Transmission of a common intestinal neoplasm in zebrafish by co-habitation

Intestinal neoplasms are common in zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) research facilities. These tumors are most often seen in older fish and are classified as small cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. Affected fish populations always contain subpopulations with preneoplastic lesions, characterized by epithe...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of fish diseases 2017-10, Vol.41 (4), p.569-579
Main Authors: Burns, Adam R., Watral, Virginia, Sichel, Sophie, Spagnoli, Sean, Banse, Allison V., Mittge, Erika, Sharpton, Thomas J., Guillemin, Karen, Kent, Michael L.
Format: Article
Language:English
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Summary:Intestinal neoplasms are common in zebrafish ( Danio rerio ) research facilities. These tumors are most often seen in older fish and are classified as small cell carcinomas or adenocarcinomas. Affected fish populations always contain subpopulations with preneoplastic lesions, characterized by epithelial hyperplasia or inflammation. Previous observations indicated that these tumors are unlikely caused by diet, water quality, or genetic background, suggesting an infectious etiology. We performed five transmission experiments by exposure of naïve fish to affected donor fish by cohabitation or exposure to tank effluent water. Intestinal lesions were observed in recipient fish in all exposure groups, including transmissions from previous recipient fish, and moribund fish exhibited a higher prevalence of neoplasms. We found a single 16S rRNA sequence, most similar to Mycoplasma penetrans , to be highly enriched in the donors and exposed recipients compared to unexposed control fish. We further tracked the presence of the Myoplasma sp. using a targeted PCR test on individual dissected intestines or feces or tank feces. Original donor and exposed fish populations were positive for Mycoplasma , while corresponding unexposed control fish were negative. This study indicates an infectious etiology for these transmissible tumors of zebrafish and suggests a possible candidate agent of a Mycoplasma species.
ISSN:0140-7775
1365-2761
DOI:10.1111/jfd.12743