Genetic characterization of interleukins (IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12A, IL-12B, IL-15 and IL-18) with relevant biological roles in lagomorphs

Genome-edited rabbits: Unleashing the potential of a promising experimental animal model across diverse diseases

Animal models are extensively used in all aspects of biomedical research, with substantial contributions to our understanding of diseases, the development of pharmaceuticals, and the exploration of gene functions. The field of genome modification in rabbits has progressed slowly. However, recent advancements, particularly in CRISPR/Cas9-related technologies, have catalyzed the successful development of various genome-edited rabbit models to mimic diverse diseases, including cardiovascular disorders, immunodeficiencies, aging-related ailments, neurological diseases, and ophthalmic pathologies. These models hold great promise in advancing biomedical research due to their closer physiological and biochemical resemblance to humans compared to mice. This review aims to summarize the novel gene-editing approaches currently available for rabbits and present the applications and prospects of such models in biomedicine, underscoring their impact and future potential in translational medicine.

Fetal Loss in Pregnant Rabbits Infected with Genotype 3 Hepatitis E Virus Is Associated with Altered Inflammatory Responses, Enhanced Virus Replication, and Extrahepatic Virus Dissemination with Positive Correlations with Increased Estradiol Level

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) causes adverse clinical outcomes in pregnant women, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To delineate the mechanisms of pregnancy-associated adverse effects during HEV infection, we utilized a genotype 3 HEV from rabbit (HEV-3ra) and its cognate host (rabbits) to systematically investigate the clinical consequences, viral replication dynamics, and host immune and hormonal responses of HEV infection during pregnancy. We found a significant fetal loss of 23% in HEV-infected pregnant rabbits, indicating an early-stage miscarriage. HEV infection in pregnant rabbits was characterized by higher viral loads in feces, intestinal contents, liver, and spleen tissues, as well as a longer and earlier onset of viremia than in infected nonpregnant rabbits. HEV infection altered the pattern of cytokine gene expressions in the liver of pregnant rabbits and caused a transient increase of serum interferon gamma (IFN-γ) shortly after a notable increase in viral replication, which may contribute to early fetal loss. Histological lesions in the spleen were more pronounced in infected pregnant rabbits, although moderate liver lesions were seen in both infected pregnant and nonpregnant rabbits. Total bilirubin was elevated in infected pregnant rabbits. The serum levels of estradiol (E2) in HEV-infected pregnant rabbits were significantly higher than those in mock-infected pregnant rabbits at 14 days postinoculation (dpi) and correlated positively with higher viral loads in feces, liver, and spleen tissues at 28 dpi, suggesting that it may play a role in extrahepatic virus dissemination. The results have important implications for understanding the severe diseases associated with HEV infection during pregnancy. IMPORTANCE HEV causes adverse pregnancy outcomes, with a mortality rate of >30% in pregnant women, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we utilized HEV-3ra and its cognate host (pregnant rabbit) to delineate the potential underlying mechanisms of pregnancy-associated adverse outcomes during HEV infection. We found that infected pregnant rabbits had a fetal loss of 23%, which coincided with enhanced viral replication and an elevated systemic IFN-γ response, followed by longer viremia duration and extrahepatic viral dissemination. Estradiol levels were increased in infected pregnant rabbits and correlated positively with higher fecal viral shedding and higher viral loads in liver and spleen tissues. Infected pregnant rabbits had more pronounced splenic lesions, higher serum total bilirubin, and an altered cytokine gene expression profile in the liver. The results will contribute to our understanding of the mechanisms of HEV-associated adverse pregnancy outcomes.

The rabbit as an animal model to study innate immunity genes: Is it better than mice?

