@article{kuthyar_watson_huang_brent_platt_horvath_gonzalez-martinez_martinez_godoy-vitorino_knight_et al._2022, title={Limited microbiome differences in captive and semi-wild primate populations consuming similar diets}, volume={98}, ISSN={["1574-6941"]}, DOI={10.1093/femsec/fiac098}, abstractNote={Abstract Gut microbial communities are shaped by a myriad of extrinsic factors, including diet and the environment. Although distinct human populations consistently exhibit different gut microbiome compositions, variation in diet and environmental factors are almost always coupled, making it difficult to disentangle their relative contributions to shaping the gut microbiota. Data from discrete animal populations with similar diets can help reduce confounds. Here, we assessed the gut microbiota of free-ranging and captive rhesus macaques with at least 80% diet similarity to test the hypothesis that hosts in difference environments will have different gut microbiomes despite a shared diet. Although we found that location was a significant predictor of gut microbial composition, the magnitude of observed differences was relatively small. These patterns suggest that a shared diet may limit the typical influence of environmental microbial exposure on the gut microbiota.}, number={10}, journal={FEMS MICROBIOLOGY ECOLOGY}, author={Kuthyar, Sahana and Watson, Karli and Huang, Shi and Brent, Lauren J. N. and Platt, Michael and Horvath, Julie and Gonzalez-Martinez, Janis and Martinez, Melween and Godoy-Vitorino, Filipa and Knight, Rob and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Oct} }
 @article{watowich_chiou_montague_simons_horvath_ruiz-lambides_martinez_higham_brent_platt_et al._2022, title={Natural disaster and immunological aging in a nonhuman primate}, volume={119}, ISSN={["1091-6490"]}, DOI={10.1073/pnas.2121663119}, abstractNote={Weather-related disasters are increasing in frequency and severity, leaving survivors to cope with ensuing mental, financial, and physical hardships. This adversity can exacerbate existing morbidities, trigger new ones, and increase the risk of mortality-features that are also characteristic of advanced age-inviting the hypothesis that extreme weather events may accelerate aging. To test this idea, we examined the impact of Hurricane Maria and its aftermath on immune cell gene expression in large, age-matched, cross-sectional samples from free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) living on an isolated island. A cross section of macaques was sampled 1 to 4 y before (n = 435) and 1 y after (n = 108) the hurricane. Hurricane Maria was significantly associated with differential expression of 4% of immune-cell-expressed genes, and these effects were correlated with age-associated alterations in gene expression. We further found that individuals exposed to the hurricane had a gene expression profile that was, on average, 1.96 y older than individuals that were not-roughly equivalent to an increase in 7 to 8 y of a human life. Living through an intense hurricane and its aftermath was associated with expression of key immune genes, dysregulated proteostasis networks, and greater expression of inflammatory immune cell-specific marker genes. Together, our findings illuminate potential mechanisms through which the adversity unleashed by extreme weather and potentially other natural disasters might become biologically embedded, accelerate age-related molecular immune phenotypes, and ultimately contribute to earlier onset of disease and death.}, number={8}, journal={PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA}, author={Watowich, Marina M. and Chiou, Kenneth L. and Montague, Michael J. and Simons, Noah D. and Horvath, Julie E. and Ruiz-Lambides, Angelina V and Martinez, Melween I and Higham, James P. and Brent, Lauren J. N. and Platt, Michael L. and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Feb} }
 @article{testard_brent_andersson_chiou_negron-del valle_decasien_acevedo-ithier_stock_anton_gonzalez_et al._2022, title={Social connections predict brain structure in a multidimensional free-ranging primate society}, volume={8}, ISSN={["2375-2548"]}, DOI={10.1126/sciadv.abl5794}, abstractNote={Reproduction and survival in most primate species reflects management of both competitive and cooperative relationships. Here, we investigated the links between neuroanatomy and sociality in free-ranging rhesus macaques. In adults, the number of social partners predicted the volume of the mid–superior temporal sulcus and ventral-dysgranular insula, implicated in social decision-making and empathy, respectively. We found no link between brain structure and other key social variables such as social status or indirect connectedness in adults, nor between maternal social networks or status and dependent infant brain structure. Our findings demonstrate that the size of specific brain structures varies with the number of direct affiliative social connections and suggest that this relationship may arise during development. These results reinforce proposed links between social network size, biological success, and the expansion of specific brain circuits.}, number={15}, journal={SCIENCE ADVANCES}, author={Testard, Camille and Brent, Lauren J. N. and Andersson, Jesper and Chiou, Kenneth L. and Negron-Del Valle, Josue E. and DeCasien, Alex R. and Acevedo-Ithier, Arianna and Stock, Michala K. and Anton, Susan C. and Gonzalez, Olga and et al.}, year={2022}, month={Apr} }
