Histopathological and ultrastructural assessment of two mugilid species infected with myxozoans and helminths

The histopathology and ultrastructure of the intestine of mullets, Liza ramada and Liza saliens, from Comacchio lagoons (northern Italy) naturally infected with myxozoans and helminths were investigated and described. Sixty‐two (80.5%) of 77 mullets harboured one or more of the following parasites species: Myxobolus mugchelo (Myxozoa), Neoechinorhynchus agilis (Acanthocephala), Haplosplanchnus pachysomus and Dicrogaster contractus (Digenea). Co‐occurrence of helminths with myxozoans was common. The main damage caused by digeneans was destruction of the mucosal epithelium of the villi, necrosis and degeneration of intestinal epithelial cells. More severe intestinal damage was caused by acanthocephalans which reach the submucosa layer with their proboscis. At the site of helminths infection, several mast cells (MCs), rodlet cells (RCs), mucous cells and few neutrophils and macrophages were observed in the epithelium. RCs and mucous cells exhibited discharge activity in close vicinity to the worm's tegument. M. mugchelo conspicuous plasmodia were encysted mainly in muscle and submucosa layers of the intestine. Indeed, spores of M. mugchelo were documented within the epithelial cells of host intestine and in proximity to MCs. Degranulation of the MCs near the myxozoans was very frequent.     

中华绒螯蟹“水瘪子”病超微病理和病理生理研究

采用透射电镜技术和生化分析等方法,对患“水瘪子”病病蟹的超微病理和病理生理进行研究。超微结构观察表明,病蟹肝胰腺、鳃、肌肉等组织细胞发生了不同程度的病变,主要表现为肝细胞变性、坏死,脂滴锐减,微绒毛肿胀、断裂,细胞内线粒体肿胀,内嵴紊乱、减少甚至消失形成空泡,内质网扩张或断裂为片层状结构;鳃上皮细胞角质膜变薄,细胞核异染色质化,角质层面伸出的指状突起破裂消失,上皮细胞顶膜形成的微绒毛杂乱、断裂甚至消失,角质膜下空腔增大,线粒体畸变,数量减少,内嵴减少,形成空泡,溶酶体数量增多,并与空泡和空泡化的线粒体形成自噬体,严重病变的鳃上皮细胞中出现细菌颗粒,未见包涵体等病毒样颗粒;肌肉的病变主要是肌纤维松弛、断裂,肌质网溶解消失或者形成小泡,线粒体数量减少、体积变小,细胞核固缩且边缘化。病理生理分析结果显示,病蟹血淋巴中血糖含量和谷草转氨酶活力显著高于健康蟹,碱性磷酸酶和谷丙转氨酶活力极显著高于健康蟹,甘油三酯的含量极显著低于健康蟹;病蟹肝胰腺中肝糖原含量极显著低于健康蟹,碱性磷酸酶和酸性磷酸酶活力显著低于健康蟹。     

Cucumis metuliferus is resistant to root‐knot nematode Mi1.2 gene (a)virulent isolates and a promising melon rootstock

Pot experiments were carried out to characterize the response of two Cucumis metuliferus accessions (BGV11135 and BGV10762) against Mi1.2 gene (a)virulent Meloidogyne arenaria, M. incognita and M. javanica isolates and to determine the compatibility and the effect on physicochemical properties of fruit melons. In addition, histopathological studies were conducted. One week after transplanting, plants were inoculated with one J2 cm^?3 of sterilized sand (200 cm³ pots) and maintained in a growth chamber at 25 °C for 40 days. The susceptible cucumber cv. Dasher II or melon cv. Paloma were included for comparison. The number of egg masses and number of eggs per plant were assessed, and the reproduction index (RI) was calculated as the percentage of eggs produced on the C. metuliferus accessions compared to those produced on the susceptible cultivars. The compatibility and fruit quality were assessed by grafting three scions, two of Charentais type and one of type piel de sapo, under commercial greenhouse conditions. The resistance level of both C. metuliferus accessions ranged from highly resistant (RI < 1%) to resistant (1% ≤ RI ≤ 10%) irrespective of Meloidogyne isolates. Melon plants grafted onto C. metuliferus accession BGV11135 grew as self‐grafted plants without negatively impacting fruit quality traits. Giant cells induced by Meloidogyne spp. on C. metuliferus were in general poorly developed compared to those on cucumber. Furthermore, necrotic areas surrounding the nematode were observed. Cucumis metuliferus accession BGV11135 could be a promising melon rootstock to manage Meloidogyne spp., irrespective of their Mi1.2 (a)virulence, without melon fruit quality reduction.     

复方苦芩对犬细小病毒致肠黏膜细胞凋亡及相关基因表达的影响

将犬分为空白对照组、模型组、复方苦芩预防组、复方苦芩治疗组,用犬细小病毒接种建立动物模型,复方苦芩防治犬细小病毒病,然后取样,光学显微镜和电子显微镜观察十二指肠黏膜细胞的病变和细胞凋亡,逆转录聚合酶链式反应（RT-PCR）法检测Bcl-2和Bax基因的mRNA表达。结果显示,与空白对照组比较,模型组犬十二指肠黏膜病变及炎细胞浸润,电镜下可见细胞收缩,核浓缩,深染,线粒体肿胀空化,细胞Bcl-2基因表达下调,Bax基因表达增加。与模型组相比,复方苦芩防治组肠黏膜病变轻,超微结构变化不明显,细胞Bax基因表达下调,Bcl-2基因表达上调。结果表明,复方苦芩可能是通过促进黏膜上皮细胞的增殖与恢复,调节Bcl-2,Bax基因表达,抑制犬细小病毒引起的十二指肠黏膜超微结构改变和细胞凋亡,而对细小病毒病犬的十二指肠组织结构起保护和促进恢复作用。     

