Two surveys were conducted in the Kruger National Park in which 205 baboons were captured. The first survey was done during late summer and the second during late winter. Serum ascorbic acid, serum cholesterol and serum phospholipids were determined. Baboons of both sexes and various ages were captured. This work was undertaken to establish serum ascorbic acid, serum cholesterol and serum phospholipid values for baboons under free-living conditions. A seasonal variation was found, and the serum ascorbic acid serum cholesterol and serum phospholipid values were significantly higher during winter than during summer.S. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1700 (1974

de Klerk, W.A.

Horn, L.P.

Kotze, J.P.

Laubscher, N.F.

Menne, I.V.

Weight, M.J.

Weight, M.J.A.

English

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1700V 98S.-A. MEDIESE TYDSKRIF(Byvoegsel-5Ilid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Voeding)14 Augustus 1974Seasonal Variation in Serum Ascorbic Acid andSerum Lipid Composition of Free-LivingBaboons (Papio ursinus)J. P. KOTZE, 1. V. MENNE,N. F. LAUBSCHERM. J. A. WEIGHT,SUMMARYTwo surveys were conducted in the Kruger National Parkin which 205 baboons were captured. The first surv<;y wasdone during late summer and the second during late win-ter. Serum ascorbic acid, serum cholesterol and serumphospholipids were determined. Baboons of both sexesand various ages were captured.This work was undertaken to establish serum ascorbicacid, s<;rum cholesterol and serum phospholipid valuesfor baboons under free-living conditions. A seasonalvariation was found, and the serum ascorbi~ acid serumcholesterol and serum phospholipid values were' signifi-cantly higher during winter than during summer.5. Afr. Med. J., 48, 1700 (1974).Most of our work on cholesterol metabolism and thesignificance of captivity str::ss on primates has been doneon baboons (Papio ursinus)."" All the baboons used inthese experiments were captured in the Kruger NationalPark. A survey was conducted in this game reserve todetermine the serum ascorbic acid and serum lipidcomposition of the baboons under natural environmentalconditions. We consider these data important as theyenable us to draw comparisons with the data obtainedafter the animals have been placed in experiments.We are also concerned with the adaptation of baboons(Papio ursinus) and monkeys (Cercopithecus aethiops)to captivity, since thousands of these animals are capturedannually in South Africa for research purposes. De Klerket al.,,4 showed that the serum ascorbic acid levels ofbaboons and monkeys drop dramatically during the firstdays of captivity. Kotze et al: found that baboons on adaily ascorbic acid intake of 16 mg/kg body weight showedNational Research Institute for Nutritional Diseases of theSonth African Medical Research Council, PretoriaJ. P. KOTZE (Present address: National Food Research In-stitute, CSIR, Pretoria)W. A. DE KLERK (Present address: National Food ResearchInstitute, CSIR, Pretoria)M. J. WEIGHTI. V. MENNEM. J. A. WEIGHTL. P. HORNNational Research Institute for Mathematical Sciences, CSIR,PretoriaN. F. LAUBSCHERPaper presented at the Biennial Meeting of the South African NutritionSociety, held in Pretoria on 6 - 8 September 1973.a drop in serum ascorbic acid over the first few weeksof captivity. Supplementation of their diet with ascorbicacid needs serious consideration, since it plays an impor-tant role in their health maintenance. Honjo et a/.,'for instance, showed that Cynomolgus monkeys(Macaca ims) on an ascorbic acid-deficient diet were moresusceptible to relatively low doses of Shigella flexneri 2a.MATERIALS AND METHODSThe baboons were immobilised with phellcyc'idine hydro-chloride (Sernylan; Parke Davis). Thij was done bvdarting them with Cap-Chur projection gas pistols, afte'rluring them to our vehicles with fruit and vegetables.As this method was not always succe,~ful, we also madeuse of very small baboons to attract