Conservation of Toll-Like Receptor Signaling Pathways in Teleost Fish

TLR7 in channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) is expressed in the endolysosome and is stimulated by synthetic ssRNA analogs, imiquimod, and resiquimod

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are pivotal pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) and key mediators of innate immunity. Despite the significance of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) in comparative immunology and aquaculture, its 20 TLR genes remain largely functionally uncharacterized. In this study, our aim was to determine the catfish TLR7 agonists, signaling potential, and cellular localization. Using a mammalian reporter system, we identified imiquimod and resiquimod, typical ssRNA analogs, as potent catfish TLR7 agonists. Notably, unlike grass carp TLR7, catfish TLR7 lacks the ability to respond to poly (I:C). Confocal microscopy revealed predominant catfish TLR7 expression in lysosomes, co-localizing with the endosomal chaperone protein, UNC93B1. Furthermore, imiquimod stimulation elicited robust IFNb transcription in peripheral blood leukocytes isolated from adult catfish. These findings underscore the conservation of TLR7 signaling in catfish, reminiscent of mammalian TLR7 responses. Our study sheds light on the functional aspects of catfish TLR7 and contributes to a better understanding of its role in immune defense mechanisms.

Lunar-linked biological rhythms in the immune system of freshwater three-spined stickleback

Immune responses are widely accepted to be under circadian regulation via a molecular clock, with many practical consequences, but much less is known of how other biological rhythms could affect the immune system. In this study, we search for lunar rhythms (circalunar, circasemilunar, and circatidal cycles) in the immune expression of the recently marine-derived freshwater fish, the low-plate morph of the three-spined stickleback. We employed time series of immune expression (mRNA) measurements for 14 immune-associated genes, representing a variety of immunological pathways. Times series measurements were taken on fish populations in the wild, in seminatural outdoor mesocosms, and in the laboratory, according to sampling regimens originally designed to study circannual variation but with the additional potential to provide information about lunar variation. Our evidence best supported the existence of a very small endogenous tidal rhythm. This is consistent with previous suggestions of the existence of a primordial tidal endogenous clock, some elements of which may be conserved in animals evolving outside the marine environment.

In silico designing and characterization of outer membrane protein K (OmpK) from Vibrio anguillarum and its expression in Nicotiana tabacum for the development of a plant-based vaccine against fish vibriosis

Vibriosis is caused by Vibrio anguillarum in various species of aquaculture. A novel, secure, and stable vaccine is needed to eradicate vibriosis. Here, for reverse vaccinology and plant-based expression, the outer membrane protein K (OmpK) of V. anguillarum was chosen due to its conserved nature in all Vibrio species. OmpK, an ideal vaccine candidate against vibriosis, demonstrated immunogenic, non-allergic, and non-toxic behavior by using various bioinformatics tools. Docking showed the interaction of the OmpK model with TLR-5. In comparison to costly platforms, plants can be used as alternative and economic bio-factories to produce vaccine antigens. We expressed OmpK antigen in Nicotiana tabacum using Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. The expression vector was constructed using Gateway® cloning. Transgene integration was verified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and the copy number via qRT-PCR, which showed two copies of transgenes. Western blotting detected monomeric form of OmpK protein. The total soluble protein (TSP) fraction of OmpK was equivalent to 0.38% as detected by ELISA. Mice and fish were immunized with plant-derived OmpK antigen, which showed a significantly high level of anti-OmpK antibodies. The present study is the first report of OmpK antigen expression in higher plants for the potential use as vaccine in aquaculture against vibriosis, which could provide protection against multiple Vibrio species due to the conserved nature OmpK antigen.

Multiple toll-like receptors (TLRs) display differential bacterial and ligand specificity in the earthworm, Eisenia andrei

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), an ancient and well-conserved group of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), recognize conserved pathogen-associated molecular patterns. TLRs consist of three domains: the extracellular N-terminal domain, containing one or more leucine-rich repeats (LRRs), responsible for the recognizing and binding of antigens; the type-I transmembrane domain; and the intracellular domain known as the Toll/Interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain required for the downstream signaling pathway. We identified six new full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) sequences, Ean-TLR1/2/3/4/5/6. The deduced amino acid sequences indicate that Ean-TLRs consist of one signal peptide, one LRR N-terminal domain (Ean-TLR4/5), varying numbers of LRRs, one (Ean-TLR1/2/3/4/5) or two (Ean-TLR6) LRR C-terminal domains, one type-I transmembrane domain, and a TIR domain. In addition, a TIR domain alignment revealed that three conserved motifs, designated as Box 1, Box 2, and Box 3, contain essential amino acid residues for downstream signaling activity. Phylogenetic analysis of earthworm TLRs generated two separate evolutionary branches representing single (sccTLR) and multiple (mccTLR) cysteine cluster TLRs. Ean-TLR1/2/3/4 (sccTLR type) and Ean-TLR6 (mccTLR type) were clustered with corresponding types of previously reported earthworm TLRs as well as TLRs from Clitellata and Polychaete. As PRRs, earthworm TLRs should be capable of sensing a diverse range of pathogens. Except for Ean-TLR3, which was not responsive to any bacteria, earthworm TLR expression was significantly induced by Gram-positive but not Gram-negative bacteria. Moreover, it is likely that earthworms can differentiate between different species of Gram-positive bacteria via their TLR responses. The ligand specificity of earthworm TLRs suggests that their pathogenic ligand recognition is likely to be as specific and diverse as the mammalian TLR pathogen-sensing system.

Screening of host gut-derived probiotics and effects of feeding probiotics on growth, immunity, and antioxidant enzyme activity of hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂)

In recent years, the widespread use of antibiotics in intensive grouper mariculture has resulted in the ineffectiveness of antibiotic treatment, leading to an increasing incidence of diseases caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites, causing serious economic losses. Hence, it is crucial to develop alternative strategies to antibiotics for healthy and sustainable development of the mariculture industry. Here, we aimed to screen host gut-derived probiotics and evaluate its effects on growth and immunity of grouper. In this study, 43 bacterial strains were isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper (Epinephelus fuscoguttatus♀ × E. lanceolatus♂), and a potential probiotic strain G1-26, which can efficiently secrete amylase, protease, and lipase, was obtained using different screening mediums. Based on 16S rDNA sequencing, the potential probiotic strain G1-26 was identified as Vibrio fluvialis. The results of a biological characteristic evaluation showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 could grow at 25-45 °C, pH 5.5-7.5, salinity 10-40, and bile salt concentration 0-0.030%, and produce amylase, lipase, and protease under different culture conditions. Additionally, V. fluvialis G1-26 is sensitive to many antibiotics and does not exhibit aquatic biotoxicity. Subsequently, hybrid groupers were fed diets containing V. fluvialis G1-26 at different concentrations (0, 10⁶, 10⁸, and 10¹⁰ CFU/g) for 60 d. The results showed that V. fluvialis G1-26 at 10⁸ CFU/g did not significantly affect the growth performance of the hybrid grouper (P > 0.05). V. fluvialis G1-26 supplementation at 10⁸ and 10¹⁰ CFU/g significantly promoted the relative expression of immune-related genes in hybrid groupers (TLR3, TLR5, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, CTL, LysC, TNF-2, and MHC-2) and improved the activities of alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, total superoxide dismutase, and total protein in the liver. In conclusion, V. fluvialis G1-26, a potential probiotic strain isolated from the intestine of the hybrid grouper, can be used as an effective immunopotentiator at an optimal dose of 10⁸ CFU/g diet. Our results provide a scientific basis for the development and utilization of probiotics in the grouper mariculture industry.

