Stages of Granulomatous Response Against Histozoic Metazoan Parasites in Mullets (Osteichthyes: Mugilidae)

Histozoic parasite–fish host interaction is a dynamic process that leads to the formation of a granuloma, a specific chronic inflammatory response with discernible histological features. Mullets (Osteichthyes: Mugilidae) represent a suitable model concerning the development of such lesions in the host–parasite interface. The present work aimed to identify granuloma developmental stages from the early to the late phase of the infection and to characterize the immune cells and non-inflammatory components of the granuloma in different stages. For this purpose, 239 mullets were collected from 4 Sardinian lagoons, and several organs were examined by combining histopathological, bacteriological, and immunohistochemical methods. Granulomas associated with trematode metacercariae and myxozoan parasites were classified into three developmental stages: (1) pre-granuloma stage, characterized by intact encysted parasite and with no or mild tissue reaction; (2) intermediate stage, with partially degenerated parasites, necrosis, and a moderate number of epithelioid cells (ECs); and (3) late stage, with a necrotic core and no detectable parasite with a high number of ECs and fibroblasts. The three-tier staging and the proposed morphological diagnosis make it conceivable that histopathology could be an essential tool to evaluate the granulomas associated with histozoic parasitic infection in fish.

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Ovarian abnormality in a pathological case caused by Myxidium sp. (Myxozoa, Myxosporea) in onespot snapper fish Lutjanus monostigma (Teleostei, Lutjanidae) from the Red Sea

Acta Parasitologica ◽

10.2478/s11686-010-0008-4 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 55 (1) ◽

pp. 1-7 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Mohammed Al-Jahdali ◽

Reda Hassanine

Keyword(s):

Red Sea ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Thick Layer ◽

Tissue Reaction ◽

Fish Host ◽

Reproductive Capacity ◽

Connective Tissues ◽

Myxosporean Parasite ◽

Host Origin ◽

Ovarian Structure

AbstractTo date, Myxidium elmatboulii Ali, Abdel-Baki et Sakran, 2006 (Myxozoa, Myxosporea) is the only species of the genus known from the Red Sea, and was originally described as a coelozoic parasite in the gall bladder of the belonid fish, Tylosurus choram. A Myxidium sp. closely similar to M. elmatboulii is described herein for the first time as a histozoic parasite in the ovary of the onespot snapper fish, Lutjanus monostigma (Teleostei, Lutjanidae) from the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The infected ovary was morphologically abnormal, with two protruding digitiform black cysts at its distal end, densely packed with mature plasmodia suspended in a mucoid liquid. Histological examination revealed that the cysts were extended deeply within the ovary, and each was surrounded by a capsule consisting of a relatively thick layer of fibrous connective tissues of host origin (host tissue reaction), and followed internally by a distinct black layer composed of melanomacrophages encircling the parasite mass; this layer clearly indicates the ability of this myxosporean parasite to induce a strong immune inflammatory response in the ovary of L. monostigma. Many small or developing cysts with the same characteristics were seen scattered in the connective tissue between the ovarian follicles. Plasmodia or spores of the parasite were not seen within the oocytes or within its developmental stages. The cysts occupied a considerable part of the ovary, and some areas of the ovarian tissues appeared to be vacuolated or degenerated. Thus, the typical ovarian structure of L. monostigma was greatly affected and lost its normal architecture. Therefore, the infection caused by this Myxidium sp. is presumed to negatively affect the reproductive capacity of the fish host.

