1
|
Johns JL, Baumgartner TR, Sanchez CR, Dolan BP. Phagocytic Function and Flow Cytometric Phenotype of Asian Elephant Monocytes. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2297. [PMID: 39199831 PMCID: PMC11350674 DOI: 10.3390/ani14162297] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2024] [Revised: 07/22/2024] [Accepted: 07/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Optimal veterinary care of managed elephant populations is vital due to the continued decline of wild populations. Appropriate health monitoring and accurate disease diagnosis include hematologic evaluation. Elephant hematology is distinctive in that elephants have high percentages of monocytes in health. Elephant monocytes also have unusual morphology, a feature shared with manatees and rock hyraxes. Manual white blood cell counting is used for elephant hematology, as analyzers are generally inaccurate. The aims of this study were to evaluate basic cell isolation and functional testing protocols for use in elephant monocyte research, and to test several available antibodies via flow cytometry for use in elephant monocyte identification. Peripheral blood samples from five Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) were used. Methods for monocyte isolation and evaluation of phagocytic function were established. Putative lymphocyte and monocyte populations were identified using a scatter on flow cytometry. Antibodies against CD11b, CD11c, CD14, and ionized calcium-binding adapter molecule 1 (IBA1) were tested, with IBA1 showing the highest apparent diagnostic utility in labeling monocytes. Combined flow cytometric scatter and IBA1 positivity appear to identify Asian elephant monocytes. These data provide a methodologic basis for further investigation into elephant monocyte function and immune response to infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L. Johns
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (T.R.B.); (B.P.D.)
| | - Trinity R. Baumgartner
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (T.R.B.); (B.P.D.)
| | | | - Brian P. Dolan
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331, USA; (T.R.B.); (B.P.D.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
DETECTION OF ELEPHANT ENDOTHELIOTROPIC HERPESVIRUS 1A IN ARCHIVAL TISSUE USING RNASCOPE ® IN SITU HYBRIDIZATION. J Zoo Wildl Med 2023; 53:661-669. [PMID: 36640067 DOI: 10.1638/2022-0042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic disease due to elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus infection (EEHV-HD) is an important cause of calf mortality in managed and free-ranging Asian (Elephas maximus) and African elephant (Loxodonta spp.) populations. Consequently, infection has profound implications for elephant population growth and sustainability. The mechanisms of disease caused by EEHV (i.e., infection, dissemination, shedding, latency) are relatively undefined, in part because of a lack of robust validated assays for detecting viral gene products in relevant samples. To address this issue, we used RNAscope® in situ hybridization (ISH) based on EEHV1A DNA polymerase and terminase genes to detect EEHV1A RNA in archival formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded Asian elephant heart and tongue from PCR-confirmed cases (n = 4) of EEHV-HD and Asian elephants (n = 2) that died from other causes. EEHV1A-positive cases had positive hybridization signal in endothelial cell nuclei of both tissues for both DNA polymerase and terminase. EEHV-negative cases lacked signal. In positive cases, the number of positive nuclei was manually assessed to provide an estimate of the viral load and compare sensitivity of the two probes. In all cases, heart had greater signal than tongue for both probes (Wilcoxon rank test; P ≤ 0.01). Overall, terminase hybridization signal was greater than DNA polymerase signal (Wilcoxon rank test; P ≤ 0.01). Results indicate RNAscope ISH is a valuable tool for detection of EEHV in archival samples and for confirming infection. Additionally, the terminase gene is the optimal target and heart is preferable to tongue for detection in cases of EEHV-HD. Results will inform future investigations of viral tropism in EEHV-HD cases due to EEHV1A.
