Natural mass infection by heterophyid metacercariae in aquacultured Japanese eel in Taiwan.
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A natural mass infection of heterophyid metacercariae in aquacultured Japanese eel Anguilla japonica in Taiwan was observed. Of the 28,000 adult eels in 2 ponds, about 25,000 (90%) showed swollen, cloudy and white eyes. Although morbidity was about 90%, there was no mortality among the affected eels. Histopathological sections showed edema and hemorrhage of the eye. Numerous metacercariae were observed in the muscle tissues around the eyeball, the subcutaneous tissue and even in the cartilage. Of the 6 eels digested with artificial gastric juice, all were found to contain metacercariae in their muscle tissues. The average number of metacercariae recovered from the 6 eels was 1219, with a range of 50 to 3762. These metacercariae, when fed orally to immunodeficient (scid) mice, developed into adult worms which were identified as Procerovum cheni Hsu 1950. The naturally infected eels were transferred to a new pond without snails and their eye lesions were not apparent anymore after 2 wk. In a follow-up investigation, 19 of 20 apparently healthy eels in a nearby aquaculture farm were found to harbour metacercariae in their muscles. However, the number of the metacercariae ranged from 1 to 14, with an average of 4.21. This is the first report of heterophyid metacercariae causing mass morbidity in aquacultured eels. (+info)
Differentiation of Helicobacter pylori isolates based on lectin binding of cell extracts in an agglutination assay.
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Plant and animal lectins with various carbohydrate specificities were used to type 35 Irish clinical isolates of Helicobacter pylori and the type strain NCTC 11637 in a microtiter plate assay. Initially, a panel of eight lectins with the indicated primary specificities were used: Anguilla anguilla (AAA), Lotus tetragonolobus (Lotus A), and Ulex europaeus I (UEA I), specific for alpha-L-fucose; Solanum tuberosum (STA) and Triticum vulgaris (WGA), specific for beta-N-acetylglucosamine; Glycine max (SBA), specific for beta-N-acetylgalactosamine; Erythrina cristagali (ECA), specific for beta-galactose and beta-N-acetylgalactosamine; and Lens culinaris (LCA), specific for alpha-mannose and alpha-glucose. Three of the lectins (SBA, STA, and LCA) were not useful in aiding in strain discrimination. An optimized panel of five lectins (AAA, ECA, Lotus A, UEA I, and WGA) grouped all 36 strains tested into eight lectin reaction patterns. For optimal typing, pretreatment by washing bacteria with a low-pH buffer to allow protein release, followed by proteolytic degradation to eliminate autoagglutination, was used. Lectin types of treated samples were stable and reproducible. No strain proved to be untypeable by this system. Electrophoretic and immunoblotting analyses of lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) indicated that the lectins interact primarily, but not solely, with the O side chain of H. pylori LPS. (+info)
Pharmacokinetic and depletion studies of sarafloxacin after oral administration to eel (Anguilla anguilla).
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The pharmacokinetics of sarafloxacin applied by oral gavage at a dose of 15 mg/kg b.w. was studied in eel (Anguilla anguilla) at water temperature of 24 degrees C. Sarafloxacin levels were determined using high performance liquid chromatography with a quantitation limit of 0.07 microg/ml or gram. The time to peak plasma concentration, Tmax, was 12 hr and peak concentration, Cmax, was 2.64 microg/ml. The absorption rate constant (k(a)) was 0.23 hr(-1) (r=0.996). The drug disposition curve after Tmax was fitted to a two-compartment open model. The distribution rate constant (alpha) was 0.085 hr(-1) (r=0.972), and the half-life (t(1,2alpha)) was 8.15 hr. The elimination rate constant (beta) was 0.023 hr(-1) (r=0.909), and the half-life (t(1/2beta)) was 30.13 hr. The estimated area under the curve, AUC, was 56.7 microg.hr/ml. The peak concentrations of drug in liver, kidney, muscle, and skin were 13.39 (12 hr), 5.53 (12 hr), 1.82 (24 hr), and 0.78 microg/g (40 hr), respectively. The time for sarafloxacin mean levels to fall below detectable limits in the plasma, muscle, and skin were 7 days but for the liver and kidney were 14 days. (+info)
Gill lamellar pillar cell necrosis, a new birnavirus disease in Japanese eels.
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Since the late 1980s, a birnaviral gill disease has been occurring in Japanese eels Anguilla japonica reared in warmwater ponds in western regions in Japan. Diseased eels mostly displayed marked formations of aneurysmal hematomas within gill lamellae and high mortalities. Histological examination revealed necrosis of pillar cells and subsequent aggregation of erythrocytes inside the lamellar capillaries, and proliferation of interlamellar epithelia onto the lamellae. Gastric gland cells were also necrotized. Electron microscopy revealed birnavirus infection in lamellar pillar cells. The causative birnavirus was isolated and cultured in fish cell lines and was found to be related to an infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) Sp serotype by neutralization tests. The viral pathogenicity was confirmed by the results of histopathological examinations and infectivity experiments. (+info)
Chloride cell subtypes in the gill epithelium of Japanese eel Anguilla japonica.
