Koala ocular disease grades are defined by chlamydial load changes and increases in Th2 immune responses

Samuel Phillips; Danielle Madden; Amber Gillett; Bonnie L. Quigley; Martina Jelocnik; Sankhya Bommana; Denis O’Meally; Peter Timms; Adam Polkinghorne

doi:10.3389/fcimb.2024.1447119

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Koala ocular disease grades are defined by chlamydial load changes and increases in Th2 immune responses

Journal article

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Koala ocular disease grades are defined by chlamydial load changes and increases in Th2 immune responses

Samuel Phillips, Danielle Madden, Amber Gillett, Bonnie L. Quigley, Martina Jelocnik, Sankhya Bommana, Denis O’Meally, Peter Timms and Adam Polkinghorne

Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Vol.14, pp.1-12

2024

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fcimb.2024.1447119

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Abstract

Chlamydia pecorum

koala

ocular disease

disease prgression

Th1/Th2 immune responses

Introduction: This study employs bulk RNA sequencing, PCR, and ELISA assays to analyze the pathological factors affecting the outcomes of C. pecorum ocular infections in koalas. It investigates the immune responses and gene expression profiles associated with various stages of koala ocular chlamydiosis. Methods: A cohort of 114 koalas from Queensland, Australia were assessed, with 47% displaying clinical signs of ocular disease. Animals were classified into three cohorts: acute active disease (G1), chronic active disease (G2), and chronic inactive disease (G3), along with subclinical Chlamydia pecorum positive (H2) and healthy (H1) cohorts. Results: Analysis of clinical, microbiological, humoral immune and cellular immune biomarkers revealed varying chlamydial loads and anti-chlamydial IgG levels across disease grades, with a negative correlation observed between ocular chlamydial load and anti-chlamydial IgG. Koala ocular mucosa gene expression analysis from 27 koalas identified shared expression pathways across disease cohorts, with a significant upregulation of IFNγ expression and tryptophan metabolism in all disease stages. Discussion: These findings help elucidate immune response dynamics and molecular pathways underlying koala ocular chlamydiosis, providing insights crucial for disease management strategies.

Details

Title: Koala ocular disease grades are defined by chlamydial load changes and increases in Th2 immune responses
Authors: Samuel Phillips - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Danielle Madden - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Amber Gillett - Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital (Australia)
Bonnie L. Quigley - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Martina Jelocnik - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Sankhya Bommana - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Denis O’Meally - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Peter Timms - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Centre for Bioinnovation
Adam Polkinghorne - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Science, Technology and Engineering
Publication details: Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology, Vol.14, pp.1-12
Publisher: Frontiers Research Foundation
Date published: 2024
DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1447119
ISSN: 2235-2988
Copyright note: © 2024 Phillips, Madden, Gillett, Quigley, Jelocnik, Bommana, O’Meally, Timms and Polkinghorne. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
Data Availability: The RNA sequencing data presented in the study are deposited in the SRA database under the BioProject identification number PRJEB26467. This BioProject (PRJEB26467) is part of a larger study that includes 41 bio samples, however only 27 bio samples were utilised for this study, representing koala ocular transcriptomes. The original contributions presented in the study related to Chlamydia and antibody detection are included in the article/supplementary material, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.
Grants: Understanding the origin, epidemiology and transmission threat of chlamydia infection between Australian native animals and livestock, DP130102066, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Bacterial and host drivers of chlamydial blindness in koalas, DP150101485, Australian Research Council (Australia, Canberra) - ARC
Organisation Unit: Thompson Institute; School of Science, Technology and Engineering; Centre for Bioinnovation
Language: English
Record Identifier: 991078098702621
Output Type: Journal article

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