Clearance of Vibrio campbellii injected into the hemolymph of Callinectes sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab: the effects of prior exposure to bacteria and environmental hypoxia

Immune Defense in Hypoxic Waters: Impacts of CO2 Acidification

AbstractPeriodic episodes of low oxygen (hypoxia) and elevated CO₂ (hypercapnia) accompanied by low pH occur naturally in estuarine environments. Under the influence of climate change, the geographic range and intensity of hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia are predicted to increase, potentially jeopardizing the survival of economically and ecologically important organisms that use estuaries as habitat and nursery grounds. In this review we synthesize data from published studies that evaluate the impact of hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia on the ability of crustaceans and bivalve molluscs to defend themselves against potential microbial pathogens. Available data indicate that hypoxia generally has suppressive effects on host immunity against bacterial pathogens as measured by in vitro and in vivo assays. Few studies have documented the effects of hypercapnic hypoxia on crustaceans or bivalve immune defense, with a range of outcomes suggesting that added CO₂ might have additive, negative, or no interactions with the effects of hypoxia alone. This synthesis points to the need for more partial pressure of O₂ × low pH factorial design experiments and recommends the development of new host∶pathogen challenge models incorporating natural transmission of a wide range of viruses, bacteria, and parasites, along with novel in vivo tracking systems that better quantify how pathogens interact with their hosts in real time under laboratory and field conditions.

Effects of chronic hypercapnia and elevated temperature on the immune response of the spiny lobster, Jasus lalandii

The West Coast rock lobster (WCRL), Jasus lalandii, inhabits highly variable environments frequented by upwelling events, episodes of hypercapnia and large temperature variations. Coupled with the predicted threat of ocean acidification and temperature change for the coming centuries, the immune response in this crustacean will most likely be affected. We therefore tested the hypothesis that chronic exposure to hypercapnia and elevated seawater temperature will alter immune function of the WCRL. The chronic effects of four combinations of two stressors (seawater pCO₂ and temperature) on the total number of circulating haemocytes (THC) as well as on the lobsters' ability to clear (inactivate) an injected dose of Vibrio anguillarum from haemolymph circulation were assessed. Juvenile lobsters were held in normocapnic (pH 8.01) or hypercapnic (pH 7.34) conditions at two temperatures (15.6 and 18.9 °C) for 48 weeks (n = 30 lobster per treatment), after which a subsample of lobsters (n = 8/treatment), all at a similar moult stage, were selected from each treatment for the immune challenge. Baseline levels of haemocytes (THC ml^-1) and bacteria (CFU ml^-1) in their haemolymph were quantified 24 h prior to bacterial challenge. Lobsters were then challenged by injecting 4 × 10⁴V. anguillarum per g body weight directly into the cardiac region of each lobster and circulating haemocyte and culturable bacteria were measured at 20 min post challenge. No significant differences in THC ml^-1 (p < 0.05) were observed between any of the treatment groups prior to the bacterial challenge. However lobsters chronically exposed to a combination of hypercapnia and low temperature had significantly higher (p < 0.05) THCs post-challenge in comparison with lobsters chronically exposed to hypercapnia and high temperature. A significant interactive effect was recorded between temperature and pH for the post-challenge THC data (two-way ANOVA, p = 0.0025). Lobster were very efficient at rendering an injected dose of bacteria non-culturable, with more than 83% of the theoretical challenge dose (∼1.7 × 10⁵Vibrio ml^-1 haemolymph) inactivated within the first 10 min following injection. Although differences in the inactivation of V. anguillarum were observed between treatment groups, none of these differences were significant. Clearance efficiency was in the following order: Hypercapnia/low temperature > normocapnia/high temperature > normocapnia/low temperature > hypercapnia/high temperature. This study demonstrated that despite chronic exposure to combinations of reduced seawater pH and high temperature, the WCRL was still capable of rapidly rendering an injected dose of bacteria non-culturable.