the attention ofthe troops-baboons usually attempt to rescue a babybaboon when it is held outside a vehicle for them to see.They were then darted as they closed in.Baboons of both sexes and various weights werecaptured and released again after weighing and takingof blood samples. A number was tatooed onto the chestof each baboon for later identification, should the animalbe caught again. The majority were caught in theSkukuza, Lower Sabie, Pretoriuskop and Tshokwaneareas of the park.The surveys were performed during February 1972(late summer) and August (late winter) of the same year.Serum ascorbic acid levels were determined accordinoto the 2-4-dinitrophenyl hydrazine method of Roe andKuether.' Thio-urea was used instead of Norit as des-cribed by Schaffert and Kingsley:Serum cholesterol values were determined accordingto the method of Zak and Ress'er" and phospholipidvalues according to the method of Bart~ett.loThe data were statistically analysed to determine whethersignificant differences existed between the two sexes andbetween the two seasons in which the surveys were donefor each of the 4 variables, i.e. body mass, serum ascorbicacid, serum cholesterol and serum phospholipids. Meansand standard deviations were computed (Table I) as wellas all correlation coefficients between the 4 variables(see Table 1I). To eliminate the possible effect that bodymass might have on the other 3 variables, partial corre-lations were determined with the effect of body ~asseliminated (see Table TII).A two-way analysis of variance" was done to deter-mine the effect of sex as well as season on the 4variables. The two hypotheses used were that neither14 August 1974 S.A. MEDICAL JOURNAL(Sl/pplemenT-SOl/lh African JOl/rnal of Nl/Irilioll)1701N 99TABLE I. MEANS AND STANDARD DEVIATIONS FOR BODY MASS, SERUM ASCORBIC ACID, SERUM CHOLESTEROLAND SERUM PHOSPHOLlPIDS OF BABOONS CAPTURED DURING SUMMER AND WINTERSerum ascorbic Serum cholesterol Serum phospho-Body mass (kg) acid (mg/100 ml) (mg/100 ml) lipids (mg/l00 ml)Average SO Average SO Average SO Average SOMales first survey (summer) 23,8 10,8 1,41 0,33 84 23 118 42(N = 65)Females first survey (summer) 13,3 5,3 1,30 0,40 87 15 133 38(N = 29)Males second survey (winter) 24,3 10,1 1,73 0,38 95 21 170 37(N = 79)Females second survey (winter) 15,0 4,5 1,79 0,48 106 27 179 52(N = 32)sex nor season has an influence on the means of thevariables.From Table II it can be seen that serum cholesterolis reasonably well correlated with body mass. Hence weattempted to explain differences in serum cholesterol interms of differences in body mass. To this effect, a two-way analysis of covariance" was computed on serumcholesterol, using cubic regression on body mass.Since 5 variables were under consideration, IO signi-ficance tests were computed. The results are presentedin Table IV. In order to guarantee an over-all 5%probability of type I error, individual tests were performedat the 0,005 significance level, an approximation whichis based on the· Bonferroni inequality. I'RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONA total of 205 baboons were captured during the twoseasons, 94 during February (69 0 0 were males and 31 o,~females) and III during August (72% were males and28 0 0 females). The summer of 1971 - 1972 had an above-average rainfall and availability of food and generalconditions were in the favour of the baboons, while thewinter of 1972 was particularly severe for this gamereserve which has a subtropical climate.The baboons caught during the summer had an averageserum ascorbic acid level of 1,37 mg/IOO ml, and thosecaught during the winter had a higher average of 1,74mg/IOO ml. The average serum cholesterol value of 84,9mg/IOO ml obtained in summer was also lower than theaverage of 98,2 mg/lOO ml obtained during winter. Thewinter average value for serum phospholipids, i.e. 172,6mg/lOO ml was also higher than the summer averageof 122,6 mg/lOO ml.The higher serum ascorbic acid levels found duringAugust (late winter) were probably due to differences indiet during the two seasons.It is clear from Table I that the phospholipid concen-trations in the serum were higher than those of choles-terol. The ratio of serum cholesterol/serum phospholipidswas 0,71 for males in summer and decreased to 0,56 inwinter. For females this ratio was 0,65 in summer andit decreased to 0,59 in winter.The cholesterol/phospholipid ratios in this study werealso lower than the ratios of 0,95, 0,90 and 0,83 reportedby Kotze et al." for baboon very-low-density lipoproteins,TABLE 11. CORRELATION COEFFICIENTS OF THE 4VARIABLESSerum Serum SerumSurvey ascorbic choles- phospho-No. Sex acid terol lipids1:{~-0,15 -0,73 -0,42Body mass-0,06 -0,46 -0,23{~-0,20 -0,47 -0,31-0,18 -0,47 -0,44Serum1:{~0,18 0,150,45 0,21ascorbic{~0,15 0,16acid-0,21 -0,031:{~0,61Serum 0,58cholesterol {~0,550,54TABLE Ill. PARTIAL CORRELATIONS-EFFECT OF BODYMASS ELIMINATEDSurvey Serum SerumNo. Sex cholesterol phospholipidsSerum1{ M 0,10 0,10ascorbicF 0,47 0,20acid 2 { M 0,06 0,14F -0,15 0,05{ M 0,79S",m 1 F 0,55cholesterol2 { M 0,48F 0,43low-density lipoproteins and high-density Iipoproteins,respectively.The baboon cholesterol/phospholipid ratios found byus were considerably lower than those reported forhumans by Katz and Stammler,H who found ratios of0,80 to 0,76 for normal human males and females,respectively. These workers maintain that there is nocorrelation between cholesterol/phospholipid ratios andthe incidence and severity of atherosclerosis.Cherkovich and Usunian'" determined serum cholesterolvalues in 153 rhesus monkeys and 158 sacred baboons,during spring, summer, autumn and winter over a periodof two years, and found a seasonal variation. ]n summerthe serum cholesterol values were higher (rhesus monkeys1702v 100S.-A. MEDIESE TYDSKRIF(Byvoegsel-Suid-Afrikaanse Tydskrif vir Voeding)14 Augustus 1974TABLE IV. ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE-TWO HYPOTHESES TESTED AT AN OVER-ALL 5% SIGNIFICANCE LEVELSerum Serum cholesterolascorbic Serum Serum with body mass seenBody mass acid cholesterol phospholipids as a covariateNot Not NotRejected rejected rejected rejected RejectedHypothesesHypothesis 1:Sex has no in-fluence on themeansHypothesis 2:Season in whichsurvey was donehas no influenceon the meansNot,rejected Rejected Rejected Rejected Rejected157,5 ± 7,8 mg/lOO ml; sacred baboons 133,7 ± 5,6mgj 100 ml) than in winter (rhesus monkeys 135,0 ± 2,9mgjlOO ml; sacred baboons 119,9 ± 3,4 mg/IOO m!).These workers also supply evidence that daily bloodsampling of rhesus monkeys resulted in a gradual dropin serum cholesterol levels as the animals adapted tohandling.St Clair et al.,16 reporting on the serum cholesterolvalues of squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus), found thatthe serum cholesterol rose significantly-from 116 mg/ 100ml at time of capture in the jungle to a value of 194mg/lOO ml at the time of their arrival at the laboratory.They suggest that this rise in serum cholesterol mayreflect the squirrel monkeys' reaction to captivity stress.They also feel that the serum cholesterol values forsquirrel monkeys of between 175 and 200 mg/lOO ml foundby several other laborator:es are not typical for free-ranging animals and might in fact represent hyper-cholesterolaemic levels. We agree with this and feel thattesting free-living non-human primates is the most reliablemethod for obtaining biological normals.Van der Watt et al." performed cholesterol determi-nations on 74 samples of sera obtained from 43 maleand 31 female free-living baboons (Papio ursinus) caughtin the Northern Transvaal (Tshipise district) and theSkukuza area of the Kruger National Park. They foundthat the serum cholesterol levels had a mean value of104 mg/lOO ml in the males and 99 mg/lOO ml in thefemales.The correlation coeff:cients between serum ascorbicacid and serum cholesterol and between serum ascorbicacid and serum phospholipids are, in general, Iow. Thecorrelation