Cetacean Intracytoplasmic Eosinophilic Globules: A Cytomorphological, Histological, Histochemical, Immunohistochemical, and Proteomic Characterization
Antonio Fernández,
Nakita Câmara,
Eva Sierra,
Manuel Arbelo,
Yara Bernaldo de Quirós,
Paul D. Jepson,
Rob Deaville,
Josué Díaz-Delgado,
Cristian Suárez-Santana,
Ayoze Castro,
Julia N. Hernández,
Ana Godinho
Affiliations
Antonio Fernández
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Nakita Câmara
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Eva Sierra
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Manuel Arbelo
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Yara Bernaldo de Quirós
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Paul D. Jepson
Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
Rob Deaville
Zoological Society of London, Institute of Zoology, Regent’s Park, London NW1 4RY, UK
Josué Díaz-Delgado
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Cristian Suárez-Santana
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Ayoze Castro
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Julia N. Hernández
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
Ana Godinho
Veterinary Histology and Pathology, Atlantic Center for Cetacean Research, University Institute of Animal Health and Food Safety (IUSA), Veterinary School, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Calle Transmontaña, s/n, 35416 Arucas, Canary Islands, Spain
The nature, etiopathogenesis, and clinicopathologic relevance of the prevalent intracytoplasmic eosinophilic globules (IEGs) within hepatocytes of cetaceans are unknown. This study aims to evaluate the presence and characterize the IEGs in the hepatocytes of cetaceans using histochemical and immunohistochemical electron microscopy, Western blot, lectin histochemistry, and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry techniques. A total of 95/115 (83%) animals (16 species) exhibited histologically evident intracytoplasmic round to oval, single to multiple, hyaline eosinophilic globules within the hepatocytes. These globules were largely PAS-positive, diastase resistant, and were immunopositive for fibrinogen (FB, 97%), albumin (Alb, 85%), and α1-antitrypsine (A1AT, 53%). The IEG positivity for FB and A1AT were correlated with live-stranding, hepatic congestion and a good nutritional status. The cetaceans lacking IEGs were consistently dead stranded and had poor body conditions. The IEGs in 36 bycaught cetaceans were, all except one, FB-positive and A1AT-negative. The IEGs exhibited morphologic and compositional variations at the ultrastructural level, suggesting various stages of development and/or etiopathogenesis(es). The glycocalyx analysis suggested an FB- and A1AT-glycosylation pattern variability between cetaceans and other animals. The proteomic analyses confirmed an association between the IEGs and acute phase proteins, suggesting a relationship between acute stress (i.e., bycatch), disease, and cellular protective mechanisms, allowing pathologists to correlate this morphological change using the acute hepatocytic cell response under certain stress conditions.
