Susceptibility of tamarin (Saguinus labiatus) red blood cell membrane lipids to oxidative stress: implications for wasting marmoset syndrome

• Published in: Laboratory animals (London) Vol. 20; no. 2; pp. 140 - 148
• Main Authors: Gutteridge, J.M.C, Taffs, L.F, Hawkey, C.M, Rice-Evans, C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.04.1986
• Subjects: Animals; biological resistance; Callitrichidae; Callitrichinae - blood; cell membranes; Erythrocyte Membrane - metabolism; erythrocytes; Glutathione Peroxidase - blood; Hemolysis; Hydrogen Peroxide; immunosuppression; Lipid Peroxides - metabolism; lipids; Membrane Lipids - blood; Monkey Diseases - blood; Monkey Diseases - drug therapy; oxidation; Oxidation-Reduction; Saguinus labiatus; Selenium - therapeutic use; stress; Vitamin E - therapeutic use; wasting marmoset syndrome; MONKEY DISEASES; ERYTHROCYTE MEMBRANE; CALLITHRICIDAE; FREE RADICALS; LIPID PEROXIDES; GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE; MEMBRANE LIPIDS; VITAMIN E
• ISSN: 0023-6772; 1758-1117
• DOI: 10.1258/002367786780865188

Captive Callitrichids frequently suffer a fatal wasting disease, wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS), of unexplained cause. This paper describes studies on the erythrocytes from animals in a breeding colony of tamarins (Saguinus labiatus), in which deaths from anaemia and wasting were occurring, to seek evidence for biochemical changes which could lead to oxidative damage and premature cell lysis. In only one animal of 33 studied did the red blood cell lipids show an increased susceptibility to oxidative damage. This animal, with some degree of certainty, could be diagnosed as having WMS. It was concluded that evidence for a primary deficiency of antioxidants as a cause of unexplained deaths, or WMS, in the colony could not at present be substantiated.