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Seasonal occurrence of some larval stages of endoparasites in three cyprinids from the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, the Limpopo River System, South Africa

Helminthologia ◽

10.1515/helmin-2015-0037 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 229-235 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

E. M. Mbokane ◽

J. Theron ◽

W. J. Luus-Powell

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stages ◽

River System ◽

Intestinal Wall ◽

The Body ◽

Seasonal Occurrence ◽

Seasonal Fluctuations ◽

Metazoan Parasites ◽

Larval Stages ◽

Parasite Communities ◽

Third Stage

Abstract This study provides information on seasonal occurrence of developmental stages of endoparasites infecting three cyprinids in the Nwanedi-Luphephe dams, Limpopo River System. Labeobarbus marequensis (Smith, 1841), Barbus trimaculatus Peters, 1852 and Barbus radiatus Peters, 1853 were investigated seasonally from January 2008 to October 2008. The following larvae of metazoan parasites were collected: Diplostomum sp. from the eyes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus; Ornithodiplostomum sp. from the gills of B. trimaculatus; Posthodiplostomum sp. from muscle, skin and fins of B. trimaculatus and B. radiatus; third-stage Contracaecum larvae (L3) from the mesentery fats and on the liver lobes of L. marequensis and B. trimaculatus and gryporynchid cestode larvae from the outer intestinal wall of B. radiatus. All the flukes encountered were metacercariae. Diplostomum sp. and Contracaecum sp. dominated the parasite communities. Their prevalence exhibited seasonal fluctuations with maxima in summer. Factors likely to influence fish infection such as the body size of fish and their condition factors were also briefly considered in this study.

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Safe-Site Effects on Rhizosphere Bacterial Communities in a High-Altitude Alpine Environment

BioMed Research International ◽

10.1155/2014/480170 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-9 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Sonia Ciccazzo ◽

Alfonso Esposito ◽

Eleonora Rolli ◽

Stefan Zerbe ◽

Daniele Daffonchio ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High Altitude ◽

Developmental Stage ◽

Bacterial Communities ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Gene Diversity ◽

Intergenic Spacer ◽

Intermediate Stage ◽

Plant Colonization ◽

Early Developmental Stage ◽

Rrna Gene

The rhizosphere effect on bacterial communities associated with three floristic communities (RW, FI, and M sites) which differed for the developmental stages was studied in a high-altitude alpine ecosystem. RW site was an early developmental stage, FI was an intermediate stage, M was a later more matured stage. The N and C contents in the soils confirmed a different developmental stage with a kind of gradient from the unvegetated bare soil (BS) site through RW, FI up to M site. The floristic communities were composed of 21 pioneer plants belonging to 14 species. Automated ribosomal intergenic spacer analysis showed different bacterial genetic structures per each floristic consortium which differed also from the BS site. When plants of the same species occurred within the same site, almost all their bacterial communities clustered together exhibiting a plant species effect. Unifrac significance value (P<0.05) on 16S rRNA gene diversity revealed significant differences (P<0.05) between BS site and the vegetated sites with a weak similarity to the RW site. The intermediate plant colonization stage FI did not differ significantly from the RW and the M vegetated sites. These results pointed out the effect of different floristic communities rhizospheres on their soil bacterial communities.

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Whirling Disease: Reviews and Current Topics

