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da Cruz KPP, Gattamorta MA, Matushima ER, Salvarani FM. Fibropapillomatosis: A Review of the Disease with Attention to the Situation Northern Coast of Brazil. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:1809. [PMID: 38929428 PMCID: PMC11200417 DOI: 10.3390/ani14121809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 06/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Fibropapillomatosis in sea turtles is a potentially debilitating and fatal disease for which there is still a lack of knowledge, especially for specific regions of Brazil. The diagnosis is made through the observation of clinical manifestations, and despite its association with Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) as the etiological agent, the expression of the disease may also be related to immunological and environmental factors caused by anthropic degradation of the environment. Thus, this review aims to elucidate what is known about this disease globally, and especially in various regions of Brazil, promoting a better understanding of its evolution, spatiotemporal prevalence, and relationship with human activities. Furthermore, the review explores the molecular biology of ChHV5, including its genomic structure, replication cycle, and mechanisms of pathogenesis. The role of environmental factors, such as temperature and pollution, in modulating ChHV5 infection and FP development is also discussed. Additionally, the review summarizes current diagnostic methods for detecting ChHV5 infection in sea turtles, highlighting the importance of early detection and monitoring for effective disease management and conservation efforts. Finally, the review outlines future research directions aimed at improving our understanding of ChHV5 and developing strategies for FP control and prevention in sea turtle populations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Eliana Reiko Matushima
- Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo 05508220, SP, Brazil;
| | - Felipe Masiero Salvarani
- Instituto de Medicina Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Pará, Castanhal 68740970, PA, Brazil;
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2
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Chaganti T, Tsai CY, Juang YP, Abdelalim M, Cernak T. Medicinal Chemistry Gone Wild. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 38662285 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Earth is currently experiencing a mass extinction event. The flora and fauna of our planet are experiencing mass die-offs from a multitude of factors, with wildlife disease emerging as one parameter where medicinal chemists are equipped to intervene. While contemporary medicinal chemistry focuses on human health, many traditional pharmaceutical companies have historic roots in human health, animal health, and plant health. This trifecta of health sciences perfectly maps to the current field of One Health, which recognizes that optimal health outcomes can only be achieved through the health of humans, plants, animals, and their shared environments. This Perspective imagines a world where state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry tactics are used to prevent the extinction of endangered species and points to preliminary work in the emerging area of conservation medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tesko Chaganti
- Canton High School, Canton, Michigan 48187, United States
| | - Chun-Yi Tsai
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Yu-Pu Juang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Mohamed Abdelalim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Tim Cernak
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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3
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Immunity in Sea Turtles: Review of a Host-Pathogen Arms Race Millions of Years in the Running. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040556. [PMID: 36830343 PMCID: PMC9951749 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system of sea turtles is not completely understood. Sea turtles (as reptiles) bridge a unique evolutionary gap, being ectothermic vertebrates like fish and amphibians and amniotes like birds and mammals. Turtles are ectotherms; thus, their immune system is influenced by environmental conditions like temperature and season. We aim to review the turtle immune system and note what studies have investigated sea turtles and the effect of the environment on the immune response. Turtles rely heavily on the nonspecific innate response rather than the specific adaptive response. Turtles' innate immune effectors include antimicrobial peptides, complement, and nonspecific leukocytes. The antiviral defense is understudied in terms of the diversity of pathogen receptors and interferon function. Turtles also mount adaptive responses to pathogens. Lymphoid structures responsible for lymphocyte activation and maturation are either missing in reptiles or function is affected by season. Turtles are a marker of health for their marine environment, and their immune system is commonly dysregulated because of disease or contaminants. Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumorous disease that afflicts sea turtles and is thought to be caused by a virus and an environmental factor. We aim, by exploring the current understanding of the immune system in turtles, to aid the investigation of environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease and provide options for immunotherapy.
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4
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Dias VHV, Mattos JJ, Bastolla CLV, Lüchmann KH, Bainy ACD. Characterisation of UDP-glucuronosyltransferase activity in sea turtle Chelonia mydas. Xenobiotica 2022; 52:1011-1019. [PMID: 36594659 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2022.2164750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Uridine diphosphate glucuronosyltransferase (UGT) enzymes conjugate many lipophilic chemicals, such as drugs, environmental contaminants, and endogenous compounds, promoting their excretion. The complexity of UGT kinetics, and the location of enzyme active site in endoplasmic reticulum lumen, requires an accurate optimisation of enzyme assays.In the present study, we characterised UGT activity in liver microsomes of green turtles (Chelonia mydas), an endangered species. The conditions for measuring UGT activity were standardised through spectrofluorimetric methods, using the substrates 4-methylumbelliferone (4-MU) and uridine diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDPGA) at 30 °C and pH 7.4.The green turtles showed UGT activity at the saturating concentrations of substrates of 250 µM to 4-MU and 7 mM to UDPGA. The alamethicin, Brij®58, bovine serum albumin (BSA), and magnesium increased UGT activity. The assay using alamethicin (22 µg per mg of protein), magnesium (1 mM), and BSA (0.25%) reached the highest Vmax (1203 pmol·min-1mg·protein-1). Lithocholic acid and diclofenac inhibited UGT activity in green turtles.This study is the first report of UGT activity in the liver of green turtles and provides a base for future studies to understand the mechanisms of toxicity by exposure to contaminants in this charismatic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vera Helena V Dias
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry-LABCAI, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Jacó J Mattos
- Aquaculture Pathology Research Center-NEPAQ, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Camila L V Bastolla
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry-LABCAI, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Karim H Lüchmann
- Department of Scientific and Technological Education, Santa Catarina State University, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Afonso C D Bainy
- Laboratory of Biomarkers of Aquatic Contamination and Immunochemistry-LABCAI, Federal University of Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
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5
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Morphologic and physiologic characteristics of green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) hatchlings in southeastern Florida, USA. J Comp Physiol B 2022; 192:751-764. [DOI: 10.1007/s00360-022-01450-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2022] [Revised: 07/07/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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6
