Stem cell therapy in Pinnipedia with eye injuries Word count: 9696 Delphine Boone Student number: 01202627 Supervisor: Prof. dr. Catherine Delesalle Supervisor: Dr. Piet De Laender Supervisor: Dr. Constance De Meeûs A dissertation submitted to Ghent University in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Veterinary Medicine Academic year: 2018 - 2019 Ghent University, its employees and/or students, give no warranty that the information provided in this thesis is accurate or exhaustive, nor that the content of this thesis will not constitute or result in any infringement of third-party rights. Ghent University, its employees and/or students do not accept any liability or responsibility for any use which may be made of the content or information given in the thesis, nor for any reliance which may be placed on any advice or information provided in this thesis Preface With the writing of this word of thanks I put the finishing touches to my thesis after an intensive period of two years. I would like to thank a few people who helped and supported me during this period. To start, Dr. Constance De Meeûs for revising my thesis carefully, always responding fast and enthusiastically and most importantly for giving me great advice. I would like to thank Dr. Piet De Laender for the opportunity to work on this project and help me get in touch with the right people for this thesis. Prof. Dr. Catherine Delesalle for her kind responses and allowing me to work out this topic. Dr. Guy Wouters founder of Fat-Stem Laboratories for providing me freely with stem cell eyedrops. Stephanie Boone, Ellen Verhelst and Carmen Vidal Moreno de Vega for reading the penultimate version. To all the parks and rehabilitation centres who took the time to fill in my survey, I am very grateful. To my parents, sister and girlfriend thank you for believing in me even at times where I couldn’t believe in myself. Table of contents Preface .................................................................................................................................................... 3 Abstract .................................................................................................................................................... 5 English ................................................................................................................................................. 5 Nederlands ........................................................................................................................................... 5 Introduction .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Literature .................................................................................................................................................. 6 Phylogeny ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Aetiology .............................................................................................................................................. 6 Epidemiology........................................................................................................................................ 7 Diagnostics........................................................................................................................................... 8 Treatment options for eye pathologies ................................................................................................ 9 Antibiotics ......................................................................................................................................... 9 Anti-inflammatory therapy ................................................................................................................ 9 Surgical procedures ......................................................................................................................... 9 Other ............................................................................................................................................... 10 Stem cell therapy ............................................................................................................................... 10 Research ............................................................................................................................................... 11 Epidemiology...................................................................................................................................... 11 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 11 Materials and methods ................................................................................................................... 11 Results............................................................................................................................................ 11 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 16 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 17 Stem cell therapy in Pinnipedia ......................................................................................................... 17 Introduction ..................................................................................................................................... 17 Materials and methods ................................................................................................................... 18 Results............................................................................................................................................ 19 Discussion ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................................... 24 Abstract English Ocular problems are frequently seen in both wild and captive pinnipeds. The aetiology of these eye lesions in wild and captive pinnipeds is very likely to differ. A survey was made up regarding the epidemiology of ocular problems and sent to parks with captive pinnipeds and rehabilitation centres with wild pinnipeds. The aim of this survey was to get a better insight in these problems since previous literature is either out of date or limited in quantity. Very little is known about stem cell therapy in pinnipeds. However, there is increased evidence in other species that stem cell therapy is beneficial in some eye lesions and is able to regenerate the eye tissue. Stem cells were administered for a period of two weeks to two phoca vitulina (harbor seal) suffering from different eye lesions. These cases have been followed up with photographs. This study may contribute to increasing the knowledge of the epidemiology and aetiology in ocular disorders in pinnipeds and the application of stem cells in these eye problems. Hopefully, new information about these matters will stimulate further research and may ultimately lead to the improvement of animal welfare. This thesis concludes that the prevalence of eye lesions is much higher in captive pinnipeds in comparison with wild pinnipeds and that eye lesions in captive pinnipeds tend to be rather degenerative whilst in wild pinnipeds this is more of a traumatic origin. Nederlands Oogproblemen worden vaak gezien bij zowel wilde als in gevangenschap levende zeeroofdieren (pinnipedia). De etiologie van deze oogafwijkingen bij wilde en in gevangenschap levende pinnipedia is zeer waarschijnlijk verschillend. Er werd een enquête opgesteld over de epidemiologie van oculaire problemen in pinnipedia. Deze enquête werd naar verschillende parken met in gevangenschap levende zeeroofdieren en revalidatiecentra met wilde zeeroofdieren gestuurd. Het doel van deze enquête was om een beter inzicht te krijgen in deze problematiek, aangezien eerdere literatuur beperkt en/of verouderd is. Over stamceltherapie bij pinnipedia is zeer weinig gekend. Er is echter toegenomen bewijs bij andere diersoorten dat stamceltherapie gunstig is bij sommige oogletsels en in staat is het oogweefsel te regenereren. Stamcellen werden toegediend gedurende een periode van twee weken aan twee phoca vitulina (gewone zeehond) die lijden aan verschillende ooglaesies. Deze twee cases zijn opgevolgd met foto’s. Deze studie kan bijdragen aan de kennis van de epidemiologie en etiologie van oogaandoeningen bij pinnipedia alsook de toepassing van stamcellen bij deze oogproblemen. Hopelijk zal nieuwe informatie verder onderzoek stimuleren en uiteindelijk leiden tot een beter dierenwelzijn. Deze thesis concludeert dat de prevalentie van oogletsels veel groter is bij in gevangenschap levende pinnipedia in vergelijking met wilde pinnipedia. De oogafwijkingen bij in gevangenschap levende pinnipedia zijn eerder degeneratief, terwijl laesies bij wilde pinnipedia eerder een traumatische oorsprong kennen. 5 Introduction This thesis is divided into two parts, being: a literature study and a research part. The literature study will help to get a better insight in eye problems in pinnipeds. Phylogeny, aetiology, epidemiology, diagnostics