Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Molecular Immunopathogenesis of Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtle (Trionyx sinensis) Infected with Aeromonas hydrophila

Abstract

Although hemorrhagic sepsis caused by Aeromonas hydrophila infection is the dominant disease in the aquaculture of Chinese soft-shelled turtle, information on its molecular pathology is seriously limited. In this study, ninety turtles intraperitoneally injected with A. hydrophila exhibited two different phenotypes based on the pathological symptoms, referred to as active and inactive turtles. Comparative transcriptomes of liver and spleen from these two groups at 6, 24, and 72 h post-injection (hpi) were further analyzed. The results showed that cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, PRRs mediated signaling pathway, apoptosis, and phagocytosis enriched in active and inactive turtles were significantly different. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, the TLR signaling pathway, NLR signaling pathway, and RLR signaling pathway mediating cytokine expression, and apoptosis-related genes, were significantly up-regulated in inactive turtles at the early stage (6 hpi). The significant up-regulation of phagocytosis-related genes occurred at 24 hpi in inactive turtles and relatively lagged behind those in active turtles. The anti-inflammatory cytokine, IL10, was significantly up-regulated during the tested periods (6, 24, and 72 hpi) in active turtles. These findings offer valuable information for the understanding of molecular immunopathogenesis after A. hydrophila infection, and facilitate further investigations on strategies against hemorrhagic sepsis in Chinese soft-shelled turtle T. sinensis.

Texture quality, histological and extracellular matrix‐related molecular changes of the calipash of Chinese soft‐shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis in response to Aeromonas hydrophila challenge

“…The culturing of A . hydrophila was conducted using the protocol of Lv et al (2021). The bacteria concentration was adjusted to 2–5 × 10 7 CFU/ml with sterile saline, which was previously proved as the medium lethal concentration for P. sinensis infection.…”

“…The bacteria A. hydrophila, isolated from the spleen of diseased P. sinensis, was provided by Dr. Jiehao Xu from the College of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Wanli University, China. The culturing of A. hydrophila was conducted using the protocol of Lv et al (2021). The bacteria concentration was adjusted to 2-5 × 10 7 CFU/ ml with sterile saline, which was previously proved as the medium lethal concentration for P. sinensis infection.…”

“…A great number of studies have been focusing on the histopathology, immune responses and the various regulatory feed additives or factors to control the bacterial infection in P. sinensis (Chen et al, 2018; Liu et al, 2019; Lv et al, 2021; Zhou et al, 2008). The metabolic changes and mobilization responses in various tissues including the spleen, liver, intestine, kidney and so on have also been illustrated (Liu et al, 2019; Lv et al, 2021; Zhang et al, 2015; Zhou et al, 2009). However, there are very few studies involving the most characteristic calipash tissue of P. sinensis infected with bacteria.…”

“…For P. sinensis, infection with A. hydrophila has been found to be the dominant disease leading to serious economic losses (Chen et al, 2013;Liu et al, 2019;Zhou et al, 2008). A great number of studies have been focusing on the histopathology, immune responses and the various regulatory feed additives or factors to control the bacterial infection in P. sinensis (Chen et al, 2018;Liu et al, 2019;Lv et al, 2021;Zhou et al, 2008). The metabolic changes and mobilization responses in various tissues including the spleen, liver, intestine, kidney and so on have also been illustrated (Liu et al, 2019;Lv et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2015;Zhou et al, 2009).…”

Transcriptome and Genome Analyses Applied to Aquaculture Research

“…This is the case of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle ( Trionyx sinensis or Pelodiscus sinensis ), an important cultured reptile in East Asia taken as a food resource, especially in China and Japan. Lv et al [ 7 ] conducted RNA-Seq analyses of liver and spleen from uninfected turtles and two groups of turtles with different susceptibility to Aeromonas hydrophila infection. Whereas the diseased turtles showed a high induction of genes encoding for pro-inflammatory cytokines, pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), and apoptosis-related molecules and low phagocytic response, asymptomatic turtles showed the opposite pattern.…”