Effects of the pathogenic Vibrio tapetis on defence factors of susceptible and non-susceptible bivalve species: II. Cellular and biochemical changes following in vivo challenge

This work compared the effect of challenge with Vibrio tapetis, the etiologic agent of brown ring disease (BRD) in clams, and other bacterial strains on defence-related factors in four bivalve species: Ruditapes philippinarum (highly susceptible to BRD), R. decussatus (slightly susceptible to BRD), Mercenaria mercenaria and Crassostrea virginica (both non-susceptible to BRD). Results show that bacterial challenge modulated defence-related factors, namely total and differential haemocyte counts, percentage of viable haemocytes, and lysozyme activity, both in haemolymph and extrapallial fluid. Injection with bacteria induced a response that was dependent upon the bacterial and bivalve species investigated, and upon the site of inoculation: external (pallial cavity), pseudo-internal (extrapallial space), or internal compartment (adductor muscle). The most conspicuous changes were systematically measured in R. philippinarum injected with V. tapetis, indicating a bacterial pathogenicity particular to the host in which it causes a specific disease syndrome. Alterations of defence-related factors were maximal in haemolymph of clams injected with V. tapetis in the muscle, and in the extrapallial fluid when the bacteria were injected into the pallial or the extrapallial cavity. Resistance to the development of the BRD symptom was not related to the extent of the haemocyte reaction measured following in vivo challenge.     

Characterization of a Monoclonal Antibody Directed against Mytilus spp Larvae Reveals an Antigen Involved in Shell Biomineralization

The M22.8 monoclonal antibody (mAb) developed against an antigen expressed at the mussel larval and postlarval stages of Mytilus galloprovincialis was studied on adult samples. Antigenic characterization by Western blot showed that the antigen MSP22.8 has a restricted distribution that includes mantle edge tissue, extrapallial fluid, extrapallial fluid hemocytes, and the shell organic matrix of adult samples. Other tissues such as central mantle, gonadal tissue, digestive gland, labial palps, foot, and byssal retractor muscle did not express the antigen. Immunohistochemistry assays identified MSP22.8 in cells located in the outer fold epithelium of the mantle edge up to the pallial line. Flow cytometry analysis showed that hemocytes from the extrapallial fluid also contain the antigen intracellularly. Furthermore, hemocytes from hemolymph have the ability to internalize the antigen when exposed to a cell-free extrapallial fluid solution. Our findings indicate that hemocytes could play an important role in the biomineralization process and, as a consequence, they have been included in a model of shell formation. This is the first report concerning a protein secreted by the mantle edge into the extrapallial space and how it becomes part of the shell matrix framework in M. galloprovincialis mussels.     

Involvement of nitric oxide in the in vitro interaction between Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum, hemocytes and the bacterium Vibrio tapetis

The Manila clam, Ruditapes philippinarum can become infected by the bacterium Vibrio tapetis which causing the Brown Ring Disease along North European Atlantic coasts. Variations in clam immune parameters have been reported in clam challenged with V. tapetis but no studies have been done on Nitric Oxide (NO) production. NO is a toxic agent to pathogens produced mostly by immune cells such as hemocytes in invertebrates. In this study, we demonstrated that NO production in hemolymph and extrapallial fluid of clams is dose dependent and increases with incubation time with V. tapetis. Moreover, the augmentation of NO production seems to be directly correlated to cell rounding and to the loss of pseudopods-forming capacity of hemocytes during the infection process.     

Interaction of Xenorhabdus nematophilus (Enterobacteriaceae) with the antimicrobial defenses of the house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Fifth instar Acheta domesticus nymphs exhibited a decline in total hemocyte counts during the first hour of exposure to dead Xenorhabdus nematophilus; the bacterial level in the hemolymph also declined during this time. Thereafter bacterial numbers in the hemolymph increased as the level of damaged hemocytes increased. The bacteria lowered phenoloxidase activity in vivo by initially reducing the number of hemocytes containing prophenoloxidase and later by inhibiting enzyme activation. Preincubating X. nematophilus in hemolymph with active phenoloxidase in vitro accelerated the removal of the bacteria from the hemolymph in vivo which may be due to modification of the bacterial surface by serine proteases. Lysozyme activity increased in bacteria-injected insects in parallel with an increase in counts of damaged hemocytes; most of the enzyme was located in hemocytes. Lipopolysaccharides of X. nematophilus caused changes in hemocyte counts and phenoloxidase and lysozyme levels comparable to whole bacteria. Lipopolysaccharides also slowed the removal rate of the bacteria from, and accelerated bacterial emergence into, the hemolymph.     

Pathogenicity of Vibrio tapetis,the etiological agent of brown ring disease in clams

Brown ring disease (BRD) causes high mortalities in the introduced Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum cultured in western Europe. The etiological agent of BRD, Vibrio tapetis, adheres to and disrupts the production of the periostracal lamina, causing the anomalous deposition of periostracum around the inner shell. Because the primary sign of BRD is found outside the soft tissues, the processes leading to death are not as obvious as those for internal pathogens. This study was designed to evaluate the pathogenicity of V. tapetis, in an attempt to help explain the mechanisms of mortality. We found high mortalities (up to 100%) for clams following the inoculation of V. tapetis into the extrapallial space (between mantle and inner shell) or the posterior adductor muscle of healthy R. philippinarum. Microscopy and immunological detection methods showed that the pathogen was rapidly eliminated from tissues and hemolymph of animals that survived the inoculation. In clams that died, the bacteria were found to have proliferated, resulting in severe tissue disruption. Bacteria were able to penetrate into tissues from the extrapallial space through the external epithelium of the mantle. In contrast, no mortalities were observed following injection of V. tapetis in the native European clam Ruditapes decussatus, which is resistant to BRD. This clam rapidly eliminated the bacterium from hemolymph and soft tissues. Clam mortality associated with BRD in the field is likely to result from the penetration of V. tapetis into the clam's extrapallial space through the disrupted periostracal lamina and from there into the soft tissues through the irritated mantle epithelium. Some bacteria also penetrate through the digestive epithelia. In either case, bacteria proliferate rapidly in the soft tissues, causing severe damage and subsequent death.     

Studies on the activation of humoral defense factors against bacteria in larvae of the wax moth Galleria mellonella L]

The change of lysozyme activity in the hemolymph of the wax moth larvae caused by vaccination is influenced by the size and the dose of the injected particles. The rate of incorporation of those particles into phagocytes has no effect on this process. The change of lysozyme activity correlats negatively with the amount of granulocytes after vaccination. There were no correlations with the amount of other types of the hemocytes, neither with the resistance of the larvae against Pseudomonas aeruginosa nor with the survival of gram-negative bacteria within the hemocoelom. Origin, regulation and role of lysozyme are discussed regarding the defence against gram-negative bacteria. In the hemolymph of wax moth larvae after vaccination the formation of spheroblasts has been observed with all gram-negative strains of bacteria studied. The speed and extent of the formation of spheroblasts corresponded to the pathogenicity of these bacteria for the larvae as well as to the survival of the bacteria within the hemocoelom.     

Isolation of the pathogen Vibrio tapetis and defense parameters in brown ring diseased Manila clams Ruditapes philippinarum cultivated in England

The Manila clam Ruditapes philippinarum was introduced for aquacultural purposes to Europe in the 1970s. In 1987, brown ring disease (BRD), caused by Vibrio tapetis, appeared in clams cultivated in Brou?nou (Finistère, France) and later became increasingly widespread and was reported in cultivated and wild clams existing on the Atlantic coasts of France and Spain. The present study reports, for the first time, the presence of BRD in clams cultivated in England. The etiologic bacterium was isolated and identified using bacteriological and serological techniques. The defence response of affected clams was also studied and significant changes in the hematological and biochemical characteristics of hemolymph and extrapallial fluids were demonstrated. Significant mobilization of hemocytes toward the extrapallial fluids, in contact with the main site of infection (mantle-periostracal lamina area), was observed, suggesting a role for these pseudo-internal compartments in the preservation of clam health.     