The European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was the first animal model used to understand human diseases like rabies and syphilis. Nowadays, the rabbit is still used to study several human infectious diseases like syphilis, HIV and papillomavirus. However, due to several mainly practical reasons, it has been replaced as an animal model by mice (Mus musculus). The rabbit and mouse share a recent common ancestor and are classified in the superorder Glires which arose at approximately 82 million years ago (mya). These species diverged from the Primates’ ancestor at around 92 million years ago and, as such, one expects the rabbit-human and mouse-human genetic distances to be very similar. To evaluate this hypothesis, we developed a set of tools for automatic data extraction, sequence alignment and similarity study, and a web application for visualization of the resulting data. We aligned and calculated the genetic distances for 2793 innate immune system genes from human, rabbit and mouse using sequences available in the NCBI database. The obtained results show that the rabbit-human genetic distance is lower than the mouse-human genetic distance for 88% of these genes. Furthermore, when we considered only genes with a difference in genetic distance higher than 0.05, this figure increase to 93%. These results can be explained by the increase of the mutation rates in the mouse lineage suggested by some authors and clearly show that, at least looking to the genetic distance to human genes, the European rabbit is a better model to study innate immune system genes than the mouse.

Evolution of γ chain cytokines: mechanisms, methods and applications

The common γ chain family of cytokines and their receptors play fundamental roles in the immune system. Evolutionary studies of γ chain cytokines have elegantly illustrated how the immune system adapts to ever-changing environmental conditions. Indeed, these studies have revealed the uniqueness of cytokine evolution, which exhibits strong positive selection pressure needed to adapt to rapidly evolving threats whilst still conserving their receptor binding capabilities. In this review, we summarise the evolutionary mechanisms that gave rise to the characteristically diverse family of γ chain cytokines. We also speculate on the benefits of studying cytokine evolution, which may provide alternative ways to design novel cytokine therapeutic strategies. Additionally, we discuss current evolutionary models that elucidate the emergence of distinct cytokines (IL-4 and IL-13) and cytokine receptors (IL-2Rα and IL-15Rα). Finally, we address and reflect on the difficulties associated with evolutionary studies of rapidly evolving genes and describe a variety of computational methods that have revealed numerous aspects of cytokine evolution.

Raman Nanotags-Guided Intraoperative Sentinel Lymph Nodes Precise Location with Minimal Invasion

The accurate positioning of sentinel lymph node (SLN) by tracers during surgery is an important prerequisite for SLN biopsy. A major problem of traditional tracers in SLN biopsy is the short surgery window due to the fast diffusion of tracers through the lymphatics, resulting in a misjudgment between SLN and second echelon lymph node (2nd LN). Here, a nontoxic Raman nanoparticle tracer, termed gap-enhanced Raman tags (GERTs), for the accurate intraoperative positioning of SLNs with a sufficient surgical time window is designed. In white New Zealand rabbit models, GERTs enable precise identification of SLNs within 10 min, as well as provide the surgeon with a more than 4 h time window to differentiate SLN and 2nd LN. In addition, the ultrahigh sensitivity of GERTs (detection limit is 0.5 × 10-12 m) allows detection of labeled SLNs before surgery, thereby providing preoperative positioning information for minimally invasive surgery. Comprehensive biosafety evaluations carried out in the context of the Food and Drug Administration and International Standard Organization demonstrate no significant toxicity of GERTs, which supports a promising clinical translation opportunity of GERTs for precise SLN identification in breast cancer.