Effects of dietary co-exposure to fungal and herbal functional feed additives on immune parameters and microbial intestinal diversity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Misuse and overuse of antibiotics in aquaculture has proven to be an unsustainable practice leading to increased bacterial resistance. An alternative strategy involves the inclusion of immunostimulants in fish diets, especially fungal and herbal compounds already authorized for human consumption, hence without environmental or public health concerns. In this study, we used a holistic and cross-disciplinary pipeline to assess the immunostimulatory properties of two fungi: Trametes versicolor and Ganoderma lucidum; one herbal supplement, capsaicin in the form of Espelette pepper (Capsicum annuum), and a combination of these fungal and herbal additives on rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). We investigated the impact of diet supplementation for 7 weeks on survival, growth performance, cellular, humoral, and molecular immune parameters, as well as the intestinal microbial composition of the fish. Uptake of herbal and fungal compounds influenced the expression of immune related genes, without generating an inflammatory response. Significant differences were detected in the spleen-tlr2 gene expression. Supplementation with herbal additives correlated with structural changes in the fish intestinal microbiota and enhanced overall intestinal microbial diversity. Results demonstrated that the different treatments had no adverse effect on growth performance and survival, suggesting the safety of the different feed additives at the tested concentrations. While the mechanisms and multifactorial interactions remain unclear, this study provides insights not only in regard to nutrition and safety of these compounds, but also how a combined immune and gut microbiota approach can shed light on efficacy of immunostimulant compounds for potential commercial inclusion as feed supplements.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) in fishes

Toll-like receptors 5 (TLR5), a member of the toll-like receptors (TLRs) family, is a class of pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). It responds to vertebrate recognition of bacterial flagellin and participates in innate immune responses. However, genome-wide identification and characterization of TLR5 in fishes have not been investigated. Here, three TLR5M isotypes (TLR5Ma, TLR5Mb1, and TLR5Mb2) and a TLR5S are all extracted from fish genomes on the basis of phylogenetic and synteny analyses. We confirmed that the non-teleost fishes have one TLR5M gene, as well as additional TLR5 genes (TLR5M and TLR5S) in teleost fishes. In addition, some special teleost fishes possess two to three TLR5 genes, which have undergone the fourth whole-genome duplication (WGD). According to our results, we inferred that the diversity of TLR5 genes in fishes seems to be the result of combinations of WGD and gene loss. Furthermore, TLR5 isoforms displayed differences at the flagellin interaction sites and viral binding sites, and showed lineage-specific, which indicated that TLR5 duplicates may generate functional divergence. Bacterial experiments also supported the idea that CiTLR5Ma and CiTLR5Mb are subfunctionalized to sense bacterial flagellin. In summary, our present comparative genomic survey will benefit for further functional investigations of TLR5 genes in fish.

Multiomics analysis of soybean meal induced marine fish enteritis in juvenile pearl gentian grouper, Epinephelus fuscoguttatus ♀ × Epinephelus lanceolatus ♂

As an important protein source, soybean products can cause intestinal inflammation and injury in many animals including human beings, particularly infants and juvenile individuals. Research in this field has been performed for terrestrial animals and fish, but still lacks integrity and systematicness. In this study, the main biological processes in the intestinal tract of marine fish juvenile pearl gentian grouper in the state of soybean meal-induced enteritis (SBMIE) were analyzed. A total of 720 groupers with an approximate initial weight of 12.5 g were randomly divided into three groups: the fish meal (FM) control group, the 20% SBM group (SBM20), and the SBM40 group (n = 4). Three iso-nitrogenous and iso-lipidic diets were prepared and fed to fish for 10 weeks. Each barrel contained a water volume of about 1 m3 in and was exposed to natural light and temperature. Results indicated that the growth and physiology of groupers fed with SBM were significantly negatively affected, with the gene expressions of intestinal structural protein abnormal. 16SrDNA high-throughput sequencing showed that the intestinal microflora played an important role in the pathogenesis of pearl gentian grouper SBMIE, which may activate a variety of pathogen pattern recognition receptors, such as toll-like receptors (TLRs), RIG-I-like receptors, and nod-like receptors. Transcriptome analysis revealed that changes of the SBMIE signaling pathway in pearl gentian groupers were conservative to some extent than that of terrestrial animals and freshwater fish. Moreover, the TLRs-nuclear factor kappa-B signaling pathway becomes activated, which played an important role in SBMIE. Meanwhile, the signal pathways related to nutrient absorption and metabolism were generally inhibited. Metabolomics analysis showed that isoflavones and saponins accounted for a large proportion in the potential biomarkers of pearl gentian grouper SBMIE, and most of the biomarkers had significantly positive or negative correlations with each other; 56 metabolites were exchanged between intestinal tissues and contents, which may play an important role in the development of enteritis, including unsaturated fatty acids, organic acids, amino acids, vitamins, small peptides, and nucleotides, etc. These results provide a basic theoretical reference for solving the intestinal issues of fish SBMIE and research of inflammatory bowel disease in mammals.

Antiviral Function of NKEF against VHSV in Rainbow Trout

Simple Summary

An antioxidant protein has been identified in a sample of erythrocytes exposed to a fish virus. We evaluated the role of this protein as an antiviral molecule in fish. Through silencing and overexpression assays we determined the antiviral effect of this protein in the infectivity of the virus. In conclusion, this antioxidant protein may be a potential target for new therapeutic strategies against viral infections.

Abstract

Natural killer enhancing factor (NKEF) belongs to the peroxiredoxin family of proteins, a group of antioxidants that has been extensively studied in mammals. Recently, we identified NKEF in the immunoprecipitated proteome of rainbow trout red blood cells (RBCs) exposed to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV). In the present study, we evaluated the role of NKEF in the antiviral response of rainbow trout against VHSV by examining the expression profile of NKEF in VHSV-exposed RBCs and rainbow trout gonad-2 (RTG-2) cell line. We found an in vitro correlation between decreased VHSV replication and increased NKEF expression after RBCs were exposed to VHSV, however this was not found in RTG-2 cells where the infection highly increased and nkef transcripts remained almost unchanged. In addition, siRNA silencing of the nkef gene in rainbow trout RBCs and RTG-2 cells resulted in increased VHSV replication. We also found a correlation between nkef gene silencing and a decrease in the expression of genes related to type 1 interferon (IFN1) pathway. These findings indicated that NKEF is involved in the antiviral mechanisms of rainbow trout RBCs against VHSV and thus support its antiviral role and implication in the modulation of their immune response. Finally, overexpression of NKEF in an EPC cell line significantly reduced VHSV infectivity and was coupled to an increment in IFN1-related genes. In conclusion, NKEF may be a potential target for new therapeutic strategies against viral infections.

