<I>Myocoptes Musculinus</I>
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Comparative Medicine Vol 66, No 3 Copyright 2016 June 2016 by the American Association for Laboratory Animal Science Pages 197–207 Original Research Ectoparasite Burden, Clinical Disease, and Immune Responses throughout Fur Mite (Myocoptes musculinus) Infestation in C57BL/6 and Rag1–/– Mice Cassandra R Moats,1,2,* Victoria K Baxter,2,3 Nathan M Pate,2 and Julie Watson1,2 Immunocompetent weanling mice infested with Myocoptes musculinus harbor high mite loads, yet burdens decrease with age. The development of immunity to the parasite may explain this observation. In this study, we followed M. musculinus burdens in Rag1−/− mice and immunocompetent C57BL/6 controls from 4 to 36 wk of age and compared the clinical signs and body weights of noninfested and infested mice of both strains over time. In addition, histopathology of skin lesions and expression of cytokines and transcription factors associated with Th1- and Th2-type immune responses were assessed. Myocoptes burdens decreased and remained low in B6 mice over time, whereas Rag1−/− mice showed an initial decrease in burdens after 4 wk of age followed by an increase from 24 to 36 wk. In addition, Rag1−/− mice had higher burdens than B6 mice over time. Both strains of infested mice exhibited clinical signs of fur mite infestation—including alopecia, poor weight gain, mite-associated debris, and pruritus—and clinical signs positively correlated with the severity of the Myocoptes burden. Histopathology of skin from both strains of infested mice showed decreased lesion severity with age, likely a result of declining mite populations. Finally, compared with noninfested controls, infested B6 mice had increased expression of markers associated with the Th2-type immune response, which increased in magnitude with increasing age and duration of infestation. These results suggest that development of adaptive immunity plays a role in control of fur mite populations and that heavier infestations may result in more severe clinical signs and skin lesions. Despite advances in diagnosis and treatment, control of murine infested with M. musculinus but overt atopic dermatitis in in- fur mite infestations (Myobia musculi, Myocoptes musculinus, and fested NC/Kuj mice.22 Other reports described severe ulcer- Radfordia affinis) remains a challenge for many modern rodent ative dermatitis in M. musculi-infested B6 mice6 and dermatitis facilities. Therefore, it is crucial define the potential effects of mite and wasting in M. musculinus-infested BALB/c mice.13 Con- infestation on research, either as a result of their effects on host im- versely, enzootically infested mice on a mixed B6.129 back- mune responses or development of clinical disease. Many reports ground showed no clinical signs of M. musculinus infestation at describe the host immune response to fur mite infestation,12,13,22,23 any age.19 Although disease manifestation might reflect strain which may have pronounced effects on studies of immunology, susceptibility, changes in mite population levels may also ex- infectious diseases, autoimmunity, or transplantation.12,29 In ad- plain variations in clinical severity. dition, many studies report dermatologic pathology and other Previous studies indicate that host fur mite burdens can de- clinical signs of infestation, which may either confound experi- crease dramatically over the course of infestation. In one study, mental results or require early study removal.6,12,13,22 Though fur weanling mice enzootically infested with M. musculinus harbored mite infestations may directly affect rodent health and research heavy mite loads, yet by 28 wk of age, nearly a quarter of mice outcomes, the relationships between clinical acariasis, magnitude lacked any evidence of mites or eggs on microscopic exam.25 In of infestation, and host immunologic responses remain unclear. mice infested with M. musculi, mite levels rose initially but then These relationships are of particular interest given that mite bur- declined to stable low levels.8 Given recognized age-dependent dens vary substantially throughout the course of infestation.25 decreases in the mite burden and well-documented immunologic The clinical signs of fur mite infestation vary considerably. changes, the development of adaptive immunity to the mite may Although most infestations are subclinical, fur mite infesta- play an important role in reducing populations over time. tions may cause alopecia, pruritus, dermatitis, decreased Fur mite infestations may upregulate host adaptive immune weight gain, and poor reproductive performance.3,10 One study responses, particularly Th2 CD4+ T cell responses. Several studies reported no gross lesions in BALB/c and C57BL/6 (B6) mice of infested mice document this phenomenon, citing upregulation of the cytokine IL4, increased IgE concentration, and tissue mast cell infiltration and degranulation.13,14,22,23,26 Effector functions of Received: 21 Sep 2015. Revision requested: 26 Oct 2015. Accepted: 29 Oct 2015. T cells and B cells via Th2-type responses and IgE