Scientists investigating the genetic makeup of rhesus macaque monkeys, a key species used in biomedical research have found the rhesus in Nepal may provide a suitable alternative to alleviate a critical shortage of laboratory animals used in work to develop vaccines against diseases such as HIV/AIDS.
Researchers headed by Randall Kyes of the University of Washington report that the Nepali macaques are more closely related genetically to rhesus macaques form India than rhesus macaques of China.
This is important because Indian origin animals have been used for more than half a century in biomedical and behavioral research. Rhesus macaques have contributed to the discovery of vaccines to prevent diseases such as polio and yellow fever, and represent one of the most widely used primate models for AIDS related research. India, however, banned the export of all macaques in 1978, thus leading to the current shortage. Although China has been exporting captive-bred animals for sometime, scientists have noted a number of behavioral and physiological differences in disease progression between animals from the two countries, and the Indian origin macaques are generally preferred in research on certain disease.
The new study was spearheasded by Kyes, a primatologist and head of the UW’s Division of International Programs at the Washingron National Primate Research Center, in collaboration with Mukesh Chalise, president of the Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and zoologist at Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Blood samples from 21 Nepali rhesus macaques living at a temple site in Kathmandu were obtained as part of a comprehensive health screening conducted at the temple. These samples were compared with existing samples collected from more than 300 Indian and Chinese origin rhesus macaques.
The researchers did sequence analyses of mitochondrial DNA and examined the distribution of certain types of alleles, or pairs of genes, for genetic variations distributed across 17 chromosomes. They also looked for the presence of other alleles that are known to influence immunity and the rate of disease progression in the animals, including one that is present in Indian rhesus macaques but not in the Chinese ones.
Kyes said that the genetic analyses indicate the Nepali rhesus macaques are genetically similar to Indian origin rhesus macaques. In addition, while the temple samples were taken from an isolated population, he believes they may be representative of Nepali rhesus macaques in general given the past history of the area and the geographic barrier of the Himalayan Mountains that separates Nepal and India from China.
To facilitate the use of rhesus macaques in research while ensuring the conservation of Nepal's naturally occurring rhesus populations, the Nepali government enacted a policy in 2003 stipulating that only captive-bred animals may be used for scientific research. The rhesus macaque is prevalent in many countries and is not considered an endangered species. An agreement between the Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and the Washington National Primate Research Center was signed in September 2003 and a captive-breeding facility is now under construction. A breeding colony is expected to be established within 12 months.
Taken from www.biologynews.net (June 1, 2006)
However, due to opposition and demonstration allover the world mainly in Europe by Animal Right’s Activists, export of rhesus macaques form Nepal to USA has been halted and to my knowledge, the captive breeding facility will soon be dismantled (However, I am not sure.)
Researchers headed by Randall Kyes of the University of Washington report that the Nepali macaques are more closely related genetically to rhesus macaques form India than rhesus macaques of China.
This is important because Indian origin animals have been used for more than half a century in biomedical and behavioral research. Rhesus macaques have contributed to the discovery of vaccines to prevent diseases such as polio and yellow fever, and represent one of the most widely used primate models for AIDS related research. India, however, banned the export of all macaques in 1978, thus leading to the current shortage. Although China has been exporting captive-bred animals for sometime, scientists have noted a number of behavioral and physiological differences in disease progression between animals from the two countries, and the Indian origin macaques are generally preferred in research on certain disease.
The new study was spearheasded by Kyes, a primatologist and head of the UW’s Division of International Programs at the Washingron National Primate Research Center, in collaboration with Mukesh Chalise, president of the Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and zoologist at Tribhuvan University in Nepal.
Blood samples from 21 Nepali rhesus macaques living at a temple site in Kathmandu were obtained as part of a comprehensive health screening conducted at the temple. These samples were compared with existing samples collected from more than 300 Indian and Chinese origin rhesus macaques.
The researchers did sequence analyses of mitochondrial DNA and examined the distribution of certain types of alleles, or pairs of genes, for genetic variations distributed across 17 chromosomes. They also looked for the presence of other alleles that are known to influence immunity and the rate of disease progression in the animals, including one that is present in Indian rhesus macaques but not in the Chinese ones.
Kyes said that the genetic analyses indicate the Nepali rhesus macaques are genetically similar to Indian origin rhesus macaques. In addition, while the temple samples were taken from an isolated population, he believes they may be representative of Nepali rhesus macaques in general given the past history of the area and the geographic barrier of the Himalayan Mountains that separates Nepal and India from China.
To facilitate the use of rhesus macaques in research while ensuring the conservation of Nepal's naturally occurring rhesus populations, the Nepali government enacted a policy in 2003 stipulating that only captive-bred animals may be used for scientific research. The rhesus macaque is prevalent in many countries and is not considered an endangered species. An agreement between the Nepal Biodiversity Research Society and the Washington National Primate Research Center was signed in September 2003 and a captive-breeding facility is now under construction. A breeding colony is expected to be established within 12 months.
Taken from www.biologynews.net (June 1, 2006)
However, due to opposition and demonstration allover the world mainly in Europe by Animal Right’s Activists, export of rhesus macaques form Nepal to USA has been halted and to my knowledge, the captive breeding facility will soon be dismantled (However, I am not sure.)
