[MARMAM] New paper on Nutrigenomic & Steller sea lion

[Jérôme Spitz]

Dear colleagues,

We are pleased to announce the publication of our study:

*A nutrigenomic approach to detect nutritional stress from gene 
expression in blood samples drawn from Steller sea lions.* Spitz J., 
Becquet V., Rosen D.A.S. & Trites A.W., 2015. Comparative Biochemistry 
and Physiology: part A, 187:214-223

*Abstract*
Gene expression profiles are increasingly being used as biomarkers to 
detect the physiological responses of a number of species to disease, 
nutrition, and other stressors. However, little attention has been given 
to using gene expression to assess the stressors and physiological 
status of marine mammals. We sought to develop and validate a 
nutrigenomic approach to quantify nutritional stress in Steller sea 
lions (Eumetopias jubatus). We subjected 4 female Steller sea lions to 3 
feeding regimes over 70-day trials (unrestricted food intake, acute 
nutritional stress, and chronic nutritional stress), and drew blood 
samples from each animal at the end of each feeding regime. We then 
extracted the RNA of white blood cells and measured the response of 8 
genes known to react to diet restriction in terrestrial mammals. 
Overall, we found that the genomic response of Steller sea lions 
experiencing nutritional stress was consistent with how terrestrial 
mammals respond to dietary restrictions. Our nutritionally stressed sea 
lions down-regulated some cellular processes involved in immune response 
and oxidative stress, and up-regulated pro-inflammatory responses and 
metabolic processes. Nutrigenomics appears to be a promising means to 
monitor nutritional status and contribute to mitigation measures needed 
to assist in the recovery of Steller sea lions and other at-risk species 
of marine mammals.

The final version is available on Sciendirect for free until August 15, 
2015. http://authors.elsevier.com/a/1RGMd_OwNl3o80

Jérôme Spitz

Marine Mammal Research Unit - UBC - http://mmru.ubc.ca/
Observatoire PELAGIS - ULR/CNRS - http://www.observatoire-pelagis.cnrs.fr/


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