Drug-Induced Nephrotoxicity Assessment in 3D Cellular Models

The kidneys are often involved in adverse effects and toxicity caused by exposure to foreign compounds, chemicals, and drugs. Early predictions of these influences are essential to facilitate new, safe drugs to enter the market. However, in current drug treatments, drug-induced nephrotoxicity accounts for 1/4 of reported serious adverse reactions, and 1/3 of them are attributable to antibiotics. Drug-induced nephrotoxicity is driven by multiple mechanisms, including altered glomerular hemodynamics, renal tubular cytotoxicity, inflammation, crystal nephropathy, and thrombotic microangiopathy. Although the functional proteins expressed by renal tubules that mediate drug sensitivity are well known, current in vitro 2D cell models do not faithfully replicate the morphology and intact renal tubule function, and therefore, they do not replicate in vivo nephrotoxicity. The kidney is delicate and complex, consisting of a filter unit and a tubular part, which together contain more than 20 different cell types. The tubular epithelium is highly polarized, and maintaining cellular polarity is essential for the optimal function and response to environmental signals. Cell polarity depends on the communication between cells, including paracrine and autocrine signals, as well as biomechanical and chemotaxis processes. These processes affect kidney cell proliferation, migration, and differentiation. For drug disposal research, the microenvironment is essential for predicting toxic reactions. This article reviews the mechanism of drug-induced kidney injury, the types of nephrotoxicity models (in vivo and in vitro models), and the research progress related to drug-induced nephrotoxicity in three-dimensional (3D) cellular culture models.

A systematic review on current osteosynthesis-associated infection animal fracture models

Objective

Osteosynthesis-associated infection is a challenging complication post fracture fixation, burdening the patients and the orthopaedic surgeons alike. A clinically relevant animal model is critical in devising new therapeutic strategies. Our aim was to perform a systematic review to evaluate existing preclinical models and identify their applications in aspects of animal selection, bacterial induction, fracture fixation and complications.

Methods

A systematic literature research was conducted in PubMed and Embase up to February 2020. A total of 31 studies were included. Information on the animal, bacterial induction, fracture fixation, healing result and complications were extracted.

Results

Animals selected included murine (23), rabbit (6), ewe (1) and goat (1). Larger animals had enabled the use of human-sized implant, however small animals were more economical and easier in handling. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) was the most frequently chosen bacteria for induction. Bacterial inoculation dose ranged from 10^2-8 ​CFU. Consistent and replicable infections were observed from 10⁴ ​CFU in general. Methods of inoculation included injections of bacterial suspension (20), placement of foreign objects (8) and pretreatment of implants with established biofilm (3). Intramedullary implants (13), plates and screws (18) were used in most models. Radiological (29) and histological evaluations (24) in osseous healing were performed. Complications such as instability of fracture fixation (7), unexpected surgical death (5), sepsis (1) and persistent lameness (1) were encountered.

Conclusion

The most common animal model is the S. aureus infected open fracture internally fixated. Replicable infections were mainly from 10⁴ ​CFU of bacteria. However, with the increase in antibiotic resistance, future directions should explore polymicrobial and antibiotic resistant strains, as these will no doubt play a major role in bone infection. Currently, there is also a lack of osteoporotic bone infection models and the pathophysiology is unexplored, which would be important with our aging population.

The translational potential of this article

This systematic review provides an updated overview and compares the currently available animal models of osteosynthesis-associated infections. A discussion on future research directions and suggestion of animal model settings were made, which is expected to advance the research in this field.

Strong selection of the TLR2 coding region among the Lagomorpha suggests an evolutionary history that differs from other mammals

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are one of the first lines of defense against pathogens and are crucial for triggering an appropriate immune response. Among TLRs, TLR2 is functional in all vertebrates and has high ability in detecting bacterial and viral pathogen ligands. The mammals' phylogenetic tree of TLR2 showed longer branches for the Lagomorpha clade, raising the hypothesis that lagomorphs experienced an acceleration of the mutation rate. This hypothesis was confirmed by (i) Tajima's test of neutrality that revealed different evolutionary rates between lagomorphs and the remaining mammals with lagomorphs presenting higher nucleotide diversity; (ii) genetic distances were similar among lagomorphs and between lagomorphs and other mammals; and (iii) branch models reinforced the existence of an acceleration of the mutation rate in lagomorphs. These results suggest that the lagomorph TLR2 has been strongly involved in pathogen recognition, which probably caused a host-pathogen arms race that led to the observed acceleration of the mutation rate.

