Kim Seung-Hyeon, Kim Hyoun Joong, Bathige S D N K, Kim Soohwan, Park Kyung-Il
Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, College of Ocean and Biosciences, Kunsan National University, Gunsan, 54150, Republic of Korea.
Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, College of Ocean and Biosciences, Kunsan National University, Gunsan, 54150, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Fisheries Science in Offshore Wind Farm (RIFSO), Kunsan National University, 558 Daehakro, Gunsan, 54150, Republic of Korea.
Fish Shellfish Immunol. 2025 Feb;157:110112. doi: 10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110112. Epub 2025 Jan 6.
In this study, we investigated the variability in virulence among different strains of Perkinsus marinus and other Perkinsus species in Eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), examining the immune responses and mortality rates of oysters exposed to different Perkinsus isolates. Compared with the other assessed strains, P. marinus strain ATCC 50787 was found to induce significantly (P < 0.05) higher levels of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and necrosis in oyster hemocytes. Perkinsus chesapeaki (ATCC PRA-65) elicited strong immune responses and high mortality in Eastern oysters at rates similar to those induced by the most virulent P. marinus strain. In contrast, P. olseni and P. honshuensis induced low levels of immune response and mortality. In vivo survival assays confirmed that strains inducing high immune responses in vitro also caused high mortalities in oysters. Our findings in this study highlight the importance of considering strain-specific virulence when studying Perkinsus infections in oysters. These findings have implications for understanding host-parasite interactions and managing Perkinsus-related diseases in oyster populations, particularly from the perspectives of aquaculture and conservation.
在本研究中，我们调查了不同菌株的马里努斯派琴虫及其他派琴虫物种在东部牡蛎（弗吉尼亚牡蛎）中的毒力变异性，研究了暴露于不同派琴虫分离株的牡蛎的免疫反应和死亡率。与其他评估菌株相比，发现马里努斯派琴虫菌株ATCC 50787在牡蛎血细胞中诱导产生的活性氧、一氧化氮水平及坏死程度显著更高（P < 0.05）。切萨皮克派琴虫（ATCC PRA - 65）在东部牡蛎中引发了强烈的免疫反应和高死亡率，其死亡率与最具毒力的马里努斯派琴虫菌株所诱导的死亡率相似。相比之下，奥尔森派琴虫和本州派琴虫诱导的免疫反应和死亡率较低。体内存活试验证实，在体外诱导高免疫反应的菌株在牡蛎中也会导致高死亡率。我们在本研究中的发现凸显了在研究牡蛎中的派琴虫感染时考虑菌株特异性毒力的重要性。这些发现对于理解宿主 - 寄生虫相互作用以及管理牡蛎种群中与派琴虫相关的疾病具有重要意义，特别是从水产养殖和保护的角度来看。
