Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO) is involved in immune processes such as transplant and fetal rejection, autoimmunity, cancer, and infection; however, its expression in rhesus macaques has not been fully addressed.

Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase mRNA and protein in the white blood cells (WBCs) of Chinese rhesus macaques were examined by RT-PCR, western blotting, real-time RT-PCR, and flow cytometry.

Both IDO protein and mRNA could be readily detected in WBCs or peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of normal rhesus macaques. IDO+ cell frequency was the highest among CD14⁺ mononuclear cells, followed by CD56⁺ cells and DCs. No difference in the frequency of IDO+ cells between CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells; however, Th17 cells have higher frequency of IDO+ cells than Th1 cells, with Th2 cells the lowest. Toll-like receptor (TLR) stimulation significantly increased IDO protein level in CD14⁺, CD56⁺, CD1c⁺, CD11c⁺, and CD123⁺ myeloid cells.

Rhesus macaques express IDO differentially in their leukocyte subsets and are suitable for IDO-related pathophysiological studies.

Abruptio placentae is a serious problem with a high rate of maternal and fetal mortality and documented sexual dimorphism in reoccurrence. Macaca fascicularis is a well-described reproductive model; however, there are no data available regarding sexual dimorphism in abruptio placentae in these species.

A retrospective study of pathology and medical records in a large colony of M. fascicularis was performed. Placental specimens were analyzed.

The incidence of placenta abruptio in the colony was 15.7/1000 births. In the abruptio placentae group, male fetuses had lower placental disk length and increased femur length compared with female fetuses. The feto-pacental ratio and fetal weight were lower in the male fetuses in the abruption group compared with those in the stillbirth group without abruption placentae.

This is the first documentation of male bias in placental and fetal development in abruptio placentae in non-human primates.

Regarding the good practice in the laboratory work, it is essential to have a broad spectrum of biochemical and hematological references in pregnant females to determine the health status of the colony.

To establish reference values to reveal changes in hematology and blood chemistry in pregnant rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) in their first trimester of pregnancy.

Twenty-eight females in reproductive stage were used, divided into two groups: 14 pregnant macaques in their first trimester and 14 non-pregnant used as the control group. Blood samples were collected for the hematological test and blood chemistry.

The results showed significant difference in the blood chemistry for the following parameters: glucose, total bilirubin, and total protein. The hematological evaluation revealed significant difference in leukocytes and neutrophils.

These findings offer a reference range and provide a basis for improvement in techniques and refinement of clinical processes in these specimens.

Few lethal pathogens in wild-living primates have been described, and little is known about infectious diseases of the reproductive tract and their possible impact on health and reproduction. This report describes the pathology and isolation of an alpha-toxin producing strain of Clostridium septicum in a case of necrotizing endometritis in a wild sooty mangabey found dead in a tropical rainforest of West Africa.

Chromosomal analyses were performed for marmosets from two colonies – Deutsches Primatenzentrum (DPZ) and Biomedical Primate Research Centre (BPRC). Chlorine-based disinfectants are used in DPZ; no chemical disinfection is applied in BPRC.

The rates of chromosomal non-disjunction, polyploidy and endoreduplication were investigated after G-banding.

For DPZ monkeys, the mean rates of non-disjunction were 7.6% for bone marrow and 11.3% for lymphocytes. The polyploidy level was 2.5% in bone marrow and 0.8% in blood. Frequency of endoreduplication in bone marrow and in leucocytes was 0.5% and 0.8%, respectively. For BPRC, the rate of non-disjunction in leucocytes (1.3%) was significantly lower than that for DPZ; the polyploidy rate (0.2%) in blood was lower than that in DPZ; endoreduplication was not observed.

The levels of chromosomal disorders are elevated for DPZ colony. We suggest that the increased rate of chromosomal disorders in DPZ marmosets can be related to the chemical disinfection of their environment.

The objective of this study was to develop a cell culture system for fetal baboon hepatocytes and to test the hypotheses that (i) expression of the gluconeogenic enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase-1 (PEPCK-1) is upregulated in hepatocytes isolated from fetuses of nutrient-restricted mothers (MNR) compared with ad libitum-fed controls (CTR), and (ii) glucocorticoids stimulate PEPCK-1 expression.

Hepatocytes from 0.9G CTR and MNR fetuses were isolated and cultured. PEPCK-1 protein and mRNA levels in hepatocytes were determined by Western blot and quantitative PCR, respectively.

Fetuses of MNR mothers were intrauterine growth restricted (IUGR). Feasibility of culturing 0.9G fetal baboon hepatocytes was demonstrated. PEPCK-1 protein levels were increased in hepatocytes isolated from IUGR fetuses, and PEPCK-1 mRNA expression was stimulated by glucocorticoids in fetal hepatocytes.

Cultured fetal baboon hepatocytes that retain their in vivo phenotype provide powerful in vitro tools to investigate mechanisms that regulate normal and programmed hepatic function.

Specific-pathogen-free (SPF) rhesus macaques, Macaca mulatta, are a valuable resource in biomedical research, and demographic analysis plays a significant role in colony management.

Data collection included SPF levels, gender, birth year, season of birth, birth location, rearing condition, maternal pregnancy history, and maternal age. Infant mortality in SPF rhesus macaques was compared with that in non-SPF rhesus macaques at the California National Primate Research Center over a six-year period, using Cox proportional regression analysis.

In infants born to multiparous dams, the SPF infants had a significantly lower rate of mortality than non-SPF infants. There was no statistically significant difference in infant mortality between different SPF levels.

Elimination of selected endemic viruses from breeding populations of rhesus macaques for the purpose of SPF colony development is associated with a significant reduction in the infant mortality rate.