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Li TH, Hsu WL, Chen CY, Chen YC, Wang YC, Tsai MA, Chen IC, Chang CC. Preparation of recombinant glycoprotein B (gB) of Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) for antibody production and its application for infection detection in sea turtles. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11022. [PMID: 35773319 PMCID: PMC9246996 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15281-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) infection possibly associated to the fibropapillomatosis (FP) disease in sea turtles worldwide remains largely unknown and limited studies have used serological approaches to detection of antibodies against ChHV5 in sea turtles with or without FP. We aimed to develop diagnostic platforms based on the viral glycoprotein B (gB) for ChHV5 infection. In this study, five recombinant sub-fragments of the gB protein were successfully expressed and subsequently served as antigens for both seroprevalence and antibody production. The results indicated that the five expressed proteins harbored antigenicity, shown by the results of using sera from sea turtles that were PCR-positive for ChHV5. Moreover, seropositive sea turtles were significantly associated with FP (p < 0.05). We further used the expressed protein to produce antibodies for immunohistochemical analysis, and found that the in-house-generated sera specifically stained FP lesions while normal epithelium tissues remained negative. Of major importance, the reactivity in the ballooning degeneration area was much stronger than that in other regions of the FP lesion/tumour, thus indicating ChHV5 viral activities. In summary, the developed serological test and specific anti-gB antibodies for IHC analysis could be applied for further understanding of epidemiological distributions of ChHV5 infection in sea turtles, and studies of ChHV5 pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tsung-Hsien Li
- National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan.,Department of Marine Biotechnology and Resources, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan.,Institute of Marine Ecology and Conservation, National Sun Yat-Sen University, Kaohsiung, 80424, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Li Hsu
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Chang-You Chen
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chen Chen
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 1650 Sec. 4 Taiwan Blvd., Xitun Dist., Taichung, 407, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Chen Wang
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Ming-An Tsai
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912301, Taiwan.,International Program in Ornamental Fish Technology and Aquatic Animal Health, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung, 912301, Taiwan
| | - I-Chun Chen
- National Museum of Marine Biology & Aquarium, Checheng, Pingtung, 94450, Taiwan
| | - Chao-Chin Chang
- Graduate Institute of Microbiology and Public Health, College of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
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7
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Manes C, Pinton D, Canestrelli A, Capua I. Occurrence of Fibropapillomatosis in Green Turtles ( Chelonia mydas) in Relation to Environmental Changes in Coastal Ecosystems in Texas and Florida: A Retrospective Study. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:1236. [PMID: 35625082 PMCID: PMC9137486 DOI: 10.3390/ani12101236] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2022] [Revised: 05/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibropapillomatosis is a neoplastic disease of marine turtles, with green turtles (Chelonia mydas) being the most affected species. Fibropapillomatosis causes debilitating tumor growths on soft tissues and internal organs, often with lethal consequences. Disease incidence has been increasing in the last few decades and the reason is still uncertain. The potential viral infectious agent of Fibropapillomatosis, chelonid herpesvirus 5, has been co-evolving with its sea turtle host for millions of years and no major mutation linked with increased disease occurrence has been detected. Hence, frequent outbreaks in recent decades are likely attributable to external drivers such as large-scale anthropogenic changes in the green turtle coastal marine ecosystem. This study found that variations in sea surface temperature, salinity, and nutrient effluent discharge from nearby rivers were correlated with an increased incidence of the disease, substantiating that these may be among the significant environmental drivers impacting Fibropapillomatosis prevalence. This study offers data and insight on the need to establish a baseline of environmental factors which may drive Fibropapillomatosis and its clinical exacerbation. We highlight the multifactorial nature of this disease and support the inclusion of interdisciplinary work in future Fibropapillomatosis research efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Costanza Manes
- Department of Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
- One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
| | - Daniele Pinton
- Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Alberto Canestrelli
- Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA; (D.P.); (A.C.)
| | - Ilaria Capua
- One Health Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA;
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8
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Garefino VE, Milton SL. Influence of Sunlight on Vitamin D and Health Status in Green (Chelonia mydas) Sea Turtles with Fibropapillomatosis. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12040488. [PMID: 35203196 PMCID: PMC8868431 DOI: 10.3390/ani12040488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Green sea turtles are an endangered species prone to a disease called fibropapillomatosis (FP). FP causes the growth of large debilitating tumors on the skin, eyes, and shell of sea turtles. Sea turtle rehabilitation facilities often treat turtles with this disease by removing the tumors, but many of these individuals do not survive or the tumors regrow. A way to improve the treatment of these turtles could help the population as a whole. The aim of this study was to compare plasma vitamin D levels in green sea turtles with and without evident FP tumors, as vitamin D influences immune function and overall health. We determined that exposure to more sunlight influences plasma vitamin D levels in sea turtles brought into a rehabilitation facility. We found that tumored individuals arriving at the facility had lower vitamin D and ionized calcium levels and higher parathyroid hormone levels compared to both wild-caught and rehabilitation turtles without evident tumors. Individuals housed in tanks exposed to greater ultraviolet (UV) (sun)light showed greater increases in plasma vitamin D levels and a more successful recovery. The results suggest that increasing sun exposure in rehabilitation facilities may enhance health and recovery in green turtles with FP. Abstract Green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) are an endangered species, which as juveniles are prone to the debilitating disease green turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP). Previous work has shown an association between reduced immune function and FP. As vitamin D has been linked to immune function in numerous animals, the aim of this study was to compare vitamin D levels in green sea turtles with and without evident FP and determine if exposure to sunlight would influence vitamin D levels and other health parameters. Various health markers, including vitamin D, in turtles with and without evident tumors being treated at a rehabilitation facility in southeast Florida were compared to apparently healthy wild-caught juvenile green turtles. Turtles receiving treatment were housed in tanks exposed to higher or lower levels of sunlight for up to 6 months. Upon intake, tumored individuals had lower plasma vitamin D and ionized calcium levels and higher parathyroid hormone levels when compared to both wild-caught and rehabilitation turtles without evident tumors. Individuals exposed to greater sunlight showed greater increases in plasma vitamin D and a more successful recovery. The results suggest that increasing sun exposure in rehabilitation facilities may enhance health and recovery in green turtles with FP.