Synergistic action of Galleria mellonella anionic peptide 2 and lysozyme against Gram-negative bacteria

Lysozyme and antimicrobial peptides are key factors of the humoral immune response in insects. In the present work lysozyme and anionic defense peptide (GMAP2) were isolated from the hemolymph of the greater wax moth Galleria mellonella and their antibacterial activity was investigated. Adsorption of G. mellonella lysozyme on the cell surface of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria was demonstrated using immunoblotting with anti-G. mellonella lysozyme antibodies. Lysozyme effectively inhibited the growth of selected Gram-positive bacteria, which was accompanied by serious alterations of the cell surface, as revealed by atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging. G. mellonella lysozyme used in concentrations found in the hemolymph of naive and immunized larvae, perforated also the Escherichia coli cell membrane and the level of such perforation was considerably increased by GMAP2. GMAP2 used alone did not perforate E. coli cells nor influence lysozyme muramidase activity. However, the peptide induced a decrease in the turgor pressure of the bacterial cell. Moreover, in the samples of bacteria treated with a mixture of lysozyme and GMAP2 the sodium chloride crystals were found, suggesting disturbance of ion transport across the membrane leading to cell disruption. These results clearly indicated the synergistic action of G. mellonella lysozyme and anionic peptide 2 against Gram-negative bacteria. The reported results suggested that, thanks to immune factors constitutively present in hemolymph, G. mellonella larvae are to some extent protected against infection caused by Gram-negative bacteria.     

Pleural fluid lysozyme in human disease.

A prospective study was conducted to define the content, significance, and source of lysozyme present in the pleural fluid in human diseases. The pleural fluid lysozyme activity is similar in various malignant and nonmalignant transudates and exudates, and is of limited diagnostic value. The pleural fluid activity correlated well with that of paired serum samples but it had poor correlation with the disease state, the pleural fluid granulocyte counts, and total white blood cell counts. The data suggest that the pleural fluid lysozyme may be derived primarily from the blood and that it is not the product of inflammatory or neoplastic cells in the fluid itself.     

Light induces an increase in the pH of and a decrease in the ammonia concentration in the extrapallial fluid of the giant clam Tridacna squamosa

The objective of this study was to examine whether 12 h of light exposure would lead to an increase in the pH of and a decrease in the concentration of total ammonia in the extrapallial fluid of the giant clam Tridacna squamosa. We also aimed to elucidate indirectly whether movements of ammonia and/or protons (H(+)) occurred between the extrapallial fluid and the outer mantle epithelium. The pH of the extrapallial fluid of T. squamosa exposed to 12 h of light was significantly higher than that of clams exposed to 12 h of darkness. Conversely, the total ammonia concentration in the extrapallial fluid of the former was significantly lower than that of the latter. In addition, the glutamine content in the mantle adjacent to the extrapallial fluid of clams exposed to 12 h of light was significantly greater than that of clams exposed to 12 h of darkness. These results suggest that in the extrapallial fluid of T. squamosa exposed to light, NH(3) combined with H(+) as NH(+)(4) and that NH(+)(4) was transported into the mantle and used as a substrate for glutamine formation. Injection of NH(4)Cl into the extrapallial fluid led to an instantaneous increase in the total ammonia concentration therein, but the total ammonia concentration decreased subsequently and returned to the control value within 1 h. This is in support of the proposition that NH(+)(4) could be transported from the extrapallial fluid to the mantle. Injection of HCl into the extrapallial fluid led to an instantaneous decrease in the pH of the extrapallial fluid. However, there was a significant increase in pH within 1 h in light or darkness, achieving a partial recovery toward the control pH value. The increase in pH within this 1-h period in light or darkness was accompanied by a significant decrease in the total ammonia concentration in the extrapallial fluid, which supports the proposition that H(+) could be transported in combination with NH(3) as NH(+)(4). Therefore, our results prompt a reexamination of the previous proposition that the removal of H(+) by NH(3) can facilitate calcification in molluscs in general and an investigation of the relationship between H(+) removal through NH(+)(4) transport and light-enhanced calcification in T. squamosa.     

