Publications by authors named "Wiegertjes G"

In teleosts, the immunoglobulin classes produced by B cells are IgM, IgD, and IgT/IgZ. IgT was initially described as an immunoglobulin specialized in mucosal responses; accumulating evidence, however, shows that it is also involved in systemic immune responses. Two types of IgT/IgZ (IgT1 and IgT2) were previously described in common carp, but their further characterization was hampered by the lack of specific tool.

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The constant exposure of the fish branchial cavity to aquatic pathogens causes local mucosal immune responses to be extremely important for their survival. Here, we used a marker for T lymphocytes/natural killer (NK) cells (ZAP70) and advanced imaging techniques to investigate the lymphoid architecture of the zebrafish branchial cavity. We identified a sub-pharyngeal lymphoid organ, which we tentatively named "Nemausean lymphoid organ" (NELO).

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Allopolyploids often experience subgenome dominance, with one subgenome showing higher levels of gene expression and greater gene retention. Here, we address the functionality of both subgenomes of allotetraploid common carp (Cyprinus carpio) by analysing a functional network of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) crucial in anti-viral immune defence. As an indicator of subgenome dominance we investigated retainment of a core set of ohnologous ISGs.

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An outstanding question in biology is to what extent convergent evolution produces similar, but not necessarily identical, complex phenotypic solutions. The placenta is a complex organ that repeatedly evolved in the livebearing fish family Poeciliidae. Here, we apply comparative approaches to test whether evolution has produced similar or different placental phenotypes in the Poeciliidae and to what extent these phenotypes correlate with convergence at the molecular level.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study examined how the toxic effects of deoxynivalenol (DON) from Fusarium graminearum in rainbow trout were influenced by co-exposure to toxins from Fusarium verticillioides (FU).
  • The experimental design included four different diets to assess growth performance and liver/gastrointestinal histopathology over an 8-week period.
  • Results showed that both DON and FU independently hindered growth and increased feed conversion ratio, without any interaction effects between the two toxins.
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Innate immune responses to inflammation and infection are complex and represent major challenges for developing much needed new treatments for chronic inflammatory diseases and drug-resistant infections. To be ultimately successful, the immune response must be balanced to allow pathogen clearance without excess tissue damage, processes controlled by pro- and anti-inflammatory signals. The roles of anti-inflammatory signalling in raising an appropriate immune response are underappreciated, representing overlooked potential drug targets.

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Background: Prebiotic feed additives aim to improve gut health by influencing the microbiota and the gut barrier. Most studies on feed additives concentrate on one or two (monodisciplinary) outcome parameters, such as immunity, growth, microbiota or intestinal architecture. A combinatorial and comprehensive approach to disclose the complex and multifaceted effects of feed additives is needed to understand their underlying mechanisms before making health benefit claims.

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The constant intensification of aquaculture has considerable increased the stress levels of farmed fish and, consequently, the number and intensity of diseases outbreaks. Thus, studies on fish immune response, especially regarding the interaction of fish leukocytes with potential pathogens and xenobiotics are of great importance in order to develop new prophylactic and curative strategies. We isolated leukocytes from the head kidney of Astyanax lacustris-an important Neotropical fish species for aquaculture and a potential model for Neotropical aquaculture research-using a Percoll centrifugation protocol.

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This study with juvenile rainbow trout evaluated the effects of dietary exposure to deoxynivalenol (DON) at industrially relevant doses (up to 1.6 mg/kg) on growth performance, the liver, and the gastrointestinal tract. Fifteen groups of 30 fish each were given one of five dietary treatments in triplicate: (1) control diet (CON; DON < 100 µg/kg feed), (2) naturally DON-contaminated diet (ND1) with a DON content of 700 µg/kg in the feed, (3) ND2 with a DON content of 1200 µg/kg feed, (4) a pure DON-contaminated diet (PD1) with 800 µg/kg of DON in the feed, and (5) PD2 with DON at a concentration of 1600 µg/kg in the feed.

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Dietary supplementation of fish with β-glucans has been commonly associated with immunomodulation and generally accepted as beneficial for fish health. However, to date the exact mechanisms of immunomodulation by β-glucan supplementation in fish have remained elusive. In mammals, a clear relation between high-fibre diets, such as those including β-glucans, and diet-induced immunomodulation intestinal microbiota and associated metabolites has been observed.

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The intestine has many types of cells that are present mostly in the epithelium and lamina propria. The importance of the intestinal cells for the mammalian mucosal immune system is well-established. However, there is no in-depth information about many of the intestinal cells in teleosts.

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Two classes of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, MHC class I and class II, play important roles in our immune system, presenting antigens to functionally distinct T lymphocyte populations. However, the origin of this essential MHC class divergence is poorly understood. Here, we discovered a category of MHC molecules (W-category) in the most primitive jawed vertebrates, cartilaginous fish, and also in bony fish and tetrapods.

