pandas, and possibly in other ursids, appears to be adapted for the unique requirements of unusually altricial eutherian neonates.
Journal of Comparative Physiology B: Biochemical, Systemic, and Environmental Physiology, 2001
During the denning period, black bears (Ursus americanus) are capable of enduring several months without food. At the same time, female bears that are pregnant or lactating have an added metabolic stress. Based on laboratory studies, much of the energy required to support metabolism and lactation during denning in black bears comes from lipid reserves. These lipid reserves are mobilized and the most metabolically active lipid fraction in the blood are nonesteri®ed fatty acids (NEFA). Therefore, we hypothesized that plasma NEFAs would be higher in denning relative to active bears and in lactating relative to non-lactating female bears. We further hypothesized that in bears with elevated plasma NEFA levels, other lipid-related parameters (e.g., ketone bodies, albumin, cholesterol, lipase) would also be elevated in the plasma. Denning bears had signi®cantly increased NEFA levels in all classes (saturates, monoenes, and polyenes). A doubling of plasma NEFA levels and a 33% increase in albumin, the plasma fatty acid binding protein, in denning bears, resulted in NEFA/albumin ratios that were higher in denning bears (4:1) compared to those of active bears (3:1). Bears became relatively ketonemic with a 17-fold increase in D-b-hydroxybutyrate levels during the denning period. Plasma cholesterol approximately doubled and lipase was ten-fold lower in denning relative to active bears. These ®ndings indicate a strong correlation between plasma lipid metabolites and the denning period in a wild population of black bears.
Nutrition and growth of suckling black bears (Ursus americanus) during their mothers' winter fast
British Journal of Nutrition, 1993
In black bears the last 6–8 weeks of gestation and the first 10–12 weeks of lactation occur in winter while the mother is in a dormant state, and reportedly does not eat, drink, urinate or defaecate. Measurements were made of the body composition and organ weights of cubs, of the composition of milk, and of milk intake (by dilution of 2H2O), in the first 3 months after birth. Additional milk samples were collected until 10 months postpartum. Bear cubs were small at birth, only 3·7 g/kg maternal weight, and chemically immature, as indicated by the high concentration of water (840 g/kg) in their bodies. Organ weights at birth were similar to those of puppies. In the first month after birth cubs gained 22 g/d or 0·23 g/g milk consumed; the milk was high in fat (220 g/kg) and low in water (670 g/kg). About 30% of the ingested energy and 51% of the ingested N were retained in the body. Over the entire 12-week period bear cubs required about 11 kg milk, containing (kg) water 7, fat 2·5, p...
Glycoconjugate Journal, 2019
The milk oligosaccharides were studied for two species of the Carnivora: the American black bear (Ursus americanus, family Ursidae, Caniformia), and the cheetah, (Acinonyx jubatus, family Felidae, Feliformia). Lactose was the most dominant saccharide in cheetah milk, while this was a minor saccharide and milk oligosaccharides predominated over lactose in American black bear milk. The structures of 8 neutral saccharides from American black bear milk were found to be Gal(β1-4)Glc (lactose), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)Glc (2'-fucosyllactose), Gal(α1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (isoglobotriose), Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal(β1-4)Glc (B-tetrasaccharide), Gal(α1-3)[Fuc(α1-2)]Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]Glc (B-pentasaccharide), Fuc(α1-2)Gal(β1-4)[Fuc(α1-3)]GlcNAc(β1-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (difucosyl lacto-N-neotetraose), Gal(β1-4)Glc-3'-O-sulfate. Neu5Ac(α2-8)Neu5Ac(α2-3)Gal(β1-4)Glc (disialyllactose) was the only sialyl oligosaccharide identified in cheetah milk. The heterogeneity of milk oligosaccharides was found between both species with respect of the presence/absence of B-antigen and Lewis x. The variety of milk oligosaccharides was much greater in the American black bear than in the cheetah. The ratio of milk oligosaccharides-to-lactose was lower in cheetah (1:1-1:2) than American black bear (21:1) which is likely a reflection of the requirement for a dietary supply of N-acetyl neuraminic acid (sialic acid), in altricial ursids compared to more precocial felids, given the role of these oligosaccharides in the synthesis of brain gangliosides and the polysialic chains on neural cell adhesion.
Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 1999
This study examined the seasonal and reproductive influences on individual plasma amino acid concentrations and nitrogen metabolites in a black bear population (Ontario, Canada). During hibernation, 11 of 23 plasma amino acids were significantly higher (13%-108%) in lactating than in nonlactating females, without an alteration in plasma total protein or total essential or nonessential amino acid levels. The greatest changes were observed in glutamine, arginine, and glycine levels. Plasma urea, urea/creatinine, and ammonia levels were significantly lower in hibernating compared with active female bears, but lactation had no effect on these parameters. Taken together these results show that lactation during hibernation is an additional metabolic challenge that results in increased mobilization of individual plasma amino acids and no accumulation of nitrogen end products, underlining the remarkable efficiency of amino acid and urea recycling in denning female black bears.
