title: Influence of enteric helminths on the distribution of intestinal endocrine cells belonging to the diffuse endocrine system in brown trout, Salmo trutta L.
abstract: The presence of intestinal helminths in the alimentary canal of brown trout, Salmo trutta L., can alter the number of cells that synthesize modulatory peptides. A total of 167 brown trout were collected from tributaries of the River Brenta (northern Italy), of which 119 (71.3%) specimens were infected with enteric helminths, 28 with the acanthocephalan Pomphorhynchus laevis Müller, 1776 with intensity of infection ranging from 1 to 162 (18.57 +/- 30.79) worms per host and 67 fish with the cestode Cyathocephalus truncatus Pallas, 1781. Intensity of infection with C. truncatus ranged from 1 to 85 (6.87 +/- 12.59) per fish. In 24 fish there were concurrent infections of both species of helminths. The caecal and middle regions of the intestine were the most heavily parasitized. Immunohistochemical tests showed a decrease in endocrine cells (ECs) of the diffuse endocrine system (DES) positive to gastrin, cholecystokinin-8, bombesin and secretin antisera in the intestine of the infected trout. The number of ECs immunoreactive to anti-glucagon serum did not show differences in the digestive tract of uninfected brown trout and in conspecifics parasitized with P. laevis. The density of cells containing glucagon-like material was low in the fish parasitized with C. truncatus. The results suggest that endoparasitic helminths induce alterations in the DES of infected S. trutta.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Ferrara, Italy. dzb@dns.unife.it
authors.forename: B S
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Dezfuli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Arrighi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Domeneghini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bosi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001839:Bombesin / Q000378:metabolism; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000378:metabolism; D019858:Enteroendocrine Cells / Q000502:physiology*; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D005755:Gastrins / Q000378:metabolism; D005934:Glucagon / Q000378:metabolism; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007411:Intestinal Diseases, Parasitic / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000378:metabolism; D012633:Secretin / Q000378:metabolism; D014337:Trout / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology*
chemical_list: D005755:Gastrins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C410885:cholecystokinin 8; D012633:Secretin; D005934:Glucagon; D002766:Cholecystokinin; D001839:Bombesin