Whirling Disease: Reviews and Current Topics ◽

10.47886/9781888569377.ch4 ◽

2002 ◽

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Small Subunit ◽

Fish Host ◽

Complex Life Cycle ◽

Developmental Cycle ◽

Myxobolus Cerebralis ◽

Rdna Sequences ◽

Complex Development ◽

The One

ABSTRACT. Myxobolus cerebralis possesses unique phenotypic and genotypic characteristics when compared with other histozoic parasites from the phylum Myxozoa. The parasite infects the cartilage and thereby induces a serious and potentially lethal disease in salmonid fish. Comparisons of the small subunit ribosomal DNA (ssu rDNA) sequences of M. cerebralis to other myxozoans demonstrate that the parasite has evolved separately from other Myxobolus spp. that may appear in cartilage or nervous tissues of the fish host. Myxobolus cerebralis has a complex life cycle involving two hosts and numerous developmental stages that may divide by mitosis, endogeny, or plasmotomy, and, at one stage, by meiosis. In the salmonid host, the parasite undergoes extensive migration from initial sites of attachment to the epidermis, through the nervous system, to reach cartilage, the site where sporogenesis occurs. During this migration, parasite numbers may increase by replication. Sporogenesis is initiated by autogamy, a process typical of pansporoblastic myxosporean development that involves the union of the one cell (pericyte) with another (sporogonic). Following this union, the sporogonic cell will give rise to all subsequent cells that differentiate into the lenticular shaped spore with a diameter of approximately 10 µm. This spore or myxospore is an environmentally resistant stage characterized by two hardened valves surrounding two polar capsules with coiled filaments and a binucleate sporoplasm cell. In the fish, these spores are found only in cartilage where they reside until released from fish that die or are consumed by other fish or fish-eating animals (e.g., birds). Spores reaching the aquatic sediments can be ingested and hatch in susceptible oligochaete hosts. The released sporoplasm invades and then resides between cells of the intestinal mucosa. In contrast to the parasite in the fish host, the parasite in the oligochaete undergoes the entire developmental cycle in this location. This developmental cycle involves merogony, gametogamy or the formation of haploid gametes, and sporogony. The actinosporean spores, formed at the culmination of this development, are released into the lumen of the intestine, prior to discharging into the aquatic environment. The mechanisms underlying the complex development of M. cerebralis, and its interactions with both hosts, are poorly understood. Recent advances, however, are providing insights into the factors that mediate certain phases of the infection. In this review, we consider known and recently obtained information on the taxonomy, development, and life cycle of the parasite.

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Comparative and systems analyses of Leishmania spp. non-coding RNAs through developmental stages

10.1101/2021.05.17.444077 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

J. Eduardo Martinez-Hernandez ◽

Victor Aliaga-Tobar ◽

Carolina Gonzalez ◽

Rubens Monte-Neto ◽

Alberto J. M. Martin ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Leishmania Major ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Genomic Structure ◽

Neglected Diseases ◽

Leishmania Braziliensis ◽

Functional Relationships ◽

Host Interaction ◽

Leishmania Spp ◽

Non Coding Rnas ◽

And Function

Leishmania spp. is the causal agent of several diseases called leishmaniases, neglected diseases that seek to be eradicated in the coming years. We aimed to study the genomic structure and function of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) from Leishmania spp. and to get insights into its RNAome. We studied 26 strains corresponding to 16 different species of Leishmania genus. RNAome analysis revealed the presence of several ncRNAs that are shared through different species, allowing us to differentiate between subgenus and as well as species that are canonically related to visceral leishmaniasis. We found coexpression relationships within coding genes and ncRNAs, thus suggesting possible functional relationships between different coding genes-ncRNAs. Expression analysis in the metacyclic developmental stage comparison for Leishmania braziliensis and Leishmania major reveals the presence of shared coexpressed ncRNAs to several other coding genes in both species involved in chromatin structure and host interaction. This work constitutes the first effort to characterize the Leishmania RNAome, supporting further approaches to better understand the role of ncRNAs in the gene regulation, infective process and host-parasite interaction.

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A cytokine network balance influences the fate of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis infection in a cutaneous leishmaniasis hamster model