Collapse
|
3
|
Ncube P, Bagheri B, Goosen WJ, Miller MA, Sampson SL. Evidence, Challenges, and Knowledge Gaps Regarding Latent Tuberculosis in Animals. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1845. [PMID: 36144447 PMCID: PMC9503773 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10091845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 09/08/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Mycobacterium bovis and other Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) pathogens that cause domestic animal and wildlife tuberculosis have received considerably less attention than M. tuberculosis, the primary cause of human tuberculosis (TB). Human TB studies have shown that different stages of infection can exist, driven by host-pathogen interactions. This results in the emergence of heterogeneous subpopulations of mycobacteria in different phenotypic states, which range from actively replicating (AR) cells to viable but slowly or non-replicating (VBNR), viable but non-culturable (VBNC), and dormant mycobacteria. The VBNR, VBNC, and dormant subpopulations are believed to underlie latent tuberculosis (LTB) in humans; however, it is unclear if a similar phenomenon could be happening in animals. This review discusses the evidence, challenges, and knowledge gaps regarding LTB in animals, and possible host-pathogen differences in the MTBC strains M. tuberculosis and M. bovis during infection. We further consider models that might be adapted from human TB research to investigate how the different phenotypic states of bacteria could influence TB stages in animals. In addition, we explore potential host biomarkers and mycobacterial changes in the DosR regulon, transcriptional sigma factors, and resuscitation-promoting factors that may influence the development of LTB.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Samantha Leigh Sampson
- DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, South African Medical Research Council Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie Van Zijl Dr, Parow, Cape Town 7505, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Patterns of serum immune biomarkers during elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus viremia in Asian and African elephants. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0252175. [PMID: 34793450 PMCID: PMC8601435 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0252175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Hemorrhagic disease (HD) caused by a group of elephant endotheliotropic herpesviruses (EEHV) is one of the leading causes of death for young elephants in human care. These viruses are widespread and typically persist latently in adult elephants with no negative effects; however, in juvenile Asian and more recently young African elephants, the onset of disease can be rapid and the mortality rate high. Measuring biomarkers associated with the immune response could be beneficial to understanding underlying disease processes, as well as the management of infection and HD. The goal of this study was to measure acute phase proteins and cytokines in serum collected from elephants infected with EEHV (13 Asian and 1 African) and compare concentrations according to presence, severity and outcome of disease. Serum amyloid A (SAA) and haptoglobin (HP) were higher in elephants with EEHV viremia than those without; concentrations increased with increasing viral load, and were higher in fatal cases compared to those that survived. In Asian elephants, SAA was also higher during EEHV1 viremia compared to EEHV5. Cytokine concentrations were typically low, and no statistical differences existed between groups. However, in individuals with detectable levels, longitudinal profiles indicated changes in tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-2 (IL-2) that may reflect an immune response to EEHV infection. However, the overall low concentrations detected using previously validated assays do not support the presence of a 'cytokine storm' and suggest more work is needed to understand if sub-optimal immune responses could be involved in disease progression. These results highlight the potential benefit of measuring circulating biomarker concentrations, such as APPs and cytokines, to improve our understanding of EEHV viremia and HD, assist with monitoring the progression of disease and determining the impact of interventions.
Collapse
|
5
|
Serum Health Biomarkers in African and Asian Elephants: Value Ranges and Clinical Values Indicative of the Immune Response. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10101756. [PMID: 32992555 PMCID: PMC7601509 DOI: 10.3390/ani10101756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Biomarkers are biological molecules found in the blood or other fluids or tissues that can indicate normal or abnormal processes or disease. Developing tools to measure biomarkers that indicate immune function and establishing concentrations observed within a species is an important first step in their use for managing health and understanding disease processes. Here we report assays, observed value ranges, and concentrations during illness or injury for seven immune biomarkers measured in the serum of African and Asian elephants under human care. Concentrations were variable in both clinical and non-clinical samples, but all seven biomarkers were elevated in at least one case and most increased in response to routine vaccination in a single Asian elephant. These tools provide an exciting avenue for monitoring health status and helping diagnose and treat health problems in wildlife species, like elephants. Abstract Serum biomarkers indicative of inflammation and disease can provide useful information regarding host immune processes, responses to treatment and prognosis. The aims of this study were to assess the use of commercially available anti-equine reagents for the quantification of cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukins (IL) 2, 6, and 10) in African (Loxodonta africana, n = 125) and Asian (Elephas maximus, n = 104) elephants, and alongside previously validated anti-human reagents for acute-phase proteins (serum amyloid A and haptoglobin), calculate species-specific biomarker value ranges. In addition, we used opportunistically collected samples to investigate the concentrations of each biomarker during identified clinical cases of illness or injury, as a first step to understanding what biomarkers may be useful to managing elephant health. Immune biomarkers were each elevated above the calculated species-specific value ranges in at least one clinical case, but due to variability in both clinical and non-clinical samples, only serum amyloid A was significantly higher in clinical compared to non-clinical paired samples, with tendencies for higher TNF-α and IL-10. We also detected increased secretion of serum amyloid A and all five cytokines following routine vaccination of a single Asian elephant, indicating that these biomarkers can be beneficial for studying normal immune processes as well as pathology. This study indicates that assays developed with commercial reagents can be used to quantify health biomarkers in wildlife species and identifies several that warrant further investigation to elucidate immune responses to various pathologies.
