title: Physiological and immunological characterization of Caribbean spiny lobsters Panulirus argus naturally infected with Panulirus argus Virus 1 (PaV1).
abstract: The present study compares 13 physiological and immunological variables between a group of healthy Panulirus argus lobsters and a group of lobsters naturally infected with Panulirus argus Virus 1 (PaV1). Viral infection was determined through histopathology and PCR. Ten of the 13 variables differed significantly between the 2 groups. Using these variables, a principal component analysis yielded 2 separate clusters: one corresponding to the healthy group and the other corresponding to the infected group. In particular, infected lobsters exhibited significantly lower levels of osmotic pressure, total hemocyte counts, plasmatic proteins, and total phenoloxidase (PO) activity in plasma, as well as significantly higher levels of cholesterol and acylglycerides. These features are consistent with metabolic wasting, hyperlipidemia, and presumed immune suppression. Infection with PaV1 appears to increase the susceptibility of lobsters to some other opportunistic pathogens, as 61.1% of infected lobsters presented infestations of ciliate epibionts (Epystilis and Zoothamniun) in the gill chamber compared with 11.5% lobsters in the healthy group. Infected lobsters also showed significantly higher levels of total PO activity in degranulated hemocytes and trypsin inhibitor activity, potentially indicating activation of immune response by the PO system during the systemic infection with PaV1.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Unidad Académica Sisal, Mexico. pascual.cristina@gmail.com
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pascual Jiménez
authors.forename: Juan Pablo
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Huchin-Mian
authors.forename: Nuno
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Simões
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Briones-Fourzán
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lozano-Álvarez
authors.forename: Ariadna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sánchez Arteaga
authors.forename: Juan Antonio
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Pérez-Vega
authors.forename: Raúl
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Simá-Álvarez
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rosas Vazquez
authors.forename: Rossanna
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-Canul
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004267:DNA Viruses / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D033521:Palinuridae / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology* / Q000821:virology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction