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An immunogenetic basis for the high prevalence of urogenital cancer in a free-ranging population of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus)

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Abstract

In response to an unprecedented prevalence of cancer recently identified in free-ranging populations of California sea lions [(CSL) (Zalophus californianus], we examined the role of the immunologically important major histocompatibility (MHC) genes in this disease epidemic. Associations between MHC genes and cancer have been well established in humans, but have never before been investigated in wildlife. Using a previously developed technique employing sequence-specific primer-based PCR with intercalating dye technology, MHC genotypes were examined from 27 cancer-positive and 22 cancer-negative CSL stranded along the California coastline. Analyses elucidated an underlying immunogenetic component to the high prevalence of urogenital cancer in sea lions. Furthermore, these results demonstrate the functional relevance of CSL class II MHC by revealing a non-random nature of cancer susceptibility associated with the presence of specific genes.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants from the Office of Naval Resources, and Ecology of Infectious Disease Program (Fogarty International Center and US National Science Foundation) (DEB-0094919). The authors thank members of the Laboratory for Marine Mammal Immunology, University of California–Davis, for their contributions to this project. We would also like to thank Dr. Martin Haulena, Denise Greig, and the staff and volunteers of The Marine Mammal Center, Sausalito, Calif., and Tony Orr from the National Marine Mammal Lab, Seattle, Wash. Studies performed jointly in the laboratories of Stott and Johnson.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory for Marine Mammal Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of California, Davis, CA, 95616, USA

    Lizabeth Bowen, Brian M. Aldridge, Elizabeth L. Buckles, Linda J. Lowenstine & Jeffrey L. Stott

  2. John Muir Institute of the Environment, University of California, Davis, CA, USA

    Lizabeth Bowen & Michael L. Johnson

  3. School of Veterinary Medicine, Western Health Sciences University, Pomona, CA, USA

    Brian M. Aldridge

  4. The Marine Mammal Center, Marin Headlands/GGNRA, Sausalito, CA, USA

    Brian M. Aldridge & Frances Gulland

  5. National Marine Mammal Laboratory, NMFS, NOAA, Seattle, WA, USA

    Robert DeLong & Sharon Melin

Authors
  1. Lizabeth Bowen
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  2. Brian M. Aldridge
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  3. Robert DeLong
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  4. Sharon Melin
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  5. Elizabeth L. Buckles
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  6. Frances Gulland
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  7. Linda J. Lowenstine
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  8. Jeffrey L. Stott
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  9. Michael L. Johnson
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lizabeth Bowen.

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Bowen, L., Aldridge, B.M., DeLong, R. et al. An immunogenetic basis for the high prevalence of urogenital cancer in a free-ranging population of California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Immunogenetics 56, 846–848 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-004-0757-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00251-004-0757-z

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