Molecular signatures in cetacean morbillivirus and host species proteomes: Unveiling the evolutionary dynamics of an enigmatic pathogen?

Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) infects marine mammals often causing a fatal respiratory and neurological disease. Recently, CeMV has expanded its geographic and host species range, with cases being reported worldwide among dolphins, whales, seals, and other aquatic mammalian species, and therefore has emerged as the most threatening nonanthropogenic factor affecting marine mammal's health and conservation. Extensive research efforts have aimed to understand CeMV epidemiology and ecology, however, the molecular mechanisms underlying its transmission and pathogenesis are still poorly understood. In particular, the field suffers from a knowledge gap on the structural and functional properties of CeMV proteins and their host interactors. Nevertheless, the body of scientific literature produced in recent years has inaugurated new investigational trends, driving future directions in CeMV molecular research. In this mini-review, the most recent literature has been summarized in the context of such research trends, and categorized into four priority research topics, such as (1) the interaction between CeMV glycoprotein and its host cell receptors across several species; (2) the CeMV molecular determinants responsible for different disease phenotype; (3) the host molecular determinants responsible for differential susceptibility to CeMV infection; (4) the CeMV molecular determinants responsible for difference virulence among circulating CeMV strains. Arguably, these are the most urgent topics that need to be investigated and that most promisingly will help to shed light on the details of CeMV evolutionary dynamics in the immediate future.

Cell cycle alterations due to perfluoroalkyl substances PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFBA and the new PFAS C6O4 on bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skin cell.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have become ubiquitous environmental contaminants in aquatic ecosystems worldwide. Marine mammals, as top predators, are constantly exposed to several PFAS compounds that accumulate in different tissues. As a proxy to assess cytotoxicity of PFAS in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), we generated a new immortalized cell line derived from skin samples of bottlenose dolphin. Using high content imaging, we assessed the effects of increasing concentrations of PFOS, PFOA, PFBS, PFBA and C6O4 on cell viability and cell cycle phases. In particular, we classified all cells based on multiple morphometric differences of the nucleus in three populations, named respectively "Normal" (nuclei in G0, S and M phase); "Large" (nuclei showing characteristics of senescence) and "Small" (nuclei with fragmentation and condensed chromatin). Combining this approach with cell cycle analysis we determined which phases of the cell cycle were influenced by PFAS. The results revealed that the presence of PFOS, PFBS and PFBA could increase the number of cells in G0+G1 phase and decrease the number of those in the S phase. Moreover, PFOS and PFBS lowered the fraction of cells in the M phase. Interestingly PFOS, PFBS and PFBA reduced the prevalence of the senescence phenotype ("large" nuclei), suggesting a potential tumorigenic effect. Besides, the presence of PFOS and PFBS correlated also with a significant decrease in the number of "small" nuclei. The C6O4 exposure did not highlighted morphometric alteration or cell cycle modification bottlenose dolphin skin cell nuclei. While the effects of PFAS on cell cycle was clear, no significant change was detected either in term of cell proliferation or of viability. This study fosters the overall knowledge on the cellular effects of perfluoroalkyl substances in marine mammals.

Cetacean Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma gondii Co-infection in Mediterranean Monk Seal Pup, Italy.

A Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) pup from the southern Adriatic coast of Italy showed cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) and disseminated Toxoplasma gondii co-infection, which probably resulted from CeMV-induced immunosuppression. These findings are of concern for the conservation of this critically endangered species.

Dolphin Morbillivirus in Eurasian Otters, Italy.

We report biomolecular evidence of dolphin morbillivirus in 4 wild Eurasian otters (Lutra lutra) from southern Italy; 2 animals showed simultaneous immunohistochemical reactivity against morbilliviral antigen. These cases add further concern and support to the progressively expanding host range of dolphin morbillivirus in the western Mediterranean Sea.

Dynamics of blood circulation during diving in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus): the role of the retia mirabilia.

