Importance of Thai macaque bioresources for biological research and human health

Abstract

During the past century, macaque bioresources have provided remarkable scientific and biomedical discoveries related to the understanding of human physiology, neuroanatomy, reproduction, development, cognition, and pathology. Considerable progress has been made, and an urgent need has arisen to develop infrastructure and viable settings to meet the current global demand in research models during the so‐called new normal after COVID‐19 era. This review highlights the critical need for macaque bioresources and proposes the establishment of a designated primate research center to integrate research in primate laboratories for the rescue and rehabilitation of wild macaques. Key areas where macaque models have been and continue to be essential for advancing fundamental knowledge in biomedical and biological research are outlined. Detailed genetic studies on macaque bioresources of Thai origin can further facilitate the rapid pace of vaccine discovery.

Population Scale Analysis of Centromeric Satellite DNA Reveals Highly Dynamic Evolutionary Patterns and Genomic Organization in Long-Tailed and Rhesus Macaques

“…Rhesus macaques ( Macaca mulatta , Zimmermann, 1780) [ 43 ] and long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis, Raffles, 1821 [ 44 ] are evolutionarily successful and intensively studied nonhuman primates (NHPs) [ 45 , 46 ]. These species have the largest natural geographic range of any NHPs, extending from India in the west across Asia to the Pacific coast of China and south into Vietnam and Thailand, exhibiting their outstanding ecological flexibility and adaptability [ 46 , 47 ]. Their adaptability and overall physiological characters are similar to those of humans; therefore, these macaques are widely used as animal models for drug and vaccine testing related to human health and disease [ 46 , 48 ].…”

“…These species have the largest natural geographic range of any NHPs, extending from India in the west across Asia to the Pacific coast of China and south into Vietnam and Thailand, exhibiting their outstanding ecological flexibility and adaptability [ 46 , 47 ]. Their adaptability and overall physiological characters are similar to those of humans; therefore, these macaques are widely used as animal models for drug and vaccine testing related to human health and disease [ 46 , 48 ]. However, hybridization and introgression have been observed between the two macaque species in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam [ 46 , 49 , 50 , 51 ].…”

“…Their adaptability and overall physiological characters are similar to those of humans; therefore, these macaques are widely used as animal models for drug and vaccine testing related to human health and disease [ 46 , 48 ]. However, hybridization and introgression have been observed between the two macaque species in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam [ 46 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. The gradient genomic profiles of the two macaque species show varying degrees of hybridization according to their geographic distribution, leading to likely variability in phenotypic and physiological aspects such as a susceptibility to pathogens [ 46 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ].…”

“…However, hybridization and introgression have been observed between the two macaque species in Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam [ 46 , 49 , 50 , 51 ]. The gradient genomic profiles of the two macaque species show varying degrees of hybridization according to their geographic distribution, leading to likely variability in phenotypic and physiological aspects such as a susceptibility to pathogens [ 46 , 52 , 53 , 54 , 55 ]. This complicates the genetic variability among different populations; hence, close attention is needed to elucidate the genetic components of macaques.…”