Primmorphs cryopreservation: a new method for long-time storage of sponge cells

A comparative account of coelomocyte of earthworm ecotypes with reference to its morphology, morphometry, density, phagocytosis, autofluorescence, and oxidative status

Earthworms inhabit different strata of moist soil. Epigeic and endogeic earthworms prefer superficial and inner stratum of soil respectively, whereas, semiaquatic species are distributed around hydrated soil near ponds and lakes. Coelomocytes, the chief immunoeffector cells of coelomic origin, perform diverse physiological functions like phagocytosis, maintenance of cellular homeostasis, and acid-base balance of coelomic fluid, graft rejection, elicitation of cytotoxic, and oxidative responses under the challenges of pathogens and toxins. The present study aims to analyze selected morphological and functional parameters in three differentially adapted Indian earthworms of nonsimilar habitats. Coelomocytes of Glyphidrilus tuberosus (Stephenson, 1916) (semiaquatic), Perionyx excavatus (Perrier, 1872) (epigeic), and Eutyphoeus orientalis (Beddard, 1883) (endogeic) were isolated for morphological and morphometric analyses and subjected to determination of phagocytic, oxidative, and cytotoxic responses. Activities of phenoloxidase, pro, and antioxidant enzymes, and autofluorescence were determined in the extruded coelomocytes of earthworms of three contrasting habitats. The differential result may be correlated with species-specific responses and variation in habitat preference and related adaptation.

Petrosia ficiformis (Poiret, 1789): an excellent model for holobiont and biotechnological studies

The aggregation of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells has resulted in evolution of organisms with remarkable abilities to synthetize natural bioactive compounds of biotechnological relevance. Marine sponges such as Petrosia ficiformis are examples of this evolutionary strategy. The P. ficiformis microbiome, which produces a diversity of chemical compounds, plays a fundamental role in this sponge's extraordinary adaptation to various ecological conditions. The microbial community of P. ficiformis seems representative of sponge microbiomes, but it has an unusual exclusively horizontal transmission. This uncommon feature, together with its wide environmental distribution, its ability to generate 3D cell cultures that host symbionts, and the availability of meta-omics and physiology information make this sponge an effective model to study the complexity of holobionts.

Cultivation of fractionated cells from a bioactive-alkaloid-bearing marine sponge Axinella sp

Sponges are among the most primitive multicellular organisms and well-known as a major source of marine natural products. Cultivation of sponge cells has long been an attractive topic due to the prominent evolutionary and cytological significance of sponges and as a potential approach to supply sponge-derived compounds. Sponge cell culture is carried out through culturing organized cell aggregates called 'primmorphs.' Most research culturing sponge cells has used unfractionated cells to develop primmorphs. In the current study, a tropical marine sponge Axinella sp., which contains the bioactive alkaloids, debromohymenialdisine (DBH), and hymenialdisine (HD), was used to obtain fractionated cells and the corresponding primmorphs. These alkaloids, DBH and HD, reportedly show pharmacological activities for treating osteoarthritis and Alzheimer's disease. Three different cell fractions were obtained, including enriched spherulous cells, large mesohyl cells, and small epithelial cells. These cell fractions were cultivated separately, forming aggregates that later developed into different kinds of primmorphs. The three kinds of primmorphs obtained were compared as regards to appearance, morphogenesis, and cellular composition. Additionally, the amount of alkaloid in the primmorphs-culture system was examined over a 30-d culturing period. During the culturing of enriched spherulous cells and developed primmorphs, the total amount of alkaloid declined notably. In addition, the speculation of alkaloid secretion and some phenomena that occurred during cell culturing are discussed.

Cnidarian Cell Cryopreservation: A Powerful Tool for Cultivation and Functional Assays

Cnidarian primary cell cultures have a strong potential to become a universal tool to assess stress-response mechanisms at the cellular level. However, primary cell cultures are time-consuming regarding their establishment and maintenance. Cryopreservation is a commonly used approach to provide stable cell stocks for experiments, but it is yet to be established for Cnidarian cell cultures. The aim of this study was therefore to design a cryopreservation protocol for primary cell cultures of the Cnidarian Anemonia viridis, using dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a cryoprotectant, enriched or not with fetal bovine serum (FBS). We determined that DMSO 5% with 25% FBS was an efficient cryosolution, resulting in 70% of post-thaw cell survival. The success of this protocol was first confirmed by a constant post-thaw survival independently of the cell culture age (up to 45 days old) and the storage period (up to 87 days). Finally, cryopreserved cells displayed a long-term recovery with a maintenance of the primary cell culture parameters and cellular functions: formation of cell aggregates, high viability and constant cell growth, and unchanged intrinsic resistance to hyperthermal stress. These results will further bring new opportunities for the scientific community interested in molecular, cellular, and biochemical aspects of cnidarian biology.