The retia mirabilia are vascular nets composed of small vessels dispersed among numerous veins, allowing blood storage, regulation of flow and pressure damping effects. Here, we investigated their potential role during the diving phase of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). To this effect, the whole vertebral retia mirabilia of a series of dolphins were removed during post-mortem analysis and examined to assess vessel diameters, and estimate vascular volume and flow rate. We formulated a new hemodynamic model to help clarify vascular dynamics throughout the diving phase, based on the total blood volume of a bottlenose dolphin, and using data available about the perfusion of the main organs and body systems. We computed the minimum blood perfusion necessary to the internal organs, and the stroke volume and cardiac output during the surface state. We then simulated breath-holding conditions and perfusion of the internal organs under the diving-induced bradycardia and reduction of stroke volume and cardiac output, using 10 beats min-1 as the limit for the heart rate for an extended dive of over 3 min. Within these simulated conditions, the retia mirabilia play a vital role as reservoirs of oxygenated blood that permit functional performances and survival of the heart and brain. Our theoretical model, based on the actual blood capacity of the retia mirabilia and available data on organ perfusion, considers the dynamic trend of vasoconstriction during the diving phase and may represent a baseline for future studies on the diving physiology of dolphins and especially for the blood supply to their brain.

Novel dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) outbreak among Mediterranean striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba in Italian waters.

An unusual mortality event (UME) of striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba occurred in the period July to December 2016 along the Italian Ionian coastline. We conducted a complete postmortem examination on 28 specimens and detected dolphin morbillivirus (DMV), by means of biomolecular analyses, in the target tissues of 17 animals. Unlike previous outbreaks occurring in the Mediterranean Sea in 2011 and 2013, we observed typical pathological changes suggestive of morbilliviral infection in an acute/subacute phase and immunohistochemical reactivity. The same findings were observed in 13 other specimens beached along the Italian coastline during 2016 with no temporal and geographical relationship with the ongoing epidemic outbreak. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analysis showed that DMV sequences detected in Italy in 2016 clustered with those identified in Portugal and Galicia (Spain), representing a novel DMV strain of Atlantic origin which entered the Mediterranean Sea and affected a naïve striped dolphin population. DMV sequences detected in the previous Mediterranean outbreaks exhibited a marked genetic relatedness and diverged from those detected in cetaceans stranded along the Galician and Portuguese coasts since 2007.

Dolphin Morbillivirus Associated with a Mass Stranding of Sperm Whales, Italy.

In September 2014, seven sperm whales were stranded along Italy's Adriatic coastline. Postmortem investigations on 3 female adult whales and 1 male fetus carried by the largest female revealed molecular and immunohistochemical evidence of dolphin morbillivirus infection. A possible role of the virus in the stranding event was considered.

Mediterranean Fin Whales (Balaenoptera physalus) Threatened by Dolphin MorbilliVirus.

During 2011-2013, dolphin morbillivirus was molecularly identified in 4 stranded fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea. Nucleoprotein, phosphoprotein, and hemagglutinin gene sequences of the identified strain were highly homologous with those of a morbillivirus that caused a 2006-2007 epidemic in the Mediterranean. Dolphin morbillivirus represents a serious threat for fin whales.

Cetacean strandings in Italy: an unusual mortality event along the Tyrrhenian Sea coast in 2013.

An unusual mortality event involving cetaceans, mainly striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), occurred along the Tyrrhenian Sea coast of Italy during the first 3 mo of 2013. Based on post-mortem analyses carried out according to body condition on 66 dolphins (54% of stranded animals), several hypotheses to explain the causes of this mortality event were proposed. Although no definitive conclusions can be drawn, dolphin morbillivirus was deemed the most likely cause, although other infectious agents (including Photobacterium damselae damselae and herpesvirus) or environmental factors may also have contributed to this recent mortality event.

Report on the brain of the monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779).

The Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus, Hermann, 1779) is an endangered species of pinniped endemic to few areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Extensive hunting and poaching over the last two centuries have rendered it a rare sight, scattered mainly in the Aegean Sea and the western coast of North Africa. In a rare event, a female monk seal calf stranded and died in southern Italy (Brindisi, Puglia). During due necropsy, the brain was extracted and fixed. The present report is the first of a monk seal brain. The features reported are remarkably typical of a true seal brain, with some specific characteristics. The brain cortical circonvolutions, main fissures and the external parts are described, and an EQ was calculated. Overall, this carnivore adapted to aquatic life shares some aspects of its neuroanatomy and physiology with other seemingly distant aquatic mammals.