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9
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Martin KR, Mansfield KL, Savage AE. Adaptive evolution of major histocompatibility complex class I immune genes and disease associations in coastal juvenile sea turtles. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:211190. [PMID: 35154791 PMCID: PMC8825991 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.211190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Characterizing polymorphism at the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) genes is key to understanding the vertebrate immune response to disease. Despite being globally afflicted by the infectious tumour disease fibropapillomatosis (FP), immunogenetic variation in sea turtles is minimally explored. We sequenced the α 1 peptide-binding region of MHC class I genes (162 bp) from 268 juvenile green (Chelonia mydas) and 88 loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtles in Florida, USA. We recovered extensive variation (116 alleles) and trans-species polymorphism. Supertyping analysis uncovered three functional MHC supertypes corresponding to the three well-supported clades in the phylogeny. We found significant evidence of positive selection at seven amino acid sites in the class I exon. Random forest modelling and risk ratio analysis of Ch. mydas alleles uncovered one allele weakly associated with smooth FP tumour texture, which may be associated with disease outcome. Our study represents the first characterization of MHC class I diversity in Ch. mydas and the largest sample of sea turtles used to date in any study of adaptive genetic variation, revealing tremendous genetic variation and high adaptive potential to viral pathogen threats. The novel associations we identified between MHC diversity and FP outcomes in sea turtles further highlight the importance of evaluating genetic predictors of disease, including MHC and other functional markers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R. Martin
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Katherine L. Mansfield
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
| | - Anna E. Savage
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, 4110 Libra Drive, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
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10
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A subpopulation of green turtle suprabasal epidermal cells are Langerin+ and migrate under in vitro stimulation of the chemokine CCL21. Vet Res Commun 2022; 46:939-945. [DOI: 10.1007/s11259-021-09883-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/28/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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11
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Zamana RR, Gattamorta MA, Cruz Ochoa PF, Navas-Suárez PE, Sacristán C, Rossi S, Grisi-Filho JHH, Silva IS, Matushima ER. High Occurrence of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) in Green Sea Turtles Chelonia mydas with and without Fibropapillomatosis in Feeding Areas of the São Paulo Coast, Brazil. JOURNAL OF AQUATIC ANIMAL HEALTH 2021; 33:252-263. [PMID: 34634147 DOI: 10.1002/aah.10142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/26/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) has been consistently associated with fibropapillomatosis (FP), a neoplastic disease that affects sea turtles globally. The DNA of ChHV5 has been detected in cutaneous and noncutaneous tissues (e.g., lung) of green sea turtles Chelonia mydas with (FP+) and without (FP-) clinical signs of FP, indicating a persistent ChHV5 infection. Previously published and custom primer pairs were used to amplify the fragments of ChHV5 unique long (UL) partial genes (UL30 and UL18) through end-point PCR from cutaneous tumors (n = 31), nontumored skin (n = 49), and lungs (n = 26) from FP+ (n = 31) and FP- (n = 18) green sea turtles. The DNA of ChHV5 was detected in cutaneous tumors (80.6%, 25/31), nontumored skin (74.2%, 23/31 FP+; 27.8%, 5/18 FP-), and lung samples (91.7%, 11/12 FP+; 100%, 14/14 FP-). The high occurrence of ChHV5 observed in lung samples from FP- individuals was unexpected (14/14), providing the first evidence of ChHV5 DNA presence in lungs of individuals without FP. Our results also revealed high ChHV5 occurrence among the tested cohort (93.9%, 46/49) and suggested that a large proportion (83.4%, 15/18) of FP- green sea turtles had subclinical ChHV5 infections. Hence, our findings support the hypothesis that ChHV5 requires one or more possibly environmental or immune-related co-factors to induce FP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ramblas Zamana
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Marco Aurélio Gattamorta
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de São Paulo, Campus Cubatão, Rua Maria Cristina 50, Casqueiro, Código Endereçamento Postal, 11533-160, Cubatão, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Pablo Felipe Cruz Ochoa
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
- Bioparque Los Ocarros, Kilómetro 3 vía Restrepo, Villavicencio, Colombia
| | - Pedro Enrique Navas-Suárez
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Carlos Sacristán
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Silmara Rossi
- Laboratório de Morfofisiologia de Vertebrados, Departamento de Morfologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Campus Universitário Lagoa Nova, Código Endereçamento Postal, 59072-970, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil
| | - José Henrique Hildebrand Grisi-Filho
- Laboratório de Epidemiologia e Estatística, Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva e Saúde Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Isabela Santos Silva
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
| | - Eliana Reiko Matushima
- Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Departamento de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Código Endereçamento Postal, 05508-010, São Paulo, São Paulo State, Brazil
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12
