No Evidence that Cancer in Sea Lions Is Spread Through Clonal Transmission
- Cancer
Abstract
Urogenital carcinoma is a highly metastatic cancer affecting California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). The disease has high prevalence amongst stranded animals, and is one of the most commonly observed cancers in wildlife. The genital localisation of primary tumours suggests the possibility that coital transmission of an infectious agent could underlie this disease. Otarine herpesvirus type 1 has been associated with lesions, however a causative role for this virus has not been confirmed. We investigated the possibility that urogenital carcinoma might be clonally transmissible, spread by the direct transfer of cancer cells. Analysis of sequences at the mitochondrial DNA control region in seven matched tumour and host pairs confirmed that tumour genotypes were identical to those of their matched hosts and did not show similarity with tumours from other individuals. Thus our findings suggest that urogenital carcinoma in California sea lions is not clonally transmitted, but rather arises from transformed host cells.
Leathlobhair, M.N., Gulland, F.M.D., Murchison, E.P. 2017. No evidence for clonal transmission of urogenital carcinoma in California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Research One 2017 2:46.
Related Publications
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/Other species\/river-otter-shutterstock.jpg","alt":"river otter","title":"Cancer in Wild River Otters","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/cancer-in-wild-river-otters","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Wild\/California sea lion\/cropped-images\/sea-lion-mom-pup-shutterstock-338-0-3131-2446-1603926801.jpg","alt":"California sea lion mom and pup","title":"Effects of In Vitro Exposure to PCBs on California Sea Lions","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/effects-of-in-vitro-exposure-to-pcbs-on-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-resting-c-the-marine-mammal-center-605-0-3523-2751-1603927376.jpg","alt":"California sea lion resting on the pen floor with a young sea lion in the background","title":"Prevalence of Cancer in Stranded California Sea Lions (2005-2015)","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/prevalence-of-cancer-in-stranded-california-sea-lions","label":"Research Paper"}
{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/2020\/cropped-images\/csl-boycrus-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-0-0-3110-2429-1603927870.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"California Sea Lions as a Model for Studying a Common Cancer","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/publications\/california-sea-lions-as-a-model-for-studying-a-common-cancer","label":"Research Paper"}
Related News
{"image":"\/Places\/Coastal landscapes\/cropped-images\/underwater-barrel-shutterstock-328-0-4424-3456-1651790853.jpg","alt":"rusty barrel underwater and covered with algae","title":"The Hill: 'Under the Sea, Out of Mind' Has Turned Into a Ticking Time Bomb","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/the-hill-under-the-sea-out-of-mind-has-turned-into-a-ticking-time-bomb","label":"In the News","date":"2022-05-03 02:00:00"}
The Hill: 'Under the Sea, Out of Mind' Has Turned Into a Ticking Time Bomb
May 3, 2022
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-2-0-1031-1794-1401-1603916128.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"Spectrum News 1: California Sea Lions Dying from Cancer at Alarming Rates, Researchers Demand Action","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/spectrum-news-california-sea-lions-dying-from-cancer-at-alarming-rates-researchers-demand-action","label":"In the News","date":"2022-01-24 01:00:00"}
Spectrum News 1: California Sea Lions Dying from Cancer at Alarming Rates, Researchers Demand Action
January 24, 2022
Read More{"image":"\/Animals\/Patients\/California sea lions\/cropped-images\/csl-by-bill-hunnewell-c-the-marine-mammal-center-0-0-3110-2430-1639515407.jpg","alt":"California sea lion","title":"AP News: Banned Decades Ago, PCBs Still Posing Threat to Wildlife","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/ap-news-banned-decades-ago-pcbs-still-posing-threat-to-wildlife","label":"In the News","date":"2021-12-13 01:00:00"}
AP News: Banned Decades Ago, PCBs Still Posing Threat to Wildlife
December 13, 2021
Read More{"image":"\/People\/Action\/Misc\/cropped-images\/coastal-caucus-roundtable-photo-c-the-marine-mammal-center-282-0-2949-2303-1630353219.jpg","alt":"","title":"The Marine Mammal Center Hosts Roundtable Discussion to Launch California Coastal Caucus","link_url":"https:\/\/www.marinemammalcenter.org\/news\/the-marine-mammal-center-hosts-roundtable-discussion-to-launch-california-coastal-caucus","label":"Press Release","date":"2021-08-30 02:00:00"}
The Marine Mammal Center Hosts Roundtable Discussion to Launch California Coastal Caucus
August 30, 2021
Read More