Effects of perfluorooctane sulfonate on the immune responses and expression of immune-related genes in Chinese mitten-handed crab Eriocheir sinensis

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) has been widely studied due to its global distribution, slow degradation, high bioaccumulation and toxicological effects on vertebrates. However, the potential toxicity of PFOS to crustaceans is little known. The present study investigated the effects of PFOS on the immune responses and expression of immune-related genes in the Chinese mitten-handed crab Eriocheir sinensis. Crabs were exposed to 0, 0.01, 0.1, 1.0 and 10mg/L of PFOS, and sampled on 1, 4, 7, 14 and 21days respectively. The total hemocyte count and lysozyme activity in PFOS-treated crab were significantly lower than in the control. The exposure to 10mg/L of PFOS led to a marked inhibition in phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase activities. At other PFOS levels, phenoloxidase and superoxide dismutase showed an initial increase and a subsequent decrease over time. The alkaline and acid phosphatase activities were stimulated in 10mg/L PFOS until 21days. The mRNA expression of immune related genes including hepatopancreas-specific C-type lectin and prophenoloxidase activating factors were up-regulated after the exposure to the concentrations of 1 and 10mg/L of PFOS, while the expression of lysozyme gene was up-regulated only in the crab exposed to 0.1mg/L PFOS. The results demonstrate that the high dose of PFOS leads to immune toxicity and the hepatopancreas is a major target organ for PFOS accumulation and immunotoxicity. Hemocyte counts, phenoloxidase and acid phosphatase are useful biomarkers for the risk assessment of PFOS toxicity to crustaceans.

Immunological and histological responses to sulfide in the crab Charybdis japonica

In this study, immunological and histological responses of the crab Charybdis japonica to sulfide stress were investigated. The 24, 48, 72, and 96-h LC50 values of Na2S were 6.634, 4.703, 3.886, and 2.190 mM, respectively. Based on these results, the crabs were exposed to 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, 1.00, and 1.25 mM of Na2S over a 15-day period, and sampled at 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 day for analyzing changes in immunity-related indicators in the hemolymph (including total hemocyte (THC), hemocyanin content, the activities of the phenoloxidase (PO), lysozyme (LSZ), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) content), and the histological structures of major organs (gill, hepatopancreas, and stomach). The results showed that the activities of most immune-related factors declined after an initial rise under Na2S-induced stress, with the exception of MDA content that showed an overall increasing trend. After exposure to Na2S for 15 days, most of the measured indices were lower in treatment groups than in the control. Significant negative correlations was found between Na2S concentration and the activities of LSZ, SOD, CAT (p<0.01), while MDA content was found to be positively correlated with Na2S concentration (p<0.05). Noticeable changes in the histological structure of the main organs of C. japonica were observed upon exposure to high concentration of Na2S: the outer chitin layer of the gills became thin and partialy ruptured; hemocytes in the gill hemocoel were severely vacuolized; the morphology of glandular epithelium was irregular; the rough endoplasmic reticulum became swollen and reduced in number; and several large vacuoles and some residual bodies were observed in the gastric epithelium. These results indicate that stress induced by high concentration of sulfide can significantly affect the activities of immune-related enzymes and the organ structure of C. japonica. Furthermore, changes in the activities of LSZ, SOD, and CAT, and the content of MDA may be used as indices for evaluating the immune state of C. japonica under sulfide stress.

Recovery from hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia: impacts on the transcription of key antioxidants in the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

Estuarine waters are prone to regular bouts of low oxygen (hypoxia) and high carbon dioxide (hypercapnia). In vertebrates, tissue hypoxia followed by reoxygenation can generate high levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) that exceed cellular antioxidant capacity, leading to tissue damage. Here we quantified the expression of several antioxidant genes in the hepatopancreas of Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, after exposure to hypoxia or hypercapnic hypoxia for 4h or 24h followed by recovery in air-saturated water (normoxia) for 0, 1, 6 or 24h, as compared to time-matched controls maintained only in normoxia. Transcripts of cytoplasmic Mn-superoxide dismutase (cMnSOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX) and peptide-methionine (R)-S-oxide reductase (MsrB) increased after 4h exposure to either hypoxia or hypercapnic hypoxia; these elevated transcript levels persisted longer in animals recovering from hypercapnic hypoxia than hypoxia alone. cMnSOD transcripts generally increased, but GPX, MsrB, glutathione-S-transferase (GST), and thioredoxin 1 (TRX-1) decreased or did not change in most long-term (24h) treatment-recovery groups. Thus, the transcriptional responses of several antioxidant genes during recovery from tidally-driven hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia decrease or are muted by more persistent exposure to these conditions, leaving L. vannamei potentially vulnerable to ROS damage during recovery.

