Variably protease-sensitive prionopathy (VPSPr), a recently described human sporadic prion disease, features a protease-resistant, disease-related prion protein (resPrP
) displaying 5 fragments ...reminiscent of Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease. Experimental VPSPr transmission to human PrP-expressing transgenic mice, although replication of the VPSPr resPrP
profile succeeded, has been incomplete because of second passage failure. We bioassayed VPSPr in bank voles, which are susceptible to human prion strains. Transmission was complete; first-passage attack rates were 5%-35%, and second-passage rates reached 100% and survival times were 50% shorter. We observed 3 distinct phenotypes and resPrP
profiles; 2 imitated sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease resPrP
, and 1 resembled Gerstmann-Sträussler-Scheinker disease resPrPD. The first 2 phenotypes may be related to the presence of minor PrP
components in VPSPr. Full VPSPr transmission confirms permissiveness of bank voles to human prions and suggests that bank vole PrP may efficiently reveal an underrepresented native strain but does not replicate the complex VPSPr PrP
profile.
•Hantaan virus infects BVK168 cells derived from PUUV host M. glareolus.•Integrin β3 is not expressed in BVK168 cells.•PSI domains of integrin β3 do not differ in PUUV-infected and non-infected bank ...voles.•Receptor usage of hantaviruses in rodent cells differs from entry in human cells.
Host reservoir specificity of pathogens is complex and may depend on receptor variability. For pathogenic orthohantaviruses, integrin β3 had been previously identified as entry receptor and the presence of aspartic acid residue at position 39 (D39) in human integrin β3 was described to be a prerequisite for infection of primate cells with Hantaan virus (HTNV). However, the role of integrin β3 in orthohantavirus infection of host animals is not completely understood. Therefore, we analyzed the nucleotide sequence of the integrin β3 gene of Myodes glareolus and Apodemus agrarius, the hosts of Puumala virus (PUUV) and HTNV, respectively. Sequence analysis in tissue samples demonstrated that the amino acid residue D39 is not present in integrin β3 of these natural orthohantavirus hosts. Furthermore, we analyzed the transcription and protein expression levels of integrin β3 in the renal cell line BVK168 generated from the PUUV host, bank vole. Transcription level of integrin β3 was 100-fold lower in BVK168 cells than in Vero E6 cells and integrin β3 expression was not detectable in BVK168 cells. However, despite the absence of amino acid residue D39 and no detectable integrin β3 expression, BVK168 cells are susceptible to infection with both PUUV and HTNV. These results indicate that the mechanism of orthohantaviral entry in rodent species does not correspond to the requirements that were described for the entry in primate cells in vitro.
Little is known about the presence of human pathogenic Puumala virus (PUUV) in Lithuania. We detected this virus in bank voles (Myodes glareolus) in a region of this country in which previously ...PUUV-seropositive humans were identified. Our results are consistent with heterogeneous distributions of PUUV in other countries in Europe.
Haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) is the most widespread natural-focal human disease in the Russian Federation. In this study, we report virological assessment of a fatal case of ...HFRS-PUUV (Puumala virus) in the Kursk Region. The infection caused severe multiorgan failure and the maximum viral load was detected in the tissue of the spleen.
Viral sequences were obtained from the patient's autopsy material and lung tissues of bank voles captured in the region. These sequences formed a new clade in the PUUV phylogenetic tree, an outgroup to all known Russian (RUS) lineage sequences. On the other hand viruses collected in the Kursk Region grouped with the RUS lineage and are separated from all other PUUV linages. We propose to nominate this novel group as W-RUS as the identified viruses were collected near the western Russian boundary. The recombination signals between their ancestors and RUS lineage representatives from the Volga region were revealed. The strain Samara_94/CG/2005 suggestively emerged as the result of reassortment between the ancestors of W-RUS and DTK-Ufa-97.
•The fatal human case of HFRS-PUUV with multiorgan failure was registred.•Maximal viral load was found in the spleen.•We have discovered new PUUV clade designated as W-RUS.•The recombination event between the ancestors of viruses from this study and RUS lineage representatives was suggested.
•Telocytes are present in the bank vole testis.•Photoperiod regulates teleocyte distribution.•Telocytes are implicated in lipid metabolism.•GPER signaling not effect teleocyte ultrastructure but ...lipid metabolism.•GPER signaling effect teleocyte marker CD34 protein.
We aim to explore the presence of a novel cell type, telocytes (TCs), in the bank vole testis interstitium following G-coupled membrane estrogen receptor (GPER) signaling withdrawal. In addition, the involvement of interstitial cells in lipid homeostasis was investigated.
Bank voles (actively reproducing or regressed) were administered with GPER antagonist (G-15; 50 μg/kg bw) injections. To examine TC distribution, ultrastructure, function, and their connotation in the interstitial tissue lipid balance, electron microscopic observations were implemented. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot for the TC marker, CD34, and lipid balance molecules: leptin, adiponectin, and perilipin were performed. Photoperiod-regulated testis steroidogenic function was estimated via serum melatonin level and intratesticular cholesterol concentrations in immunoenzymatic assays.
