1
|
Cruz-Huerta E, Zariñán T, Enríquez J, Ulloa-Aguirre A, Gutiérrez-Sagal R. Estrogen regulated transcription of the non-estrogen-regulated hamster uteroglobin gene in MCF-7 cells. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2024; 347:114424. [PMID: 38101487 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2023.114424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
To study the estrogen regulated transcription of the uteroglobin (UG) gene, the founding member of the secretoglobin family widely expressed in many different mammalian species, we re-created functional estrogen response elements (EREs) in the UG gene promoter from a species where UG expression is not regulated by estrogens: the hamster Mesocricetus auratus (Ma), to ascertain if the lack of functional EREs is the real cause of its estrogen insensitivity. Functional EREs in the hamster promoter, including the consensus ERE (cERE), failed to respond to an appropriate estrogen stimulus compared with its estrogen regulated ortholog from the brown hare Lepus capensis (Lc). As the nucleotide sequence is the only difference between genetic constructs from these two species, we suspected that the UG promoter from the hamster probably contains cis-acting genetic elements that negatively impairs the estrogen-regulated transcription mediated by the functional ERE. Accordingly, we prepared chimeric DNA constructs which eventually allowed to identify a region located 29 base pairs (bp) downstream of the ERE as responsible for the lack of estrogen-responsiveness of the Ma-UG gene in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7. This region contains the sequence ACACCCC which has been identified as the core sequence of the Sp/ Krüppel-like factor (KLF) family of transcription factors. This finding is relevant, not only due to the observation on a novel mechanism that control estrogen-induced transcription, but also because it may encourage further investigation for better defining specific genes with an ERE that do not respond to estrogen signaling in MCF-7 cells, a cell line widely employed as an in vitro model in breast cancer research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Edith Cruz-Huerta
- Programa de Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Teresa Zariñán
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación (RAI), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Juana Enríquez
- Departamento de Biología de la Reproducción Dr. Carlos Gual Castro, Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Alfredo Ulloa-Aguirre
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación (RAI), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rubén Gutiérrez-Sagal
- Red de Apoyo a la Investigación (RAI), Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and Instituto Nacional de Ciencias Médicas y Nutrición Salvador Zubirán, Mexico City, Mexico.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Araujo Flores GV, Sandoval Pacheco CM, Ferreira AF, Tomokane TY, Nunes JB, Colombo FA, Sosa-Ochoa WH, Zúniga C, Silveira FT, Corbett CEP, Laurenti MD. Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi isolated from skin lesions of patients affected by non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis lead to visceral lesion in hamsters. Parasitol Int 2023; 93:102723. [PMID: 36566911 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2022.102723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
In Central America, Leishmania (L.) infantum chagasi infection causes visceral leishmaniasis (VL) and non-ulcerated cutaneous leishmaniasis (NUCL). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the course of an experimental infection in hamsters caused by L. (L.) infantum chagasi isolated from patients affected by NUCL compared with a strain isolated from a patient with VL. Stationary phase parasites in culture were inoculated through subcutaneous and intraperitoneal routes in hamsters. Following the post-infection times, a histopathological study, parasite load and cytokine determination in skin from the cutaneous inoculation site and viscera were performed. Animals subcutaneously infected with the different strains did not develop macroscopic lesions at the inoculation site, and the histopathological changes in the dermis were very slight. Regarding the histopathological study of the viscera, we observed the portal mononuclear inflammatory infiltrate, the presence of nodules in the hepatic parenchyma and the proliferation of macrophages in the spleen, which increased over the infection course. Overall, the parasite load in the liver and spleen and in the total IgG titres in the sera of infected hamster showed an increase with the time of infection, regardless of the route of inoculation. Regarding cellular immunity, we did not observe an increase or decrease in pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines compared to the healthy control, except for IL-10, which was evident in the infected animals. The data showed that strains isolated from NUCL cause visceral lesions in the hamsters regardless of the route of inoculation, and they were similar to parasites isolated from VL humans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela V Araujo Flores
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Carmen M Sandoval Pacheco
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aurea F Ferreira
- Laboratório de Investigação Médica, LIM50, Hospital das Clinicas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, Brazil
| | - Thaise Yumie Tomokane
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Wilfredo H Sosa-Ochoa
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiologia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Honduras, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Concepción Zúniga
- Departamento de Vigilancia de la Salud, Hospital Escuela, Tegucigalpa, Honduras
| | - Fernando T Silveira
- Instituto Evandro Chagas, Belém, PA, Brazil; Universidade Federal do Pará, Belém, PA, Brazil
| | - Carlos E P Corbett
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Márcia D Laurenti
- Laboratório de Patologia de Moléstias Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Cooper MA, Grizzell JA, Whitten CJ, Burghardt GM. Comparing the ontogeny, neurobiology, and function of social play in hamsters and rats. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 147:105102. [PMID: 36804399 PMCID: PMC10023430 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Syrian hamsters show complex social play behavior and provide a valuable animal model for delineating the neurobiological mechanisms and functions of social play. In this review, we compare social play behavior of hamsters and rats and underlying neurobiological mechanisms. Juvenile rats play by competing for opportunities to pin one another and attack their partner's neck. A broad set of cortical, limbic, and striatal regions regulate the display of social play in rats. In hamsters, social play is characterized by attacks to the head in early puberty, which gradually transitions to the flanks in late puberty. The transition from juvenile social play to adult hamster aggression corresponds with engagement of neural ensembles controlling aggression. Play deprivation in rats and hamsters alters dendritic morphology in mPFC neurons and impairs flexible, context-dependent behavior in adulthood, which suggests these animals may have converged on a similar function for social play. Overall, dissecting the neurobiology of social play in hamsters and rats can provide a valuable comparative approach for evaluating the function of social play.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A Cooper
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA.