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Hernández-Fernández J, Pinzón Velasco AM, López Barrera EA, Rodríguez Becerra MDP, Villanueva-Cañas JL, Alba MM, Mariño Ramírez L. De novo assembly and functional annotation of blood transcriptome of loggerhead turtle, and in silico characterization of peroxiredoxins and thioredoxins. PeerJ 2021; 9:e12395. [PMID: 34820176 PMCID: PMC8606161 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.12395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to generate and analyze the atlas of the loggerhead turtle blood transcriptome by RNA-seq, as well as identify and characterize thioredoxin (Tnxs) and peroxiredoxin (Prdxs) antioxidant enzymes of the greatest interest in the control of peroxide levels and other biological functions. The transcriptome of loggerhead turtle was sequenced using the Illumina Hiseq 2000 platform and de novo assembly was performed using the Trinity pipeline. The assembly comprised 515,597 contigs with an N50 of 2,631 bp. Contigs were analyzed with CD-Hit obtaining 374,545 unigenes, of which 165,676 had ORFs encoding putative proteins longer than 100 amino acids. A total of 52,147 (31.5%) of these transcripts had significant homology matches in at least one of the five databases used. From the enrichment of GO terms, 180 proteins with antioxidant activity were identified, among these 28 Prdxs and 50 putative Tnxs. The putative proteins of loggerhead turtles encoded by the genes Prdx1, Prdx3, Prdx5, Prdx6, Txn and Txnip were predicted and characterized in silico. When comparing Prdxs and Txns of loggerhead turtle with homologous human proteins, they showed 18 (9%), 52 (18%) 94 (43%), 36 (16%), 35 (33%) and 74 (19%) amino acid mutations respectively. However, they showed high conservation in active sites and structural motifs (98%), with few specific modifications. Of these, Prdx1, Prdx3, Prdx5, Prdx6, Txn and Txnip presented 0, 25, 18, three, six and two deleterious changes. This study provides a high quality blood transcriptome and functional annotation of loggerhead sea turtles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javier Hernández-Fernández
- Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatic Research Group-GENBIMOL, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia.,Faculty of Sciences, Department of Biology, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | | | - Ellie Anne López Barrera
- Institute of Environmental Studies and Services. IDEASA Research Group-IDEASA, Sergio Arboleda University, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | - María Del Pilar Rodríguez Becerra
- Department of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Genetics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatic Research Group-GENBIMOL, Universidad Jorge Tadeo Lozano, Bogotá, D.C., Colombia
| | | | - M Mar Alba
- Evolutionary Genomics Group, Research Program on Biomedical Informatics (GRIB), Hospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona, Spain
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13
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Sea Turtles in the Cancer Risk Landscape: A Global Meta-Analysis of Fibropapillomatosis Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors. Pathogens 2021; 10:pathogens10101295. [PMID: 34684244 PMCID: PMC8540842 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10101295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 09/29/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Several cancer risk factors (exposure to ultraviolet-B, pollution, toxins and pathogens) have been identified for wildlife, to form a “cancer risk landscape.” However, information remains limited on how the spatiotemporal variability of these factors impacts the prevalence of cancer in wildlife. Here, we evaluated the cancer risk landscape at 49 foraging sites of the globally distributed green turtle (Chelonia mydas), a species affected by fibropapillomatosis, by integrating data from a global meta-analysis of 31 publications (1994–2019). Evaluated risk factors included ultraviolet light exposure, eutrophication, toxic phytoplanktonic blooms, sea surface temperature, and the presence of mechanical vectors (parasites and symbiotic species). Prevalence was highest in areas where nutrient concentrations facilitated the emergence of toxic phytoplankton blooms. In contrast, ultraviolet light exposure and the presence of parasitic and/or symbiotic species did not appear to impact disease prevalence. Our results indicate that, to counter outbreaks of fibropapillomatosis, management actions that reduce eutrophication in foraging areas should be implemented.
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EVALUATION OF IMMUNE FUNCTION IN TWO POPULATIONS OF GREEN SEA TURTLES (CHELONIA MYDAS) IN A DEGRADED VERSUS A NONDEGRADED HABITAT. J Wildl Dis 2021; 57:761-772. [PMID: 34460917 DOI: 10.7589/jwd-d-20-00204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
There is a strong correlation between degraded marine habitats and the prevalence of diseases such as green turtle fibropapillomatosis (GTFP) in coastal populations. In GTFP, small to large tumors grow on the turtle's soft tissues and shell, while internal nodules may also occur. The disease primarily affects juvenile green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) that reside in nearshore waters. As a link has been shown between environmental pollution and immune suppression in a variety of animals, the objective of our research was to compare innate and adaptive immune responsiveness in green sea turtles from a severely degraded and a more pristine habitat, which differ greatly in rates of GTFP. We quantified phagocytosis by flow cytometry and performed in vitro stimulation analysis to measure activity of both the innate and adaptive immune systems in wild-caught Florida green turtles. Sea turtles from the degraded environment, both with and without visible cutaneous tumors, exhibited significantly reduced phagocytosis and stimulation indices than did those from the less polluted environment. Our results suggest that environmental factors may contribute to the development of GTFP and thus can impact the health of sea turtle populations.
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Ní Leathlobhair M, Yetsko K, Farrell JA, Iaria C, Marino G, Duffy DJ, Murchison EP. Genotype data not consistent with clonal transmission of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis or goldfish schwannoma. Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:219. [PMID: 34622016 PMCID: PMC8459624 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.17073.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent discoveries of transmissible cancers in multiple bivalve species suggest that direct transmission of cancer cells within species may be more common than previously thought, particularly in aquatic environments. Fibropapillomatosis occurs with high prevalence in green sea turtles ( Chelonia mydas) and the geographic range of disease has increased since fibropapillomatosis was first reported in this species. Widespread incidence of schwannomas, benign tumours of Schwann cell origin, reported in aquarium-bred goldfish (Carassius auratus), suggest an infectious aetiology. We investigated the hypothesis that cancers in these species arise by clonal transmission of cancer cells. Through analysis of polymorphic microsatellite alleles, we demonstrate concordance of host and tumour genotypes in diseased animals. These results imply that the tumours examined arose from independent oncogenic transformation of host tissue and were not clonally transmitted. Further, failure to experimentally transmit goldfish schwannoma via water exposure or inoculation suggest that this disease is unlikely to have an infectious aetiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Máire Ní Leathlobhair
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, UK
- Big Data Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
- Transmissible Cancer Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
| | - Kelsey Yetsko
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida, 32080, USA
| | - Jessica A. Farrell
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida, 32080, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Carmelo Iaria
- Centre of Experimental Fish Pathology of Sicily (CISS), Viale Giovanni Palatucci, University of Messina, 98168, Messina, Italy
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres, n 31, University of Messina, 98166, Messina, Italy
| | - Gabriele Marino
- Department of Veterinary Sciences, Viale Giovanni Palatucci, University of Messina, 98168, Messina, Italy
| | - David J. Duffy
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience, Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, Florida, 32080, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, 32611, USA
| | - Elizabeth P. Murchison
- Transmissible Cancer Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK
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16
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Whitmore L, Yetsko K, Farrell JA, Page-Karjian A, Daniel W, Shaver DJ, Frandsen HR, Walker JS, Crowder W, Bovery C, Rollinson Ramia D, Burkhalter B, Ryan E, Duffy DJ. Evolutionary Comparisons of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) Genomes from Fibropapillomatosis-Afflicted Green ( Chelonia mydas), Olive Ridley ( Lepidochelys olivacea) and Kemp's Ridley ( Lepidochelys kempii) Sea Turtles. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:2489. [PMID: 34573455 PMCID: PMC8465875 DOI: 10.3390/ani11092489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The spreading global sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) epizootic is threatening some of Earth's ancient reptiles, adding to the plethora of threats faced by these keystone species. Understanding this neoplastic disease and its likely aetiological pathogen, chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5), is crucial to understand how the disease impacts sea turtle populations and species and the future trajectory of disease incidence. We generated 20 ChHV5 genomes, from three sea turtle species, to better understand the viral variant diversity and gene evolution of this oncogenic virus. We revealed previously underappreciated genetic diversity within this virus (with an average of 2035 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 1.54% of the ChHV5 genome) and identified genes under the strongest evolutionary pressure. Furthermore, we investigated the phylogeny of ChHV5 at both genome and gene level, confirming the propensity of the virus to be interspecific, with related variants able to infect multiple sea turtle species. Finally, we revealed unexpected intra-host diversity, with up to 0.15% of the viral genome varying between ChHV5 genomes isolated from different tumours concurrently arising within the same individual. These findings offer important insights into ChHV5 biology and provide genomic resources for this oncogenic virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam Whitmore
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland;
| | - Kelsey Yetsko
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
| | - Jessica A. Farrell
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
| | - Annie Page-Karjian
- Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute, Florida Atlantic University, Fort Pierce, FL 34946, USA;
| | - Whitney Daniel
- South Carolina Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston, SC 29401, USA;
| | - Donna J. Shaver
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (H.R.F.); (J.S.W.)
| | - Hilary R. Frandsen
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (H.R.F.); (J.S.W.)
| | - Jennifer Shelby Walker
- Division of Sea Turtle Science and Recovery, Padre Island National Seashore, Corpus Christi, TX 78480, USA; (D.J.S.); (H.R.F.); (J.S.W.)
| | - Whitney Crowder
- Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton, FL 33432, USA; (W.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Caitlin Bovery
- Gumbo Limbo Nature Center, Boca Raton, FL 33432, USA; (W.C.); (C.B.)
| | - Devon Rollinson Ramia
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
| | - Brooke Burkhalter
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
| | - Elizabeth Ryan
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, University of Limerick, V94 T9PX Limerick, Ireland;
| | - David J. Duffy
- Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080, USA; (K.Y.); (J.A.F.); (D.R.R.); (B.B.); (D.J.D.)
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA
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17
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Kane RA, Christodoulides N, Jensen IM, Becker DJ, Mansfield KL, Savage AE. Gene expression changes with tumor disease and leech parasitism in the juvenile green sea turtle skin transcriptome. Gene 2021; 800:145800. [PMID: 34175400 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2021.145800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to biodiversity in the 21st century. Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is an epithelial tumor disease that affects immature and adult marine turtles worldwide, particularly green turtles (Chelonia mydas). We know little about the host factors contributing to FP susceptibility, in part because transcriptomic studies that compare transcript expression in turtles with and without FP are lacking. Here, we performed RNA-Seq on healthy skin tissue from immature C. mydas in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida, USA, comparing turtles (1) with and without FP and (2) with and without leech parasites, a putative vector of FP. We assembled a de novo C. mydas skin transcriptome to identify transcripts with significant differential expression (DE) across FP and leech categories. Significant DE transcripts were found across FP and leech comparisons, including 10 of the same transcripts with DE across both comparisons. Leech-positive individuals significantly upregulated different immune and viral interaction transcripts than did leech-negative individuals, including viral interaction transcripts associated with herpesvirus interactions. This finding strengthens the role of marine leeches as mechanical vectors of Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) which has been implicated as a causative agent of FP. FP-positive turtles upregulated several tumor progression and suppression transcripts relative to FP-negative turtles, which had no significant DE tumor progression transcripts. FP-positive turtles also upregulated significantly more protein interaction transcripts than FP-negative turtles. DE transcripts across leech comparisons showed no functional enrichment, whereas DE transcripts across FP comparisons showed some GO terms were enriched in FP-positive and FP negative turtles. Notably, only FP-negative turtles were enriched for GO terms involved in acquired and inflammatory immune gene regulation. Overall, our DE transcripts included several candidate genes that may play important roles in C. mydas resistance to or recovery from FP, highlighting that transcriptomics provides a promising venue to understand this impactful disease. Continued investigation of C. mydas responses to FP and leech affliction is imperative for species persistence and the conservation of marine ecosystems worldwide due to the essential role of sea turtles in ecosystem function and stability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachael A Kane
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States; School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, United States.
| | | | - Irelyn M Jensen
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States.
| | - Donald J Becker
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States.
| | | | - Anna E Savage
- Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL, United States.
