Healthy Hearts and Hearty Meals for Gorillas

Cardiovascular disease risk is a major cause of illness and mortality in captive great apes populations, and questions remain regarding the influence of diet, although such an association is well documented in humans.

Primate metabolic adaptations can vary from omnivore to strict vegetarian, and are supported by anatomical specializations such as fermentation capabilities in the foregut (leaf-eating monkeys) and hindgut (gorillas). A number of pioneering studies are underway on the genetic changes associated with dietary specializations. Comparative genome studies of humans and great apes have demonstrated that significant changes in gene expression and elevated rates of accumulation of mutations are noted for genes associated with metabolic activities such as lipid metabolism. These and similar studies allow identification of candidate genes involved in dietary specializations.

Furthermore, genomic studies in humans are identifying genes implicated in cardiovascular disease risk, such as those encoding the apolipoproteins. Utilizing frozen tissue samples, blood, and cell cultures from the Frozen Zoo®, a major collaborative study is ongoing to compare the DNA sequences of genes involved in lipid metabolism in great apes and other primates, especially those known to be associated with lipid disorders in humans. The regulation of these genes and functional consequences of the changes in genetic DNA sequences among humans, great apes and other non-human primates are also being investigated.