Effects of copper oxide nanoparticle on gill filtration rate, respiration rate, hemocyte associated immune parameters and oxidative status of an Indian freshwater mussel

Waterbodies of India support a wide range of molluscs including Lamellidens marginalis, a pearl forming edible mussel of ecological significance. Report of copper oxide nanoparticle toxicity in Indian molluscs is limited in scientific literature. L. marginalis is a gill respiring filter feeder, which is toxicologically vulnerable to exposure of copper oxide nanoparticles liberated from electrical, textile and polymer industries. Experimental exposure of copper oxide nanoparticles for 7 days yielded a decrease in gill filtration rate, respiration rate, total count and phagocytic response of hemocytes, the chief immunoeffector cells of L. marginalis. Nanoparticle exposure resulted in decrease of phagocytic response of mussel hemocytes. Decrease in nitric oxide generation and phenoloxidase activity were recorded in L. marginalis exposed to 0.5, 1 and 5 mg copper oxide nanoparticles per litre of water for 7 and 14 days. Superoxide anion generation in hemocytes was increased under the exposure of copper oxide nanoparticles. Increase in superoxide anion and decrease in the activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were indicative to oxidative stress in mussels. Copper oxide nanoparticle induced shift in filtration and respiration rate along with the hemocyte associated immune parameters were suggestive to an acute immunophysiological stress in L. marginalis. We estimated the functional performance of gill and physiological status of aquatic respiration in L. marginalis exposed to copper oxide nanoparticles. A parallel set of estimation of each parameter was carried out in L. marginalis exposed to identical copper sulphate concentrations to record and compare the ionic toxicity of copper in the same specimen.

Breakthrough in Marine Invertebrate Cell Culture: Sponge Cells Divide Rapidly in Improved Nutrient Medium

Sponges (Phylum Porifera) are among the oldest Metazoa and considered critical to understanding animal evolution and development. They are also the most prolific source of marine-derived chemicals with pharmaceutical relevance. Cell lines are important tools for research in many disciplines, and have been established for many organisms, including freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates. Despite many efforts over multiple decades, there are still no cell lines for marine invertebrates. In this study, we report a breakthrough: we demonstrate that an amino acid-optimized nutrient medium stimulates rapid cell division in 9 sponge species. The fastest dividing cells doubled in less than 1 hour. Cultures of 3 species were subcultured from 3 to 5 times, with an average of 5.99 population doublings after subculturing, and a lifespan from 21 to 35 days. Our results form the basis for developing marine invertebrate cell models to better understand early animal evolution, determine the role of secondary metabolites, and predict the impact of climate change to coral reef community ecology. Furthermore, sponge cell lines can be used to scale-up production of sponge-derived chemicals for clinical trials and develop new drugs to combat cancer and other diseases.

Silica-induced fibrosis: an ancient response from the early metazoans

Exposure to crystalline silica particles causes silicosis, an occupational disease leading to an overproduction of collagen in the lung. The first step of this pathology is characterized by the release of inflammatory mediators. Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine directly involved in silica-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The marine demosponge Chondrosia reniformis is able to incorporate silica grains and partially dissolve the crystalline forms apparently without toxic effects. In the present work, C. reniformis tissue explants were treated with fine quartz dust and the expression level of fibrogenic genes was assayed by qPCR, demonstrating an overexpression of a fibrillar and a non-fibrillar collagen and of prolyl-4-hydroxylase enzyme. The deposition of new collagen could also be documented in quartz-treated sponge explants. Furthermore, TNF pro-inflammatory cytokine overexpression and involvement in silica-induced sponge collagen biosynthesis was demonstrated in quartz-treated explants as compared with controls by means of specific TNF inhibitors affecting the fibrogenic gene response. As no documentable detrimental effect was observed in treated explants, we conclude that the C. reniformis unique quartz engulfment and erosion is physiological and beneficial to the animal, leading to new collagen synthesis and strengthening of the body stiffness. Thus, we put forward the hypothesis that an ancient physiological behaviour from the lowest of the Metazoa, persisting through evolution via the same molecular mediators such as TNF, may have become the cause of disease in the specialized tissues of higher animals such as mammals.

Development of cultures of the marine sponge Hymeniacidon perleve for genotoxicity assessment using the alkaline comet assay

Sponges are a potential alternative model species to bivalves in pollution biomonitoring and environmental risk assessment in the aquatic ecosystem. In the present study, a novel in vivo exposure sponge culture model was developed from field-collected and cryopreserved sponge (Hymeniacidon perleve) cells to investigate the genotoxic effects of environmentally relevant metals in the laboratory. Sponge cell aggregates were cultured and exposed to noncytotoxic concentrations (0-0.4 mg/L) of cadmium chloride, nickel chloride, and sodium dichromate as quantified by the reduction of 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide and DNA-strand breaks assessed by the comet assay. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation was quantified by oxidation of 2',7'-dichlorofluorescin diacetate in sponge cell aggregates exposed to the same concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni. There was a statistically significant (p < 0.05) concentration-dependent increase in the level of DNA-strand breaks and ROS formation in all of the metals investigated. To the best of our knowledge, we have utilized for the first time the alkaline comet assay to detect DNA-strand breaks in marine sponge cells and demonstrated that exposure to noncytotoxic concentrations of Cd, Cr, and Ni for 12 h results in a concentration-dependent increase in DNA damage and levels of ROS production. In conclusion, we have developed a novel in vivo model based on culture of cryopreserved sponge cells that is compatible with the alkaline comet assay. Genotoxicity in marine sponges measured by the comet assay technique may be a useful tool for biomonitoring research and risk assessment in aquatic ecosystems. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3314-3323. © 2017 SETAC.