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The purpose of the present study was to characterize chloride cell subtypes in the fish gill and to monitor the kinetic change of cell division in the gill epithelia during seawater adaptation. Employing a three-step Percoll gradient method, the gill chloride cells and nonchloride cell population were isolated. The isolated cells were studied using multiparameter flow cytometry, recording the changes in 1) cell size, 2) cellular granularity, and 3) cell autofluorescence. Two chloride cell subtypes were identified in the freshwater eels. Within 2-4 days after entering seawater, new subtypes of transitory chloride cell, with bigger cell size and more intense mitochondria autofluorescence, appeared. After full adaptation, two major seawater chloride cell subtypes were again discerned; their sizes were the largest and their mitochondria autofluorescence was the highest. In the second part of the experiment, cell cycle analysis demonstrated a progressive increase in the percentage of gill cells entering the DNA synthesis phase during seawater adaptation, where a small population of mitotic cells was identified in the nonchloride cell population but not in chloride cells. We hypothesize that the mitotic cells identified are stem cells, which will ultimately differentiate into seawater chloride cells. Our results confirm the existence of heterogeneity of chloride cells. Individual subtypes could be isolated in high purity for further studies to elucidate their respective function in mediating ion transport. (+info)
cDNA cloning of a novel androgen receptor subtype.
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There has been general acceptance that only one type of androgen receptor (AR) exists in an individual. This contrasts with other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily where multiple forms have been reported (e.g. estrogen receptor alpha/beta, thyroid hormone receptor alpha/beta, etc.). We have previously identified 11-ketotestosterone (a potent androgen in teleosts) as the spermatogenesis-inducing hormone of the Japanese eel and have cloned its receptor (eAR1) cDNA from eel testis. Here we report on the cloning of a cDNA encoding a second type of AR (eAR2) from the eel testis and the functional characterization of the encoded protein. This cDNA contains a complete open reading frame encoding 797 amino acid residues. The amino acid sequence of eAR2 shows high homology with other ARs, including eAR1, in the DNA-binding (98-88%) and ligand-binding (59-85%) domains, whereas the other domains show low homology (<35%). In transient transfection assays of mammalian cells, the eAR2 protein displayed androgen-dependent activation of transcription from the androgen-responsive murine mammary tumor virus promoter. Tissue distribution of its mRNA was different from that of eAR1. We conclude that eAR2 is a novel AR in the eel, which we suggest should be named eel ARbeta to distinguish it from eAR1 (eARalpha). (+info)
Recombinant human insulin-like growth factor I stimulates all stages of 11-ketotestosterone-induced spermatogenesis in the Japanese eel, Anguilla japonica, in vitro.
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In this study, we examined the in vitro effects of insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) in the presence or absence of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT: the spermatogenesis-inducing hormone) on the proliferation of Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) testicular germ cells. Initially, a short-term culture (15 days) of testicular tissue with only type A and early type B spermatogonia (preproliferated spermatogonia) was carried out in Leibovitz-15 growth medium supplemented with different concentrations of recombinant human IGF (rhIGF)-I or -II in the presence or absence of 10 ng/ml of 11-KT. Late type B spermatogonia (proliferated spermatogonia) were observed in treatments of 100 ng/ml of both rhIGF-I and -II in combination with 11-KT, indicating the onset and progression of spermatogenesis. In all tested rhIGF-I concentrations (except 0.1 ng/ml) supplemented with 11-KT, late type B spermatogonia were detected in at least one individual. Then, we proceeded with an in vitro 45-day culture of testicular tissue with 100 ng/ml of rhIGF-I in the presence or absence of 10 ng/ml of 11-KT to test the long-term effects of rhIGF-I on the spermatogenetic cycle. The presence of all types of germ cells, including spermatozoa, in the testis cultured with the admixture of the two hormones indicated that the germ cells underwent complete spermatogenesis whereas no germ cell proliferation was observed when the rhIGF-I was applied alone. These results suggest that IGF-I in the presence of 11-KT plays an essential role in the onset, progress, and regulation of spermatogenesis in the testis of the Japanese eel. (+info)
Contents of several inorganic substances in European eel infected and uninfected by Anguillicola crassus (Nematoda).
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The content of 5 macroelements and 5 microelements were analyzed using the atomic absorption method in muscle samples of European eels infected and uninfected by Anguillicola crasus. The mean contents of these substances in infected eels were statistically highly significantly lower in Ca, P, Fe, Mn, but only statistically significantly lower in Na, Mg, Zn and Cu as compared to uninfected fishes. These differences are discussed in relation to hematophagus feeding and pathogenity of the parasite. (+info)