Blood Transcriptomics of Turbot Scophthalmus maximus: A Tool for Health Monitoring and Disease Studies

Simple Summary

The analysis of blood gene expression is emerging as a relevant source of information about the health status of an organism. While these investigations are increasingly performed in human and terrestrial animals, their potential is still underexplored in fish pathology. The aim of this work was to analyze the blood transcriptional profile of a commercially important flatfish species, turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), in healthy and diseased specimens. The analysis of the most expressed genes in healthy fish indicated that turbot red blood cells have important immunological functions. In diseased fish, parasitized by a myxozoan, the blood analysis reflected a broad inhibition of the immune response followed by intense inflammatory activation in heavy infections. The results showed that turbot response appears delayed, dysregulated and ineffective in stopping the infection. Particularly, a proper development of the adaptive immune response was lacking. This study points out that blood gene expression profiling is a reliable tool for health monitoring, as well as to advance in the knowledge of fish immunity and diseases.

Abstract

Blood transcriptomics is emerging as a relevant tool to monitor the status of the immune system and assist in diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and pathogenesis studies of diseases. In fish pathology, the potential of transcriptome profiling of blood is still poorly explored. Here, RNA sequencing was applied to analyze the blood transcriptional profile of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), the most important farmed flatfish. The study was conducted in healthy specimens and specimens parasitized by the myxozoan Enteromyxum scophthalmi, which causes one of the most devastating diseases in turbot aquaculture. The blood of healthy turbot showed a transcriptomic profile mainly related to erythrocyte gas transportation function, but also to antigen processing and presentation. In moderately infected turbot, the blood reflected a broad inhibition of the immune response. Particularly, down-regulation of the B cell receptor signaling pathway was shared with heavily parasitized fish, which showed larger transcriptomic changes, including the activation of the inflammatory response. Turbot response to enteromyxosis proved to be delayed, dysregulated and ineffective in stopping the infection. The study evinces that blood transcriptomics can contribute to a better understanding of the teleost immune system and serve as a reliable tool to investigate the physiopathological status of fish.

Mechanisms by Which Fermented Soybean Meal and Soybean Meal Induced Enteritis in Marine Fish Juvenile Pearl Gentian Grouper

Soy meals can cause intestinal inflammation and even injury in animals, especially infants and juvenile individuals. This study investigated the effects of fermented soybean meal (FSBM) on the growth and intestinal homeostasis of juvenile pearl gentian grouper and examined the mechanisms by which FSBM and soybean meal (SBM) induced enteritis in fish, using "3+2" full-length transcriptome sequencing. We randomly assigned 720 female juvenile groupers into three treatment groups: FM control group, 20% FSBM group (FSBM20), and FSBM40 group (n = 4). Three iso-nitrogenous (50% protein) and iso-lipidic (10% lipid) diets were prepared and fed to fish for 10 weeks. The water volume in each barrel was about 1 m3, using natural light and temperature. Results showed that dietary FSBM, at experimental level, significantly affected fish growth and intestinal structure negatively and significantly increased enteritis indices. The degree of intestinal injury and inflammation was determined by the enzyme activities of trypsin and lysozyme, and the contents of IgM, C3, C4, and malondialdehyde, and the expressions of pro-inflammatory genes (IL1β, IL8, IL17, and TNFα) and anti-inflammatory genes (IL4, IL10, and TGFβ1). Full-length transcriptome analysis identified 2,305 and 3,462 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in SBM40 and FSBM40 groups, respectively. However, only 18.98% (920/5,445) of DEGs had similar expression patterns, indicating that high levels of SBM40 and FSBM40 have different metabolic strategies. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that among the significant pathways, ~45% were related to immune diseases/systems, infectious diseases, and signal transduction in both SBM and FSBM groups. Based on PacBio SMRT sequencing, nine toll-like receptor (TLR) members, including TLR1, TLR2, TLR3, TLR5, TLR8, TLR9, TLR13, TLR21, and TLR22, were detected in intestinal tissues of pearl gentian grouper. TLR-MyD88-NF-κB signaling pathway played an important role in the development of FSBM- and SBM-induced enteritis in pearl gentian grouper; however, TLR receptors used in SBM and FSBM groups were different. TLR1, TLR8, TLR13, and TLR22 were the main receptors used in FSBM group, while TLR5, TLR8, TLR9, TLR21, and TLR22 were the main receptors used in SBM group. Present study provides valuable theoretical references for further research on soy protein-induced enteritis in fish.

R848 Is Involved in the Antibacterial Immune Response of Golden Pompano (Trachinotus ovatus) Through TLR7/8-MyD88-NF-κB-Signaling Pathway

R848 is an imidazoquinoline compound that is a specific activator of toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/8 and is often used in immunological research in mammals and teleosts. However, the immune responses initiated by R848 through the TLR7/8 pathway in response to bacterial infection remain largely unexplored in teleosts. In the current study, we investigated the antibacterial response and the participating signaling pathway initiated by R848 in golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). We found that R848 could stimulate the proliferation of head kidney lymphocytes (HKLs) in a dose-dependent manner, enhance the survival rate of HKLs, and inhibit the replication of bacteria in vivo. However, these effects induced by R848 were significantly reduced when chloroquine (CQ) was used to blocked endosomal acidification. Additionally, an in vivo study showed that R848 strengthened the antibacterial immunity of fish through a TLR7/8 and Myd88-dependent signaling pathway. A cellular experiment showed that Pepinh-MYD (a Myd88 inhibitor) significantly reduced the R848-mediated proliferation and survival of HKLs. Luciferase activity analysis showed that R848 enhanced the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) activity, whereas this activity was reduced when CQ and Pepinh-MYD were present. Additionally, when an NF-κB inhibitor was present, the R848-mediated pro-proliferative and pro-survival effects on HKLs were significantly diminished. An in vivo study showed that knockdown of TLR7, TLR8, and Myd88 expression in golden pompano via siRNA following injection of R848 resulted in increased bacterial dissemination and colonization in fish tissues compared to that of fish injection of R848 alone, suggesting that R848-induced antibacterial immunity was significantly reduced. In conclusion, these results indicate that R848 plays an essential role in the antibacterial immunity of golden pompano via the TLR7/8-Myd88-NF-κB- signaling pathway.

NF-κB signaling induces inductive expression of the downstream molecules and IgD gene in the freshwater carp, Catla catla

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in innate immune system act as primary sensors in detecting the microbial components and activate their signaling cascades to induce NF-κB (nuclear factor NF-κB) towards the augmentation of immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. To gain insights into the efficacy of NF-κB pathway in immunoglobulin D (IgD) synthesis in the Indian Major Carp Catla catla, cloning and sequencing of TLR-signaling downstream molecules [TRAF3 (TNF receptor-associated factor 3), NEMO (nuclear factor-kappa B essential modulator), NF-κB and BAFF (B cell activating factor)] were performed by infecting the fish with pathogens. mRNA expression analysis of the downstream molecules and IgD showed significant up-regulation of these genes in kidney (P ≤ 0.001) as compared to spleen (P ≤ 0.05). To ascertain the role of NF-κB pathway in IgD synthesis, the primary cell culture of kidney and spleen in monolayer cell suspension was treated with NF-κB inhibitor (BAY 11-7082) and down-regulation of BAFF, NEMO, NF-κB, and IgD gene was observed. These results highlight the importance of NF-κB signaling pathway in augmenting the IgD gene expression in the freshwater carp, Catla catla.

