scholarly journals Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, Mycoplasma spp., and intestinal lesions in experimentally infected zebrafish Danio rerio

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Kent ◽  
Elena S. Wall ◽  
Sophie Sichel ◽  
Virginia Watral ◽  
Keaton Stagaman ◽  
...  

AbstractIntestinal neoplasms and preneoplastic lesions are common in zebrafish research facilities. Previous studies have demonstrated that the neoplasms are caused by a transmissible agent, and two candidate agents have been implicated: a Mycoplasma sp. related to M. penetrans and the intestinal parasitic nematode, Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, and both agents are common in zebrafish facilities. To elucidate the role of these two agents in the occurrence and severity of the neoplasm and other intestinal lesions, we conducted two experimental inoculation studies. Exposed fish were examined at various time points over an 8 mo. period for intestinal histpathologic changes and the burden of Mycoplasma and nematodes. Fish exposed to a Mycoplasma isolate from zebrafish were associated with preneoplastic lesions. Fish exposed to the nematode alone or with the Mycoplasma isolate developed severe lesions and neoplasms. Both inflammation and neoplasm scores were associated with an increase in Mycoplasma burden. These results support the conclusions that P. tomentosa is a strong promoter of intestinal neoplasms in zebrafish, and that Mycoplasma alone can also cause intestinal lesions and accelerate cancer development in the context of nematode infection.

Zebrafish ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Kent ◽  
Elena S. Wall ◽  
Sophie Sichel ◽  
Virginia Watral ◽  
Keaton Stagaman ◽  
...  

Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 2001
Author(s):  
Greta Baratti ◽  
Angelo Rizzo ◽  
Maria Elena Miletto Petrazzini ◽  
Valeria Anna Sovrano

Zebrafish spontaneously use distance and directional relationships among three-dimensional extended surfaces to reorient within a rectangular arena. However, they fail to take advantage of either an array of freestanding corners or an array of unequal-length surfaces to search for a no-longer-present goal under a spontaneous cued memory procedure, being unable to use the information supplied by corners and length without some kind of rewarded training. The present study aimed to tease apart the geometric components characterizing a rectangular enclosure under a procedure recruiting the reference memory, thus training zebrafish in fragmented layouts that provided differences in surface distance, corners, and length. Results showed that fish, besides the distance, easily learned to use both corners and length if subjected to a rewarded exit task over time, suggesting that they can represent all the geometrically informative parts of a rectangular arena when consistently exposed to them. Altogether, these findings highlight crucially important issues apropos the employment of different behavioral protocols (spontaneous choice versus training over time) to assess spatial abilities of zebrafish, further paving the way to deepen the role of visual and nonvisual encodings of isolated geometric components in relation to macrostructural boundaries.


2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (2) ◽  
pp. R412-R420 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shelby L. Steele ◽  
Kwok Hong Andy Lo ◽  
Vincent Wai Tsun Li ◽  
Shuk Han Cheng ◽  
Marc Ekker ◽  
...  

Fish exposed to hypoxia develop decreased heart rate, or bradycardia, the physiological significance of which remains unknown. The general muscarinic receptor antagonist atropine abolishes the development of this hypoxic bradycardia, suggesting the involvement of muscarinic receptors. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the hypoxic bradycardia is mediated specifically by stimulation of the M2 muscarinic receptor, the most abundant subtype in the vertebrate heart. Zebrafish ( Danio rerio) were reared at two levels of hypoxia (30 and 40 Torr Po2) from the point of fertilization. In hypoxic fish, the heart rate was significantly lower than in normoxic controls from 2 to 10 days postfertilization (dpf). At the more severe level of hypoxia (30 Torr Po2), there were significant increases in the relative mRNA expression of M 2 and the cardiac type β-adrenergic receptors ( β1AR, β2aAR, and β2bAR) at 4 dpf. The hypoxic bradycardia was abolished (at 40 Torr Po2) or significantly attenuated (at 30 Torr Po2) in larvae experiencing M2 receptor knockdown (using morpholino antisense oligonucleotides). Sham-injected larvae exhibited typical hypoxic bradycardia in both hypoxic regimens. The expression of β1AR, β2aAR, β2bAR, and M 2 mRNA was altered at various stages between 1 and 4 dpf in larvae experiencing M2 receptor knockdown. Interestingly, M2 receptor knockdown revealed a cardioinhibitory role for the β2-adrenergic receptor. This is the first study to demonstrate a specific role of the M2 muscarinic receptor in the initiation of hypoxic bradycardia in fish.


