A potential link between insulin resistance and iron overload disorder in browsing rhinoceroses investigated through the use of an equine model.
Abstract: Iron overload disorder afflicts captive rhinoceros but has not been documented in the wild. The specific cause for the disorder has not been identified but is likely associated with diet and management. Compared with wild counterparts, captive rhinoceros eat diets containing more iron, have greater fat stores, and exercise less. It has been suggested that the problem may be linked to development of insulin resistance in the captive population. Given that controlled experiments with sufficient numbers of rhinoceros are logistically not possible, an equine model was used to look for a relationship between iron status and insulin resistance; the nutritional requirements of horses are used as a guide for rhinoceros, because they have similar gastrointestinal tracts. Sixteen horses were tested to determine blood insulin responses to an oral drench of dextrose (0.25 g/kg bodyweight) and a meal of pelleted corn (1.5 g/kg bodyweight). Fasting blood samples were taken 30 and 0 min before administration. Further blood samples were taken every 30 min for 4 hr after administration to determine peak insulin and total area under the insulin curve (AUC). Fasting samples were tested for serum ferritin concentrations. Correlations were determined between ferritin and peak insulin concentrations and insulin AUC after administration of oral dextrose and pelleted corn. The strongest correlation was between ferritin and insulin AUC after dextrose administration (r = 0.61; P = 0.01) followed by AUC after feeding a meal of pelleted corn (r = 0.60; P = 0.01), with the correlation for peak insulin being 0.53 (P = 0.03) after dextrose administration and 0.56 (P = 0.02) after pelleted corn. When evaluating responses by gender, a significant correlation existed only for females, influenced by one insulin resistant individual. These data suggest a potential link between insulin resistance and body stores of iron and also suggest that approaches to reduce the susceptibility to insulin resistance should be incorporated into management of captive browsing rhinoceros.
Publication Date: 2012-11-20 PubMed ID: 23156707DOI: 10.1638/2011-0145.1Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary
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The research investigates a potential correlation between insulin resistance and iron overload disorder in browsing rhinoceroses, using an equine model due to their similar gastrointestinal tracts.
Methodology of the Study
- The study incorporated 16 horses with blood insulin responses measured following the oral consumption of dextrose (0.25 g/kg bodyweight) and a meal of pelleted corn (1.5 g/kg bodyweight).
- Fasting blood samples were collected at 30 and 0 minutes before administration. This was followed by regular blood samples every 30 minutes for 4 hours post administration to assess peak insulin and total area under the insulin curve (AUC).
- Ferritin concentrations in the fasting samples were also measured. ferritin is a blood cell protein that contains iron and hence used to test for iron levels in blood.
Results of the Study
- Correlations were examined between ferritin concentration and peak insulin levels, as well as insulin AUC following the consumption of the dextrose and pelleted corn.
- The strongest correlation was found between ferritin and insulin AUC after dextrose administration (r = 0.61; P = 0.01) followed by a correlation after feeding a pelleted corn meal (r = 0.60; P = 0.01).
- The correlation for peak insulin was found to be 0.53 (P = 0.03) after dextrose administration and 0.56 (P = 0.02) after eating pelleted corn.
- When considering responses by gender, a significant correlation was only found for females, which was influenced by one insulin resistant individual.
Implications of the Study
- The research suggests a potential link between insulin resistance and body stores of iron.
- The findings may imply that strategies aiming at reducing the susceptibility to insulin resistance should be integrated into the management of captive browsing rhinoceroses.
- The correlation between iron and insulin resistance may explain why captive rhinoceroses, who consume more iron and exercise less than their wild counterparts, are more affected by the iron overload disorder.
- The findings could potentially translate to similar strategies for managing iron overload and insulin resistance in humans, since a link between these two conditions has been noted in human studies as well.
Cite This Article
APA
Nielsen BD, Vick MM, Dennis PM.
(2012).
A potential link between insulin resistance and iron overload disorder in browsing rhinoceroses investigated through the use of an equine model.
J Zoo Wildl Med, 43(3 Suppl), S61-S65.
https://doi.org/10.1638/2011-0145.1 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Department of Animal Science, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, USA. bdn@msu.edu
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Animals, Wild
- Female
- Ferritins
- Insulin / blood
- Insulin Resistance / physiology
- Iron Overload / veterinary
- Male
- Perissodactyla / blood
- Perissodactyla / physiology
- Pilot Projects
Citations
This article has been cited 4 times.- McLean NL, McGilchrist N, Nielsen BD. Dietary Iron Unlikely to Cause Insulin Resistance in Horses.. Animals (Basel) 2022 Sep 21;12(19).
- Sullivan KE, Lavin SR, Livingston S, Knutson M, Valdes EV, Warren LK. Safety and efficacy of a novel iron chelator (HBED; (N,N'-Di(2-hydroxybenzyl)ethylenediamine-N,N'-diacetic acid)) in equine (Equus caballus) as a model for black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).. J Anim Physiol Anim Nutr (Berl) 2022 Sep;106(5):1107-1117.
- Pouillevet H, Soetart N, Boucher D, Wedlarski R, Jaillardon L. Inflammatory and oxidative status in European captive black rhinoceroses: A link with Iron Overload Disorder?. PLoS One 2020;15(8):e0231514.
- Kellon EM, Gustafson KM. Possible dysmetabolic hyperferritinemia in hyperinsulinemic horses.. Open Vet J 2020 Jan;9(4):287-293.
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