Comparison of Atlantic salmon individuals with different outcomes of cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS)

• Published in: BMC Genomics
• Main Authors: Timmerhaus Gerrit, Krasnov Aleksei, Takle Harald, Afanasyev Sergey, Nilsen Pål, Rode Marit, Jørgensen Sven
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2012
• Subjects: Biotechnology; TP248.13-248.65; Genetics; QH426-470; Atlantic salmon; Salmo salar
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2164-13-205; https://doaj.org/article/7564fd9d91874668938e26bd3155d2fb

Abstract Background Cardiomyopathy syndrome (CMS) is a severe disease of Atlantic salmon ( Salmo salar L.) associated with significant economic losses in the aquaculture industry. CMS is diagnosed with a severe inflammation and degradation of myocardial tissue caused by a double-stranded RNA virus named piscine myocarditis virus (PMCV), with structural similarities to the Totiviridae family. In the present study we characterized individual host responses and genomic determinants of different disease outcomes. Results From time course studies of experimentally infected Atlantic salmon post-smolts, fish exhibited different outcomes of infection and disease. High responder (HR) fish were characterized with sustained and increased viral load and pathology in heart tissue. Low responder (LR) fish showed declining viral load from 6–10 weeks post infection (wpi) and absence of pathology. Global gene expression (SIQ2.0 oligonucleotide microarray) in HR and LR hearts during infection was compared, in order to characterize differences in the host response and to identify genes with expression patterns that could explain or predict the different outcomes of disease. Virus-responsive genes involved in early antiviral and innate immune responses were upregulated equally in LR and HR at the first stage (2–4 wpi), reflecting the initial increase in virus replication. Repression of heart muscle development was identified by gene ontology enrichment analyses, indicating the early onset of pathology. By six weeks both responder groups had comparable viral load, while increased pathology was observed in HR fish. This was reflected by induced expression of genes implicated in apoptosis and cell death mechanisms, presumably related to lymphocyte regulation and survival. In contrast, LR fish showed earlier activation of NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity and NOD-like receptor signaling pathways. At the late stage of infection, increased pathology and viral load in HR was accompanied by a broad activation of genes involved in adaptive ...