1975 ◽  
Vol 74 (2) ◽  
pp. 245-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Snodgrass ◽  
L. H. Karstad ◽  
J. E. Cooper

SUMMARYAfter experimental inoculation of Cytoecetes ondiri, the agent of bovine petechial fever (BPF), multiplication occurred in impala, bushbuck, Thomson's gazelles and wildebeest, as shown by infectivity studies and clinical findings. Similar attempts to infect one eland failed.As a sequel to this, blood and spleen samples were collected from four species of wild ruminants in an area where BPF was endemic. Isolations of C. ondiri were made from three of five bushbuck, but not from any other species.


Endocrinology ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 154 (11) ◽  
pp. 4158-4169 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucinda B. Griffin ◽  
Kathleen E. January ◽  
Karen W. Ho ◽  
Kellie A. Cotter ◽  
Gloria V. Callard

Genetically distinct estrogen receptor (ER) subtypes (ERα and ERβ) play a major role in mediating estrogen actions in vertebrates, but their unique and overlapping functions are not entirely clear. Although mammals have 1 gene of each subtype (ESR1 and ESR2), teleost fish have a single esr1 (ERα) and 2 esr2 (ERβa and ERβb) genes. To determine the in vivo role of different ER isoforms in regulating estrogen-inducible transcription targets, zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos were microinjected with esr-specific morpholino (MO) oligonucleotides to disrupt splicing of the exon III/intron III junction in the DNA-binding domain. Each MO knocked down its respective normal transcript and increased production of variants with a retained intron III (esr1 MO) or a deleted or mis-spliced exon III (esr2a and esr2b MOs). Both esr1 and esr2b MOs blocked estradiol induction of vitellogenin and ERα mRNAs, predominant hepatic genes, but esr2b was the only MO that blocked induction of cytochrome P450 aromatase B mRNA, a predominant brain gene. Knockdown of ERβa with the esr2a MO had no effect on estrogen induction of the 3 mRNAs but, when coinjected with esr1 MO, attenuated the effect of ERα knockdown. Results indicate that ERα and ERβb, acting separately or cooperatively on specific gene targets, are positive transcriptional regulators of estrogen action, but the role of ERβa, if any, is unclear. We conclude that MO technology in zebrafish embryos is an advantageous approach for investigating the interplay of ER subtypes in a true physiological context.


PEDIATRICS ◽  
1984 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-224
Author(s):  
S. Rousset ◽  
O. Moscovici ◽  
P. Lebon ◽  
J. P. Barbet ◽  
P. Helardot ◽  
...  

Since the outbreaks of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis occurring in maternity hospitals of Paris and suburbs in 1979-1980, it has been possible to examine by light and electron microscopy gut specimens from ten newborns with this illness. Coronavirus-like particles, enclosed in intracytoplasmic vesicles of damaged epithelial cells of the intestinal mucosa, were observed in the small intestine, appendix, and colon. The ultrastructural study, supported by bacteriologic findings, suggests the role of coronavirus-like particles in the appearance of the lesions. Secondary proliferation of mainly anaerobic bacteria, probably responsible for pneumatosis, may aggravate the disease.


2009 ◽  
Vol 33 (4) ◽  
pp. 591-597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raquel Alonso ◽  
Susana Tiscornia ◽  
Acelino Couto Alfenas ◽  
Lina Bettucci

Trees with stem bark lesions are frequently observed in Eucalyptus globulus Labill. plantations, particularly in the central west region of Uruguay. These lesions constitute a problem for trunk decortications at harvest and they also facilitate the access of fungi that could cause wood decay. Seven, three and oneyear-old plantations, located at three sites in close proximity were selected. Four types of trunk lesions were present in trees regardless the age of plantation and more than one type was found in each plantation. The aim of this study was to investigate the fungal composition associated with these lesions and compare them to healthy tissues and try to find out the origin of these symptoms. Another purpose was to elucidate the real role of the fungi considered pathogens by means of experimental inoculations. Segments from lesions and healthy tissues yielded 897 fungal isolates belonging to 32 taxa, 681 isolates from bark lesions and 216 from healthy tissues. Both healthy and symptomatic tissues showed similar fungal species composition, but with differences in frequencies of colonization. Cytospora eucalypticola Van der Westhuizen, Botryosphaeria spp., Pestalotiopsis guepinii (Desm.) Stey. and Penicillium spp. were the dominant species isolated. As symptoms were not reproduced after experimental inoculation with Botryosphaeria ribis Grossenb. & Duggar and B. eucalyptorum Crous, & M.J. Wingf, it could be suggested that these lesions were originated by unfavorable environmental conditions. The frost that occurred for several days out of season and flooding may have been involved in the development of bark lesion.


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