Collapse
|
6
|
Meyerholz DK, Sieren JC, Beck AP, Flaherty HA. Approaches to Evaluate Lung Inflammation in Translational Research. Vet Pathol 2017; 55:42-52. [PMID: 28812529 DOI: 10.1177/0300985817726117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation is a common feature in several types of lung disease and is a frequent end point to validate lung disease models, evaluate genetic or environmental impact on disease severity, or test the efficacy of new therapies. Questions relevant to a study should be defined during experimental design and techniques selected to specifically address these scientific queries. In this review, the authors focus primarily on the breadth of techniques to evaluate lung inflammation that have both clinical and preclinical applications. Stratification of approaches to assess lung inflammation can diminish weaknesses inherent to each technique, provide data validation, and increase the reproducibility of a study. Specialized techniques (eg, imaging, pathology) often require experienced personnel to collect, evaluate, and interpret the data; these experts should be active contributors to the research team through reporting of the data. Scoring of tissue lesions is a useful method to transform observational pathologic data into semiquantitative or quantitative data for statistical analysis and enhanced rigor. Each technique to evaluate lung inflammation has advantages and limitations; understanding these parameters can help identify approaches that best complement one another to increase the rigor and translational significance of data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- David K Meyerholz
- 1 Department of Pathology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Jessica C Sieren
- 2 Department of Radiology, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,3 Department of Biomedical Engineering, Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Amanda P Beck
- 4 Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Heather A Flaherty
- 5 Department of Veterinary Pathology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Michel AL, Lane EP, de Klerk-Lorist LM, Hofmeyr M, van der Heijden EMDL, Botha L, van Helden P, Miller M, Buss P. Experimental Mycobacterium bovis infection in three white rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum): Susceptibility, clinical and anatomical pathology. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0179943. [PMID: 28686714 PMCID: PMC5501512 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0179943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2016] [Accepted: 05/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium bovis is endemic in the African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) population in the Kruger National Park and other conservation areas in South Africa. The disease has been diagnosed in a total of 21 free ranging or semi-free ranging wildlife species in the country with highly variable presentations in terms of clinical signs as well as severity and distribution of tuberculous lesions. Most species are spillover or dead-end hosts without significant role in the epidemiology of the disease. White rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum) are translocated from the Kruger National Park in substantial numbers every year and a clear understanding of their risk to manifest overt tuberculosis disease and to serve as source of infection to other species is required. We report the findings of experimental infection of three white rhinoceroses with a moderately low dose of a virulent field isolate of Mycobacterium bovis. None of the animals developed clinical signs or disseminated disease. The susceptibility of the white rhinoceros to bovine tuberculosis was confirmed by successful experimental infection based on the ante mortem isolation of M. bovis from the respiratory tract of one rhinoceros, the presence of acid-fast organisms and necrotizing granulomatous lesions in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes and the detection of M. bovis genetic material by PCR in the lungs of two animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anita L. Michel
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Research Programme, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
- * E-mail:
| | - Emily P. Lane
- Department of Research and Scientific Services, National Zoological Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lin-Mari de Klerk-Lorist
- Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, State Veterinary Office, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa
| | - Markus Hofmeyr
- Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa
| | - Elisabeth M. D. L. van der Heijden
- Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Bovine Tuberculosis and Brucellosis Research Programme, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Onderstepoort, South Africa
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Louise Botha
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research/MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Paul van Helden
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research/MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Michele Miller
- DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical TB Research/MRC Centre for Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Peter Buss
- Veterinary Wildlife Services, South African National Parks, Kruger National Park, Skukuza, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Maitra A, Danquah CA, Scotti F, Howard TK, Kamil TK, Bhakta S. Tackling tuberculosis: Insights from an international TB Summit in London. Virulence 2015; 6:661-72. [PMID: 26151309 PMCID: PMC4720247 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2015.1060396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) poses a grave predicament to the world as it is not merely a scientific challenge but a socio-economic burden as well. A prime cause of mortality in human due to an infectious disease; the malady and its cause, Mycobacterium tuberculosis have remained an enigma with many questions that remain unanswered. The ability of the pathogen to survive and switch between varied physiological states necessitates a protracted therapeutic regimen that exerts an excessive strain on low-resource countries. To complicate things further, there has been a significant rise of antimicrobial resistance. Existing control measures, including treatment regimens have remained fairly uniform globally for at least half a century and require reinvention. Overcoming the societal and scientific challenges requires an increase in dialog to identify key regions that need attention and effective partners with whom successful collaborations can be fostered. In this report, we explore the discussions held at the International TB Summit 2015 hosted by EuroSciCon, which served as an excellent platform for researchers to share their recent findings. Ground-breaking results require outreach to affect policy design, governance and control of the disease. Hence, we feel it is important that meetings such as these reach a wider, global audience.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arundhati Maitra
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| | - Cynthia A Danquah
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| | - Francesca Scotti
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| | - Tracey K Howard
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| | - Tengku K Kamil
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| | - Sanjib Bhakta
- a Mycobacteria Research Laboratory ; Institute of Structural and Molecular Biology; Birkbeck ; University of London , Malet Street, Bloomsbury, London WC1E 7HX , United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|