Zoo Biology, 2009
From 1997 to 2002, a female giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) was artificially stimulated and lactation was maintained, after her neonates were removed due to the female's inability to provide maternal care. Milk samples were collected and the amount of milk collected was quantified. The lactation curve of this animal was estimated based on the Gamma function: Y t 5 at b e Àct . The amount of milk collected showed significant, positive relationships with the number of days after parturition both in 1999 and in the whole study period from 1998 to 2002. This female's lactation curves fit the type I pattern of a typical mammalian lactation curve. Daily milk collection (g) during the first 30 days after parturition, and from 31 to 60 days after parturition, showed a consistent pattern with one peak at around 8:00 hr. More milk was collected during the latter period than during the former period. The amount of milk (g) collected on mucus excretion days was Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). significantly less than that on days after mucus excretion had ended, yet no significant difference was found between milk collected one day before mucus days and on mucus days, or between milk collected one day before and one day after mucus days. Mucus excretion from the gastrointestinal tract significantly impacted the amount of milk collected. The results from this study may aid the captive propagation and conservation of giant pandas and other endangered and rare captive mammal species.
Behavioral Energetics of Lactation in a Herbivorous Carnivore, the Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens)
Ethology, 2010
In most mammals, the energetic costs of lactation significantly increase a female's daily energy requirements. Previous research indicates that such energetic costs may be met through changes in increased food consumption ranging from around 35 % to 150 %. In this paper, changes in food intake during lactation are measured in the red panda {Ailurus fulgens), a species of the order Carnívora which possesses a digestive system suited for a carnivorous diet but yet exclusively feeds on bamboo. Four feeding characteristics were studied: duration of feeding bouts, number of bamboo leaves consumed per mouthful, number of bamboo leaves consumed per minute, and interval between mouthfuls of bamboo. In three lactating females, three of four feeding behaviors significantly increased up to 200 % above the rate observed during non-lactation. Males showed no change in feeding behavior during the same reproductive months with identical available foods. Red pandas appear to suffer a more severe energetic cost during lactation (at least with respect to food consumption) than other mammals previously studied. This may relate to their inefficient digestive capacity to process a herbivorous diet of bamboo. The data presented here suggest that general discussions of the relative costs of reproduction and in turn parental investment should include a female's relative digestive efficiency during stressful reproductive periods.
Unusual fatty acid biomarkers reveal age- and sex-specific foraging in polar bears (Ursus maritimus)
Canadian Journal of Zoology, 2007
We used fatty acid (FA) biomarkers in a novel approach to study the foraging habits of a top predator. We tested the hypothesis that non-methylene-interrupted FA (NMI FA), synthesized by benthic molluscs, are transferred via pinnipeds to polar bears (Ursus maritimus Phipps, 1774) at the top of the arctic marine food web. Among eight species of marine mammals preyed upon by polar bears, NMI FA were prevalent only in benthic-feeding bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus (Erxleben, 1777)) and Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus (L., 1758)). These two prey species differed in their relative proportions of NMI FA -22:2Á7,15 was almost exclusive to bearded seals, whereas 20:2Á5,11 was most abundant in Atlantic walruses. Six different NMI FA were identified in polar bears. Trends in individual NMI FA showed that large, adult male polar bears were the primary predators of bearded seals and Atlantic walruses. These findings were confirmed through quantitative FA signature analysis (QFASA) using an entirely different set of FA. In addition to corroborating the accuracy of QFASA diet estimates, these results indicate that individual NMI FA can provide specific information on polar bear foraging and therefore provide insights into the bottom-up effects of environmental change in arctic ecosystems.
Lipidome analysis of milk composition in humans, monkeys, bovids, and pigs
2020
Background Lipids contained in milk are an essential source of energy and structural materials for a growing infant. Furthermore, lipids’ long-chain unsaturated fatty acid residues can directly participate in infant tissue formation. Here, we used untargeted mass spectrometric measurements to assess milk lipid composition in seven mammalian species: humans, two macaque species, cows, goats, yaks, and pigs.Results Analysis of the main milk lipid class, triacylglycerides, revealed species-specific quantitative differences in the composition of fatty acid residues for each of seven species. Overall, differences in milk lipid composition reflect evolutionary distances among species, with each species group demonstrating specific lipidome features. Among them, human milk contained more medium and long-chain unsaturated fatty acids compared to other species, while pig milk was the most distinct, featuring the highest proportion of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Conclusions We sho...
The composition of African lion (Panthera leo) milk collected a few days postpartum
Mammalian Biology - Zeitschrift für Säugetierkunde, 2004
There is very little information on the composition of lion milk. Milk was obtained from all four teats of two African lionesses (Panthera leo) while they were temporarily immobilized; the first lioness was 40 hours postpartum and the second lioness was 10 days postpartum. The lion's milk obtained from the two lionesses in this study contained less solids than reported in literature. The milk of the two females contained, respectively, 192.2 and 166.9 g dry matter/kg milk; 60.2 and 84.6 g protein/kg milk; 113.6 and 136.9 g fat/kg milk; and 68.6 and 77.9 g fat free dry matter/kg milk. Carbohydrate content, analysed only for the first lioness, was 26.5 g lactose/kg milk. These values are much lower than those cited in literature. Electrophoresis and identification of protein bands showed a similar pattern of proteins as seen in cow's milk, but with caseins of less negative charge and whey proteins of smaller molecular size. The milk fat content of the second lioness was higher and varied considerably more among teats. The lipid fraction of lion's milk is characterized by a high content of saturated (palmitic and stearic) and mono-unsaturated (palmitoleic and oleic) fatty acids. Regarding fatty acid composition, lion milk closely resembles human milk. Animal fat plays an important role in the nutrition of African lions. The high fat content of lion milk suggests that the dependency by large predators such as lions on dietary fat is present from birth.