Marking vertebrates langerhans cells, from fish to mammals

Langerhans cells (LCs) are specialized dendritic cells (DCs) that play a defense role in recognizing foreign antigens, in tissue where antigenic exposures occur, as in the skin and mucous membranes. LCs are able to continuously move within the tissues thanks to dendritic contraction and distension performing their surveillance and/or phagocytosis role. These cells are characterized by the presence of Birbeck granules in their cytoplasm, involved in endocytosis. LCs have been characterized in several classes of vertebrates, from fish to mammals using different histological and molecular techniques. The aim of the present review is to define the state of art and the need of information about immunohistochemical markers of LCs in different classes of vertebrates. The most used immunohistochemical (IHC) markers are Langerin/CD207, CD1a, S-100 and TLR. These IHC markers are described in relation to their finding in different vertebrate classes with phylogenetical considerations. Among the four markers, Langerin/CD207 and TLR have the widest spectrum of cross reactivity in LCs.

Expression profile, subcellular localization and signaling pathway analysis of fish-specific TLR25 in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)

The Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) is one of the major food fish species produced in tropical and subtropical regions. However, this industry has been facing significant challenges from microbial infections. Understanding how hosts initiate immune responses against invading microbes is the first requirement for addressing disease outbreak prevention and disease resistance. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved proteins that can recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). They thus play an essential role in innate immunity. TLR25 is a newly identified fish-specific member of the TLR1 subfamily. In this study, we investigate the molecular and functional characteristics of O. niloticus TLR25 (OnTLR25) via tissue expression patterns, gene expression modulation after challenge with bacteria and TLR ligands, subcellular localization in human and fish cells, and the signaling pathways TLR25 may induce. Transcriptional levels of OnTLR25 are high in immune-related organs such as the spleen and head kidney, and are increased following bacterial challenges. In addition, we show that OnTLR25 preferentially localizes to the intracellular compartment in transfected tilapia head kidney (THK) cell line. Furthermore, overexpression of the truncated form of OnTLR25 in THK cell line induced the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-12a, and interferon-d2.13. Combined, our results suggest that TLR25 is likely to play an important role in the antimicrobial responses of the innate immune system of Nile tilapia.

Toll-Like Receptor 5 of Golden Pompano Trachinotus ovatus (Linnaeus 1758): Characterization, Promoter Activity and Functional Analysis

Toll-like receptors (TLRs), as important pattern recognition receptors, represent a significant component of fish immune systems and play an important role in resisting the invasion of pathogenic microorganisms. The TLR5 subfamily contains two types of TLR5, the membrane form of TLR5 (TLR5M) and the soluble form of TLR5 (TLR5S), whose detailed functions have not been completely elucidated. In the present study, we first identified two genes, TLR5M (ToTLR5M) and TLR5S (ToTLR5S), from golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). The full-length ToTLR5M and ToTLR5S cDNA are 3644 bp and 2329 bp, respectively, comprising an open reading frame (ORF) of 2673 bp, encoding 890 amino acids, and an ORF of 1935 bp, encoding 644 amino acids. Both the ToTLR5s possess representative TLR domains; however, only ToTLR5M has transmembrane and intracellular TIR domains. Moreover, the transcription of two ToTLR5s was significantly upregulated after stimulation by polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and flagellin in both immune-related tissues (liver, intestine, blood, kidney, and skin) and nonimmune-related tissue (muscle). Furthermore, the results of bioinformatic and promoter analysis show that the transcription factors GATA-1 (GATA Binding Protein 1), C/EBPalpha (CCAAT Enhancer Binding Protein Alpha), and ICSBP (Interferon (IFN) consensus sequence binding protein) may play a positive role in moderating the expression of two ToTLR5s. Overexpression of ToTLR5M and ToTLR5S notably increases NF-κB (nuclear factor kappa-B) activity. Additionally, the binding assay revealed that two rToTLR5s can bind specifically to bacteria and pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) containing Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio anguillarum, Vibrio vulnificus, Escherichia coli, Photobacterium damselae, Staphylococcus aureus, Aeromonas hydrophila, LPS, poly(I:C), flagellin, and peptidoglycan (PGN). In conclusion, the present study may help to elucidate the function of ToTLR5M/S and clarify their possible roles in the fish immune response to bacterial infection.

Zebrafish IL-4-like Cytokines and IL-10 Suppress Inflammation but Only IL-10 Is Essential for Gill Homeostasis

Mucosal surfaces such as fish gills interface between the organism and the external environment and as such are major sites of foreign Ag encounter. In the gills, the balance between inflammatory responses to waterborne pathogens and regulatory responses toward commensal microbes is critical for effective barrier function and overall fish health. In mammals, IL-4 and IL-13 in concert with IL-10 are essential for balancing immune responses to pathogens and suppressing inflammation. Although considerable progress has been made in the field of fish immunology in recent years, whether the fish counterparts of these key mammalian cytokines perform similar roles is still an open question. In this study, we have generated IL-4/13A and IL-4/13B mutant zebrafish (Danio rerio) and, together with an existing IL-10 mutant line, characterized the consequences of loss of function of these cytokines. We demonstrate that IL-4/13A and IL-4/13B are required for the maintenance of a Th2-like phenotype in the gills and the suppression of type 1 immune responses. As in mammals, IL-10 appears to have a more striking anti-inflammatory function than IL-4-like cytokines and is essential for gill homeostasis. Thus, both IL-4/13 and IL-10 paralogs in zebrafish exhibit aspects of conserved function with their mammalian counterparts.

IRF3 and IRF8 Regulate NF-κB Signaling by Targeting MyD88 in Teleost Fish

MyD88 is a conserved intracellular adaptor, which plays an important role in the innate immune system. MyD88 transmits signals for downstream of toll-like and IL-1 receptors to activate NF-κB signaling pathway, which is tightly controlled in the immune response to maintain immune intensity and immune homeostasis at different stages. NF-κB signaling pathway has been extensively studied in mammals, but regulatory molecular mechanism is still unclear in teleost fish. We determined that IRF3 and IRF8 can regulate MyD88-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway in fish. Interestingly, MyD88 is precisely regulated by IRF3 and IRF8 through the same mechanism but in completely opposite ways. IRF3 promotes MyD88-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway, whereas IRF8 inhibits the signaling pathway. MyD88 is regulated via ubiquitin-proteasome degradation, whereas IRF3 or IRF8 inhibited or promoted MyD88 degradation in this pathway. Specifically, in the early stage of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation or Vibrio infection, up-regulation of IRF3 and down-regulation of IRF8 eventually increased MyD88 expression to activate the NF-κB signaling pathway to trigger immune response. In the late stage of stimulation, down-regulated IRF3 and up-regulated IRF8 synergistically regulate the expression of MyD88 to a normal level, thus maintaining the immune balance of homeostasis and preventing serious damage from persistent over-immunization. This study presents information on Myd88-NF-κB signaling pathway in teleost fish and provides new insights into its regulatory mechanism in fish immune system.

