Dissection of the global responses of mandarin fish pyloric cecum to an acute ranavirus (MRV) infection reveals the formation of serositis and then ascites.

ABSTRACT: Mandarin fish ranavirus (MRV), a new member of the species Ranavirus micropterus1, sharing over 98% whole-genome nucleotide identity with the well-known largemouth bass virus (LMBV), is a distinct member of the genus Ranavirus within the family Iridoviridae. Our recent work showed that acute MRV infection predominantly affects the pyloric cecum, a critical visceral organ in mandarin fish, and was hypothesized to drive the characteristic external clinical sign of severe ascites. In this study, we reveal that acute MRV infection initially targets the serosal layer of the pyloric cecum of mandarin fish, leading to rapid progression into fibrinous serositis characterized by serosal hypertrophy, fibrosis, hyperemia, edema, and tissue adhesions. Using single-cell RNA sequenc

SUBMITTER: Zhang W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12172472 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature