Immunohistochemical examination of immune cells in adipose tissue of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) following intraperitoneal vaccination

KAV was supported by ELANCO and SEPPIC to undertake a PhD program at the University of Aberdeen. KAV would like to thank Dr. Abdo Alnabulsi and Dr. Jason Holland for their assistance with immunohistochemistry.Peer reviewedPostprin

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) adipose tissue undergoes major changes in immune gene expression following bacterial infection or stimulation with pro-inflammatory molecules

KAV was supported by ELANCO and SEPPIC to undertake a PhD program at the University of Aberdeen. EW was supported by a PhD studentship from the Ministry of Science and Technology of Thailand and Mahasarakham University. TH received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011).Peer reviewedPostprin

Chronic CO2 exposure markedly increases the incidence of cataracts in juvenile Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L.

A study was undertaken to test the affect of chronic exposure to elevated dissolved carbon dioxide on juvenile Atlantic cod. The CO2 treatment concentrations were designated as low (1-2 mg L-1, 1000 mu atm), medium (8 mg L-1, 3500 mu atm) and high (18 mg L-1, 8500 mu atm), and the fish were reared at 10 C and 20% salinity. A marked observation at the end of the 55 day trial was that an increase in the incidence of eye lesions correlated with increasing CO2 concentration. Typical lesions included unilateral and bilateral exopthalmos, gas bubbles under the sclera and cataracts, and these were quantified in all fish (n = 757 individuals) using field methods. The most notable difference between CO2 treatments was the prevalence and intensity of lenticular cataracts, which were primarily diffuse rather than nucleated. Nearly 75% of all fish from the high CO2 treatment were found to have some degree of cataractous lesion, compared with 10-13% for the other treatments. The severity of the cataract was most pronounced at the highest CO2 concentration, with many fish presenting complete bilateral cataracts. These data indicate that chronic exposure to high CO2 concentrations can cause cataracts in juvenile Atlantic cod. To our knowledge this is the first report of CO2 as a causative agent or aggravating factor for cataracts. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

Analysis of adipose tissue immune gene expression after vaccination of rainbow trout with adjuvanted bacterins reveals an association with side effects

Acknowledgements KAV was supported by ELANCO andSEPPIC to undertake a PhD program at the University of Aberdeen. TH received funding from the MASTS pooling initiative (The Marine Alliance for Science and Technology for Scotland). MASTS is funded by the Scottish Funding Council (grant reference HR09011).Peer reviewedPostprintPostprintPostprintPostprintPostprintPostprintPostprin

Activated β-catenin in Foxp3+ regulatory T cells links inflammatory environments to autoimmunity.

Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Treg cells) are the central component of peripheral immune tolerance. Whereas a dysregulated Treg cytokine signature has been observed in autoimmune diseases, the regulatory mechanisms underlying pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine production are elusive. Here, we identify an imbalance between the cytokines IFN-γ and IL-10 as a shared Treg signature present in patients with multiple sclerosis and under high-salt conditions. RNA-sequencing analysis on human Treg subpopulations revealed β-catenin as a key regulator of IFN-γ and IL-10 expression. The activated β-catenin signature was enriched in human IFN-γ+ Treg cells, as confirmed in vivo with Treg-specific β-catenin-stabilized mice exhibiting lethal autoimmunity with a dysfunctional Treg phenotype. Moreover, we identified prostaglandin E receptor 2 (PTGER2) as a regulator of IFN-γ and IL-10 production under a high-salt environment, with skewed activation of the β-catenin-SGK1-Foxo axis. Our findings reveal a novel PTGER2-β-catenin loop in Treg cells linking environmental high-salt conditions to autoimmunity