| | - J Alex Grizzell
- Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, CO, USA
| | - Conner J Whitten
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| | - Gordon M Burghardt
- Department of Psychology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA; Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Tennessee Knoxville, Knoxville, TN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Saini S, Singh B, Dube A, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Rai AK. Organ-specific immune profiling of Leishmania donovani-infected hamsters. Parasite Immunol 2023; 45:e12964. [PMID: 36571298 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations and involvement of visceral organs. Organ-specific immune response against the Leishmania donovani (Ld) complex is not yet understood due to the unavailability of an appropriate experimental model. In reference to our recent work on comparing the hamster model with VL patients, it is now possible to understand immune profiling in different visceral organs. This may offer an answer to varying parasite loads in different visceral organs in the same host. Herein, we analysed a panel of immune markers (Th-2/Th-1) in visceral organs of Ld-infected hamsters and quantified parasitic load in the same tissues using qPCR assay. In spleen, liver, bone marrow and lymph node (mesenteric) from Ld-infected hamsters, the parasite burden was quantified along with mRNA expression of a panel of Th-2 and Th-1 type immune markers, namely IL-10, IL-4, Arginase-I, GATA-3, SOCS-3, IL-12, IFN-γ, iNOS, T-bet and SOCS-5. A clear dichotomy was absent between Th-2 and Th-1 type immune markers and the major players of this immune response were IFN-γ, IL-10, T-bet, GATA-3, SOCS-5 and SOCS-3.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheetal Saini
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad, Praygraj, India
| | - Bharat Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad, Praygraj, India
| | - Anuradha Dube
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, India
| | - Amogh Anant Sahasrabuddhe
- Molecular & Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, India
| | - Ambak Kumar Rai
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) Allahabad, Praygraj, India
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xuan R, Gao J, Lin Q, Yue W, Liu T, Hu S, Song G. Mitochondrial DNA Diversity of Mesocricetus auratus and Other Cricetinae Species among Cricetidae Family. Biochem Genet 2022; 60:1881-1894. [PMID: 35122557 PMCID: PMC8817650 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-022-10195-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Unique anatomical and physiological features have made hamster species desirable research models. Comparative genomics and phylogenetic analysis of the hamster family members to clarify their evolution and genetic relationship, can provide a genetic basis for the comprehension of the variable research results obtained using different hamster models. The Syrian golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) is the most widely used species. In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of M. auratus, compared it with the mitogenome of other Cricetinae subfamily species, and defined its phylogenetic position in the Cricetidae family. Our results show that the mitogenome organization, gene arrangement, base composition, and genetic analysis of the protein coding genes (PCGs) of M. auratus are similar to those observed in previous reports on Cricetinae species. Nonetheless, our analysis clarifies some striking differences of M. auratus relative to other subfamily members, namely distinct codon usage frequency of TAT (Tyr), AAT (Asn), and GAA (Glu) and the presence of the conserved sequence block 3 (CSB-3) in the control region of M. auratus mitogenome and other hamsters (not found in Arvicolinae). These results suggest the particularity of amino acid codon usage bias of M. auratus and special regulatory signals for the heavy strand replication in Cricetinae. Additionally, Bayesian inference/maximum likelihood (BI/ML) tree shows that Cricetinae and Arvicolinae are sister taxa sharing a common ancestor, and Neotominae split prior to the split between Cricetinae and Arvicolinae. Our results support taxonomy revisions in Cricetulus kamensis and Cricetulus migratorius, and further revision is needed within the other two subfamilies. Among the hamster research models, Cricetulus griseus is the species with highest sequence similarity and closer genetic relationship with M. auratus. Our results show mitochondrial DNA diversity of M. auratus and other Cricetinae species and provide genetic basis for judgement of different hamster models, promoting the development and usage of hamsters with regional characteristics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ruijing Xuan
- Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Jiping Gao
- Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Qiang Lin
- Key Laboratory of Genome Information and Sciences, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Wenbin Yue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, China
| | - Tianfu Liu
- Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Songnian Hu
- Key Laboratory of Genome Information and Sciences, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100029, China
| | - Guohua Song
- Laboratory Animal Center, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Harris RA, Raveendran M, Lyfoung DT, Sedlazeck FJ, Mahmoud M, Prall TM, Karl JA, Doddapaneni H, Meng Q, Han Y, Muzny D, Wiseman RW, O'Connor DH, Rogers J. Construction of a new chromosome-scale, long-read reference genome assembly for the Syrian hamster, Mesocricetus auratus. Gigascience 2022; 11:6594469. [PMID: 35640223 PMCID: PMC9155146 DOI: 10.1093/gigascience/giac039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) has been suggested as a useful mammalian model for a variety of diseases and infections, including infection with respiratory viruses such as SARS-CoV-2. The MesAur1.0 genome assembly was generated in 2013 using whole-genome shotgun sequencing with short-read sequence data. Current more advanced sequencing technologies and assembly methods now permit the generation of near-complete genome assemblies with higher quality and greater continuity. FINDINGS Here, we report an improved assembly of the M. auratus genome (BCM_Maur_2.0) using Oxford Nanopore Technologies long-read sequencing to produce a chromosome-scale assembly. The total length of the new assembly is 2.46 Gb, similar to the 2.50-Gb length of a previous assembly of this genome, MesAur1.0. BCM_Maur_2.0 exhibits significantly improved continuity, with a scaffold N50 that is 6.7 times greater than MesAur1.0. Furthermore, 21,616 protein-coding genes and 10,459 noncoding genes are annotated in BCM_Maur_2.0 compared to 20,495 protein-coding genes and 4,168 noncoding genes in MesAur1.0. This new assembly also improves the unresolved regions as measured by nucleotide ambiguities, where ∼17.11% of bases in MesAur1.0 were unresolved compared to BCM_Maur_2.0, in which the number of unresolved bases is reduced to 3.00%. CONCLUSIONS Access to a more complete reference genome with improved accuracy and continuity will facilitate more detailed, comprehensive, and meaningful research results for a wide variety of future studies using Syrian hamsters as models.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- R Alan Harris