Rabbit models of human diseases for diagnostics and therapeutics development

This review presents some examples of studies using the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) that have led to, and continue to, contribute to advancement of understanding of human diseases as well as therapeutics development. In addition, we tabulate FDA-approved rabbit polyclonal and rabbit monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) that are used for diagnostic applications, as well as an overview of some "humanized" or otherwise altered rabbit mAbs that are in initial phase I, II, or advanced to phase III clinical trials. Information about endogenous retriviruses learned from studies of rabbits and other members of the order Lagomorpha are summarized as this knowledge now applies to new therapeutics being developed for several human diseases including Multiple Sclerosis, Type 1 Diabetes and Cancer.

The genomic impact of historical hybridization with massive mitochondrial DNA introgression

BACKGROUND

The extent to which selection determines interspecific patterns of genetic exchange enlightens the role of adaptation in evolution and speciation. Often reported extensive interspecific introgression could be selection-driven, but also result from demographic processes, especially in cases of invasive species replacements, which can promote introgression at their invasion front. Because invasion and selective sweeps similarly mold variation, population genetics evidence for selection can only be gathered in an explicit demographic framework. The Iberian hare, Lepus granatensis, displays in its northern range extensive mitochondrial DNA introgression from L. timidus, an arctic/boreal species that it replaced locally after the last glacial maximum. We use whole-genome sequencing to infer geographic and genomic patterns of nuclear introgression and fit a neutral model of species replacement with hybridization, allowing us to evaluate how selection influenced introgression genome-wide, including for mtDNA.

RESULTS

Although the average nuclear and mtDNA introgression patterns contrast strongly, they fit a single demographic model of post-glacial invasive replacement of timidus by granatensis. Outliers of elevated introgression include several genes related to immunity, spermatogenesis, and mitochondrial metabolism. Introgression is reduced on the X chromosome and in low recombining regions.

CONCLUSIONS

General nuclear and mtDNA patterns of introgression can be explained by purely demographic processes. Hybrid incompatibilities and interplay between selection and recombination locally modulate levels of nuclear introgression. Selection promoted introgression of some genes involved in conflicts, either interspecific (parasites) or possibly cytonuclear. In the latter case, nuclear introgression could mitigate the potential negative effects of alien mtDNA on mitochondrial metabolism and male-specific traits.

The wide utility of rabbits as models of human diseases

Studies using the European rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus contributed to elucidating numerous fundamental aspects of antibody structure and diversification mechanisms and continue to be valuable for the development and testing of therapeutic humanized polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies. Additionally, during the last two decades, the use of the European rabbit as an animal model has been increasingly extended to many human diseases. This review documents the continuing wide utility of the rabbit as a reliable disease model for development of therapeutics and vaccines and studies of the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying many human diseases. Examples include syphilis, tuberculosis, HIV-AIDS, acute hepatic failure and diseases caused by noroviruses, ocular herpes, and papillomaviruses. The use of rabbits for vaccine development studies, which began with Louis Pasteur’s rabies vaccine in 1881, continues today with targets that include the potentially blinding HSV-1 virus infection and HIV-AIDS. Additionally, two highly fatal viral diseases, rabbit hemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis, affect the European rabbit and provide unique models to understand co-evolution between a vertebrate host and viral pathogens.

Rabbits offer a powerful complement to rodents as a model for studying human immunology, disease pathology, and responses to infectious disease. A review from Pedro Esteves at the University of Porto, Portugal, Rose Mage of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Bethesda, USA and colleagues highlights some of the areas of research where rabbits offer an edge over rats and mice. Rabbits have a particularly sophisticated adaptive immune system, which could provide useful insights into human biology and produce valuable research and clinical reagents. They are also excellent models for studying - infectious diseases such as syphilis and tuberculosis, which produce pathology that closely resembles that of human patients. Rabbit-specific infections such as myxomatosis are giving researchers insights into how pathogens and hosts can shape each other’s evolution.