Transcriptomic responses of juvenile Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, to hypoxia and hypercapnic hypoxia

Estuarine crustaceans are often exposed to low dissolved O2 (hypoxia) accompanied by elevated CO2 (hypercapnia), which lowers water pH. Acclimatory responses to hypoxia have been widely characterized; responses to hypercapnia in combination with hypoxia (hypercapnic hypoxia) are less well known. Here we used oligonucleotide microarrays to characterize changes in global gene expression in the hepatopancreas of Pacific whiteleg shrimp, Litopenaeus vannamei, exposed to hypoxia or hypercapnic hypoxia for 4 or 24 h, compared with time-matched animals held in air-saturated water (normoxia). Unigenes whose expressions were significantly impacted by treatment and/or time were used to build artificial neural networks (ANNs) to identify genes with the greatest sensitivity in pairwise discriminations between treatments at each time point and between times for each treatment. ANN gene sets that discriminated hypoxia or hypercapnic hypoxia from normoxia shared functions of translation, mitochondrial energetics, and cellular defense. GO terms protein modification/phosphorylation/cellular protein metabolism and RNA processing/apoptosis/cell cycling occurred at highest frequency in discriminating hypercapnic hypoxia from hypoxia at 4 and 24 h, respectively. For 75.4% of the annotated ANN genes, exposure to hypercapnic hypoxia for 24 h reduced or reversed the transcriptional response to hypoxia alone. These results suggest that high CO2/low pH may interfere with transcriptionally based acclimation to hypoxia or elicit physiological or biochemical responses that relieve internal hypoxia. Whether these data reflect resilience or sensitivity of L. vannamei in the face of expanding hypoxic zones and rising levels of atmospheric CO2 may be important to understanding the survival of this and other estuarine species.

Development and preliminary evaluation of a real-time PCR assay for Halioticida noduliformans in abalone tissues

Abalone Haliotis midae exhibiting typical clinical signs of tubercle mycosis were discovered in South African culture facilities in 2006, posing a significant threat to the industry. The fungus responsible for the outbreak was identified as a Peronosporomycete, Halioticida noduliformans. Currently, histopathology and gross observation are used to diagnose this disease, but these 2 methods are neither rapid nor sensitive enough to provide accurate and reliable diagnosis. Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a rapid and reliable method for the detection and quantification of a variety of pathogens, so therefore we aimed to develop a qPCR assay for species-specific detection and quantification of H. noduliformans. Effective extraction of H. noduliformans genomic DNA from laboratory grown cultures, as well as from spiked abalone tissues, was accomplished by grinding samples using a pellet pestle followed by heat lysis in the presence of Chelax-100 beads. A set of oligonucleotide primers was designed to specifically amplify H. noduliformans DNA in the large subunit (LSU) rRNA gene, and tested for cross-reactivity to DNA extracted from related and non-related fungi isolated from seaweeds, crustaceans and healthy abalone; no cross-amplification was detected. When performing PCR assays in an abalone tissue matrix, an environment designed to be a non-sterile simulation of environmental conditions, no amplification occurred in the negative controls. The qPCR assay sensitivity was determined to be approximately 0.28 pg of fungal DNA (~2.3 spores) in a 25 µl reaction volume. Our qPCR technique will be useful for monitoring and quantifying H. noduliformans for the surveillance and management of abalone tubercle mycosis in South Africa.

Properties of bacteria that trigger hemocytopenia in the Atlantic blue crab, Callinectes sapidus

In the blue crab Callinectes sapidus, injection with the bacterial pathogen Vibrio campbellii causes a decrease in oxygen consumption. Histological and physiological evidence suggests that the physical obstruction of hemolymph flow through the gill vasculature, caused by aggregations of bacteria and hemocytes, underlies the decrease in aerobic function associated with bacterial infection. We sought to elucidate the bacterial properties sufficient to induce a decrease in circulating hemocytes (hemocytopenia) as an indicator for the initiation of hemocyte aggregation and subsequent impairment of respiration. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS), the primary component of the gram-negative bacterial cell wall, is known to interact with crustacean hemocytes. Purified LPS was covalently bound to the surfaces of polystyrene beads resembling bacteria in size. Injection of these "LPS beads" caused a decrease in circulating hemocytes comparable to that seen with V. campbellii injection, while beads alone failed to do so. These data suggest that in general, gram-negative bacteria could stimulate hemocytopenia. To test this hypothesis, crabs were injected with different bacteria--seven gram-negative and one gram-positive species--and their effects on circulating hemocytes were assessed. With one exception, all gram-negative strains caused decreases in circulating hemocytes, suggesting an important role for LPS in the induction of this response. However, LPS is not necessary to provoke the immune response given that Bacillus coral, a gram-positive species that lacks LPS, caused a decrease in circulating hemocytes. These results suggest that a wide range of bacteria could impair metabolism in C. sapidus.