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18
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Farrell JA, Yetsko K, Whitmore L, Whilde J, Eastman CB, Ramia DR, Thomas R, Linser P, Creer S, Burkhalter B, Schnitzler C, Duffy DJ. Environmental DNA monitoring of oncogenic viral shedding and genomic profiling of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis reveals unusual viral dynamics. Commun Biol 2021; 4:565. [PMID: 33980988 PMCID: PMC8115626 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02085-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogen-induced cancers account for 15% of human tumors and are a growing concern for endangered wildlife. Fibropapillomatosis is an expanding virally and environmentally co-induced sea turtle tumor epizootic. Chelonid herpesvirus 5 (ChHV5) is implicated as a causative virus, but its transmission method and specific role in oncogenesis and progression is unclear. We applied environmental (e)DNA-based viral monitoring to assess viral shedding as a direct means of transmission, and the relationship between tumor burden, surgical resection and ChHV5 shedding. To elucidate the abundance and transcriptional status of ChHV5 across early, established, regrowth and internal tumors we conducted genomics and transcriptomics. We determined that ChHV5 is shed into the water column, representing a likely transmission route, and revealed novel temporal shedding dynamics and tumor burden correlations. ChHV5 was more abundant in the water column than in marine leeches. We also revealed that ChHV5 is latent in fibropapillomatosis, including early stage, regrowth and internal tumors; higher viral transcription is not indicative of poor patient outcome, and high ChHV5 loads predominantly arise from latent virus. These results expand our knowledge of the cellular and shedding dynamics of ChHV5 and can provide insights into temporal transmission dynamics and viral oncogenesis not readily investigable in tumors of terrestrial species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica A Farrell
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Kelsey Yetsko
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Liam Whitmore
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Jenny Whilde
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Catherine B Eastman
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Devon Rollinson Ramia
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Rachel Thomas
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Paul Linser
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Simon Creer
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK
| | - Brooke Burkhalter
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
| | - Christine Schnitzler
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - David J Duffy
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, UK.
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19
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Insights on Immune Function in Free-Ranging Green Sea Turtles ( Chelonia mydas) with and without Fibropapillomatosis. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030861. [PMID: 33803547 PMCID: PMC8003005 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Chelonid alphaherpesviruses 5 and 6 (ChHV5 and ChHV6) are viruses that affect wild sea turtle populations. ChHV5 is associated with the neoplastic disease fibropapillomatosis (FP), which affects green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in panzootic proportions. ChHV6 infection is associated with lung-eye-trachea disease (LETD), which has only been observed in maricultured sea turtles, although antibodies to ChHV6 have been detected in free-ranging turtles. To better understand herpesvirus prevalence and host immunity in various green turtle foraging aggregations in Florida, USA, our objectives were to compare measures of innate and adaptive immune function in relation to (1) FP tumor presence and severity, and (2) ChHV5 and ChHV6 infection status. Free-ranging, juvenile green turtles (N = 45) were captured and examined for external FP tumors in Florida's Big Bend, Indian River Lagoon, and Lake Worth Lagoon. Blood samples were collected upon capture and analyzed for ChHV5 and ChHV6 DNA, antibodies to ChHV5 and ChHV6, in vitro lymphocyte proliferation using a T-cell mitogen (concanavalin A), and natural killer cell activity. Despite an overall high FP prevalence (56%), ChHV5 DNA was only observed in one individual, whereas 20% of turtles tested positive for antibodies to ChHV5. ChHV6 DNA was not observed in any animals and only one turtle tested positive for ChHV6 antibodies. T-cell proliferation was not significantly related to FP presence, tumor burden, or ChHV5 seroprevalence; however, lymphocyte proliferation in response to concanavalin A was decreased in turtles with severe FP (N = 3). Lastly, green turtles with FP (N = 9) had significantly lower natural killer cell activity compared to FP-free turtles (N = 5). These results increase our understanding of immune system effects related to FP and provide evidence that immunosuppression occurs after the onset of FP disease.
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Mashkour N, Jones K, Wirth W, Burgess G, Ariel E. The Concurrent Detection of Chelonid Alphaherpesvirus 5 and Chelonia mydas Papillomavirus 1 in Tumoured and Non-Tumoured Green Turtles. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11030697. [PMID: 33807588 PMCID: PMC7999010 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Characterised by benign tumours, fibropapillomatosis is a debilitating disease that predominantly afflicts the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas). A growing body of evidence has associated these tumours with a herpesvirus. However, a recent study detected both herpesvirus and papillomavirus in these tumours. This result challenged the idea that the herpesvirus is the sole virus associated with this disease. The present study aimed to better understand the co-occurrence of these viruses in turtles with fibropapillomatosis (in both tumour samples and non-tumoured skin samples), in addition to samples from non-tumoured turtles. Both viruses were detected in all sample types, with the 43.5% of tumours containing both herpesvirus and papillomavirus. Tumour samples were found to contain the most herpesvirus while the highest amount of papillomavirus was detected in non-tumoured skin from turtles with tumours. Collectively, these results pivot the way we think about this disease; as an infectious disease where two separate viruses may be at play. Abstract Characterised by benign tumours, fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a debilitating disease that predominantly afflicts the endangered green turtle (Chelonia mydas). A growing body of histological and molecular evidence has associated FP tumours with Chelonid alphaherpesvirus 5 (ChHV5). However, a recent study which detected both ChHV5 and Chelonia mydas papillomavirus 1 (CmPV1) DNA in FP tumour tissues has challenged this hypothesis. The present study aimed to establish a probe-based qPCR to assess the wider prevalence of CmPV1 and co-occurrence with ChHV5 in 275 marine turtles foraging in waters adjacent to the east coast of Queensland, Australia: three categories: Group A (FP tumours), Group B (non-tumoured skin from FP turtles) and Group C (non-tumoured skin from turtles without FP). Concurrent detection of ChHV5 and CmPV1 DNA is reported for all three categories, where Group A had the highest rate (43.5%). ChHV5 viral loads in Group A were significantly higher than loads seen in Group B and C. This was not the case for CmPV1 where the loads in Group B were highest, followed by Group A. However, the mean CmPV1 load for Group A samples was not significantly different to the mean load reported from Group B or C samples. Collectively, these results pivot the way we think about FP; as an infectious disease where two separate viruses may be at play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Narges Mashkour
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia; (K.J.); (W.W.); (G.B.); (E.A.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Karina Jones
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia; (K.J.); (W.W.); (G.B.); (E.A.)