Thyroid Hormone-disrupting Effects and the Amphibian Metamorphosis Assay

There are continued concerns about endocrine-disrupting chemical effects, and appropriate vertebrate models for assessment of risk are a high priority. Frog tadpoles are very sensitive to environmental substances because of their habitat and the complex processes of metamorphosis regulated by the endocrine system, mainly thyroid hormones. During metamorphosis, marked alteration in hormonal factors occurs, as well as dramatic structural and functional changes in larval tissues. There are a variety of mechanisms determining thyroid hormone balance or disruption directly or indirectly. Direct-acting agents can cause changes in thyroxine synthesis and/or secretion in thyroid through effects on peroxidases, thyroidal iodide uptake, deiodinase, and proteolysis. At the same time, indirect action may result from biochemical processes such as sulfation, deiodination and glucuronidation. Because their potential to disrupt thyroid hormones has been identified as an important consideration for the regulation of chemicals, the OECD and the EPA have each established guidelines that make use of larval African clawed frogs (Xenopus laevis) and frog metamorphosis for screening and testing of potential endocrine disrupters. The guidelines are based on evaluation of alteration in the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis. One of the primary endpoints is thyroid gland histopathology. Others are mortality, developmental stage, hind limb length, snout-vent length and wet body weight. Regarding histopathological features, the guidelines include core criteria and additional qualitative parameters along with grading. Taking into account the difficulties in evaluating amphibian thyroid glands, which change continuously throughout metamorphosis, histopathological examination has been shown to be a very sensitive approach.     

Primary bilateral corneal nerve sheath neoplasm in a dog

A 15‐year‐old, neutered male, Shih Tzu cross developed progressive corneal stromal thickening and vascularization of the right eye, and 5 months later, of the left eye. Both eyes became blind due to extensive corneal opacification and were enucleated. Light microscopic examination revealed a diffuse corneal infiltrate of neoplastic mesenchymal cells, and immunohistochemistry revealed diffuse cytoplasmic vimentin immunoreactivity and variable cytoplasmic and nuclear immunoreactivity for S100 in the neoplastic cells. Transmission electron microscopy revealed desmosomes between contiguous cells, thread‐like cytoplasmic processes coated with basement membrane, extracellular bundles of collagen, and axonal degeneration consistent with features of a nerve sheath neoplasm. This is the first report of primary, bilateral corneal nerve sheath sarcoma in a canine.     

一株J亚型禽白血病病毒的分离鉴定及其gp85基因的序列分析

为确定安徽巢湖某地方品种养鸡场的疑似禽白血病(avian leukosis,AL)的病原,以DF-1细胞从肿瘤组织中分离病毒,采用RT-PCR方法进行鉴定,并对其感染细胞上清进行透射电镜观察。同时对送检病鸡的心、肝、脾及腺胃等进行组织病理学观察,最后将扩增出的gp85基因与GenBank收录的其他ALV序列进行比对分析。结果表明:PCR扩增产物大小约为928 bp,经测序证实为ALV gp85基因,将该分离株命名为AHCH-2018株。透射电镜观察到具有囊膜的大小约100 nm的病毒粒子。组织病理学结果显示,病鸡的心、肝、脾及腺胃中有大量成灶淋巴细胞增殖。遗传进化分析结果表明,分离株的gp85基因与多株ALV J参考毒株核苷酸序列的同源性为94.1%~99.5%,且与GD1401J株的核苷酸同源性最高,达99.5%,与A、B、C、D、E亚群同源性为46.5%~49.7%。该分离株与J亚群原型毒株处于同一大分支。本研究为了解安徽土鸡种群中禽白血病的分子流行病学特点提供了一定的数据参考。     

四种Bt毒素蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫毒力测定及中肠组织病理学变化

为更好地了解苏云金芽胞杆菌Bacillus thuringiensis毒素蛋白对二点委夜蛾Athetis lepigone的毒力以及作用机理,通过饲喂含有Cry1Ac、Cry1Ab、Cry2Ab和Vip3Aa四种不同Bt毒素蛋白饲料,测定Bt毒素蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫的毒力,并观察取食4种毒素蛋白后幼虫中肠组织的病理学变化。结果显示,二点委夜蛾幼虫取食毒素蛋白后72 h,Cry1Ab和Cry1Ac毒素蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫的杀虫活性较高,校正死亡率为84.7%和76.4%;Vip3Aa和Cry2Ab毒素蛋白的毒力较弱。二点委夜蛾幼虫取食4种Bt毒素蛋白后,中肠柱状细胞微绒毛脱落,杂乱地分散在肠腔内,杯状细胞变形和腔内微绒毛脱落,线粒体和内质网等变形破裂,细胞核的核膜消失、核质凝聚和形状发生变化,经Cry1Ab和Cry1Ac毒素蛋白处理后中肠细胞的病变症状和速度明显高于Cry2Ab和Vip3Aa毒素蛋白处理。表明Cry1Ab和Cry1Ac毒素蛋白对二点委夜蛾幼虫杀虫活性较高,显著高于Cry2Ab和Vip3Aa毒素蛋白,且对其中肠细胞的破坏作用也较强。