High Amounts of Halogenated Natural Products in Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from Two Italian Regions in the Mediterranean Sea.

Halogenated natural products (HNPs) are considered to be emerging contaminants whose environmental distribution and fate are only incompletely known. Therefore, several persistent and bioaccumulative HNP groups, together with man-made polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), were quantified in the blubber of nine sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) stranded on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in Italy. The naturally occurring polybrominated hexahydroxanthene derivatives (PBHDs; sum of TetraBHD and TriBHD) were the most prominent substance class with up to 77,000 ng/g blubber. The mean PBHD content (35,800 ng/g blubber) even exceeded the one of PCBs (28,400 ng/g blubber), although the region is known to be highly contaminated with man-made contaminants. Based on mean values, Q1 ∼ PBDEs > MeO-BDEs ∼ 2,2'-diMeO-BB 80 and several other HNPs followed with decreasing amounts. All blubber samples contained an abundant compound whose molecular formula (C16H19Br3O2) was verified using high-resolution mass spectrometry. The only plausible matching isomer was (2S,4'S,9R,9'S)-2,7-dibromo-4'-bromomethyl-1,1-dimethyl-2,3,4,4',9,9'-9,9'-hexahydro-1H-xanthen-9-ol (OH-TriBHD), a hydroxylated secondary metabolite previously detected together with TriBHD and TetraBHD in a sponge known to be a natural producer of PBHDs. The estimated mean amount of the presumed OH-TriBHD was 3000 ng/g blubber, which is unexpectedly high for hydroxylated compounds in the lipids of marine mammals.

Bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) immortalized fibroblasts on novel 3D in vitro collagen-free scaffolds.

Dolphins, as apex predators, can be considered relevant sentinels of the health of marine ecosystems. The creation of 3D cell models to assess in vitro cell-to-cell and cell-to-matrix interactions in environmental-mimicking conditions, is of considerable interest. However, to date the establishment of cetacean 3D culture systems has not yet been accomplished. Thus, in this study, different 3D systems of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) skin fibroblasts have been analyzed. Particularly, novel scaffolds based on hyaluronic acid and ionic-complementary self-assembling peptides such as RGD-EAbuK and EAbuK-IKVAV have been compared to Matrigel. Histological and fluorescent staining, electron microscopy (TEM) analyses and viability assays have been performed and RT-PCR has been used to detect extracellular matrix (ECM) components produced by cells. Results showed that Matrigel induced cells to form aggregates with lower viability and no ECM production compared to the novel scaffolds. Moreover, scaffolds allowed dispersed cells to produce a collagenous ECM containing collagen1a1, laminin B1 and elastin. The HA-EAbuK-IKVAV scaffold resulted in the most suitable 3D model in terms of cell quantity and viability. The development of this innovative approach is the first step towards the possibility to create 3D in vitro models for this protected species.

First Detection of Gammacoronavirus in a Striped Dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) from the Adriatic Sea.

This case report presents the first molecular identification of a gammacoronavirus in a free-ranging striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) that was found stranded along the Croatian coastline in 2022. The dolphin exhibited a concurrent infection with cetacean morbillivirus. The gammacoronavirus strain was amplified and sequenced from heart tissue imprinted on an FTA®card, revealing a notable genetic distance (approximately 8%) from previously characterized cetacean gammacoronaviruses. This finding highlights the importance of including gammacoronaviruses in routine diagnostics for stranded dolphins to gather epidemiological data on their prevalence and potential role in causing disease in cetaceans. This study sets the premises for a further understanding of the diversity and distribution of gammacoronaviruses in marine mammals and highlights the necessity for ongoing surveillance of emerging infectious diseases in wild populations.

Pathogen Prevalence in Cetaceans Stranded along the Italian Coastline between 2015 and 2020.