革兰氏阳性菌苏云金芽孢杆菌和革兰氏阴性菌大肠杆菌诱导的柞蚕蛹生理指标变化

【目的】明确柞蚕Antheraea pernyi对外源微生物防御性生理变化规律,为柞蚕的病害防治和合理饲养提供理论依据。【方法】本研究选用革兰氏阳性菌苏云金芽孢杆菌Bacillus thuringeinsis(Bt)和革兰氏阴性菌大肠杆菌Escherichia coli(Ec)为外源诱导微生物,调整至10~6～10~8cfu/m L菌液,灭活后处理柞蚕蛹,诱导24,48,72和96 h后不同时间测定血淋巴蛋白含量、PO活性、CAT活性、抗菌活性和溶菌酶活性等生理指标。【结果】Ec和Bt诱导柞蚕蛹导致各生理指标出现显著变化,但两种菌株诱导生理指标变化规律差异明显,Ec高浓度诱导72 h会增加血淋巴蛋白含量,而Bt各浓度诱导会在24,48和96 h增加血淋巴蛋白含量。免疫防御关键酶系PO和CAT活性变化规律在不同菌株诱导后差异更明显,Ec诱导后,PO活性随着时间增加表现为先升高后降低的趋势,CAT活性呈现"升高-降低-升高"的规律;而Bt诱导后PO活性表现为"升高-降低-升高"的规律,CAT活性随诱导时间增加变化规律不明显,但有随菌液浓度增加而降低的趋势。对抗菌活性测定表明,Ec和Bt诱导都会显著增加蛹粗酶液抗菌活性,溶菌酶活性也会极显著增加,但2个指标高峰值出现的时间会有明显差别。【结论】本研究结果表明Ec和Bt不同处理均可诱导柞蚕蛹产生明显防御反应,但柞蚕蛹生理指标变化规律与不同种类微生物及处理时间和浓度有关,推测革兰氏阳性菌和革兰氏阴性菌具有不同的诱导防御反应机制。研究结果可以为外源微生物侵染柞蚕后的免疫防御反应规律提供理论指导。     

Isolation of Lysozyme from the Hemolymph of Sweet Potato Hornworm, Agrius convolvuli Larvae

ABSTRACT Lysozyme plays a central role in initiating and maintaining the antibacterial defense response of insect. A new family member of insect lysozyme, an antibacterial peptide, has been isolated from the hemolymph of the fifth instar larvae of Agrius convolvuli . Vaccination was proceeded with E. coli K12 D21 (4x10⁶ cells of log phase) injection into the abdomen of the larvae. Agrius lysozyme was isolated by cation-exchange chromatography and RP-FPLC, and sequenced by HPLC system. It was observed that the purified Agrius lysozyme was heat-stable and had a molecular weight of approximately 15 kDa by SDS-PAGE. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of Agrius lysozyme is K-H-F-S-R-C-G-L-V-Q-E-L-F-W-Q-G-F-P with the highest similarity to that of Heliothis virescence , and it has been identified that the Agrius lysozyme belongs to c type lysozyme.     

Changes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Galleria mellonella</Emphasis> lysozyme level and activity during <Emphasis Type="Italic">Pseudomonas aeruginosa</Emphasis> infection

The level of lysozyme in fat body, hemocytes and cell-free hemolymph from Galleria mellonella larvae infected with Pseudomonas aeruginosa was determined and evaluated. In the samples of fat body and hemocytes, an increase in lysozyme content was detected 1 d after infection and then a significant decrease was observed after a prolonged infection time. In the case of cell-free hemolymph, an increase in the lysozyme level was noticeable during the first 30 h post injection and stayed at a similar level for 42 h. The smaller decrease of the lysozyme level after 42 h might be associated with the development of bacteremia of P. aeruginosa in insects. In addition, the gradual increase in the content of lysozyme correlated with the increase of its activity in the hemolymph of the infected larvae as a response to injection with P. aeruginosa. The G. mellonella lysozyme appeared to be insensitive to extracellular proteinases produced in vivo by P. aeruginosa.     