- College of Medicine and Dentistry, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia
| | - Wytamma Wirth
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia; (K.J.); (W.W.); (G.B.); (E.A.)
| | - Graham Burgess
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia; (K.J.); (W.W.); (G.B.); (E.A.)
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4814, Australia; (K.J.); (W.W.); (G.B.); (E.A.)
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22
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Blackburn NB, Leandro AC, Nahvi N, Devlin MA, Leandro M, Martinez Escobedo I, Peralta JM, George J, Stacy BA, deMaar TW, Blangero J, Keniry M, Curran JE. Transcriptomic Profiling of Fibropapillomatosis in Green Sea Turtles ( Chelonia mydas) From South Texas. Front Immunol 2021; 12:630988. [PMID: 33717164 PMCID: PMC7943941 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.630988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sea turtle fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumor promoting disease that is one of several threats globally to endangered sea turtle populations. The prevalence of FP is highest in green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) populations, and historically has shown considerable temporal growth. FP tumors can significantly affect the ability of turtles to forage for food and avoid predation and can grow to debilitating sizes. In the current study, based in South Texas, we have applied transcriptome sequencing to FP tumors and healthy control tissue to study the gene expression profiles of FP. By identifying differentially expressed turtle genes in FP, and matching these genes to their closest human ortholog we draw on the wealth of human based knowledge, specifically human cancer, to identify new insights into the biology of sea turtle FP. We show that several genes aberrantly expressed in FP tumors have known tumor promoting biology in humans, including CTHRC1 and NLRC5, and provide support that disruption of the Wnt signaling pathway is a feature of FP. Further, we profiled the expression of current targets of immune checkpoint inhibitors from human oncology in FP tumors and identified potential candidates for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B. Blackburn
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Ana Cristina Leandro
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
| | - Nina Nahvi
- Sea Turtle Inc., South Padre Island, TX, United States
| | | | - Marcelo Leandro
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
| | | | - Juan M. Peralta
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia
| | - Jeff George
- Sea Turtle Inc., South Padre Island, TX, United States
| | - Brian A. Stacy
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | | | - John Blangero
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
| | - Megan Keniry
- Department of Biology, College of Sciences, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Edinburg, TX, United States
| | - Joanne E. Curran
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, United States
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23
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Yetsko K, Farrell JA, Blackburn NB, Whitmore L, Stammnitz MR, Whilde J, Eastman CB, Ramia DR, Thomas R, Krstic A, Linser P, Creer S, Carvalho G, Devlin MA, Nahvi N, Leandro AC, deMaar TW, Burkhalter B, Murchison EP, Schnitzler C, Duffy DJ. Molecular characterization of a marine turtle tumor epizootic, profiling external, internal and postsurgical regrowth tumors. Commun Biol 2021; 4:152. [PMID: 33526843 PMCID: PMC7851172 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-01656-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Sea turtle populations are under threat from an epizootic tumor disease (animal epidemic) known as fibropapillomatosis. Fibropapillomatosis continues to spread geographically, with prevalence of the disease also growing at many longer-affected sites globally. However, we do not yet understand the precise environmental, mutational and viral events driving fibropapillomatosis tumor formation and progression.Here we perform transcriptomic and immunohistochemical profiling of five fibropapillomatosis tumor types: external new, established and postsurgical regrowth tumors, and internal lung and kidney tumors. We reveal that internal tumors are molecularly distinct from the more common external tumors. However, they have a small number of conserved potentially therapeutically targetable molecular vulnerabilities in common, such as the MAPK, Wnt, TGFβ and TNF oncogenic signaling pathways. These conserved oncogenic drivers recapitulate remarkably well the core pan-cancer drivers responsible for human cancers. Fibropapillomatosis has been considered benign, but metastatic-related transcriptional signatures are strongly activated in kidney and established external tumors. Tumors in turtles with poor outcomes (died/euthanized) have genes associated with apoptosis and immune function suppressed, with these genes providing putative predictive biomarkers.Together, these results offer an improved understanding of fibropapillomatosis tumorigenesis and provide insights into the origins, inter-tumor relationships, and therapeutic treatment for this wildlife epizootic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelsey Yetsko
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Jessica A Farrell
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - Nicholas B Blackburn
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
- Menzies Institute for Medical Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
| | - Liam Whitmore
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Maximilian R Stammnitz
- Transmissible Cancer Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Jenny Whilde
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Catherine B Eastman
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Devon Rollinson Ramia
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Rachel Thomas
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Aleksandar Krstic
- Systems Biology Ireland & Precision Oncology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland
| | - Paul Linser
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Simon Creer
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | - Gary Carvalho
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK
| | | | - Nina Nahvi
- Sea Turtle Inc., South Padre Island, TX, USA
| | - Ana Cristina Leandro
- Department of Human Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
- South Texas Diabetes and Obesity Institute, School of Medicine, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Brownsville, TX, USA
| | | | - Brooke Burkhalter
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
| | - Elizabeth P Murchison
- Transmissible Cancer Group, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB3 0ES, UK
| | - Christine Schnitzler
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA
| | - David J Duffy
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL, 32080, USA.