Olfactomedin-like is a family of polyfunctional polymeric glycoproteins. This family has at least four members. One member of this family is OLFML3, which is preferentially expressed in placenta but is also detected in other adult tissues including the liver and heart. However, its orthologous rat gene is expressed in the iris, sclera, trabecular meshwork, retina, and optic nerve.

OLFML3 messenger amplification was performed by RT-PCR from human and baboon ocular tissues. The products were cloned and sequenced.

We report OLFML3 expression in human and baboon eye. The full coding DNA sequence has 1221 bp, from which an open reading frame of 406 amino acid was obtained. The baboon OLFML3 gene nucleotidic sequence has 98% and amino acidic 99% similarity with humans.

OLFML3 gene expression in human and baboon ocular tissues and its high similarity make the baboon a powerful model to deduce the physiological and/or metabolic function of this protein in the eye.

As endometriosis is known to be very painful in humans, therapeutic studies should consider pain-related aspects in experimental animals too. In a previous study, we found that common marmosets suffering from endometriosis show remarkable deviations in social behavior and cognitive tasks.

Female marmosets with endometriosis undergoing medical treatment were tested vs. two control groups (healthy and endometriosis monkeys without treatment) concerning behavioral aspects, cognitive skills, and mobility.

The treated monkeys performed significant more social and self-grooming, comfort behavior and were more active than the untreated endometriosis monkeys. The treated marmosets even returned to equal levels as their healthy conspecifics. Cognitive and mobility tests revealed no significant differences.

A beneficial effect of the applied endometriosis medication on behavioral impairments could be obtained. Including such measurements in therapeutic research contributes to aspects of animal welfare and pain-relieving potential of the tested compound.

The genetic composition of cynomolgus macaques used in biomedical research is not as well-characterized as that of rhesus macaques.

Populations of cynomolgus macaques from Sumatra, Corregidor, Mauritius, Singapore, Cambodia, and Zamboanga were analyzed using 24 STRs.

The Sumatran and Cambodian populations exhibited the highest allelic diversity, while the Mauritian population exhibited the lowest. Sumatran cynomolgus macaques were the most genetically similar to all others, consistent with an Indonesian origin of the species. The high diversity among Cambodian animals may result from interbreeding with rhesus macaques. The Philippine and Mauritian samples were the most divergent from other populations, the former due to separation from the Sunda Shelf by deepwater and the latter due to anthropogenic translocation and extreme founder effects.

Investigators should verify their research subjects' origin, ancestry, and pedigree to minimize risks to biomedical experimentation from genetic variance stemming from close kinship and mixed ancestry as these can obscure treatment effects.

Testicular failure has an effect on normal physiology. To address this issue, an experimental non-human primate model of long-term castrated rhesus monkey was chosen for this study to evaluate the influence of castration on various biochemical parameters.

Nine castrated rhesus monkeys were evaluated for changes in body weight, serum testosterone, and serum biochemical parameters as compared to those in non-castrated macaques.

Castration caused statistically significant changes in body weight, biochemical analytes, and testosterone levels. Body weight and testosterone levels were decreased, and there were increase in alanine aminotransferase, cholesterol, serum bilirubin, phosphorous, alkaline phosphatase, urea and a decrease in serum protein, uric acid, creatinine, and triglycerides.

This study provided essential baseline information on biochemical variables due to the effect of castration associated with declining levels of testosterone, as data are not readily accessible from the existing body of scientific literature on non-human primates.

In an attempt to explore cynomolgus monkeys as an animal model for Alzheimer's disease, the present study focused on the Alzheimer's biomarkers beta amyloid 1–42 (Aβ₄₂) in serum, and total tau (t-tau) and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) levels in cerebrospinal fluid.

We measured biomarker levels in Young and Aged cynomolgus monkeys and correlated these with performance on three delayed response tasks.

The Aβ₄₂ concentration of the Aged monkeys was significantly lower than in the Young subjects, while the t-tau and p-tau did not significantly differ between the groups. The Young subjects performed significantly better than the Aged individuals on the memory tests. Only Aβ₄₂ levels were significantly correlated with performance in the three delayed response tasks.

Circulating Aβ₄₂ levels were lower in Aged monkeys and were correlated with inferior performance on delayed response tasks in Aged animals; therefore, both measures may be useful in establishing cynomolgus monkeys as models for studies of AD.

Biopharmaceutical development necessitates use of non-human primates in toxicology, leading to adoption of non-traditional methods including cognitive function assessment.

A two-object discrimination and reversal test in cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) was performed using a Wisconsin General Testing Apparatus (WGTA). Non-clinical study design and regulatory considerations dictate that infants are raised by their biological mothers until weaning at 6 months. Thirty-four animals (6–21 months of age) were trained to discriminate between two randomly selected stimulus objects to retrieve a reward. Following training, days to first reversal after interchanging the reward were measured.

Both sexes acquired visual discrimination skills at similar rates. Trends in learning and reversals completed were uniform across age groups. Completing training early in some subjects had no impact on subsequent testing phases.

Weaned cynomolgus monkey infants can be successfully tested for cognitive abilities using the WGTA in a non-clinical laboratory setting.

A 4-year-old rhesus macaque presented with acute, progressive paresis of the extremities.

A complete blood count, serum biochemical analysis, neurologic exam and necropsy were performed.

The clinical, histopathological, and immunohistochemical findings confirmed a high-grade intramedullary glial tumor of the spinal cord that was most consistent with an ependymoma.

We describe a case of a naturally occurring spontaneous spinal cord neoplasia in a non-human primate.

Physiologic stress has been demonstrated to impair glucose tolerance.

Glucose tolerance tests were performed using six cynomolgus monkeys.

Chair-restrained subjects elicited higher elevations of plasma glucose and cortisol compared with squeezing device-restrained subjects.

The responses to a glucose challenge are altered by different restraint procedures.