Spontaneous C-cleavage of a truncated intein as fusion tag to produce tag-free VP1 inclusion body nanoparticle vaccine against CVB3-induced viral myocarditis by the oral route

Background

Oral vaccine is highly desired for infectious disease which is caused by pathogens infection through the mucosal surface. The design of suitable vaccine delivery system is ongoing for the antigen protection from the harsh gastric environment and target to the Peyer’s patches to induce sufficient mucosal immune responses. Among various potential delivery systems, bacterial inclusion bodies have been widely used as delivery systems in the field of nanobiomedicine. However, a large number of heterologous complex proteins could be difficult to propagate in E. coli and fusion partners are often used to enhance target protein expression. As a safety concern the fusion protein need to be removed from the target protein to get tag-free protein, especially for the production of protein antigen in vaccinology. Until now, there is no report on how to remove fusion tag from inclusion body particles in vitro and in vivo. Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3) is a leading causative agent of viral myocarditis and orally protein vaccine is high desired for CVB3-induced myocarditis. In this context, we explored a tag-free VP1 inclusion body nanoparticles production protocol though a truncated Ssp DnaX mini-intein spontaneous C-cleavage in vivo and also exploited the VP1 inclusion bodies as an oral protein nanoparticle vaccine to protect mice against CVB3-induced myocarditis.

Results

We successfully produced the tag-free VP1 inclusion body nanoparticle antigen of CVB3 and orally administrated to mice. The results showed that the tag-free VP1 inclusion body nanoparticles as an effective antigen delivery system targeting to the Peyer’s patches had the capacity to induce mucosal immunity as well as to efficiently protect mice from CVB3 induce myocarditis without any adjuvant. Then, we proposed the use of VP1 inclusion body nanoparticles as good candidate for oral vaccine to against CVB3-induced myocarditis.

Conclusions

Our tag-free inclusion body nanoparticles production procedure is easy and low cost and may have universal applicability to produce a variety of tag-free inclusion body nanoparticles for oral vaccine.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12934-019-1115-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Identification, characterisation and preliminary functional analysis of IRAK-M in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase (IRAK) family members play important roles in myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88)-dependent toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling, the crucial innate immune pathway in vertebrates. In the present study, the IRAK family gene IRAK-M (also called IRAK3) from grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) was cloned and characterised. IRAK-M was mainly enriched in the spleen, and the significantly altered expression was observed after grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection. Subcellular localisation showed that IRAK-M protein distributed uniformly in the entire cell and co-localised with MyD88 in the cytoplasm of transfected cells. Additionally, the interaction between IRAK-M and MyD88 was confirmed by bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) system. Moreover, deficient of IRAK-M in C. idella kidney cell line (CIK) with small interference RNA (siRNA) upregulated polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C))-induced inflammatory cytokines production, including interleukin 8 (IL-8), IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF-α), which reveals that IRAK-M functions as a negative regulator of inflammatory cytokines. Taken together, our results demonstrate that IRAK-M gene plays an important role in innate immune regulation and provide new insights into understanding the functional characteristics of the IRAK-M in teleosts.

Transcriptome analysis of the critically endangered Dabry's sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) head kidney response to Aeromonas hydrophila

Dabry's sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus), as a living fossil, is considered a critically endangered aquatic animal in China. To date, the immune system of this species remains largely unknown, with limited available sequence information. In addition, increasing incidence of bacterial pathogenic diseases has been reported. Hence, the present study aimed to characterize comprehensively transcriptome profile of the head kidney from Dabry's sturgeon infected with Aeromonas hydrophila using Illumina platform. Over 42 million high-quality reads were obtained and de novo assembled into a final set of 195240 unique transcript fragments (unigenes), with an average length of 564 bp. Approximately 41702 unigenes were annotated in the NR NCBI database. Dabry's sturgeon unigenes had the highest number of hits with 14365 (34.45%) to Lepisosteus oculatus. The 195240 unigenes were assigned to three Gene Ontology (GO) categories: biological process, cellular component, and molecular function. Among them, 27770 unigenes were clustered into 26 Eukaryotic Orthologous Group (KOG) functional categories, and 36031 unigenes were mapped to 335 known Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. After A. hydrophila administration, 1728 differentially expressed unigenes were identified, including 980 upregulated and 748 downregulated unigenes. Further KEGG enrichment analysis of these unigenes identified 16 immune-related pathways, including the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, chemokine signaling pathway, complement and coagulation pathway, RIG-I-like receptor signaling pathway, and NOD-like receptor signaling pathway. 20 DEGs were selected and their expression patterns are largely consistent with the transcriptome profile analysis, which clearly validated the reliability of the DEGs in transcriptome analysis. This work revealed novel gene expression patterns of Dabry's sturgeon host defense and contributes to a better understanding of the immune system and defense mechanisms of Dabry's sturgeon in response to bacterial infection. The results provide valuable references for studies in sturgeons that lack complete genomic sequences, and could also be helpful for the analyzing evolution among cartilaginous and teleost fish.

Expression and functional characterization of TRIF in orange-spotted grouper (Epinephelus coioides)

Antiviral immune responses are triggered by the innate immune recognition of viral infection. Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain containing adapter inducing interferon-β (TRIF) is an adapter in responding to activation of Toll-like receptors, which provides early clearance of viral pathogens. Our study focuses on the functional characterization of grouper TRIF (EcTRIF) based on the comparison of its sequence and functional evolution from grouper fish to mammals. The results show that the open reading frame of EcTRIF encoded a protein of 580 amino acids. Real-time PCR analysis indicates that EcTRIF was constitutively expressed in all the analyzed tissues in healthy grouper. EcTRIF was significantly induced in spleen post-LPS and poly (I:C) stimulation. Fluorescence microscopy shows that EcTRIF is colocalized with a Golgi apparatus marker, implying its unique subcellular localization in the Golgi apparatus. Luciferase reporter assays confirmed that EcTRIF was able to activate the IFN and NF-κB promoter. Overexpression of EcTRIF in grouper brain cells inhibited the replication of red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV). These results indicate that EcTRIF plays an important role in modulating antiviral innate immune responses. Our results have applications in functional studies on TRIF in teleost fish and immune evolution.