10.1101/2020.12.14.422666 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

MB Paiva ◽

RP Ribeiro-Romão ◽

L Resende-Vieira ◽

T Braga-Gomes ◽

MP Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Tissue Damage ◽

Normal Skin ◽

Late Phase ◽

Parasite Load ◽

Suitable Model ◽

Cytokine Network ◽

Th2 Response ◽

Hamster Model

AbstractThe golden hamster is a suitable model for studying cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Immunopathological mechanismsare wellstablished inthe L. (L.) major-mouse model, in which IL-4 instructs a Th2 response towards progressive infection. In the present study, we evaluatedthe natural history of L. braziliensis infection from its first stagesup to lesion establishment, with the aim ofidentifyingimmunological parameters associated with the disease outcome and parasitismfate. To this end, hamsters infected with 104, 105,or 106 promastigoteswere monitored duringthe first hours (4h, 24h), early (15, 30 days) and late (50 days) post-infection (pi) phases. Cytokines, iNOS and arginasegene expression were quantified in the established lesions by RT-PCR. Compared to the 105 or 106 groups, 104animals presented lower lesions sizes, less tissue damage,and lower IgG levels. Basal gene expression in normal skin was high for TGF-β, and intermediary for TNF, IL-6, and IL-4.At 4hpi, no cytokine induction was observed in the 104 group, while an upregulation of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4 was observed in the 106 group. At 15dpi, lesion appearance was accompanied byan increasedexpression of all assessed cytokines, markedly in the 105 and 106 groups. Upregulation of all investigated cytokines was observed in the late phase, although less expressive in the 104 group. IFN-γ was the depending variable influencing tissue damage, while IL-6 was associatedto parasite load. The network correlating gene expression and clinical and laboratorial parameters indicated inoculum-independent associations at 15 and 30dpi.A strong positive network correlation was observed in the 104 group, but not in the105 or 106 groups. In conclusion, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β are linkedto L. braziliensisprogression. However, a balanced cytokine network is the key for an immune response able to reduce the ongoing infection and reduce pathological damage.

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A Cytokine Network Balance Influences the Fate of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis Infection in a Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Hamster Model

Frontiers in Immunology ◽

10.3389/fimmu.2021.656919 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Milla B. Paiva ◽

Raquel Peralva Ribeiro-Romão ◽

Larissa Resende-Vieira ◽

Thais Braga-Gomes ◽

Marcia P. Oliveira ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis ◽

Tissue Damage ◽

Normal Skin ◽

Late Phase ◽

Suitable Model ◽

Cytokine Network ◽

Th2 Response ◽

Immunological Parameters ◽

Hamster Model

The golden hamster is a suitable model for studying cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) due to Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Immunopathological mechanisms are well established in the L. (L.) major-mouse model, in which IL-4 instructs a Th2 response towards progressive infection. In the present study, we evaluated the natural history of L. braziliensis infection from its first stages up to lesion establishment, with the aim of identifying immunological parameters associated with the disease outcome and parasitism fate. To this end, hamsters infected with 104, 105, or 106 promastigotes were monitored during the first hours (4h, 24h), early (15 days, 30 days) and late (50 days) post-infection (pi) phases. Cytokines, iNOS and arginase gene expression were quantified in the established lesions by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. Compared to the 105 or 106 groups, 104 animals presented lower lesions sizes, less tissue damage, and lower IgG levels. Basal gene expression in normal skin was high for TGF-β, and intermediary for TNF, IL-6, and IL-4. At 4hpi, no cytokine induction was observed in the 104 group, while an upregulation of IL-6, IL-10, and IL-4 was observed in the 106 group. At 15dpi, lesion appearance was accompanied by an increased expression of all assessed cytokines, markedly in the 105 and 106 groups. Upregulation of all investigated cytokines was observed in the late phase, although less expressive in the 104 group. IFN-γ was the depending variable influencing tissue damage, while IL-6 was associated to parasite load. The network correlating gene expression and clinical and laboratorial parameters indicated inoculum-independent associations at 15 and 30dpi. A strong positive network correlation was observed in the 104 group, but not in the 105 or 106 groups. In conclusion, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and TGF-β are linked o L. braziliensis progression. However, a balanced cytokine network is the key for an immune response able to reduce the ongoing infection and reduce pathological damage.

