PMID- 38240274
OWN - NLM
STAT- Publisher
LR  - 20240119
IS  - 1544-2217 (Electronic)
IS  - 0300-9858 (Linking)
DP  - 2024 Jan 19
TI  - Immunohistochemical characterization of the immune cell response during 
      chlamydial infection in the male and female koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) 
      reproductive tract.
PG  - 3009858231225499
LID - 10.1177/03009858231225499 [doi]
AB  - Chlamydiosis is one of the main causes of the progressive decline of koala 
      populations in eastern Australia. While histologic, immunologic, and molecular 
      studies have provided insights into the basic function of the koala immune 
      system, the in situ immune cell signatures during chlamydial infection of the 
      reproductive tract in koalas have not been investigated. Thirty-two female koalas 
      and 47 males presented to wildlife hospitals with clinical signs suggestive of 
      Chlamydia infection were euthanized with the entire reproductive tract collected 
      for histology; immunohistochemistry (IHC) for T-cell (CD3epsilon, CD4, and CD8alpha), 
      B-cell (CD79b), and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR markers; and quantitative 
      real-time polymerase chain reaction (rtPCR) for Chlamydia pecorum. T-cells, 
      B-cells, and HLA-DR-positive cells were observed in both the lower and upper 
      reproductive tracts of male and female koalas with a statistically significant 
      associations between the degree of the inflammatory reaction; the number of CD3, 
      CD4, CD79b, and HLA-DR positive cells; and the PCR load. CD4-positive cells were 
      negatively associated with the severity of the gross lesions. The distribution of 
      immune cells was also variable according to the location within the genital tract 
      in both male and female koalas. These preliminary results represent a step 
      forward towards further exploring mechanisms behind chlamydial infection 
      immunopathogenesis, thus providing valuable information about the immune response 
      and infectious diseases in free-ranging koalas.
FAU - Pagliarani, Sara
AU  - Pagliarani S
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0003-1415-0299
AD  - The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.
AD  - University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
FAU - Johnston, Stephen D
AU  - Johnston SD
AD  - The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.
FAU - Beagley, Kenneth W
AU  - Beagley KW
AD  - Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
FAU - Palmieri, Chiara
AU  - Palmieri C
AUID- ORCID: 0000-0002-5791-6066
AD  - The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD, Australia.
LA  - eng
PT  - Journal Article
DEP - 20240119
PL  - United States
TA  - Vet Pathol
JT  - Veterinary pathology
JID - 0312020
SB  - IM
OTO - NOTNLM
OT  - PCR
OT  - chlamydiosis
OT  - histology
OT  - immunohistochemistry
OT  - koala
OT  - reproductive tract
COIS- Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts 
      of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this 
      article.
EDAT- 2024/01/19 12:44
MHDA- 2024/01/19 12:44
CRDT- 2024/01/19 08:15
PHST- 2024/01/19 12:44 [medline]
PHST- 2024/01/19 12:44 [pubmed]
PHST- 2024/01/19 08:15 [entrez]
AID - 10.1177/03009858231225499 [doi]
PST - aheadofprint
SO  - Vet Pathol. 2024 Jan 19:3009858231225499. doi: 10.1177/03009858231225499.