title: Identification of Langerhans-like cells in the immunocompetent tissues of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus.
abstract: Dendritic cells (DCs) are the most powerful antigen presenting cells (APCs) that have a critical role in bridging innate and adaptive immune responses in vertebrates. Dendritic cells have been characterized morphologically and functionally in the teleost fish models such as rainbow trout, salmonids, medaka, and zebrafish. The presence of DCs with remarkable similarities to human Langerhans cells (LCs) has been described in the spleen and anterior kidney of salmonids and rainbow trout. However, there is no evidence of the presence of DCs and their role in channel catfish immunity. In this study, we assessed DC-like cells in the immunocompetent tissues of channel catfish by immunohistochemistry (IHC), flow cytometry and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). We identified Langerin/CD207+(L/CD207+) cells in the channel catfish anterior kidney, spleen and gill by IHC. Moreover, we described the cells that resembled mammal LC DCs containing Birbeck-like (BL) granules in channel catfish spleen, anterior and posterior kidneys and gill by TEM. Our data suggest that cells with DC-like morphology in the immune related organs of catfish may share morphological and functional properties with previously reported DCs in teleost fish and mammals. More detailed knowledge of the phenotype and the function of catfish DCs will not only help gain insight into the evolution of the vertebrate adaptive immune system but will also provide valuable information for development and optimization of immunotherapies and vaccination protocols for aquaculture use.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Adef O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Kordon
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Matthew A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA; Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt.
authors.forename: Iman
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ibrahim
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Hossam
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Abdelhamed
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA; Department of Nutrition and Veterinary Clinical Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Egypt.
authors.forename: Hamada
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathobiology and Population Medicine, Collage of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Wes
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Baumgartner
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA.
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karsi
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS 39762, USA. Electronic address: pinchuk@cvm.msstate.edu.
authors.forename: Lesya M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Pinchuk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D005880:Gills / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007059:Ictaluridae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000276:immunology; D007150:Immunohistochemistry / Q000662:veterinary; D007668:Kidney / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure; D007801:Langerhans Cells / Q000166:cytology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission / Q000662:veterinary; D013154:Spleen / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology / Q000648:ultrastructure
keywords: Birbeck granules; Channel catfish; Dendritic cells; Langerhans cells