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Proteomic Analysis of the Parasitic Cnidarian Ceratonova shasta (Cnidaria: Myxozoa) Reveals Diverse Roles of Actin in Motility and Spore Formation

Frontiers in Marine Science ◽

10.3389/fmars.2021.632700 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Vera Brekhman ◽

Maya Ofek-Lalzar ◽

Stephen D. Atkinson ◽

Gema Alama-Bermejo ◽

Keren Maor-Landaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Developmental Stages ◽

Mature Spore ◽

Life Cycles ◽

Fish Host ◽

Spore Formation ◽

Highly Pathogenic ◽

Complex Life Cycles ◽

Life Cycle Stages ◽

Waterborne Transmission ◽

Transmission Stage

Myxozoans are widely distributed aquatic obligate endoparasites that were recently recognized as belonging within the phylum Cnidaria. They have complex life cycles with waterborne transmission stages: resistant, infectious spores that are unique to myxozoans. However, little is known about the processes that give rise to these transmission stages. To understand the molecular underpinnings of spore formation, we conducted proteomics on Ceratonova shasta, a highly pathogenic myxozoan that causes severe mortalities in wild and hatchery-reared salmonid fishes. We compared proteomic profiles between developmental stages from inside the fish host, and the mature myxospore, which is released into the water where it drifts passively, ready to infect the next host. We found that C. shasta contains 2,123 proteins; representing the first proteomic catalog of a myxozoan myxospore. Analysis of proteins differentially expressed between developing and mature spore stages uncovered processes that are active during spore formation. Our data highlight dynamic changes in the actin cytoskeleton, which provides myxozoan developmental stages with mobility through lamellipodia and filopodia, whereas in the mature myxospore the actin network supports F-actin stabilization that reinforces the transmission stage. These findings provide molecular insight into the myxozoan life cycle stages and, particularly, into the process of sporogenesis.

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CD44 and CD27 Expression Delineates Stages of B Precursor Development Reflecting Recombination Status and Propensity to Leukemic Transformation.

Blood ◽

10.1182/blood.v108.11.1671.1671 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 108 (11) ◽

pp. 1671-1671

Author(s):

Martina Vaskova ◽

Eva Fronkova ◽

Julia Starkova ◽

Tomas Kalina ◽

Ester Mejstrikova ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Mrna Expression ◽

Heavy Chain ◽

Light Chain ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Early Stage ◽

Lymphoblastic Leukemia ◽

Late Phase ◽

Chain Gene ◽

Rag 1 ◽

Ig Heavy Chain

Abstract The expression of CD27, in the absence of CD44 is found in TEL/AML1+ acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) but not in other B precursor subtypes of ALL (Vaskova et al., Leukemia 19(5), 2005). Since CD27 had not been shown in human B precursors, we searched for such cells among B precursors in nonmalignant bone marrow. In all 14 specimens of children without any evidence of malignant disease, we found CD27+CD44−CD10+CD19+ B precursors (6.3±3.9%). The subpopulation of CD27−CD44+ cells that corresponds to most other ALL subtypes was more frequent (26±14.4%). Two other subpopulations which rarely develop into B precursor leukemia were also present: double-positive (DP) (5.5±1.8%) and double-negative (DN) (61.8±14.9%). We asked, whether the 4 subpopulations represent consequent differentiation stages, therefore the expression of CD27 and CD44 combined with CD10 and CD19 was studied by polychromatic flow cytometry together with the differentiation markers CD34, terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT), CD20, cytoplasmic IgM and cytoplasmic VpreB (CD179a). The percentage of CD34+ cells is the highest in CD27+CD44− and decreases gradually in DP, CD27−CD44+ and DN subpopulations (73.1±20.7%; 43±16.6%; 13.1±8.2%; 4.4±2.9%). A similar trend is found in the percentage of CD10bright cells, which become virtually missing in CD27− B precursor stages (41.3±15.4%; 7.9±8.1%; 1.4±1.1%; 2.7±1.8%). This sequence of developmental stages was further supported by a gradual loss of intracellular TdT and VpreB and by the increase of cytoplasmic IgM+ cells. We sorted these subpopulations to compare their recombination potential by measuring TdT and RAG-1 mRNA expression by RQ-RT-PCR. Similarly with the protein level, TdT mRNA expression decreases in concordance with the suggested developmental stages. Interestingly, the DP cells cease to transcript RAG-1, suggesting that these cells are in the stage of suppressed RAG-1 expression after completed immunoglobulin (Ig) heavy chain rearrangement. RAG-1 is re-expressed during Ig light chain rearrangement, seen as the reappearance in the CD27−CD44+ subpopulation. Since the cells with a downregulated RAG-1 are known to be frequent among the large proliferating cells we analyzed the percentage of large cells. The DP subpopulation contains the highest percentage of these cells (63.5±9.9%). In all four subpopulations, heavy chain gene (both segments VH1-3-JH and VH4-7-JH) rearrangements were detected, suggesting that heavy chain genes start to rearrange before or at the CD27+CD44− stage. We investigated the light chain rearrangements using the system detecting the intron RSS-Kde rearrangements, which appear in the late phase of Ig light chain rearrangement. Rearranged light chain genes appear at the CD27−CD44+ stage, whereas they are virtually missing at earlier stages. These results show that CD27 molecule, which is so far regarded a marker of memory B cells is expressed also in the early stage of B cell development during Ig heavy chain rearrangement completion. The expression of CD27 and CD44 define differentiation stages that very tightly correlate with Ig recombination maturity as well as with specific subtypes of B precursor leukemia.