Immunotoxicity of washing soda in a freshwater sponge of India

The natural habitat of sponge, Eunapius carteri faces an ecotoxicological threat of contamination by washing soda, a common household cleaning agent of India. Washing soda is chemically known as sodium carbonate and is reported to be toxic to aquatic organisms. Domestic effluent, drain water and various human activities in ponds and lakes have been identified as the major routes of washing soda contamination of water. Phagocytosis and generation of cytotoxic molecules are important immunological responses offered by the cells of sponges against environmental toxins and pathogens. Present study involves estimation of phagocytic response and generation of cytotoxic molecules like superoxide anion, nitric oxide and phenoloxidase in E. carteri under the environmentally realistic concentrations of washing soda. Sodium carbonate exposure resulted in a significant decrease in the phagocytic response of sponge cells under 4, 8, 16 mg/l of the toxin for 96h and all experimental concentrations of the toxin for 192h. Washing soda exposure yielded an initial increase in the generation of the superoxide anion and nitric oxide followed by a significant decrease in generation of these cytotoxic agents. Sponge cell generated a high degree of phenoloxidase activity under the experimental exposure of 2, 4, 8, 16 mg/l of sodium carbonate for 96 and 192 h. Washing soda induced alteration of phagocytic and cytotoxic responses of E. carteri was indicative to an undesirable shift in their immune status leading to the possible crises of survival and propagation of sponges in their natural habitat.

Phagocytic efficiency and cytotoxic responses of Indian freshwater sponge (Eunapius carteri) cells isolated by density gradient centrifugation and flow cytometry: a morphofunctional analysis

The freshwater sponge Eunapius carteri (Porifera: Demospongiae: Spongillidae), a resident of Indian freshwater ecosystems, has pharmaceutical and ecological potential, but there is inadequate information on its cellular spectrum and cell-mediated immune responses. Microscopical analysis revealed the existence of eight distinct cellular variants, i.e. blast-like cells, choanocytes, small amoebocytes, granular cells, pinacocytes, large amoebocytes, archaeocytes and sclerocytes. The cells were isolated by density gradient centrifugation and flow cytometry and used for a morphofunctional analysis. We investigated the phagocytic efficiency of E. carteri cells under the challenge of yeast particles in vitro and spectrophotometrically quantified the generation of cytotoxic molecules (superoxide anions and nitric oxide) in different isolated cellular fractions. The two cell separating technologies did not yield any significant differences in the major findings on morphology, phagocytic response and generation of superoxide anions and nitric oxide. Archaeocytes, granular cells and large amoebocytes were identified as chief phagocytes with a high phagocytic potential as recorded by light microscopy. Archaeocytes were the principal generators of superoxide anions, whereas nitric oxide was recorded in the fractions rich in archaeocytes and large amoebocytes. The present investigation thus provides useful information regarding cellular variation, cytotoxic status and innate phagocytic response of the cells of E. carteri, a common but less studied sponge of India.

Biogeography rather than association with cyanobacteria structures symbiotic microbial communities in the marine sponge Petrosia ficiformis

The sponge Petrosia ficiformis is ubiquitous in the Mediterranean Sea and Eastern Atlantic Ocean, hosting a diverse assemblage of bacteria, including, in illuminated sites, cyanobacteria. Two closely related sponge color morphs have been described, one inside caves and at their entrance (white/pink), and one on the rocky cliffs (violet). The presence of the different morphs and their ubiquity in the Mediterranean (from North-West to South-East) provides an opportunity to examine which factors mostly affect the associated microbial communities in this species: (i) presence of phototrophic symbionts or (ii) biogeography. 16S rRNA gene tag pyrosequencing data of the microbial communities revealed that Chloroflexi, Gammaproteobacteria, and Acidobacteria dominated the bacterial communities of all sponges analyzed. Chlorophyll a content, TEM observations and DNA sequence data confirmed the presence of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus feldmannii in violet and pink morphs of P. ficiformis and their absence in white color morphs. Rather than cyanobacterial symbionts (i.e., color morphs) accounting for variability in microbial symbiont communities, a biogeographic trend was observed between P. ficiformis collected in Israel and Italy. Analyses of partial 18S rRNA and mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX1) gene sequences revealed consistent genetic divergence between the violet and pink-white morphotypes of P. ficiformis. Overall, data indicated that microbial symbiont communities were more similar in genetically distinct P. ficiformis from the same location, than genetically similar P. ficiformis from distant locations.