production, 1Research Animal Resources and 2Department of Molecular and Comparative Pathobiology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; and 3Molecular Microbiology respectively, lead to host clearance of and future protection from and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland. other parasites, such as helminths. For instance, the expulsion *Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]. of various nematodes from experimentally infected mice is Th2- 197 Vol 66, No 3 Comparative Medicine June 2016 dependent, requiring Th2 cells and IL4 receptor signaling.18,20 Ad- spp.), and fur mites (Myobia and Radfordia spp. only). After a 1-wk ditional evidence shows that host immunity to skin ectoparasites, acclimation period in our facilities, breeding pairs or trios were stimulated by arthropod feeding or burrowing,30 leads to host established for each strain. resistance.4 For example, regulation of ectoparasite burdens and Mite infestation. B6.129 mixed background mice were used to future immunity to Sarcoptes and Demodex mites is dependent on infest breeders. These mice were previously donated from a re- both humoral and cell-mediated immunity involving competent search colony naturally infested with a monoinfection of mites T cell responses and the expression of a variety of cytokines.2,7,28 In (M. musculinus). For infestation of B6 and Rag1−/− breeders (used addition, mice infested with the anopluran louse Polyplax serrata to produce offspring for mite burden and clinical disease studies), develop resistance to the parasite and a steady decline in louse a single live, infested female mouse was placed in each breeding burdens over time.24 Although the specific mechanisms underly- cage and removed (approximately 1 wk later) after infestation was ing the control of ectoparasite and helminth infections may differ, confirmed by microscopic exam of fur pluck samples. For infesta- a functional, adaptive immune response is perhaps important for tion of B6 and Rag1−/− breeders (used to produce offspring for tissue ectoparasite clearance and future host resistance. cytokine analysis and histology), a single, whole mouse pelt from The purpose of the current study is to more clearly define the a recently euthanized infested mouse was placed in each breeding relationships between host fur mite populations, clinical disease, cage of mice. Infestation was confirmed by microscopic exam of and the immune response to infestation. To investigate these as- fur pluck samples, approximately 1 wk later. Hereafter, infestation sociations, we compared mite population levels and clinical signs occurred by direct contact from parents to offspring. Study animals of M. musculinus infestation in B6 mice and Rag1−/− mice, which from infested and noninfested breeding cages were weaned at ap- lack mature T cells and B cells,21 from weaning into adulthood. proximately 21 to 28 d of age and placed in same-sex groups of 3 Our first goal was to assess the role of adaptive immunity on mite to 5 siblings for the remainder of the study. All noninfested B6 and populations by evaluating Myocoptes burdens in infested B6 and Rag1−/− breeders and control mice were screened regularly through Rag1−/− mice from 4 to 36 wk of age. We hypothesized that in- microscopic exam of fur plucks to ensure that negative status was fested B6, but not Rag1−/− mice, would demonstrate age-related maintained throughout the study. decreases in Myocoptes burdens and that B6 mice would have Assessment of mite burden. Infested Rag1−/− and B6 mice at 4, 6, lower overall burdens compared with Rag1−/− mice. In addition, 8, 12, 16, 20, 24, 30, and 36 wk of age were assessed for Myocoptes we compared clinical data (body weight and clinical signs) from burden by microscopic examination of fur plucks from 3 standard noninfested and infested B6 and Rag1−/− mice over time to deter- sites: the dorsal neck, posterior dorsum, and caudoventral abdo- mine whether clinical severity correlated with host mite burdens. men. To collect fur samples, forceps were used to grasp and pluck We hypothesized that clinical disease severity would positively approximately the same amount of fur from each site (one pluck correlate with higher mite burdens in both strains of mice. We of fur per site). Each of the 3 fur plucks was placed on a section also compared histopathologic skin lesion severity in both in- of transparent cellophane tape (3M, St. Paul, MN) and adhered to fested strains as they aged and hypothesized that lesion sever- a glass slide (Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA). All samples were ity would decrease in B6 but not Rag1−/− mice over time, due to blinded prior to evaluation and examined by 1 of 2 experienced higher mite burdens in Rag1−/− mice. Finally, we evaluated cyto- observers. Slides were examined under a microscope at 4× and kine and transcription factor markers of Th2-type and Th1-type 10× magnification, and the number of mites and eggs observed responses in infested and uninfested B6 mice over time. in the 3 fur samples were totaled to calculate a relative Myocop- tes burden.