Comparative Analysis of PRV-1 in Atlantic Salmon and PRV-3 in Coho Salmon: Host-Specific Immune Responses and Apoptosis in Red Blood Cells.

Fish red blood cells (RBCs) are nucleated, transcriptionally active, and key players in both gas transport and immune responses. They are the primary targets of (PRV), the etiological agent of heart and skeletal muscle inflammation (HSMI), which includes three genotypes (PRV-1, PRV-2, and PRV-3), linked to circulatory disorders in farmed salmon. In Chile, PRV-3 affects the coho salmon (), but host-pathogen interactions remain poorly characterized. This study compared the interactions of PRV-3 in coho salmon and PRV-1 in Atlantic salmon () using RBC infection models. RBCs were isolated from healthy juvenile salmon (n = 3) inoculated with either PRV-1 (Ct = 18.87) or PRV-3 (Ct = 21.86). Poly I:C (50 µg/mL) was used as a positive control for the antiviral response. Cells were monitored for up to 14 days post-infection (dpi). PRV-3 infection in coho salmon RBCs caused significant metabolic disruption, apoptosis from 7 dpi, and correlated with increasing viral loads. In contrast, PRV-1 infection in Atlantic salmon RBCs showed limited apoptosis and maintained cell viability. Coho salmon RBCs upregulated , , and transcripts, indicating activation of the type I interferon pathway, whereas Atlantic salmon RBCs exhibited a more attenuated response. PRV-3 induced notable morphological changes in coho salmon RBCs, although neither PRV-3 nor PRV-1 caused hemolysis. These findings highlight species-specific differences in RBC responses to PRV infection and provide new insights into the pathogenesis of PRV-3 and PRV-1.