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611, USA.
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland.
- Systems Biology Ireland & Precision Oncology Ireland, School of Medicine, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, 4, Ireland.
- Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Bangor University, Bangor, Gwynedd, LL57 2UW, UK.
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Giraudeau M, Watson H, Powell D, Vincze O, Thomas F, Sepp T, Ujvari B, Le Loc'h G, Isaksson C. Will urbanisation affect the expression level of genes related to cancer of wild great tits? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:135793. [PMID: 32018940 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.135793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent studies suggest that oncogenic processes (from precancerous lesions to metastatic cancers) are widespread in wild animal species, but their importance for ecosystem functioning is still underestimated by evolutionary biologists and animal ecologists. Similar to what has been observed in humans, environmental modifications that often place wild organisms into an evolutionary trap and/or exposes them to a cocktail of mutagenic and carcinogenic pollutants might favor cancer emergence and progression, if animals do not up-regulate their defenses against these pathologies. Here, we compared, for the first time, the expression of 59 tumor-suppressor genes in blood and liver tissues of urban and rural great tits (Parus major); urban conditions being known to favor cancer progression due to, among other things, exposure to chemical or light pollution. Contrary to earlier indications, once we aligned the transcriptome to the great tit genome, we found negligible differences in the expression of anti-cancer defenses between urban and rural birds in blood and liver. Our results indicate the higher expression of a single caretaker gene (i.e. BRCA1) in livers of rural compared to urban birds. We conclude that, while urban birds might be exposed to an environment favoring the development of oncogenic processes, they seem to not upregulate their cancer defenses accordingly and future studies should confirm this result by assessing more markers of cancer defenses. This may result in a mismatch that might predispose urban birds to higher cancer risk and future studies in urban ecology should take into account this, so far completely ignored, hazard.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Giraudeau
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France; CREEC/MIVEGEC (CNRS - IRD - Université de Montpellier), France.
| | - Hannah Watson
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Daniel Powell
- Department of Biology, Lund University, SE-223 62 Lund, Sweden
| | - Orsolya Vincze
- Hungarian Department of Biology and Ecology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, Babeş-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Department of Tisza Research, MTA Centre for Ecological Research, Debrecen, Hungary
| | - Frederic Thomas
- Centre de Recherche en Écologie et Évolution de la Santé (CREES), Montpellier, France; CREEC/MIVEGEC (CNRS - IRD - Université de Montpellier), France
| | - Tuul Sepp
- Institute of Ecology and Earth Sciences, University of Tartu, Vanemuise 46, 51014 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Beata Ujvari
- Centre for Integrative Ecology, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, Australia
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25
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Labrada-Martagón V, Teneriá FAM, Zenteno-Savín T. Standardized Micronucleus Assay for Peripheral Blood from Sea Turtles. CHELONIAN CONSERVATION AND BIOLOGY 2019. [DOI: 10.2744/ccb-1373.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Labrada-Martagón
- Laboratorio Ecología de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias, UASLP, Av. Chapultepec #1570, Col. Privadas del Pedregal, CP 78295, San Luis Potosí, San Luis Potosí, México [; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8853-5541]
| | - Fernando Alberto Muñoz Teneriá
- Laboratorio de Inmunología, Facultad de Agronomía y Veterinaria, UASLP, Carretera Matehuala-SLP Km 14.5, Soledad de Graciano Sánchez, San Luis Potosí, México [; ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2338-3804]
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Laboratorio de Estrés Oxidativo, Programa de Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, Av. Instituto Politécnico Nacional #195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, C.P. 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Méxic
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26
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Duffy DJ, Martindale MQ. Perspectives on the expansion of human precision oncology and genomic approaches to sea turtle fibropapillomatosis. Commun Biol 2019; 2:54. [PMID: 30775456 PMCID: PMC6367449 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-019-0301-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Our recent Communications Biology research article revealed the genomic drivers and therapeutic vulnerabilities of sea turtle fibropapillomatosis tumors. Fibropapillomatosis is a debilitating tumorous disease afflicting populations of green sea turtles globally. While a virus is involved in the development of this disease, it is increasingly understood that the key trigger is linked to anthropogenic disturbances of the environment. The specific environmental co-trigger(s) has yet to be functionally confirmed. Here we outline the next steps required to advance our understanding of this enigmatic disease, to enable us to more effectively clinically combat it and to ultimately tackle its environmental co-trigger to halt and hopefully reverse the spread of fibropapillomatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Duffy
- Department of Biological Sciences, School of Natural Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Limerick, Limerick, V94 T9PX Ireland
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080 USA
| | - Mark Q. Martindale
- The Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience and Sea Turtle Hospital, University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32080 USA
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27
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Sellera FP, Dutra GHP, Nascimento CL, Rodrigues FP, de Sá LRM, Almeida-Lopes L, Ribeiro MS, Pogliani FC. INVESTIGATION OF GREEN TURTLE (CHELONIA MYDAS) CUTANEOUS FIBROPAPILLOMATOSIS RECURRENCE RATES FOLLOWING DIODE LASER SURGERY. J Exot Pet Med 2019. [DOI: 10.1053/j.jepm.2018.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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