Differential gene expression following TLR stimulation in rag1-/- mutant zebrafish tissues and morphological descriptions of lymphocyte-like cell populations

In the absence of lymphocytes, rag1-/- mutant zebrafish develop protective immunity to bacteria. In mammals, induction of protection by innate immunity can be mediated by macrophages or natural killer (NK) cells. To elucidate potential responsive cell populations, we morphologically characterized lymphocyte-like cells (LLCs) from liver, spleen and kidney hematopoietic tissues. In fish, these cells include NK cells and Non-specific cytotoxic cells (NCCs). We also evaluated the transcriptional expression response of select genes that are important indicators of NK and macrophage activation after exposure to specific TLR ligands. The LLC cell populations could be discriminated by size and further discriminated by the presence of cytoplasmic granules. Expression levels of mx, tnfα, ifnγ, t-bet and nitr9 demonstrated dynamic changes in response to intra-coelomically administered β glucan (a TLR2/6 ligand), Poly I:C (a TLR3 ligand) and resiquimod (R848) (a TLR7/8 ligand). Following TLR 2/6 stimulation, there was a greater than 100 fold increase in ifnγ in liver, kidney and spleen and moderate increases in tnfα in liver and kidney. TLR3 stimulation caused broad up regulation of mx, down-regulation of tnfα in kidney and spleen tissues and up regulation of nitr9 in the kidney. Following TLR 7/8 stimulation, there was a greater than 100 fold increase in ifnγ in liver and kidney and t-bet in liver. Our gene expression findings suggest that LLCs and macrophages are stimulated following β glucan exposure. Poly I:C causes type I interferon response and mild induction of LLC in the kidney and R-848 exposure causes the strongest LLC stimulation. Overall, the strongest NK like gene expression occurred in the liver. These differential effects of TLR ligands in rag1-/- mutant zebrafish shows strong NK cell-like gene expression responses, especially in the liver, and provides tools to evaluate the basis for protective immunity mediated by the innate immune cells of fish.

Identification, molecular evolution of toll-like receptors in a Tibetan schizothoracine fish (Gymnocypris eckloni) and their expression profiles in response to acute hypoxia

Hypoxia plays an important role in regulating a variety of physiological responses as well as in pathological situations, but to date the roles of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in fish in response to hypoxia are still poorly understood. Here, we sequenced the transcriptome of G. eckloni and identified the members of TLR family by scanning transcriptome, and then investigated the expression profiles of a complete set of TLRs in G. eckloni in response to acute hypoxia (4 h at DO = 0.3 ± 0.1 mg/L). The de novo-assembled transcriptome consisted of a total of 162,235 transcripts, further clustered into 110,231 unigenes. Based on the transcriptome, a total of 18 TLRs were identified in G. eckloni, and of them three TLRs (TLR5, TLR8 and TLR22) possessed two distinct paralogous genes. The duplicated genes of TLR22 were discovered for the first time in cyprinid fish, but did not origin from a recent duplication event. Of them TLR22b may be specific for schizothoracine fish, at least for G. eckloni. Phylogenetic analysis supported the classification of TLRs into six families as in other vertebrates but was partly different from the previous study. The sliding window analysis showed strong signals of positive selection in TLR2, TLR 4, TLR 5a, TLR 7, TLR 19, TLR 20, TLR 21, TLR 22a and TLR 22b, but most codons under positive selection were located in the putative LRR regions. The mRNA expression of most TLRs in head kidney, spleen and gill decreased significantly or remained unchanged under acute hypoxia, whereas acute hypoxia increased expressions of TLR2 and TLR3 in head kidney, of TLR8a, TLR12 and TLR19 in spleen, and of TLR1 in gill, suggesting tissues-specific expressions of TLRs play important roles in mediating innate immune responses for host defense against tissue damages or physiological changes induced by hypoxia.

CNBP acts as a key transcriptional regulator of sustained expression of interleukin-6

The transcription of inflammatory genes is an essential step in host defense activation. Here, we show that cellular nucleic acid-binding protein (CNBP) acts as a transcription regulator that is required for activating the innate immune response. We identified specific CNBP-binding motifs present in the promoter region of sustained inflammatory cytokines, thus, directly inducing the expression of target genes. In particular, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced cnbp expression through an NF-κB-dependent manner and a positive autoregulatory mechanism, which enables prolonged il-6 gene expression. This event depends strictly on LPS-induced CNBP nuclear translocation through phosphorylation-mediated dimerization. Consequently, cnbp-depleted zebrafish are highly susceptible to Shigella flexneri infection in vivo. Collectively, these observations identify CNBP as a key transcriptional regulator required for activating and maintaining the immune response.

MicroRNA-148 as a negative regulator of the common TLR adaptor mediates inflammatory response in teleost fish

MicroRNAs are small endogenous noncoding RNAs implicating in the regulation of diverse biological processes, including proliferation, differentiation, cancer, apoptosis, and viral infections. MicroRNAs regulate gene expression by either mRNA degradation or inhibition of protein translation. Although microRNAs have emerged as important controller involved in regulation of inflammatory response, the microRNA-mediated regulatory mechanism remains less clear in teleost. Here, we report that miR-148 targets MyD88 and down-regulates its expression by inhibition protein translation rather than degradation mRNA in miiuy croaker. Additionally, we found that miR-148 was significantly upregulated in miiuy croaker after treated with Vibro harveyi, as well as LPS. Overexpression of miR-148 inhibited LPS-induced inflammatory cytokines production, such as IL-6 and IL-1β, which then avoid excessive inflammation response. miR-148 has also been identified to suppress NF-κB pathway through targeting and repressing MyD88 expression. Taken together, our findings indicate that miR-148 participates in bacteria-induced inflammatory response and act as a negative regulator for MyD88-mediated NF-κB signaling, which may clarify the mechanism of microRNAs for avoiding excessive inflammation in teleost fish.

MicroRNA-3570 Modulates the NF-κB Pathway in Teleost Fish by Targeting MyD88

The inflammatory response, a protective process to clear detrimental stimuli, constitutes the defense against infectious pathogens. However, excessive inflammation disrupts immune homeostasis, which may induce autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we report that microRNA (miR)-3570 plays a negative role in the bacteria-induced inflammatory response of miiuy croaker. Upregulation of miR-3570 by Vibrio anguillarum and LPS inhibits LPS-induced inflammatory cytokine production, thus avoiding an excessive inflammation response. Evidence showed that miR-3570 targets MyD88 and posttranscriptionally downregulates its expression. Overexpression of miR-3570 in macrophages suppresses the expression of MyD88, as well as its downstream signaling of IL-1R-associated kinases 1 and 4 and TNFR-associated factor 6. These results suggest that miR-3570 plays a regulatory in the bacteria-induced inflammatory response through the MyD88-mediated NF-κB signaling pathway by targeting MyD88.