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Article Synopsis
  • The zebrafish serves as a key model for studying both human and fish diseases, yet the details of its immune system, especially mucosa-associated lymphoid tissues (MALTs), are not well understood.
  • Recent discoveries of structured MALTs in species like Atlantic salmon have prompted research into similar structures in zebrafish, leading to the identification of gill-associated lymphoid tissue (GIALT).
  • Using advanced microscopy techniques, researchers found that the GIALT in zebrafish is organized into at least five distinct regions, including the newly identified Amphibranchial Lymphoid Tissue (ALT), which, along with the interbranchial lymphoid tissue (ILT), plays an important role in immune responses, particularly following
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Accumulating evidence supports the crucial role intestinal microbiota and their metabolites play in the homeostasis of organisms. An important class of metabolites that have been shown to affect the immune system are short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). These SCFAs can affect the host cells via passive diffusion or via ligation to receptors, among others G-protein coupled receptor (GPR) 41 and 43.

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The first part of this study evaluates the occurrence of mycotoxin patterns in feedstuffs and fish feeds. Results were extrapolated from a large data pool derived from wheat ( = 857), corn ( = 725), soybean meal ( = 139) and fish feed ( = 44) samples in European countries and based on sample analyses by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in the period between 2012-2019. Deoxynivalenol (DON) was readily present in corn (in 47% of the samples) > wheat (41%) > soybean meal (11%), and in aquafeeds (48%).

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A tightly regulated innate immune response to trypanosome infections is critical to strike a balance between parasite control and inflammation-associated pathology. In this study, we make use of the recently established infection model in larval zebrafish to study the early response of macrophages and neutrophils to trypanosome infections in vivo. We consistently identified high- and low-infected individuals and were able to simultaneously characterise their differential innate response.

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Quantitative real-time PCR is one of the most widely used techniques for measuring changes in the expression of target transcripts due to its sensitivity, specificity, and cost-effectiveness. However, the essential step that determines appropriate and correct data interpretation is the selection of proper endogenous control genes. Identifying useful reference genes with stable expression is critical for accurate normalization and precise results.

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Tambaqui Colossoma macropomum is the most cultivated native fish in South America and Aeromonas hydrophila is one of the main bacteria infecting tropical fish. Despite the economic importance of this round fish, to date, there has been a paucity of investigations into haematological changes in tambaqui. In this study, detailed blood analyses (0 h, 6 h, 24 h, 7 d and 14 d) following intraperitoneal challenge with A.

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Kinetoplastid parasites require transferrin (Tf), being the main source of iron, for growth and multiplication. This group of parasites developed a unique receptor-mediated system for acquiring host Tf which bears no structural homology with the host transferrin receptor. Trypanoplasma borreli, a blood parasite of common carp, probably uses a similar mechanism to sequester iron from host transferrin.

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The production of tambaqui Colossoma macropomum has recently reached a milestone, being considered the main native species produced in South American continental waters. Despite the importance of this fish, its immunity is not well understood. In this study we established some patterns of innate immunity for the species via two experiments.

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Carotenoids, one of the most common types of natural pigments, can influence the colors of living organisms. More than 750 kinds of carotenoids have been identified. Generally, carotenoids occur in organisms at low levels.

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Our knowledge of the intestinal immune system of fish is rather limited compared to mammals. Very little is known about the immune cells including the phagocytic cells in fish intestine. Hence, employing imaging flow cytometry and RNA sequencing, we studied adherent cells isolated from healthy Atlantic salmon.

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Mammalian macrophages can adopt polarization states that, depending on the exact stimuli present in their extracellular environment, can lead to very different functions. Although these different polarization states have been shown primarily for macrophages of humans and mice, it is likely that polarized macrophages with corresponding phenotypes exist across mammals. Evidence of functional conservation in macrophages from teleost fish suggests that the same, or at least comparable polarization states should also be present in teleosts.

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In bony fish, the gill filaments are essential for gas exchanges, but also are vulnerable to infection by water-borne microorganisms. Omnipresent across fish, gill-associated lymphoid tissues (GIALT) regulate interactions with local microbiota and halt infection by pathogens. A special GIALT structure has recently been found in Salmonids, the interbranchial lymphoid tissue (ILT).

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Macrophages play important roles in conditions ranging from host immune defense to tissue regeneration and polarize their functional phenotype accordingly. Next to differences in the use of L-arginine and the production of different cytokines, inflammatory M1 macrophages and anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages are also metabolically distinct. In mammals, M1 macrophages show metabolic reprogramming toward glycolysis, while M2 macrophages rely on oxidative phosphorylation to generate energy.

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