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Electrochemical gradients are involved in regulating cytoskeletal patterns during epithelial morphogenesis in the Drosophila ovary

BMC Developmental Biology ◽

10.1186/s12861-019-0203-y ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Isabel Weiß ◽

Johannes Bohrmann

Keyword(s):

Ion Transport ◽

Developmental Stages ◽

Follicle Cell ◽

Cell Types ◽

Follicular Epithelium ◽

Suitable Model ◽

Transport Mechanisms ◽

Specific Expression ◽

Longitudinal Orientation ◽

Voltage Dependent

Abstract Background During Drosophila oogenesis, the follicular epithelium differentiates into several morphologically distinct follicle-cell populations. Characteristic bioelectrical properties make this tissue a suitable model system for studying connections between electrochemical signals and the organisation of the cytoskeleton. Recently, we have described stage-specific transcellular antero-posterior and dorso-ventral gradients of intracellular pH (pHi) and membrane potential (Vmem) depending on the asymmetrical distribution and/or activity of various ion-transport mechanisms. In the present study, we analysed the patterns of basal microfilaments (bMF) and microtubules (MT) in relation to electrochemical signals. Results The bMF- and MT-patterns in developmental stages 8 to 12 were visualised using labelled phalloidin and an antibody against acetylated α-tubulin as well as follicle-cell specific expression of GFP-actin and GFP-α-tubulin. Obviously, stage-specific changes of the pHi- and Vmem-gradients correlate with modifications of the bMF- and MT-organisation. In order to test whether cytoskeletal modifications depend directly on bioelectrical changes, we used inhibitors of ion-transport mechanisms that have previously been shown to modify pHi and Vmem as well as the respective gradients. We inhibited, in stage 10b, Na+/H+-exchangers and Na+-channels with amiloride, V-ATPases with bafilomycin, ATP-sensitive K+-channels with glibenclamide, voltage-dependent L-type Ca2+-channels with verapamil, Cl−-channels with 9-anthroic acid and Na+/K+/2Cl−-cotransporters with furosemide, respectively. The correlations between pHi, Vmem, bMF and MT observed in different follicle-cell types are in line with the correlations resulting from the inhibition experiments. While relative alkalisation and/or hyperpolarisation stabilised the parallel transversal alignment of bMF, acidification led to increasing disorder and to condensations of bMF. On the other hand, relative acidification as well as hyperpolarisation stabilised the longitudinal orientation of MT, whereas alkalisation led to loss of this arrangement and to partial disintegration of MT. Conclusions We conclude that the pHi- and Vmem-changes induced by inhibitors of ion-transport mechanisms simulate bioelectrical changes occurring naturally and leading to the cytoskeletal changes observed during differentiation of the follicle-cell epithelium. Therefore, gradual modifications of electrochemical signals can serve as physiological means to regulate cell and tissue architecture by modifying cytoskeletal patterns.

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