Extending Immunological Profiling in the Gilthead Sea Bream, Sparus aurata, by Enriched cDNA Library Analysis, Microarray Design and Initial Studies upon the Inflammatory Response to PAMPs

This study describes the development and validation of an enriched oligonucleotide-microarray platform for Sparus aurata (SAQ) to provide a platform for transcriptomic studies in this species. A transcriptome database was constructed by assembly of gilthead sea bream sequences derived from public repositories of mRNA together with reads from a large collection of expressed sequence tags (EST) from two extensive targeted cDNA libraries characterizing mRNA transcripts regulated by both bacterial and viral challenge. The developed microarray was further validated by analysing monocyte/macrophage activation profiles after challenge with two Gram-negative bacterial pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs; lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and peptidoglycan (PGN)). Of the approximately 10,000 EST sequenced, we obtained a total of 6837 EST longer than 100 nt, with 3778 and 3059 EST obtained from the bacterial-primed and from the viral-primed cDNA libraries, respectively. Functional classification of contigs from the bacterial- and viral-primed cDNA libraries by Gene Ontology (GO) showed that the top five represented categories were equally represented in the two libraries: metabolism (approximately 24% of the total number of contigs), carrier proteins/membrane transport (approximately 15%), effectors/modulators and cell communication (approximately 11%), nucleoside, nucleotide and nucleic acid metabolism (approximately 7.5%) and intracellular transducers/signal transduction (approximately 5%). Transcriptome analyses using this enriched oligonucleotide platform identified differential shifts in the response to PGN and LPS in macrophage-like cells, highlighting responsive gene-cassettes tightly related to PAMP host recognition. As observed in other fish species, PGN is a powerful activator of the inflammatory response in S. aurata macrophage-like cells. We have developed and validated an oligonucleotide microarray (SAQ) that provides a platform enriched for the study of gene expression in S. aurata with an emphasis upon immunity and the immune response.

Estrogen-dependent seasonal adaptations in the immune response of fish

Clinical and experimental evidence shows that estrogens affect immunity in mammals. Less is known about this interaction in the evolutionary older, non-mammalian, vertebrates. Fish form an excellent model to identify evolutionary conserved neuroendocrine-immune interactions: i) they are the earliest vertebrates with fully developed innate and adaptive immunity, ii) immune and endocrine parameters vary with season, and iii) physiology is constantly disrupted by increasing contamination of the aquatic environment. Neuro-immuno-endocrine interactions enable adaption to changing internal and external environment and are based on shared signaling molecules and receptors. The presence of specific estrogen receptors on/in fish leukocytes, implies direct estrogen-mediated immunoregulation. Fish leukocytes most probably are also capable to produce estrogens as they express the cyp19a and cyp19b - genes, encoding aromatase cytochrome P450, the enzyme critical for conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens. Immunoregulatory actions of estrogens, vary among animal species, and also with dose, target cell type, or physiological condition (e.g., infected/non-infected, reproductive status). They moreover are multifaceted. Interestingly, season-dependent changes in immune status correlate with changes in the levels of circulating sex hormones. Whereas E2 circulating in the bloodstream is perhaps the most likely candidate to be the physiological mediator of systemic immune-reproductive trade-offs, leukocyte-derived hormones are hypothesized to be mainly involved in local tuning of the immune response. Contamination of the aquatic environment with estrogenic EDCs may violate the delicate and precise allostatic interactions between the endogenous estrogen system and the immune system. This has negative effects on fish health, but will also affect the physiology of its consumers.

Immune transcriptome reveals the mincle C-type lectin receptor acts as a partial replacement for TLR4 in lipopolysaccharide-mediated inflammatory response in barramundi (Lates calcarifer)

Fish represent the most diverse and abundant extant vertebrate infraclass. They are also one of the earliest divergent phyla with adaptive immunity based on antigen recognition by MHC and immunoglobulin. The aquaculture industry, which currently provides more than half of the fish for human consumption globally, has successfully exploited the adaptive immune system of fish through mass vaccination programs. However, vaccination against highly diverse antigens, mostly carbohydrates, such as capsular polysaccharides and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is challenging. Fish have a subdued innate response to LPS, but adaptive response is generally high and type-specific. To better understand the link between initial innate response and early onset of adaptive immunity to carbohydrate antigens in the perciform barramundi (Lates calcarifer), an immune transcriptome was prepared from pronephros and spleen following vaccination with LPS and peptidoglycan. From 163,661 transcripts derived by Illumina mRNA-Seq, most grouped in neuronal, endocrine or immune system categories, suggesting a close relationship between the three systems. Moreover, digestive enzyme transcripts in spleen appeared to be highly inducible in barramundi. Most of the known TLRs were transcribed in the barramundi spleen and HK transcriptome, with the notable exception of TLR4, which is primarily responsible for LPS recognition in mammals. Several C-type lectin receptors were also identified, including CD209, CD205, and CLEC4E (Mincle). As Mincle has been shown to bind LPS and is abundant on dendritic cells, its role in response to LPS in barramundi was further investigated. A high dose of LPS induced TNF-alpha expression via Mincle. However, IL-6 regulation, whilst still regulated in response to LPS, did not depend upon the Mincle pathway, suggesting other routes of activation. This study thus suggests that Mincle acts as a partial substitute for TLR4 in barramundi in the processing of LPS.

Complex Particulate Biomaterials as Immunostimulant-Delivery Platforms

The control of infectious diseases is a major current challenge in intensive aquaculture. Most commercial vaccines are based on live attenuated or inactivated pathogens that are usually combined with adjuvants, oil emulsions being as the most widely used for vaccination in aquaculture. Although effective, the use of these oil emulsions is plagued with important side effects. Thus, the development of alternative safer and cost-effective immunostimulants and adjuvants is highly desirable. Here we have explored the capacity of inclusion bodies produced in bacteria to immunostimulate and protect fish against bacterial infections. Bacterial inclusion bodies are highly stable, non-toxic protein-based biomaterials produced through fully scalable and low-cost bio-production processes. The present study shows that the composition and structured organization of inclusion body components (protein, lipopolysaccharide, peptidoglycan, DNA and RNA) make these protein biomaterials excellent immunomodulators able to generically protect fish against otherwise lethal bacterial challenges. The results obtained in this work provide evidence that their inherent nature makes bacterial inclusion bodies exceptionally attractive as immunostimulants and this opens the door to the future exploration of this biomaterial as an alternative adjuvant for vaccination purposes in veterinary.

The response of fish to immunostimulant diets

In order to maintain fish health and to improve performance immunostimulants have been used as dietary additives to improve weight gain, feed efficiency, and/or disease resistance in cultured fish. In aquaculture, non-specific immunostimulants have been widely used probably due to the limited knowledge of the immune response in fish and the ease of their application. Many studies have been carried out to assess the effect of dietary immunostimulants in fish including algal derivatives, herb and plant extract containing diets using a wide range of downstream analytical techniques. Many immunostimulants are based upon tradition and folklore transferred through generations and specific to certain geographical regions rather than known biological properties. However, there are studies in which it is possible to observe a clear and direct dose-dependent stimulatory effect upon the immune system. Other dietary supplements used contain PAMPs (Pathogen Associated Molecular Patterns) as immunostimulants whose recognition depends upon PRR (pathogen recognition receptor) interactions including the TLRs (Toll-like receptor). Despite the growing interest in the use of immunostimulants across the aquaculture industry the underlying mechanisms of ligand recognition, extract composition and activation of the fish immune response remains fragmented. In this review we focus upon the last 15 years of studies addressing the assessment of: (1) plant, herb and algae extracts; and (2) PAMPs, upon non-specific immune parameters of activation and immunostimulant diet efficacy.

