Characterisation of a monoclonal antibody detecting A tlantic salmon endothelial and red blood cells, and its association with the infectious salmon anaemia virus cell receptor

• Published in: Journal of anatomy 2013-05, Vol.222 (5), p.547-557
• Main Authors: Aamelfot, Maria, Weli, Simon C., Dale, Ole B., Koppang, Erling O., Falk, Knut
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0021-8782; 1469-7580
• DOI: 10.1111/joa.12033

Endothelial cells ( EC s) line the luminal surfaces of the cardiovascular system and play an important role in cardiovascular functions such as regulation of haemostasis and vasomotor tone. A number of fish and mammalian viruses target these cells in the course of their infection. Infectious salmon anaemia virus ( ISAV ) attacks EC s and red blood cells ( RBC s) of farmed A tlantic salmon ( S almo salar L .), producing the severe disease of infectious salmon anaemia ( ISA ). The investigation of ISA has up to now been hampered by the lack of a functional marker for EC s in A tlantic salmon in situ . In this study, we report the characterisation and use of a novel monoclonal antibody ( MA b) detecting A tlantic salmon EC s (e.g. vessel endothelium, endocardial cells and scavenger EC s) and RBC s. The antibody can be used with immunohistochemistry, IFAT and on W estern blots. It appears that the epitope recognised by the antibody is associated with the ISAV cellular receptor. Besides being a tool to identify EC s in situ , it could be useful in further studies of the pathogenicity of ISA . Finally, the detection of an epitope shared by EC s and RBC s agrees with recent findings that these cells share a common origin, thus the MA b can potentially be used to study the ontogeny of these cells in A tlantic salmon.