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Muthuswamy Raveendran
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Dustin T Lyfoung
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Fritz J Sedlazeck
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Medhat Mahmoud
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Trent M Prall
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Julie A Karl
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Harshavardhan Doddapaneni
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Qingchang Meng
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Yi Han
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Donna Muzny
- Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Roger W Wiseman
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - David H O'Connor
- Wisconsin National Primate Research Center, University of Wisconsin, 1220 Capitol Court, Madison, WI 53711, USA,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Wisconsin, 3170 UW Medical Foundation Centennial Building (MFCB), 1685 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53711, USA
| | - Jeffrey Rogers
- Correspondence address. Jeffrey Rogers, Human Genome Sequencing Center and Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA. Tel.: 713-798-7783; E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Carvalho LM, de Brito RCF, Gusmão MR, de Oliveira Aguiar-Soares RD, Reis AB, Roatt BM. Establishment of monoclonal antibodies to evaluate the cellular immunity in a hamster model of L infantum infection. Parasite Immunol 2021; 43:e12823. [PMID: 33484621 DOI: 10.1111/pim.12823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are largely used as a model for infectious diseases because it is very susceptible to several pathogens, including Leishmania spp. parasites. However, the research community faces limitations in its use due to the lack of immunological reagents and tools to study the immune system in this model. In this context, we proposed the validation of some important commercially anti-mouse mAbs (CD4, TNF-α, IFN-γ and IL-10) and how this could be useful to evaluate a specific cellular immune response in Leishmania-infected hamster using flow cytometry experiments. Our data demonstrated a cross-reactivity between these anti-mouse mAbs and hamster molecules that were herein studied. Beyond that, it was able to characterize the development of a specific cellular immune response through cytokine production in L infantum-infected hamsters when compared to uninfected ones. These data not only aid the usage of hamsters as experimental model to investigate various infectious diseases, but they contribute to the design of novel approaches to further investigate the immunological mechanisms associated to pathogen infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lívia Mendes Carvalho
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Rory Cristiane Fortes de Brito
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Miriã Rodrigues Gusmão
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Dian de Oliveira Aguiar-Soares
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.,Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Barbosa Reis
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Salvador, Brazil.,Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| | - Bruno Mendes Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT), Salvador, Brazil.,Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Osterrieder N, Bertzbach LD, Dietert K, Abdelgawad A, Vladimirova D, Kunec D, Hoffmann D, Beer M, Gruber AD, Trimpert J. Age-Dependent Progression of SARS-CoV-2 Infection in Syrian Hamsters. Viruses 2020; 12:E779. [PMID: 32698441 PMCID: PMC7412213 DOI: 10.3390/v12070779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 150] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/10/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
In late 2019, an outbreak of a severe respiratory disease caused by an emerging coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, resulted in high morbidity and mortality in infected humans. Complete understanding of COVID-19, the multi-faceted disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, requires suitable small animal models, as does the development and evaluation of vaccines and antivirals. Since age-dependent differences of COVID-19 were identified in humans, we compared the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in young and aged Syrian hamsters. We show that virus replication in the upper and lower respiratory tract was independent of the age of the animals. However, older hamsters exhibited more pronounced and consistent weight loss. In situ hybridization in the lungs identified viral RNA in bronchial epithelium, alveolar epithelial cells type I and II, and macrophages. Histopathology revealed clear age-dependent differences, with young hamsters launching earlier and stronger immune cell influx than aged hamsters. The latter developed conspicuous alveolar and perivascular edema, indicating vascular leakage. In contrast, we observed rapid lung recovery at day 14 after infection only in young hamsters. We propose that comparative assessment in young versus aged hamsters of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines and treatments may yield valuable information, as this small-animal model appears to mirror age-dependent differences in human patients.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nikolaus Osterrieder
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| | - Luca D. Bertzbach
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| | - Kristina Dietert
- Institut für Veterinärpathologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (K.D.); (A.D.G.)