温度对黄粉虫幼虫生长发育及体液免疫防御能力的影响

【目的】探究饲养温度对黄粉虫Tenebrio molitor幼虫生长发育和体液免疫防御的影响。【方法】测定了不同温度（18, 22, 26和30℃）下饲养的黄粉虫幼虫的发育历期、蛹重、化蛹率;采用抑制区分析法测定了不同温度下饲养的免疫（用生理盐水将大肠杆菌Escherichia coli配制成1×104个菌体/μL悬浮液,用微量注射器将其注入虫体腹部的背面,每头幼虫注射1 μL）和非免疫(注射生理盐水)黄粉虫幼虫血淋巴的抑菌和溶菌酶活性,通过分光光度法测定了其酚氧化酶活性。【结果】结果显示,黄粉虫幼虫发育历期随饲养温度的上升而明显缩短（P<0.0001）,而不同温度下蛹重（P=0.067）与化蛹率（P=0.869）差异不显著。免疫组黄粉虫幼虫血淋巴的抑菌、酚氧化酶和溶菌酶活性随饲养温度上升而降低：抑菌和酚氧化酶活性随温度变化差异极显著（P<0.0001）,溶菌酶活性差异显著（P=0.013）。【结论】本研究结果表明,温度对黄粉虫的生长发育和免疫防御具有较大的影响,低温下黄粉虫幼虫的发育历期延长,但其体液免疫防御能力明显增强。     

Interrelationship of the serum lysozyme level to the leukocyte count in the blood]

The leucocyte counts in the peripheral blood and titers of the serum lysozyme under conditions of various experimental models were compared. Albino rats, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits exposed to the effect of various factors of a biological and chemical nature were used in the experiments. In addition, observations on humans immunized with bacterial and viral vaccines were analyzed. Development of 3 reaction types was shown to be possible. In the 1st type the dynamics of the lysosome activity and blood leucocyte counts changed in the same way (immunization with smallpox vaccine, listeria infection). Decreased counts of the leucocytes due to the use of cytostatic drugs were accompanied by a parallel decrease in the lysozyme activity. Such variant of the reaction was predominating. The 2nd type of the shifts characterized by an impaired synchronous pattern of the dynamics of the indices was not so frequent (the use of high doses of cytostatics). The 3rd type of the reactions with an exactly opposite character of the shifts in the leucocyte counts and lysozyme activity was observed only as an exclusion. It is concluded that the quantitative dynamics of the leucocytes is not enough by itself for creating an opinion on the nature of the changes in the serum lysozyme. The possible role of macrophages in the above processes is discussed.     

Larval and pupal induction and N-terminal amino acid sequence of lysozyme from Heliothis virescens

Fifth instar larvae and prepupae of Heliothis virescens (tobacco budworm) were injected with live Enterobacter cloacae and bled at different times after vaccination. Immune pupal hemolymph showed a 54 times increase in lysozyme activity when compared with normal larval hemolymph, and an 11 times increase of lysozyme activity when compared with immune larval hemolymph. Lysozyme activity of the normal pupal hemolymph increased as greatly as did lysozyme activity of the immune larval hemolymph after metamorphosis. The pupal immune response with regard to lysozyme was much greater than the larval immune response in H. virescens. Lysozyme was purified by heat treatment at 100 degrees C and a chromatography series that included reverse-phase HPLC. The molecular mass of H. virescens lysozyme was approximately 16 kDa by SDS-PAGE which is greater than other insect lysozymes and chicken lysozyme. Amino acid sequence of the N-terminus showed that H. virescens lysozyme is 82% homologous with lysozyme of Manduca sexta and Galleria mellonella. CNBr cleavage of H. virescens lysozyme produced 11 and 6 kDa peptide fragments indicating that one methionine was present, which was also supported by amino acid analysis. However, methionine was located at the carboxyl terminal side rather than the N-terminal side as judged by the N-terminal sequences of each peptide fragment. The residue 22 in most lepidopteran lysozymes is methionine, whereas H. virescens lysozyme had a leucine at residue 22. There was an amino acid deletion near the carboxyl terminal side of H. virescens lysozyme as also found in Trichoplusia ni.     