 @article{melin_orkin_janiak_valenzuela_kuderna_marrone_ramangason_horvath_roos_kitchener_et al._2021, title={Variation in predicted COVID-19 risk among lemurs and lorises}, volume={83}, ISSN={["1098-2345"]}, DOI={10.1002/ajp.23255}, abstractNote={The novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which in humans leads to the disease COVID-19, has caused global disruption and more than 2 million fatalities since it first emerged in late 2019. As we write, infection rates are at their highest point globally and are rising extremely rapidly in some areas due to more infectious variants. The primary target of SARS-CoV-2 is the cellular receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme-2 (ACE2). Recent sequence analyses of the ACE2 gene predict that many nonhuman primates are also likely to be highly susceptible to infection. However, the anticipated risk is not equal across the Order. Furthermore, some taxonomic groups show high ACE2 amino acid conservation, while others exhibit high variability at this locus. As an example of the latter, analyses of strepsirrhine primate ACE2 sequences to date indicate large variation among lemurs and lorises compared to other primate clades despite low sampling effort. Here, we report ACE2 gene and protein sequences for 71 individual strepsirrhines, spanning 51 species and 19 genera. Our study reinforces previous results while finding additional variability in other strepsirrhine species, and suggests several clades of lemurs have high potential susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Troublingly, some species, including the rare and endangered aye-aye (Daubentonia madagascariensis), as well as those in the genera Avahi and Propithecus, may be at high risk. Given that lemurs are endemic to Madagascar and among the primates at highest risk of extinction globally, further understanding of the potential threat of COVID-19 to their health should be a conservation priority. All feasible actions should be taken to limit their exposure to SARS-CoV-2.}, number={6}, journal={AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PRIMATOLOGY}, author={Melin, Amanda D. and Orkin, Joseph D. and Janiak, Mareike C. and Valenzuela, Alejandro and Kuderna, Lukas and Marrone, Frank, III and Ramangason, Hasinala and Horvath, Julie E. and Roos, Christian and Kitchener, Andrew C. and et al.}, year={2021}, month={Jun} }
 @misc{chiou_montague_goldman_watowich_sams_song_horvath_sterner_ruiz-lambides_martinez_et al._2020, title={Rhesus macaques as a tractable physiological model of human ageing}, volume={375}, ISSN={["1471-2970"]}, DOI={10.1098/rstb.2019.0612}, abstractNote={Research in the basic biology of ageing is increasingly identifying mechanisms and modifiers of ageing in short-lived organisms such as worms and mice. The ultimate goal of such work is to improve human health, particularly in the growing segment of the population surviving into old age. Thus far, few interventions have robustly transcended species boundaries in the laboratory, suggesting that changes in approach are needed to avoid costly failures in translational human research. In this review, we discuss both well-established and alternative model organisms for ageing research and outline how research in nonhuman primates is sorely needed, first, to translate findings from short-lived organisms to humans, and second, to understand key aspects of ageing that are unique to primate biology. We focus on rhesus macaques as a particularly promising model organism for ageing research owing to their social and physiological similarity to humans as well as the existence of key resources that have been developed for this species. As a case study, we compare gene regulatory signatures of ageing in the peripheral immune system between humans and rhesus macaques from a free-ranging study population in Cayo Santiago. We show that both mRNA expression and DNA methylation signatures of immune ageing are broadly shared between macaques and humans, indicating strong conservation of the trajectory of ageing in the immune system. We conclude with a review of key issues in the biology of ageing for which macaques and other nonhuman primates may uniquely contribute valuable insights, including the effects of social gradients on health and ageing. We anticipate that continuing research in rhesus macaques and other nonhuman primates will play a critical role in conjunction with the model organism and human biodemographic research in ultimately improving translational outcomes and extending health and longevity in our ageing population. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Evolution of the primate ageing process’.}, number={1811}, journal={PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES}, author={Chiou, Kenneth L. and Montague, Michael J. and Goldman, Elisabeth A. and Watowich, Marina M. and Sams, Sierra N. and Song, Jeff and Horvath, Julie E. and Sterner, Kirstin N. and Ruiz-Lambides, Angelina V. and Martinez, Melween I. and et al.}, year={2020}, month={Nov} }