- Tiermedizinisches Zentrum für Resistenzforschung, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | - Azza Abdelgawad
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| | - Daria Vladimirova
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| | - Dusan Kunec
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| | - Donata Hoffmann
- Institut für Virusdiagnostik, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (D.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Martin Beer
- Institut für Virusdiagnostik, Friedrich-Loeffler-Institut, Südufer 10, 17493 Greifswald-Insel Riems, Germany; (D.H.); (M.B.)
| | - Achim D. Gruber
- Institut für Veterinärpathologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (K.D.); (A.D.G.)
| | - Jakob Trimpert
- Institut für Virologie, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany; (N.O.); (L.D.B.); (A.A.); (D.V.); (D.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Saini S, Kottarath SK, Dinda AK, Dube A, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Thakur CP, Bhat M, Rai AK. Preventive as well as therapeutic significances of linoleic acid in the containment of Leishmania donovani infection. Biochimie 2020; 175:13-22. [PMID: 32439363 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2020.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
People suffering from malnutrition show compromised levels of ω-6 fatty acid and malnutrition is frequently observed among visceral leishmaniasis (VL) patients as disease inflicts primarily the socioeconomic destitute communities. Dietary linoleic acid (LA, 18:2; ω-6 fatty acid) is the principal source of essential fatty acid and its derivatives i.e. eicosanoids possess immune-modulatory activities. However, its role in VL is not yet established. LA was measured in VL human subjects (serum) as well as in Leishmania(L.)donovani infected hamsters (serum and visceral organs). Organ-specific mRNA expressions of various enzymes of the LA metabolic pathway were measured in visceral organs of infected hamsters. Our findings showed a decrease in the concentrations of LA in the serum samples of VL patients, suggesting malnutrition among these patients. However, in L. donovani infected hamsters, its level was not altered in the early infection (15 days) and then increased at late infection (60 days). Importantly, the supplementation of LA restored the Th-1 type of immune response and significantly reduced the parasite load within infected macrophages in vitro. This protective response of LA was mediated through 5-lipoxygenase pathway not via the cyclooxygenase pathway. Preventive usage of LA to mϕ followed by L. donovani infection also showed the strengthening of Th-1 immune response and significantly fewer parasite loads. Our findings demonstrate the protective role of LA in the containment of the parasite load. Incorporating LA rich oils in daily food habits across highly inflicted regions may be a significant advancement towards the eradication of the disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sheetal Saini
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Allahabad, 211004, India
| | - Sarath Kumar Kottarath
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Amit Kumar Dinda
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Anuradha Dube
- Division of Parasitology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India
| | - Amogh Anant Sahasrabuddhe
- Molecular & Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute (CSIR-CDRI), Lucknow, 226031, India
| | | | - Madhusudan Bhat
- Department of Pathology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ambak Kumar Rai
- Department of Biotechnology, Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), Allahabad, 211004, India.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Saini S, Dube A, Sahasrabuddhe AA, Thakur CP, Joshi S, Rawat K, Rai AK. Comparison Between Immuno-Clinicopathological Features of Experimental and Human Visceral Leishmaniasis by Leishmania donovani. Acta Parasitol 2020; 65:57-67. [PMID: 31578670 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-019-00127-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2019] [Accepted: 09/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current understanding of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) depends upon the experimental model. Different species of mouse and hamster have been used as model for VL. It is already evident that the mouse model of VL is not a true reflection of the pathology of human visceral leishmaniasis (HuVL). On the other hand, hamster is reported to be a better model of VL to study the progressive as well as chronic pathology of the disease. OBJECTIVE To compare immuno-clinicopathological features of experimental VL (ExVL) and HuVL by Leishmania donovani. METHODS Hamsters were infected (15 and 60 days) and their immunological, clinical and biochemical parameters were compared with the cases of HuVL. RESULTS Splenomegaly and hepatomegaly were observed in infected hamster post-infection, which are hallmarks of symptomatic HuVL cases. Clinical, biochemical and pathological manifestations of infected hamsters were consistent with that of HuVL cases, except parameters such as body weight, uric acid, alkaline phosphatase and random glucose. The absence of clear dichotomy between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines was also observed after infection at different sites of infection. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the golden hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), infected via the intracardiac route, constitutes a very good model for the study of experimental Leishmania donovani infections. However, certain differences in clinical presentations of infected hamsters (via intracardiac route) with HuVL suggest further optimization of this animal model like route of infection such as intradermal, which is more close to natural infection.
Collapse
|
11
|
Wiersma M, Beuren TMA, de Vrij EL, Reitsema VA, Bruintjes JJ, Bouma HR, Brundel BJJM, Henning RH. Torpor-arousal cycles in Syrian hamster heart are associated with transient activation of the protein quality control system. Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol 2018; 223:23-28. [PMID: 29894736 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Hibernation consists of torpor, with marked suppression of metabolism and physiological functions, alternated with arousal periods featuring their full restoration. The heart is particularly challenged, exemplified by its rate reduction from 400 to 5-10 beats per minute during torpor in Syrian hamsters. In addition, during arousals, the heart needs to accommodate the very rapid return to normal function, which lead to our hypothesis that cardiac function during hibernation is supported by maintenance of protein homeostasis through adaptations in the protein quality control (PQC) system. Hereto, we examined autophagy, the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) unfolded protein (UPRER) response and the heat shock response (HSR) in Syrian hamster hearts during torpor and arousal. Transition from torpor to arousal (1.5 h) was associated with stimulation of the PQC system during early arousal, demonstrated by induction of autophagosomes, as shown by an increase in LC3B-II protein abundance, likely related to the activation of the UPRER during late torpor in response to proteotoxic stress. The HSR was not activated during torpor or arousal. Our results demonstrate activation of the cardiac PQC system - particularly autophagosomal degradation - in early arousal in response to cardiac stress, to clear excess aberrant or damaged proteins, being gradually formed during the torpor bout and/or the rapid increase in heart rate during the transition from torpor to arousal. This mechanism may enable the large gain in cardiac function during the transition from torpor to arousal, which may hold promise to further understand 'hibernation' of cardiomyocytes in human heart disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marit Wiersma
- Department of Physiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands.