Energy metabolism and metabolic depression during exercise in Callinectes sapidus, the Atlantic blue crab: effects of the bacterial pathogen Vibrio campbellii

Callinectes sapidus (Rathbun), the Atlantic blue crab, commonly harbors low to moderate amounts of bacteria in hemolymph and other tissues. These bacteria are typically dominated by Vibrio spp., which are known to cause mortality in the blue crab. The dose-dependent lethality of an isolate of Vibrio campbellii was determined in crabs; the mean 48 h LD50 (half-maximal lethal dose) was 6.2×105 colony forming units g–1 crab. Injection of a sublethal dose of V. campbellii into the hemolymph of the crab resulted in a rapid and large depression (30–42%) of metabolic rate, which persisted for 24 h. Because gills are an organ of immune function as well as respiration, we were interested in how bacteria injected into the crab would affect the energetic costs associated with walking. Overall metabolism (aerobic and anaerobic) more than doubled in crabs walking for 30 min at 8 m min–1. The metabolic depression resulting from bacterial injection persisted throughout the exercise period and patterns of phosphagen and adenylate consumption within walking leg muscle were not affected by treatment. The ability of crabs to supply required energy for walking is largely unaffected by exposure to Vibrio; however, Vibrio-injected crabs are less aerobic while doing so. This depressed metabolic condition in response to bacteria,present during moderate activity, could be a passive result of mounting an immune response or may indicate an actively regulated metabolic depression. A compromised metabolism can affect the performance of daily activities, such as feeding and predator avoidance or affect the ability to cope with environmental stressors, such as hypoxia.

Differential localization and bacteriostasis of Vibrio campbellii among tissues of the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica

In bivalve mollusks the roles of individual tissues in antimicrobial defense remain unclear. In this study, Crassostrea virginica were injected in the adductor muscle with 10(5) live Vibrio campbellii. Major tissues were dissected at 10, 30, 60 or 120 min postinjection (PI); in each tissue undegraded (intact) bacteria were quantified by real-time PCR and culturable bacteria were enumerated by selective plating. At 10 min PI, accumulation of bacteria varied among tissues from approximately 2.4 x 10(3) (labial palps, digestive gland) to 24.2 x 10(3) (gonads) intact Vibrio g(-1). Neither distribution nor accumulation of intact bacteria changed with time except in the hemolymph. In most tissues, more than 80% of intact bacteria were culturable at 10 min PI and culturability decreased with time. In contrast, only 19% of intact bacteria in gonadal tissue could be cultured at 10 min PI, pointing to a major role for the gonadal tissues in antibacterial defense of molluscs.

Effects of hypercapnic hypoxia on inactivation and elimination of Vibrio campbellii in the Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica

The Eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, inhabits shallow coastal waters that frequently experience periods of low dissolved oxygen (hypoxia) and elevated CO(2) (hypercapnia) levels. Bacteria are extremely abundant in these environments and accumulate in large numbers in filter-feeding oysters, which can act as passive carriers of human pathogens. Although hypercapnic hypoxia (HH) can affect certain specific immune mechanisms, its direct effect on the inactivation, degradation and elimination of bacteria in oysters is unknown. This research was conducted to determine whether exposure to HH reduces the ability of C. virginica to inactivate and eliminate Vibrio campbellii following its injection into the adductor muscle. Oysters were held in fully air-saturated (normoxic; partial O(2) pressure [P(O2)] = 20.7 kPa, CO(2) < 0.06 kPa, pH 7.8 to 8.0) or HH (P(O2) = 4 kPa, CO(2) = 1.8 kPa, pH 6.5 to 6.8) seawater at 25 degrees C for 4 h before being injected in the adductor muscle with 10(5) live Vibrio campbellii bacteria and remained under these conditions for the remainder of the experiment (up to 24 h postinjection). Real-time PCR was used to quantify the number of intact V. campbellii bacteria, while selective plating was used to quantify the number of injected bacteria remaining culturable in whole-oyster tissues, seawater, and feces/pseudofeces at 0, 1, 4, and 24 h postinjection. We found that oysters maintained under normoxic conditions were very efficient at inactivating and degrading large numbers of injected bacteria within their tissues. Moreover, a small percentage ( approximately 10%) of injected bacteria were passed into the surrounding seawater, while less than 1% were recovered in the feces/pseudofeces. In contrast, HH increased the percentage of culturable bacteria recovered from the tissues of oysters, suggesting an overall decrease in bacteriostasis. We suggest that poor water quality may increase the risk that oysters will harbor and transmit bacterial pathogens hazardous to human and ecosystem health.