Lysozyme in the pericardial complex of Manduca sexta

The pericardial cell-heart complex (pericardial complex) of fifth instar Manduca sexta larvae has been shown to contain, to synthesize and to release lysozyme. Lysozyme activity was present in homogenates of pericardial complex. Immunocytochemical analysis demonstrated that lysozyme in the pericardial complex was located in pericardial cells. Injection of peptidoglycan elicitors, which markedly increase levels of hemolymph lysozyme, also elevated lysozyme activity in homogenates of pericardial complex, but only moderately. Lysozyme synthesis in the pericardial complex was demonstrated in vitro by the incorporation of [³H]leucine into immunoprecipitable lysozyme. This tissue did exhibit an increase in the release of a variety of newly synthesized proteins but not a selective increase in the synthesis and release of lysozyme after peptidoglycan stimulation.In similar experiments, cultured fat body from naive larvae incorporated [³H]leucine into secreted, immunoprecipitable lysozyme at a rate 100-fold greater than that observed for pericardial complex and exhibited a selective increase in lysozyme synthesis and release to 6.5 times its basal level when stimulated with peptidoglycan.We conclude that, of these two tissues, fat body is the primary source of hemolymph lysozyme. On the other hand, pericardial cell lysozyme may function in the intracellular, lysosomal degradation of pinocytosed fragments of bacterial invaders.     

Effects of salinity on hard clam (Mercenaria mercenaria) defense parameters and QPX disease dynamics

QPX (Quahog Parasite Unknown) is a protistan parasite affecting hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) along the Northeast coast of the United States. The fact that QPX disease epizootics are usually observed in field sites with high salinities led to the general assumption that salinity represents an important factor for disease distribution. This study was designed to investigate the effect of salinity on QPX disease development as well as constitutive and QPX-induced defense factors in M. mercenaria. Naïve and QPX-infected (both experimentally and naturally) clams were submitted to 17 and 30 psu for 4 months. Standard and QPX-specific cellular and humoral defense parameters were assessed after 2 and 4 months. These included total and differential hemocyte counts, reactive oxygen species production, phagocytic activity of hemocytes, lysozyme concentration in plasma, anti-QPX activity in plasma and resistance of hemocytes to cytotoxic QPX extracellular products. Results demonstrated higher QPX-associated mortality in naturally infected clams maintained at high salinity compared to those held at 17 psu. Our findings also showed an increase in mortality following experimental challenge with QPX in clams submitted to 30 psu but not in those held at 17 psu. Constitutive clam defense factors and the response to QPX challenge were also affected by salinity. QPX challenge caused significant but transitory changes in hemolymph parameters that were obvious at 2 months but disappeared at 4 months. Overall, our results show that salinity modulates clam immunity and the progress of QPX disease although its impact appears secondary as compared to findings we reported earlier for temperature.     

Release of lysozyme from hemolymph cells of Mercenaria mercenaria during phagocytosis

Activity of the lysosomal enzyme, lysozyme, has been quantitatively determined in the serum and cells of the hemolymph of Mercenaria mercenaria which had been exposed to known quantities of Bacillus megaterium and also in the serum and cells of hemolymph which had not been exposed to bacteria. The results indicate that the level of enzyme activity is greater in serum of hemolymph that had been exposed to B. megaterium and concurrently, there is an equivalent decrease in the level of activity in the cells. This evidence indicates that the amount of lysozyme released from cells into serum is enhanced during phagocytosis of the bacteria.It has also been demonstrated that the release of lysozyme from cells occurs during the process of phagocytosis and is not a delayed phenomenon.Enzyme release by secondary phagosomes is reflected morphologically by what is commonly referred to as degranulation. This process does not involve the rupture of the plasma membrane of the hemolymph cells since biochemical studies have revealed that there is no release of the cytoplasmic enzyme, lactate dehydrogenase.