| | - Thais M A Beuren
- Department of Physiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin L de Vrij
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Martini Hospital, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera A Reitsema
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jantje J Bruintjes
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hjalmar R Bouma
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Bianca J J M Brundel
- Department of Physiology, Amsterdam Cardiovascular Sciences, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands; Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robert H Henning
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Trefna M, Goris M, Thissen CMC, Reitsema VA, Bruintjes JJ, de Vrij EL, Bouma HR, Boerema AS, Henning RH. The influence of sex and diet on the characteristics of hibernation in Syrian hamsters. J Comp Physiol B 2017; 187:725-734. [PMID: 28324158 PMCID: PMC5486544 DOI: 10.1007/s00360-017-1072-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2016] [Revised: 11/24/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Research on deep hibernators almost exclusively uses species captured from the wild or from local breeding. An exception is Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus), the only standard laboratory animal showing deep hibernation. In deep hibernators, several factors influence hibernation quality, including body mass, sex and diet. We examined hibernation quality in commercially obtained Syrian hamsters in relation to body mass, sex and a diet enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Animals (M/F:30/30, 12 weeks of age) were obtained from Harlan (IN, USA) and individually housed at 21 °C and L:D 14:10 until 20 weeks of age, followed by L:D 8:16 until 27 weeks. Then conditions were changed to 5 °C and L:D 0:24 for 9 weeks to induce hibernation. Movement was continuously monitored with passive infrared detectors. Hamsters were randomized to control diet or a diet 3× enriched in linoleic acid from 16 weeks of age. Hamsters showed a high rate of premature death (n = 24, 40%), both in animals that did and did not initiate torpor, which was unrelated to body weight, sex and diet. Time to death (31.7 ± 3.1 days, n = 12) or time to first torpor bout (36.6 ± 1.6 days, n = 12) was similar in prematurely deceased hamsters. Timing of induction of hibernation and duration of torpor and arousal was unaffected by body weight, sex or diet. Thus, commercially obtained Syrian hamsters subjected to winter conditions showed poor survival, irrespective of body weight, sex and diet. These factors also did not affect hibernation parameters. Possibly, long-term commercial breeding from a confined genetic background has selected against the hibernation trait.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marie Trefna
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Maaike Goris
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Cynthia M C Thissen
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Vera A Reitsema
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Jojanneke J Bruintjes
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Edwin L de Vrij
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hjalmar R Bouma
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.,Department of Internal Medicine, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ate S Boerema
- Departments of Chronobiology and Molecular Neurobiology, Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Robert H Henning
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Hanzeplein 1, 9713 GZ, Groningen, The Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
The use of small animal models for the study of infectious disease is critical for understanding disease progression and for developing prophylactic and therapeutic treatment options. For many diseases, Syrian golden hamsters have emerged as an ideal animal model due to their low cost, small size, ease of handling, and ability to accurately reflect disease progression in humans. Despite the increasing use and popularity of hamsters, there remains a lack of available reagents for studying hamster immune responses. Without suitable reagents for assessing immune responses, researchers are left to examine clinical signs and disease pathology. This becomes an issue for the development of vaccine and treatment options where characterizing the type of immune response generated is critical for understanding protection from disease. Despite the relative lack of reagents for use in hamsters, significant advances have been made recently with several hamster specific immunologic methods being developed. Here we discuss the progress of this development, with focus on classical methods used as well as more recent molecular methods. We outline what methods are currently available for use in hamsters and what is readily used as well as what limitations still exist and future perspectives of reagent and assay development for hamsters. This will provide valuable information to researchers who are deciding whether to use hamsters as an animal model.
Collapse
|
14
|
Ohrnberger SA, Monclús R, Rödel HG, Valencak TG. Ambient temperature affects postnatal litter size reduction in golden hamsters. Front Zool 2016; 13:51. [PMID: 27904644 PMCID: PMC5121935 DOI: 10.1186/s12983-016-0183-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND To better understand how different ambient temperatures during lactation affect survival of young, we studied patterns of losses of pups in golden hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) at different ambient temperatures in the laboratory, mimicking temperature conditions in natural habitats. Golden hamsters produce large litters of more than 10 young but are also known to wean fewer pups at the end of lactation than they give birth to. We wanted to know whether temperature affects litter size reductions and whether the underlying causes of pup loss were related to maternal food (gross energy) intake and reproductive performance, such as litter growth. For that, we exposed lactating females to three different ambient temperatures and investigated associations with losses of offspring between birth and weaning. RESULTS Overall, around one third of pups per litter disappeared, obviously consumed by the mother. Such litter size reductions were greatest at 30 °C, in particular during the intermediate postnatal period around peak lactation. Furthermore, litter size reductions were generally higher in larger litters. Maternal gross energy intake was highest at 5 °C suggesting that mothers were not limited by milk production and might have been able to raise a higher number of pups until weaning. This was further supported by the fact that the daily increases in litter mass as well as in the individual pup body masses, a proxy of mother's lactational performance, were lower at higher ambient temperatures. CONCLUSIONS We suggest that ambient temperatures around the thermoneutral zone and beyond are preventing golden hamster females from producing milk at sufficient rates. Around two thirds of the pups per litter disappeared at high temperature conditions, and their early growth rates were significantly lower than at lower ambient temperatures. It is possible that these losses are due to an intrinsic physiological limitation (imposed by heat dissipation) compromising maternal energy intake and milk production.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah A. Ohrnberger