The monitoring of stranded marine mammals represents a strategic method to assess their health, conservation status, and ecological role in the marine ecosystem. Networks worldwide track stranding events for the passive monitoring of mortality patterns, emerging and reemerging pathogens, climate change, and environmental degradation from a One Health perspective. This study summarizes pathogen prevalence data from the Italian Stranding Network (ISN) derived from post-mortem investigations on cetaceans found dead stranded along the Italian coastline between 2015 and 2020. The decomposition of the carcasses and logistics limited the post-mortem examination to 585 individuals, out of 1236 single-stranding reports. The most relevant pathogens identified were Cetacean Morbillivirus, Herpesvirus, Brucella spp., and Toxoplasma gondii, whose roles as environmental stressors are well known, despite their real impact still needing to be investigated in depth. Statistical analysis showed that age and sex seem to be positively related to the presence of pathogens. This study represents the first step in harmonizing post-mortem investigations, which is crucial for evidence-based conservation efforts. Implementing diagnostic and forensic frameworks could offer an indirect insight into the systematic monitoring of diseases to improve the identification of regional and temporal hotspots in which to target specific mitigation, management, and conservation strategies.

Dolphin morbillivirus infection in a captive harbor seal (Phoca vitulina).

During the second morbillivirus epidemic (2007 to 2011) in cetaceans along the Italian coastline, dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) was detected by molecular analyses in a captive harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), with pathological findings consistent with morbillivirus infection. This report confirms interspecies DMV transmission from cetaceans to pinnipeds.

Isolation and Characterization of Cetacean Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles.

Cetaceans are of scientific interest because they are good candidates as environmental bioindicators. However, in vivo research is arduous and in vitro studies represent a rarely used valid alternative. Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound structures playing roles in cell-to-cell communication. Despite being a promising investigative tool in different fields of science, EVs have been poorly studied in cetaceans. To fill this gap, we describe the preliminary characterization of EVs isolated from a bottlenose dolphin and a Cuvier's beaked whale cell line. EVs have been isolated with ultracentrifugation (UC) or size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and characterized with nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), Western blotting (WB), and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). UC and SEC allowed the isolation of mainly small EVs (<200 nm). A higher number of particles were isolated through UC compared to SEC from both cell lines. At WB, all EVs expressed the EV-markers CD9 and integrin-ß. Only EVs isolated with UC were positive for TSG101. In conclusion, we isolated for the first time EVs from a bottlenose dolphin and a Cuvier's beaked whale cell line using two different techniques. Further studies on cell-derived EVs will be useful to deepen our knowledge on cetacean pathophysiology and health status assessment.

Environmental and pathological factors affecting the hatching success of the two northernmost loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nests.

In recent years, the report of loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) Mediterranean nesting range has expanded together with new records of nests becoming northward on the Italian coastline of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic seas. These areas are characterized by intensive human activities, such as tourism, fishery, and marine traffic, all possibly involved in the influence of the use of coastal habitat by marine species. These anthropic threats, in addition to the natural ones and the changing environmental characteristics of the beach, may influence the growth of microorganisms causing hatching failures. Among microorganisms, fungal infection by the genus Fusarium (Link, 1809) is considered one of the main causes of globally declining sea turtle populations. In summer 2021, the two northernmost worldwide loggerhead sea turtle nests were monitored along the Northern Adriatic coastline (Veneto, Italy). These first records may potentially candidate this area as suitable for a large part of the loggerhead turtle's life cycle and it could represent a minor sea turtle nesting area that, according to Prato and colleagues, remained unnoticed due to the lack of specific monitoring. Sea Turtle Egg Fusariosis (STEF) was deemed to have deeply compromised the hatching success of the northmost one. Climate change and anthropogenic impacts have been scored as one of the highest hazards to sea turtle health and could have played a role in the STEF development. Environmental changes, human activities, and emerging pathogens deserve the highest attention in terms of health research, and conservation management.

Comparison between Sampling Techniques for Virological Molecular Analyses: Dolphin Morbillivirus and Herpesvirus Detection from FTA® Card and Frozen Tissue.

