No abstract

analyses dated divergence of Clade I and Clade II during the Pleistocene, as previously proposed. In addition, migration rates were estimated using coalescent methods, and showed a net migration from Atlantic Ocean feeding grounds towards the Gulf of Guinea, the best-known spawning ground of Atlantic bigeye tuna.Running title: Genetic diversity of Atlantic bigeye tuna

The abundance of competent epineustonic larvae of the gastropod Concholepas concholepas (Gastropoda: Muricidae) in nearshore waters at 2 sites along the central coast of Chile was examined through monthly plankton tows from July 1999 to June 2000. Larvae were found in plankton collections from July 1999 to February 2000 with maximum abundance in September and October. Settlement in artificial collectors deployed onshore on the lower intertidal zone showed the same unimodal pattern with a settlement peak during October and November. Variation in larval distribution among sampling dates was related to the occurrence of north-south winds. We found that C. concholepas larvae were more abundant closer to shore after moderate southerly wind periods than on calm days, probably because of the shoreward advection of the upper sea surface layer. While sampling during a strong coastal upwelling event (produced by strong southwesterly winds), C. concholepas larvae were only found in the upwelled waters between the front and the coast. This unusual pattern contrasts with what would be expected for typical epineustonic larvae, suggesting the existence of a mechanism of transport or retention by which C. concholepas larvae stay near coastal settling areas, thus avoiding offshore dispersion.

Antibody-mediated targeting of antigen to specific antigen presenting cells (APC) receptors is an attractive strategy to enhance T cell immune responses to weak immunogenic antigens. Here, we describe the characterization of two monoclonal antibodies (mAb) against different epitopes of porcine sialoadhesin (Sn) and evaluate in vitro the potential of targeting this receptor for delivery of antigens to APC for T cell stimulation. The specificity of these mAb was determined by amino acid sequence analysis of peptides derived from the affinity purified antigen. Porcine Sn is expressed by macrophages present in the border between white and red pulp of the spleen and in the subcapsular sinus of lymph nodes, an appropriate location for trapping blood and lymph-borne antigens. It is also expressed by alveolar macrophages and monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MoDC). Blood monocytes are negative for this molecule, but its expression can be induced by treatment with IFN-a. MAb bound to Sn is rapidly endocytosed. MAb to sialoadhesin induced in vitro T cell proliferation at concentrations 100-fold lower than the non-targeting control mAb when using T lymphocytes from pigs immunized with mouse immunoglobulins as responder cells and IFN-a treated monocytes or MoDC as APC, suggesting a role of sialoadhesin in antigen uptake and/or delivery into the presentation pathway in APC.

Haemophilus parasuis is a colonizer of healthy piglets and the etiological agent of Glässer's disease. Differences in virulence among strains of H. parasuis have been widely observed. In order to explore the host-pathogen interaction, snatch-farrowed colostrum-deprived piglets were intranasally infected with 4 strains of H. parasuis: reference virulent strain Nagasaki, reference nonvirulent strain SW114, field strain IT29205 (from a systemic lesion and virulent in a previous challenge), and field strain F9 (from the nasal cavity of a healthy piglet). At different times after infection, two animals of each group were euthanized and alveolar macrophages were analyzed for the expression of CD163, CD172a, SLA I (swine histocompatibility leukocyte antigen I), SLA II, sialoadhesin (or CD169), and CD14. At 1 day postinfection (dpi), virulent strains induced reduced expression of CD163, SLA II, and CD172a on the surfaces of the macrophages, while nonvirulent strains induced increased expression of CD163, both compared to noninfected controls. At 2 dpi, the pattern switched into a strong expression of CD172a, CD163, and sialoadhesin by the virulent strains, which was followed by a steep increase in interleukin 8 (IL-8) and soluble CD163 in serum at 3 to 4 dpi. The early increase in surface expression of CD163 induced by nonvirulent strains went along with higher levels of IL-8 in serum than those induced by virulent strains in the first 2 days of infection. Alpha interferon (IFN-␣) induction was observed only in animals infected with nonvirulent strains. Overall, these results are compatible with a delay in macrophage activation by virulent strains, which may be critical for disease production.