We demonstrate the presence of TCs in bank vole testis interstitium. Distinctive TC morphology: small cell bodies with very long, slender prolongations, constituting a three-dimensional network around the interstitial cells was seen. Ultrastructurally, scarce mitochondria, a few cisternae of the endoplasmic reticulum, and lipid droplets indicated possible TC implications in lipid homeostasis. Changes in CD34 expression in TCs were seen in relation to GPER disturbances. In GPER-blocked testis, single TCs were present in the LD interstitium when in SD ones they were occasionally absent. Moreover, in TCs of SD voles, a lack of lipid droplets was revealed, likely reflecting attenuated TC function during regression. However, melatonin levels decreased in GPER-blocked LD and SD. Concomitantly, leptin, adiponectin, and perilipin expressions together with cholesterol content varied after blockage.
Based on our results we suggest TCs are an important component of the bank vole testis interstitium as they are implicated in ultramorphology maintenance, protein interactions, and lipid homeostasis.
Telocytes represent a relatively recently discovered population of interstitial cells with a unique morphological structure that distinguishes them from other neighboring cells. Through their long ...protrusions extending from the cell body, telocytes create microenvironments via tissue compartmentalization and create homo- and hetero-cellular junctions. These establish a three-dimensional network enabling the maintenance of interstitial compartment homeostasis through regulation of extracellular matrix organization and activity, structural support, paracrine and juxtracrine communication, immunomodulation, immune surveillance, cell survival, and apoptosis. The presence of telocytes has also been confirmed in testicular interstitial tissue of many species of animals. The objective of this review is to summarize recent findings on telocytes in the male gonad, on which conclusions have been deduced that indicate the involvement of telocytes in maintaining the cytoarchitecture of the testicular interstitial tissue, in the processes of spermatogenesis and steroidogenesis, and photoperiod-mediated changes in the testes in seasonally reproductive animals.
•Possible interactions of telocytes with other cells of the male gonad.•Maintaining the cytoarchitecture of interstitial tissue.•Importance of telocytes in steroidogenesis and spermatogenesis.•Meaning telocytes in seasonal reproduction.
Animal space use and spatial overlap can have important consequences for population‐level processes such as social interactions and pathogen transmission. Identifying how environmental variability ...and inter‐individual variation affect spatial patterns and in turn influence interactions in animal populations is a priority for the study of animal behaviour and disease ecology. Environmental food availability and macroparasite infection are common drivers of variation, but there are few experimental studies investigating how they affect spatial patterns of wildlife.
Bank voles (Clethrionomys glareolus) are a tractable study system to investigate spatial patterns of wildlife and are amenable to experimental manipulations. We conducted a replicated, factorial field experiment in which we provided supplementary food and removed helminths in vole populations in natural forest habitat and monitored vole space use and spatial overlap using capture–mark–recapture methods.
Using network analysis, we quantified vole space use and spatial overlap. We compared the effects of food supplementation and helminth removal and investigated the impacts of season, sex and reproductive status on space use and spatial overlap.
We found that food supplementation decreased vole space use while helminth removal increased space use. Space use also varied by sex, reproductive status and season. Spatial overlap was similar between treatments despite up to threefold differences in population size.
By quantifying the spatial effects of food availability and macroparasite infection on wildlife populations, we demonstrate the potential for space use and population density to trade‐off and maintain consistent spatial overlap in wildlife populations. This has important implications for spatial processes in wildlife including pathogen transmission.
Using a replicated, factorial field experiment in wildlife populations, the authors find that food supplementation and helminth removal impact space use but not spatial overlap of a wild rodent. These findings provide empirical evidence of how environmental and individual variation can influence contact‐ and proximity‐driven processes such as pathogen transmission.
Abstract
The results of a craniometric analysis of the bank vole (Myodes glareolus) were evaluated in this study. Twenty cranial variables were measured and evaluated on 149 skulls (78 males, 71 ...females) with respect to sex and age. The main aim of this study was to test the sexual dimorphism in skull size. Overall, our results showed that on average, the values for adult and subadult females of M. glareolus were higher than for males. Results presented here thus reveal sexual differences in the measured cranial traits, most expressed for the length of the mandible and the height of the mandible. The effect size was very large for the length of the first upper molar. Comparison of our results with those from other countries confirmed that there are regional differences. These findings highlight the need for craniometric analysis of species also at the regional level.
To investigate the effects of chronic exposure to low-dose radiation on bone marrow (BM) hematopoiesis of bank voles inhabiting the radioactively contaminated territory of the Chornobyl exclusion ...zone.
Animals were collected within the highly radioactive area of the so-called Red Forest located close to the destroyed 4th reactor of the Chornobyl Nuclear Power Plant. Radioecological investigations included evaluation of radiocontamination of soil samples by
90
Sr and
137
Cs, levels of incorporated radionuclides in animals' bodies and organs, as well as the absorbed dose rates. The study of peripheral blood and BM parameters combined with cytogenetic analysis of BM micronucleated polychromatic erythrocytes (MNPCEs) and standard metaphase test was carried out.
The blood system of the exposed animals manifested significant changes in peripheral blood parameters (anemia and leucocyte formula left shift), ineffective differentiation, and maturation of BM cells, particularly relevant to the erythroid and granulocyte pools. Increased yields of BM MNPCEs and chromosomal aberrations, including dicentrics (dics) and Robertsonian fusion-like configurations (Rbts), were revealed.
Observed disturbances in the BM and peripheral blood suggest functional instability and inefficient compensatory and recovery reactions of the blood system of the bank voles from the contaminated areas of the Chornobyl exclusion zone. We assume that they are the consequences both of direct radiation exposure and hereditary pathological changes that have formed in a number of generations inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas.
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