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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Leetown, West Virginia » Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #417579
Research Project: Integrated Research Approaches for Improving Production Efficiency in Rainbow Trout

Location: Cool and Cold Water Aquaculture Research

Title: Adomavirus is associated with malignant melanoma in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) [abstract]

Author
item WOMBLE, MANDY - University Of Illinois
item RAINES, CLAYTON - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item WALSH, HEATHER - Us Geological Survey (USGS)
item LEWBART, GREGORY - North Carolina State University
item ARMWOOD, ABAGAIL - North Carolina State University
item Iwanowicz, Luke

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2024
Publication Date: 11/19/2024
Citation: Womble, M., Raines, C., Walsh, H., Lewbart, G., Armwood, A., Iwanowicz, L.R. 2024. Adomavirus is associated with malignant melanoma in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) [abstract]. Meeting Abstract. 85. https://cdn.ymaws.com/www.acvp.org/resource/resmgr/2024_annual_meeting/2024_Accepted_Abstracts.pdf.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are apex predators in freshwater ecosystems in North America. Free-ranging and aquarium-housed largemouth bass can develop hyperpigmented melanistic skin lesions that are associated with a novel adomavirus. Adomaviruses are related to papillomaviruses and polyomaviruses, viruses that are well known for their role in the development of hyperplastic lesions that can transition to malignant neoplasia in many species; malignant neoplastic transformation has not been described in association with adomaviruses. We report three cases of malignant melanophoroma in aquarium-housed largemouth bass with a possible association with adomavirus. Two bass from the same life support system (LSS) and another from a different location were afflicted with plaque-like pigmented ulcerative skin lesions that were diagnosed histologically as melanophoromas with hepatic metastasis in two cases. Samples from two affected fish were screened for three different adomaviruses (Micropterus salmoides adomavirus [MsA]-1, MsA-2, and MsA-3) and were positive for MsA-1. Positive fluorescent RNAscopeTM in situ hybridization signal was detected in epithelial cells and in rare neoplastic melanocytes. In combination, these findings support an association between adomavirus infection, hyperplastic melanistic lesions, and transformation to malignant neoplasia in largemouth bass. Future investigations into pathogenesis are needed to support a causation; this is the first description of malignant neoplasia associated with adomavirus infection. The discovery of these possible oncogenic viruses within both free-ranging and aquarium-housed largemouth bass has major implications for species management in aquaculture, in natural ecosystems, and in zoos, aquariums, and other institutions.