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Veterinary University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Raquel Monclús
- Ecologie Systématique Evolution, University Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, F-91400 Orsay, France
| | - Heiko G. Rödel
- Laboratoire d’Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée E.A. 4443, Université Paris 13, Sorbonne Paris Cité, F-93430 Villetaneuse, France
| | - Teresa G. Valencak
- Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology and Biophysics, Veterinary University Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Mele M, Morelli S, Fazzari G, Avolio E, Alò R, Piscioneri A, De Bartolo L, Facciolo RM, Canonaco M. Application of the Co-culture Membrane System Pointed to a Protective Role of Catestatin on Hippocampal Plus Hypothalamic Neurons Exposed to Oxygen and Glucose Deprivation. Mol Neurobiol 2017; 54:7369-81. [PMID: 27815840 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-0240-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2016] [Accepted: 10/17/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Depletion of oxygen and glucose even for brief periods is sufficient to cause cerebral ischemia, which is a predominant worldwide cause of motor deficits with the reduction of life quality and subsequently death. Hence, more insights regarding protective measures against ischemic events are becoming a major research goal. Among the many neuronal factors, N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDAR), orexinergic neuroreceptors (ORXR), and sympatho-inhibitory neuropeptide catestatin (CST) are widely involved with ischemic episodes. In this study, it was possible to induce in vitro ischemic conditions of the hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) hippocampal and hypothalamic neuronal cultures, grown on a newly compartmentalized membrane system, via oxygen and glucose deprivation (OGD). These cultures displayed notably differentiated NMDARergic and ORXergic receptor expression activities along with evident brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plus orexin A (ORX-A) secretion, especially under co-cultured conditions. Interestingly, addition of CST in OGD-insulted hippocampal cells accounted for upregulated GluN1 and ORX1R transcripts that in the case of the latter neuroreceptor was very strongly (p < 0.001) increased when co-cultured with hypothalamic cells. Similarly, hypothalamic neurons supplied very evident upregulations of GluN1, ORX1R, and above all of GluN2A transcripts along with increased BDNF and ORX-A secretion in the presence of hippocampal cells. Overall, the preferential CST effects on BDNF plus ORX-A production together with altered NMDAR and ORXR levels, especially in co-cultured hypothalamic cells pointed to ORX-containing neurons as major protective constituents against ischemic damages thus opening new scenarios on the cross-talking roles of CST during ischemic disorders.
Collapse
|
16
|
Ribeiro-Romão RP, Saavedra AF, Da-Cruz AM, Pinto EF, Moreira OC. Development of real-time PCR assays for evaluation of immune response and parasite load in golden hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus) infected by Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:361. [PMID: 27350537 PMCID: PMC4924296 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1647-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2016] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease with a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from small cutaneous nodules to severe mucosal tissue destruction. Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis is the main species attributed to CL in the Americas. However, studies of experimental infection are limited in the murine model due to the self-resolutive pattern of the disease. Previously, our group demonstrated that the hamster model reproduces many of the clinical and histopathological features observed in humans. Herein, we standardized a RT-qPCR gene expression assay to evaluate a panel of immunological markers and a qPCR assay in order to quantify with high sensitivity and reproducibility the parasite load in skin lesions. Methods Hamsters were intradermally infected in the footpad with 105 promastigotes of L. (V.) braziliensis and 110 days post-infection skin lesions and popliteal lymph nodes were removed for RNA and DNA extraction, both from the same tissue fragment. Gene expression of IFN-ɣ, IL-10, TGF-β TNF, IL-4, IL-6, iNOS and arginase were measured using non-infected animal tissue as a calibrator. Parasite load was quantified from DNA extracted from lesions by qPCR targeting Leishmania kDNA and normalized by hamster GAPDH, using a SYBR Green-based absolute quantification methodology. Results A relative quantification RT-qPCR assay was standardized for the evaluation of mRNA levels from skin and lymph node samples of golden hamsters, with PCR efficiencies ranging from 92.3 to 116.4 %. In uninfected animals, higher basal mRNA levels in lymph nodes were observed for IFN-ɣ, TGF-β, TNF and IL-4 (111.4 ± 92.2; 5.6 ± 1.2; 5.3 ± 1.7; and 60.3 ± 26.8, respectively) in comparison to skin. In golden hamsters infected with L. (V.) braziliensis, an increase in the expression of all immunological markers evaluated was observed, ranging from 2.7 ± 0.2 for TGF-β to 1018.5 ± 809.0 for iNOS in skin lesions, and 2.4 ± 1.6 for TGF-β to 600.2 ± 666.4 for iNOS in popliteal lymph nodes. Interestingly, significantly higher levels of IFN-ɣ, TNF and IL-10 mRNA were observed in skin in comparison to lymph nodes, while a lower significant level of arginase mRNA was observed in skin. In parallel, parasite loads were quantified by qPCR from the skin lesions of infected animals, ranging from 27.0 to 6647.0, with a median of 553.4 (416.7–1504.0) parasites/mg skin equivalents, whereas lesion size varied from 0.3 to 3.1 mm. Despite the tendency of larger lesions to present higher parasite load, the correlation observed was not statistically significant. Conclusions In this study, we describe for the first time a sensitive, reproducible and cheaper molecular assay to quantify from the same tissue fragment the gene expression of immunological markers and the parasite load in skin lesions, observing a mixed profile of immune response in the hamster model infected by L. (V.) braziliensis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1647-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Franco Saavedra
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/RJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alda Maria Da-Cruz
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/RJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Fonseca Pinto