Stranded animals offer valuable information on marine mammal physiology and pathology; however, the decomposition state of the carcasses and lack of a rigorous cold chain for sample preservation can sometimes discourage diagnostic analyses based on nucleic acid detection. The present paper aims at evaluating the reliability of FTA® card tissue imprints as an alternative matrix to frozen tissues for virological analyses based on biomolecular methods. Given the contribution of Cetacean morbillivirus (CeMV) to strandings and the increase of herpesvirus detection in cetaceans, these two pathogens were selected as representative of RNA and DNA viruses. Dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) and herpesvirus presence was investigated in parallel on tissue imprints on FTA® cards and frozen tissues collected during necropsy of dolphins stranded in Italy. Samples were analysed by nested RT-PCR for DMV and nested-PCR for herpesvirus. Only one animal was positive for herpesvirus, hampering further considerations on this virus. DMV was detected in all animals, both in FTA® card imprints and tissue samples, with differences possibly related to the decomposition condition category of the carcasses. Tissue sampling on FTA® cards seems a promising alternative to frozen tissues for biomolecular analyses, especially when ensuring adequate storage and shipment conditions for frozen tissues is difficult.

Serum Protein Concentration and Serum Protein Fractions in Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) under Human Care Using Agarose Gel Electrophoresis.

Serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) is the most used and reliable method to determine the percentage of serum protein subfractions. The interpretation of the kinetics of total proteins and albumin and globulin fractions is receiving increased attention in wild animals, as well as in domestic animals, due to the possibility of identifying typical pathologic patterns. However, the interpretation of these data had to be performed in light of an appropriate method-and species- specific reference intervals (RIs). In marine mammals, as well as other non-domestic species, specific attention should also be given to the different environment (free ranging vs. human managed) and the associated different exposure to environmental stimuli. The aim of this report was to establish RIs for the serum protein fractions evaluated using agarose gel electrophoresis (AGE) in bottlenose dolphins under human care. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 40 bottlenose dolphins during standard veterinary procedures to evaluate their health status. Total protein concentration was determined using the biuret method while AGE was performed using an automated system. A pooled dolphin's serum sample was used to determine the intra-assay and inter-assay imprecision of AGE. The RIs were calculated using an Excel spreadsheet with the Reference Value Advisor set of macroinstructions. The intra and inter-assay imprecisions were 1.2% and 2.5%, respectively, for albumin; 2.9% and 5.7%, respectively, for α-globulins; 3.8% and 4.0%, respectively, for ß-globulins; and 3.4% and 4.8%, respectively, for γ-globulins. The total protein, albumin, α-globulin, ß-globulin, and γ-globulin concentrations were 65.5 ± 5.4 g/L, 45.5 ± 4.9 g/L, 8.0 ± 1.0 g/L, 5.0 ± 2.0 g/L, and 7.0 ± 2.0 g/L, respectively. We established the RIs for the total protein and serum protein fractions using AGE in bottlenose dolphins under human care.

Loggerhead Sea Turtle as Possible Source of Transmission for Zoonotic Listeriosis in the Marine Environment.

Listeria monocytogenes is an ubiquitous pathogen isolated from different host species including fish, crustaceans, and molluscs, but it is rarely a pathogenic microorganism to marine reptiles. In particular, only two cases of fatal disseminated listeriosis have been described in the loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta). In this study, we describe a lethal case of L. monocytogenes infection in a loggerhead sea turtle. The turtle was found alive, stranded on a beach in North-eastern Italy, but perished soon after being rescued. The autoptic examination revealed that heart, lung, liver, spleen, and urinary bladder were disseminated with multiple, firm, 0.1-0.5 mm sized, nodular, white-green lesions. Microscopically, these lesions corresponded with heterophilic granulomas with Gram+ bacteria within the necrotic center. Furthermore, the Ziehl-Neelsen stain was negative for acid-fast organisms. Colonies isolated from heart and liver were tested through MALDI-TOF for species identification, revealing the presence of L. monocytogenes. Whole Genome Sequencing on L. monocytogenes isolates was performed and the subsequent in silico genotyping revealed the belonging to Sequence Type 6 (ST 6); the virulence profile was evaluated, showing the presence of pathogenicity islands commonly observed in ST 6. Our results further confirm that L. monocytogenes should be posed in differential diagnosis in case of nodular lesions of loggerhead sea turtles; thus, given the zoonotic potential of the microorganism, animals should be treated with particular caution. In addition, wildlife animals can play an active role as carriers of possibly pathogenetic and virulent strains and contribute to the distribution of L. monocytogenes in the environment.