Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls
Abstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating cattle disease that notably impairs fertility. Acutely infected bulls may develop respiratory signs and orchitis, and sterility has been reported in chronic infections. Howe...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2020-03-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-3959-9 |
| _version_ | 1811207384708677632 |
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| author | David González-Barrio Carlos Diezma-Díaz Enrique Tabanera Elena Aguado-Criado Manuel Pizarro Marta González-Huecas Ignacio Ferre Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez Fernando Criado Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora Gema Álvarez-García |
| author_facet | David González-Barrio Carlos Diezma-Díaz Enrique Tabanera Elena Aguado-Criado Manuel Pizarro Marta González-Huecas Ignacio Ferre Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez Fernando Criado Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora Gema Álvarez-García |
| author_sort | David González-Barrio |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating cattle disease that notably impairs fertility. Acutely infected bulls may develop respiratory signs and orchitis, and sterility has been reported in chronic infections. However, the pathogenesis of acute disease and its impact on reproductive function remain unknown. Methods Herein, we studied the microscopic lesions as well as parasite presence and load in the testis (pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin) of seven bulls with an acute B. besnoiti infection. Acute infection was confirmed by serological techniques (IgM seropositive results and IgG seronegative results) and subsequent parasite detection by PCR and histological techniques. Results The most parasitized tissue was the scrotal skin. Moreover, the presence of tachyzoites, as shown by immunohistochemistry, was associated with vasculitis, and three bulls had already developed juvenile tissue cysts. In all animals, severe endothelial injury was evidenced by marked congestion, thrombosis, necrotizing vasculitis and angiogenesis, among others, in the pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin. Vascular lesions coexisted with lesions characteristic of a chronic infection in the majority of bulls: hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and a marked diffuse fibroplasia in the dermis of the scrotum. An intense inflammatory infiltrate was also observed in the testicular parenchyma accompanied by different degrees of germline atrophy in the seminiferous tubules with the disappearance of various strata of germ cells in four bulls. Conclusions This study confirmed that severe acute besnoitiosis leads to early sterility that might be permanent, which is supported by the severe lesions observed. Consequently, we hypothesized that testicular degeneration might be a consequence of (i) thermoregulation failure induced by vascular lesions in pampiniform plexus and scrotal skin lesions; (ii) severe vascular wall injury induced by the inflammatory response in the testis; and (iii) blood-testis barrier damage and alteration of spermatogenesis by immunoresponse. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:03:22Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-df7ebaa940024632a942fdc067215caa |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T04:03:22Z |
| publishDate | 2020-03-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj.art-df7ebaa940024632a942fdc067215caa2022-12-22T03:48:40ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052020-03-0113111210.1186/s13071-020-3959-9Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bullsDavid González-Barrio0Carlos Diezma-Díaz1Enrique Tabanera2Elena Aguado-Criado3Manuel Pizarro4Marta González-Huecas5Ignacio Ferre6Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez7Fernando Criado8Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito9Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora10Gema Álvarez-García11SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Animal Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridLivestock Health and Production Institute (ULE-CSIC)SALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridSALUVET, Animal Health Department, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, Complutense University of MadridAbstract Background Bovine besnoitiosis, caused by the apicomplexan parasite Besnoitia besnoiti, is a chronic and debilitating cattle disease that notably impairs fertility. Acutely infected bulls may develop respiratory signs and orchitis, and sterility has been reported in chronic infections. However, the pathogenesis of acute disease and its impact on reproductive function remain unknown. Methods Herein, we studied the microscopic lesions as well as parasite presence and load in the testis (pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin) of seven bulls with an acute B. besnoiti infection. Acute infection was confirmed by serological techniques (IgM seropositive results and IgG seronegative results) and subsequent parasite detection by PCR and histological techniques. Results The most parasitized tissue was the scrotal skin. Moreover, the presence of tachyzoites, as shown by immunohistochemistry, was associated with vasculitis, and three bulls had already developed juvenile tissue cysts. In all animals, severe endothelial injury was evidenced by marked congestion, thrombosis, necrotizing vasculitis and angiogenesis, among others, in the pampiniform plexus, testicular parenchyma and scrotal skin. Vascular lesions coexisted with lesions characteristic of a chronic infection in the majority of bulls: hyperkeratosis, acanthosis and a marked diffuse fibroplasia in the dermis of the scrotum. An intense inflammatory infiltrate was also observed in the testicular parenchyma accompanied by different degrees of germline atrophy in the seminiferous tubules with the disappearance of various strata of germ cells in four bulls. Conclusions This study confirmed that severe acute besnoitiosis leads to early sterility that might be permanent, which is supported by the severe lesions observed. Consequently, we hypothesized that testicular degeneration might be a consequence of (i) thermoregulation failure induced by vascular lesions in pampiniform plexus and scrotal skin lesions; (ii) severe vascular wall injury induced by the inflammatory response in the testis; and (iii) blood-testis barrier damage and alteration of spermatogenesis by immunoresponse.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-3959-9Besnoitia besnoitiBullAcute besnoitiosisTesticular degenerationLesions |
| spellingShingle | David González-Barrio Carlos Diezma-Díaz Enrique Tabanera Elena Aguado-Criado Manuel Pizarro Marta González-Huecas Ignacio Ferre Alejandro Jiménez-Meléndez Fernando Criado Daniel Gutiérrez-Expósito Luis Miguel Ortega-Mora Gema Álvarez-García Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls Parasites & Vectors Besnoitia besnoiti Bull Acute besnoitiosis Testicular degeneration Lesions |
| title | Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| title_full | Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| title_fullStr | Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| title_short | Vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| title_sort | vascular wall injury and inflammation are key pathogenic mechanisms responsible for early testicular degeneration during acute besnoitiosis in bulls |
| topic | Besnoitia besnoiti Bull Acute besnoitiosis Testicular degeneration Lesions |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13071-020-3959-9 |
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