- Laboratório Interdisciplinar de Pesquisas Médicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/RJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Otacilio C Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ/RJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Moreira NDD, Vitoriano-Souza J, Roatt BM, Vieira PMDA, Coura-Vital W, Cardoso JMDO, Rezende MT, Ker HG, Giunchetti RC, Carneiro CM, Reis AB. Clinical, hematological and biochemical alterations in hamster ( Mesocricetus auratus) experimentally infected with Leishmania infantum through different routes of inoculation. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:181. [PMID: 27030128 PMCID: PMC4815141 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1464-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2015] [Accepted: 03/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis remains among the most important parasitic diseases in the developing world and visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most fatal. The hamster Mesocricetus auratus is a susceptible model for the characterization of the disease, since infection of hamsters with L. infantum reproduces the clinical and pathological features of human VL. In this context, it provides a unique opportunity to study VL in its active form. The main goal of this study was to evaluate the clinical, biochemical, and hematological changes in male hamsters infected through different routes and strains of L. infantum. Methods In the current study, hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) were infected with the L. infantum strains (WHO/MHOM/BR/74/PP75 and MCAN/BR/2008/OP46) by intradermal, intraperitoneal and intracardiac routes. The animals were monitored for a nine month follow-up period. Results The hamsters showed clinical signs similar to those observed in classical canine and human symptomatic VL, including splenomegaly, severe weight loss, anemia, and leucopenia. Therefore the OP46 strain was more infective, clinical signs were more frequent and more exacerbated in IC group with 80 to 100 % of the animals showing splenomegaly, in the last month infection. Additionally, desquamation, hair loss and external mucocutaneous lesions and ulcers localized in the snout, accompanied by swelling of the paws in all animals, were observed. Consequently, the animals presented severe weight loss/cachexia, hunched posture, an inability to eat or drink, and non-responsiveness to external stimuli. Furthermore, regardless of strain, route of inoculum and time assessed, the animals showed renal and hepatic alterations, with increased serum levels of urea and creatinine as well as elevated serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase. Conclusions These results strongly suggest that the inoculation through the intracardiac route resulted in a higher severity among infections, especially in the sixth and ninth month after infection via intracardiac, exhibited clinical manifestations and biochemical/hematological findings similar to human visceral leishmaniasis. Therefore, we suggest that this route must be preferentially used in experimental infections for pathogenesis studies of VL in the hamster model.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nádia das Dores Moreira
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.,Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Juliana Vitoriano-Souza
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Bruno Mendes Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira
- Laboratório de Morfopatologia, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Wendel Coura-Vital
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Jamille Mirelle de Oliveira Cardoso
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Mariana Trevisan Rezende
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Henrique Gama Ker
- Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações Celulares, Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Claudia Martins Carneiro
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.,Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Barbosa Reis
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil. .,Laboratório de Pesquisas Clínicas, Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brasil.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Job MO, Cooke BM. PSA-NCAM in the posterodorsal medial amygdala is necessary for the pubertal emergence of attraction to female odors in male hamsters. Horm Behav 2015; 75:91-9. [PMID: 26335887 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2015.08.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2015] [Revised: 08/19/2015] [Accepted: 08/22/2015] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
During puberty, attention turns away from same-sex socialization to focus on the opposite sex. How the brain mediates this change in perception and motivation is unknown. Polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) virtually disappears from most of the central nervous system after embryogenesis, but it remains elevated in discrete regions of the adult brain. One such brain area is the posterodorsal subnucleus of the medial amygdala (MePD). The MePD has been implicated in male sexual attraction, measured here as the preference to investigate female odors. We hypothesize that PSA-NCAM gates hormone-dependent plasticity necessary for the emergence of males' attraction to females. To evaluate this idea, we first measured PSA-NCAM levels across puberty in several brain regions, and identified when female odor preference normally emerges in male Syrian hamsters. We found that MePD PSA-NCAM staining peaks shortly before the surge of pubertal androgen and the emergence of preference. To test the necessity of PSA-NCAM for female odor preference, we infused endo-neuraminidase-N into the MePD to deplete it of PSAs before female odor preference normally appears. This blocked female odor preference, which suggests that PSA-NCAM facilitates behaviorally relevant, hormone-driven plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Martin O Job
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA
| | - Bradley M Cooke
- Neuroscience Institute, Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA 30303, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Mele M, Canonaco M. Catestatin and orexin-A influence hamster thermic states during hibernation. Temperature (Austin) 2014; 1:24-25. [PMID: 28439529 PMCID: PMC5396516 DOI: 10.4161/temp.29547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2014] [Revised: 06/10/2014] [Accepted: 06/10/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Decreased body temperature during hibernation evokes a neuroprotective effect against the frequent neurodegenerative events of ischemic/reperfusion injuries. This neuroprotection appears to stem from a direct involvement of orexin-A plus the sympathoinhibitory neuroactive peptide catestatin on orexin 2 receptor-dependent feeding and motor behaviors of the facultative hibernating hamster.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Mele
- Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory; Biology, Ecology & Earth Science Department (DiBEST); University of Calabria; Arcavacata di Rende, CS Italy
| | - Marcello Canonaco
- Comparative Neuroanatomy Laboratory; Biology, Ecology & Earth Science Department (DiBEST); University of Calabria; Arcavacata di Rende, CS Italy
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
He W, Tang Y, Qi B, Lu C, Qin C, Wei Y, Yi J, Chen M. Phylogenetic analysis and positive-selection site detecting of vascular endothelial growth factor family in vertebrates. Gene 2013; 535:345-52. [PMID: 24200960 DOI: 10.1016/j.gene.2013.10.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2013] [Accepted: 10/12/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), known to play an important role in vascular homeostasis, vascular integrity and angiogenesis, is little known about the evolutionary relationship of its five members especially the role of gene duplication and natural selection in the evolution of the VEGF family. In this study, seventy-five full-length cDNA sequences from 33 vertebrate species were extracted from the NCBI's GenBank, UniProt protein database and the Ensembl database. By phylogenetic analyses, we investigated the origin, conservation, and evolution of the VEGFs. Five VEGF family members in vertebrates might be formed by gene duplication. The inferred evolutionary transitions that separate members which belong to different gene clusters correlated with changes in functional properties. Selection analysis and protein structure analysis were combined to explain the relationship of the site-specific evolution in the vertebrate VEGF family. Eleven positive selection sites, one transmembrane region and the active sites were detected in this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wenwu He
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China; Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Nanchong Central Hospital, The Second Clinical College of North Sichuan Medical college, Nanchong, Sichuan, PR China
| | - Yanyan Tang
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Bin Qi
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chuansen Lu
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Chao Qin
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Yunfei Wei
- Department of Neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China
| | - Jiachao Yi
- Department of Neurology, Liugang Hospital, Liuzhou, Guangxi, China
| | - Mingwu Chen
- Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi, China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Kallingal GJ, Mintz EM. Site-specific effects of gastrin-releasing peptide in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. Eur J Neurosci 2013; 39:630-9. [PMID: 24528136 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Accepted: 10/07/2013] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The effects of gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) on the circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are dependent on the activation of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in the SCN. In this study, the interaction between GRP, glutamate and serotonin in the regulation of circadian phase in Syrian hamsters was evaluated. Microinjection of GRP into the third ventricle induced c-fos and p-ERK expression throughout the SCN. Coadministration of an NMDA antagonist or 8-hydroxy-2-di-n-propylamino-tetralin [a serotonin (5-HT)1A,7 agonist, DPAT] with GRP limited c-fos expression in the SCN to a region dorsal to GRP cell bodies. Similar to the effects of NMDA antagonists, DPAT attenuated GRP-induced phase shifts in the early night, suggesting that the actions of serotonin on the photic phase shifting mechanism occur downstream from retinorecipient cells. c-fos and p-ERK immunoreactivity in the supraoptic (SON) and paraventricular hypothalamic nuclei also increased following ventricular microinjection of GRP. Because of this finding, a second set of experiments was designed to test a potential role for the SON in the regulation of clock function. Syrian hamsters were given microinjections of GRP into the peri-SON during the early night. GRP-induced c-fos activity in the SCN was similar to that following ventricular administration of GRP. GRP or bicuculline (a γ-aminobutyric acidA antagonist) administered near the SON during the early night elicited phase delays of circadian activity rhythms. These data suggest that GRP-induced phase-resetting is dependent on levels of glutamatergic and serotonergic neurotransmission in the SCN and implicate activity in the SON as a potential regulator of photic signaling in the SCN.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- George J Kallingal
- Department of Biological Sciences and School of Biomedical Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, OH, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
22
|
Weitten M, Robin JP, Oudart H, Pévet P, Habold C. Hormonal changes and energy substrate availability during the hibernation cycle of Syrian hamsters. Horm Behav 2013; 64:611-7. [PMID: 24005184 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2013.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2013] [Revised: 08/23/2013] [Accepted: 08/24/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Animals have to adapt to seasonal variations in food resources and temperature. Hibernation is one of the most efficient means used by animals to cope with harsh winter conditions, wherein survival is achieved through a significant decrease in energy expenditure. The hibernation period is constituted by a succession of torpor bouts (hypometabolism and decrease in body temperature) and periodic arousals (eumetabolism and euthermia). Some species feed during these periodic arousals, and thus show different metabolic adaptations to fat-storing species that fast throughout the hibernation period. Our study aims to define these metabolic adaptations, including hormone (insulin, glucagon, leptin, adiponectin, GLP-1, GiP) and metabolite (glucose, free fatty acids, triglycerides, urea) profiles together with body composition adjustments. Syrian hamsters were exposed to varied photoperiod and temperature conditions mimicking different phases of the hibernation cycle: a long photoperiod at 20 °C (LP20 group), a short photoperiod at 20 °C (SP20 group), and a short photoperiod at 8 °C (SP8). SP8 animals were sampled either at the beginning of a torpor bout (Torpor group) or at the beginning of a periodic arousal (Arousal group). We show that fat store mobilization in hamsters during torpor bouts is associated with decreased circulating levels of glucagon, insulin, leptin, and an increase in adiponectin. Refeeding during periodic arousals results in a decreased free fatty acid plasma concentration and an increase in glycemia and plasma incretin concentrations. Reduced incretin and increased adiponectin levels are therefore in accordance with the changes in nutrient availability and feeding behavior observed during the hibernation cycle of Syrian hamsters.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mathieu Weitten
- Université de Strasbourg, IPHC-DEPE, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France; CNRS, UMR 7178, 23 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|