Evolutionary studies on the betaretrovirus RERV-H in the Leporidae family reveal an endogenization in the ancestor of Oryctolagus, Bunolagus and Pentalagus at 9 million years ago

RERV-H was first identified in human tissues and mistaken for a human exogenous retrovirus. However, the integration sites carried by this virus showed that it was instead a European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) endogenous retrovirus. The first clones retrieved from European rabbit samples represented defective proviruses, although estimation of proviral copy numbers found in the European rabbit genome ranged from hundreds to thousands. Screening for the presence of RERV-H showed the absence of the virus in two other lagomorphs, pika (Ochotona) and hares (Lepus), which diverged from rabbits about 35 and 12 million years ago, respectively. Using a PCR-based approach, samples of seven different Lagomorph genera were tested for the presence of RERV-H. It was possible to amplify a proviral fragment corresponding to RNaseH from Oryctolagus, Bunolagus and Pentalagus genomic samples. The amplification of proviral DNA in species other than Oryctolagus revealed that this virus was endogenized in their common ancestor, roughly 9 million years ago. Using the European rabbit genome sequence OryCun2.0, it was possible to find multiple copies spread throughout the genome and several complete proviral genomes were retrieved. Some copies contained full open reading frames for all viral components. The lack of a complete genome in the other Lagomorph species did not allow further analyses of the provirus, although more deleterious mutations were found in Bunolagus and Pentalagus than in Oryctolagus RNaseH-amplified sequences. To what extent RERV-H and other endogenous viruses might have had an impact on the rabbit genome and its immune system remains elusive.

Expression of IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNF-α and IFN-γ genes in peripheral blood leukocytes of rabbits infected with RHDV (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus)

Rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) induces a highly contagious and extremely lethal disease that fulfils many requirements of an animal model of fulminant hepatic failure (FHF); however, the pathogenesis of RHD has still not been fully elucidated. Cytokines play an important role in regulation of the immune response and pathogenesis of many diseases, including those caused by viral infections. Furthermore, recent studies indicate a role of the immune response, especially peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), in the pathogenesis of RHD. Thus, in the present study we investigated the expression of IL-1Ra, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNF-α and IFN-γ genes in PBL of RHDV-infected rabbits. We also compared the expression of genes encoding these cytokines in rabbits with different course of RHDV infection (in animals that died 36 h post infection or survived even over 60 h after infection). The study revealed increased expression of genes encoding pro-inflammatory cytokines: IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IFN-γ in PBL of RHDV-infected rabbits. Moreover, the level of cytokine gene expression depended on the course of RHD. Hence, the results obtained indicate the potential role of these cytokines in RHDV infection and their influence on the survival time of infected rabbits.

The remnant of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) IgD gene

Although IgD first appeared, along with IgM, in the cartilaginous fishes and has been retained throughout subsequent vertebrate evolution, it has been lost in a diverse group of vertebrate species. We previously showed that, unlike vertebrates that express IgD, the rabbit lacks an IgD (Cδ) gene within 13.5 kb downstream of the IgM gene. We report here that, by conducting BLAST searches of rabbit Ig heavy chain genomic DNA with known mammalian IgD exons, we identified the remnant of the rabbit Cδ gene approximately 21 kb downstream of the IgM gene. The remnant Cδ locus lacks the δCH1 and hinge exons, but contains truncated δCH2 and δCH3 exons, as well as largely intact, but non-functional, secretory and transmembrane exons. In addition, we report that the Cδ gene probably became non-functional in leporids at least prior to the divergence of rabbits and hares ~12 million years ago.

Contribution of Staphylococcus aureus Coagulases and Clumping Factor A to Abscess Formation in a Rabbit Model of Skin and Soft Tissue Infection

