posted on 2018-08-16, 00:00authored byBenjamin
A. Neely, Katherine C. Prager, Alison M. Bland, Christine Fontaine, Frances M. Gulland, Michael G. Janech
Urinary
markers for the assessment of kidney diseases in wild animals
are limited, in part, due to the lack of urinary proteome data, especially
for marine mammals. One of the most prevalent kidney diseases in marine
mammals is caused by Leptospira interrogans, which
is the second most common etiology linked to stranding of California
sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Urine proteins
from 11 sea lions with leptospirosis kidney disease and eight sea
lions without leptospirosis or kidney disease were analyzed using
shotgun proteomics. In total, 2694 protein groups were identified,
and 316 were differentially abundant between groups. Major urine proteins
in sea lions were similar to major urine proteins in dogs and humans
except for the preponderance of resistin, lysozyme C, and PDZ domain
containing 1, which appear to be over-represented. Previously reported
urine protein markers of kidney injury in humans and animals were
also identified. Notably, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin,
osteopontin, and epidermal fatty acid binding protein were elevated
over 20-fold in the leptospirosis-infected sea lions. Consistent with
leptospirosis infection in rodents, urinary proteins associated with
the renin-angiotensin system were depressed, including neprilysin.
This study represents a foundation from which to explore the clinical
use of urinary protein markers in California sea lions.