Examining the blubber proteome of a model marine mammal during exposure to stress hormones

• Main Authors: Bertolero, Katie, Kim, Stella Han, Khudyakov, Jane
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: Scholarly Commons 2024
• Subjects: Elephant Seal; Elephant Seals
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/rcs/2024/undergraduate/5

In recent years, there has been increasing concern about the health of marine mammal populations due to an increase of anthropogenic activity and pollution present in marine environments. These anthropogenic factor may cause physiological stress in these animals, potentially impacting their health and survival. The northern elephant seal, which is easily accessible for research, served as our model for evaluating the physiological effects of stress in marine mammals. In order to understand the effects of stress hormones on blubber function, we analyzed the proteome of precision-cut adipose tissue slices (PCATS) from elephant seals that had been exposed to the stress hormones cortisol, epinephrine, and their combination. Using this ex-vivo approach allowed us to assess the effects of multiple stress hormones. We identified a total of 1189 proteins in the PCATS proteome, which were associated with functions such as PI3K Akt Signaling Pathway, IL-24 Signaling Pathway, Insulin Signaling Pathway, G Protein Signaling Pathway, NRF2 Pathway, Vasopressin Regulated Water Reabsorption, TSH Signaling Pathway, and Corticotropin Releasing Hormone Signaling Pathway. We are currently working on comparing protein abundance between treatments to identify protein markers of stress in one of the only tissues that can be samples from wild marine mammals. These findings could have implications that could be used to advance conservation efforts for marine mamm