Staphylococcus aureus produces numerous factors that facilitate survival in the human host. S. aureus coagulase (Coa) and von Willebrand factor-binding protein (vWbp) are known to clot plasma through activation of prothrombin and conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. In addition, S. aureus clumping factor A (ClfA) binds fibrinogen and contributes to platelet aggregation via a fibrinogen- or complement-dependent mechanism. Here, we evaluated the contribution of Coa, vWbp and ClfA to S. aureus pathogenesis in a rabbit model of skin and soft tissue infection. Compared to skin abscesses caused by the Newman wild-type strain, those caused by isogenic coa, vwb, or clfA deletion strains, or a strain deficient in coa and vwb, were significantly smaller following subcutaneous inoculation in rabbits. Unexpectedly, we found that fibrin deposition and abscess capsule formation appear to be independent of S. aureus coagulase activity in the rabbit infection model. Similarities notwithstanding, S. aureus strains deficient in coa and vwb elicited reduced levels of several proinflammatory molecules in human blood in vitro. Although a specific mechanism remains to be determined, we conclude that S. aureus Coa, vWbp and ClfA contribute to abscess formation in rabbits.

[Current Research of the Roles of IL-35 in Tumor Progression]

Interleukin(IL)-35 is a new member of the interleukin-12 superfamily. Since its first report in 2007, IL-35 rapidly became a research highlight in the field of immunology. Like other IL-12 superfamily members, IL-35 was a heterodimer which was composed of an α chain P35 and a β chain Epstein-Barr virus induced gene 3 (EBI3). Recent research work revealed two distinct roles of IL-35. Firstly, IL-35 is highly expressed in some kinds of inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases and plays import roles in the pathogenesis. Secondly, IL-35 is positively expressed in some cancers and plays some roles in the process of tumor progression. Here we demonstrate the structure and the signalling of IL-35. We reviewed the the roles of IL-35 in promoting tumor progression.

Evolutionary Insights into IL17A in Lagomorphs

In leporids, IL17A had been implicated in the host defense against extracellular pathogens, such as Francisella tularensis that infects hares and rabbits and causes the zoonotic disease tularemia. Here, we studied IL17A from five lagomorphs, European rabbit, pygmy rabbit, brush rabbit, European brown hare, and American pika. We observed that this protein is highly conserved between these species, with a similarity of 97-99% in leporids and ~88% between leporids and American pika. The exon/intron structure, N-glycosylation sites, and cysteine residues are conserved between lagomorphs. However, at codon 88, one of the interaction sites between IL17A and its receptor IL17RA, there is an Arg>Pro mutation that only occurs in European rabbit and European brown hare. This could induce critical alterations in the IL17A structure and conformation and consequently modify its function. The differences observed between leporids and humans or rodents might also represent important alterations in protein structure and function. In addition, as for other interleukins, IL17A sequences of human and European rabbit are more closely related than the sequences of human and mouse or European rabbit and mouse. This study gives further support to the hypothesis that European rabbit might be a more suitable animal model for studies on human IL17.

An overview of the lagomorph immune system and its genetic diversity

Our knowledge of the lagomorph immune system remains largely based upon studies of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus), a major model for studies of immunology. Two important and devastating viral diseases, rabbit hemorrhagic disease and myxomatosis, are affecting European rabbit populations. In this context, we discuss the genetic diversity of the European rabbit immune system and extend to available information about other lagomorphs. Regarding innate immunity, we review the most recent advances in identifying interleukins, chemokines and chemokine receptors, Toll-like receptors, antiviral proteins (RIG-I and Trim5), and the genes encoding fucosyltransferases that are utilized by rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus as a portal for invading host respiratory and gut epithelial cells. Evolutionary studies showed that several genes of innate immunity are evolving by strong natural selection. Studies of the leporid CCR5 gene revealed a very dramatic change unique in mammals at the second extracellular loop of CCR5 resulting from a gene conversion event with the paralogous CCR2. For the adaptive immune system, we review genetic diversity at the loci encoding antibody variable and constant regions, the major histocompatibility complex (RLA) and T cells. Studies of IGHV and IGKC genes expressed in leporids are two of the few examples of trans-species polymorphism observed outside of the major histocompatibility complex. In addition, we review some endogenous viruses of lagomorph genomes, the importance of the European rabbit as a model for human disease studies, and the anticipated role of next-generation sequencing in extending knowledge of lagomorph immune systems and their evolution.