between serum cholesterol and serumphospholipids is reasonably high, which confirms therelationship between these two variables.Partial correlations (eliminating the effect of body mass)between serum ascorbic acid on the one hand, and serumcholesterol and serum phospholipids on the other, donot indicate that differences in body mass are responsib!efor these relatively low correlations.There are significant difference3 in body mass betweenmales and females, but on the average, males and femalesdo not differ significantly from the first survey to thesecond. While the average serum ascorbic acid, serumcholesterol and serum phospholipid levels do not differsignificantly between males and females, very highlysignificant differences are indicated from survey 1 tosurvey 2 (compare mean values given in Table I).The covariance analysis of serum cholesterol on bodymass as predictor shows that highly significant differencesexist both between sexes and surveys. This, together withthe analysis of variance result (comparing males andfemales and finding no significant difference), indicatesthat differences in body mass account for differences inserum cholesterol levels between males and females.CONCLUSIONThe higher serum ascorbic acid values found during wintermight be due to differences in the diet of the baboonsduring the two seasons. This aspect needs further investi-gation. Our surveys and experiments have shown thatcertain variables such as serum ascorbic acid and serumcholesterol can differ markedly in primates under differentconditions. Serum ascorbic acid levels drop and serumcholesterol values rise in captivity. We agree with otherworkers that in order to obtain normal values, it is bestto test free-living animals.The statistical analysis indicates that differences in bodymass, and not sex, account for the differences in serumcholesterol levels between male and female baboons.We thank Dr U. de V. Pienaar for permission to workin the Kruger National Park and for making laboratoryfacilities available to us.REFERENCES1. De Klerk, W. A., Kotz., J. P., Weight, M. J.,' Menne, 1. V.,Matthews, M. J. A. and MeDonald, T. (1973): S. Atr. Med. J.,47, 1503.2. Kotz., J. P., Matthews, M. J. A. and De Klerk, W. A. (1973):Lancet, I, 610.3. Weight, M. J., Kotz., 1. P., De K!erk, W. A. and Matthews,M. J. A. (1974): Int. J. Bioehem. (in press).4. De K!erk, W. A., Du Plessis, J. P., Van der Watt, 1. 1., De Jager,Annemarie and Laubscher, N. F. (1973): S. Atr. Med. J., 47, 705.5. Kotz., J. P., De Klerk, W. A. and Weight, M. J. Unpublished data.6. Honjo. S .• Takasaka, M., Fujiwara. T., Imaizumi, K. and Ogawa, H.(1969): Jap. J. Med. Sei. BioI., 22, 149.7. Roe, J. M. and Kuether, C. A. (1943): J. BioI. Chem., 147, 399.8. Sehaffert, R. R. and Kingsley, G. R. (1955): Ibid., 212, 59.9. Zak, B. and Ressler, N. (1955): Amer. J. Clin. Path., 25, 433.11. Bartlett, G. R. (1959): J. BioI. Chem., 234, 466.11. Scheff., H. (1959): The Analysis of Variance. New York: JohnWiley & Sons.12. Miller, R. G. (1966): Simultaneous Statistical In!erence. New York:MeGraw-Hill.13. Kotz., J. P., Neuhoff, J. S., Engelbreeht, G. P., Van der Merwe,G. J., Du Plessis, J. P. and Horn, 1.. P. (1974): Atherosclerosis,19, 469.14. Katz, 1.. N. and Stammler, J. (1953): Experimental Atherosclerosis,p. 92. Springfield 111.: C. C. Thomas.15. Cherkovieh, G. M. and Usunian, 1.. A. (1967): Z. Versuehstierk.,9, 236.16. St Clair, R. W., MeNinteh, J. E., Middleton. C. C., Clarkson, T. B.and Lofland, H. B. (1967): Lab. Invest., 16, 828.17. Van der Watt, J. J., Kotz;;, J. P., Kempff, P. G., Du Plessis, J. P.and Laubscher, N. F. (1973): J. Med. Prim., 2, 25.

Seasonal variation in serum ascorbic acid and serum lipid composition of free-living baboons (Papio ursinus)

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Seasonal variation in serum ascorbic acid and serum lipid composition of free-living baboons (Papio ursinus)

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