Changing expression of vertebrate immunity genes in an anthropogenic environment: a controlled experiment

Background

The effect of anthropogenic environments on the function of the vertebrate immune system is a problem of general importance. For example, it relates to the increasing rates of immunologically-based disease in modern human populations and to the desirability of identifying optimal immune function in domesticated animals. Despite this importance, our present understanding is compromised by a deficit of experimental studies that make adequately matched comparisons between wild and captive vertebrates.

Results

We transferred post-larval fishes (three-spined sticklebacks), collected in the wild, to an anthropogenic (captive) environment. We then monitored, over 11 months, how the systemic expression of immunity genes changed in comparison to cohort-matched wild individuals in the originator population (total n = 299). We found that a range of innate (lyz, defbl2, il1r-like, tbk1) and adaptive (cd8a, igmh) immunity genes were up-regulated in captivity, accompanied by an increase in expression of the antioxidant enzyme, gpx4a. For some genes previously known to show seasonality in the wild, this appeared to be reduced in captive fishes. Captive fishes tended to express immunity genes, including igzh, foxp3b, lyz, defbl2, and il1r-like, more variably. Furthermore, although gene co-expression patterns (analyzed through gene-by-gene correlations and mutual information theory based networks) shared common structure in wild and captive fishes, there was also significant divergence. For one gene in particular, defbl2, high expression was associated with adverse health outcomes in captive fishes.

Conclusion

Taken together, these results demonstrate widespread regulatory changes in the immune system in captive populations, and that the expression of immunity genes is more constrained in the wild. An increase in constitutive systemic immune activity, such as we observed here, may alter the risk of immunopathology and contribute to variance in health in vertebrate populations exposed to anthropogenic environments.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12862-016-0751-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Cloning and expression analysis of a Toll-like receptor 22 (tlr22) gene from turbot, Scophthalmus maximus

Toll-like receptor 22 (TLR22) exists exclusively in aquatic animals and recognizes double stranded RNA (dsRNA). In the present study, a tlr22 gene and its 5'-flanking sequence were cloned from turbot, Scophthalmus maximus, its immune responsive expression was subsequently studied in vivo. The turbot (sm)tlr22 gene spans over 5.6 kb with a structure of 4 exon-3 intron and encodes 962 amino acids. The deduced protein shows the highest sequence identity (76.7%) to Japanese flounder Tlr22 and possesses a signal peptide sequence, a leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domain composed of 27 LRR motifs, a transmembrane region and a Toll/interleukin-1 receptor (TIR) domain. Phylogenetic analysis grouped it with other teleost Tlr22s. The interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) binding site important for the basal transcriptional activity of TLR3 were predicted in the 5'-flanking sequence of smtlr22 gene. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) analysis demonstrated the constitutive expression of smtlr22 mRNA in all examined tissues with higher levels in the head kidney, kidney and spleen. Further, smtlr22 expression was significantly up-regulated following challenge with polyinosinic: polycytidylic acid (poly I:C), lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or turbot reddish body iridovirus (TRBIV) in the gills, head kidney, spleen and muscle, with maximum increases ranging from 2.56 to 6.24 fold upon different immunostimulants and organs. These findings suggest a possible role of Smtlr22 in the immune responses to the infections of a broad range of pathogens that include DNA and RNA viruses and Gram-negative bacteria.

Isolation and expression of grass carp toll-like receptor 5a (CiTLR5a) and 5b (CiTLR5b) gene involved in the response to flagellin stimulation and grass carp reovirus infection

Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5), a member of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) family and is responsible for the bacterial flagellin recognition in vertebrates, play an important role in innate immunity. In the study, two TLR5 genes of grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus), named CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b, were cloned and analyzed. Both CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b are typical TLR proteins, including LRR motif, transmembrane region and TIR domain. The full-length cDNA of CiTLR5a is 3054 bp long, with a 2646 bp open reading frame (ORF), 78 bp 5' untranslated regions (UTR), and 330 bp 3' UTR. The full-length cDNA of CiTLR5b is 3326 bp, with a 2627 bp ORF, 95 bp 5' UTR, and 594 bp 3' UTR. Phylogenetic analysis showed that CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b were closed to the TLR5 of cirrhinus mrigala, cyprinus_carpio, and danio rerio. Subcellular localization indicated that CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b shared similar localization pattern and may locate in the plasma membrane of transfected cells. Real-time quantitative PCR revealed CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b were constitutively expressed in all examined tissues, whereas the highest expressed tissue differed. Following exposure to flagellin and GCRV, CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b were up-regulated significantly. Moreover, the downstream genes of TLR5 signal pathway such as MyD88, NF-κB, IRF7, IL-1β, and TNF-α also up-regulated significantly, whereas the IκB gene was down-regulated, suggesting that CiTLR5a and CiTLR5b involved in response to flagellin stimulation and GCRV infection. The results obtained in the study would provide a new insight for further understand the function of TLR5 in teleost fish.

Ultrapure LPS induces inflammatory and antibacterial responses attenuated in vitro by exogenous sera in Atlantic cod and Atlantic salmon

Phagocyte recognition of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) is an early key event for triggering the host innate immune response necessary for clearance of invading bacteria. The ability of fishes to recognise LPS has been questioned as contradictory results have been presented. We show here that monocyte/macrophage cultures from Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) respond with an increased expression of inflammatory and antibacterial genes to both crude and ultrapure Escherichia coli LPS. Crude LPS produces higher induction than the ultrapure LPS type in both species in vitro as well as in vivo in cod injected with LPS. Crude LPS gave, in contrast to ultrapure LPS, an additional weak up-regulation of antiviral genes in salmon macrophages, most likely because of contaminants in the LPS preparation. Increased levels of chicken (c)-type lysozyme transcripts and enzyme activity were measured in salmon macrophages following ultrapure LPS stimulation demonstrating not only increased transcription but also translation. Simultaneous use and even pre-treatment with bovine sera suppressed the LPS-induced expression thereby reflecting the presence of transcription inhibitory components in sera. Together, these findings show that both cod and salmon recognise LPS per se and that the observed induction is highly dependent on the absence of sera.

SNP marker discovery in koala TLR genes

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) play a crucial role in the early defence against invading pathogens, yet our understanding of TLRs in marsupial immunity is limited. Here, we describe the characterisation of nine TLRs from a koala immune tissue transcriptome and one TLR from a draft sequence of the koala genome and the subsequent development of an assay to study genetic diversity in these genes. We surveyed genetic diversity in 20 koalas from New South Wales, Australia and showed that one gene, TLR10 is monomorphic, while the other nine TLR genes have between two and 12 alleles. 40 SNPs (16 non-synonymous) were identified across the ten TLR genes. These markers provide a springboard to future studies on innate immunity in the koala, a species under threat from two major infectious diseases.

Immune effects of R848: evidences that suggest an essential role of TLR7/8-induced, Myd88- and NF-κB-dependent signaling in the antiviral immunity of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)

The imidazoquinoline compound R848 is a specific agonist of toll-like receptor (TLR) 7/TLR8 that has been used as an immunostimulant in humans against viral diseases. Although R848-induced immune response has been reported in teleost fish, the relevant mechanism is not clear. In this study, we investigated the antiviral potential and the signaling pathway of R848 in a model of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus). We found that R848 was able to inhibit the replication of megalocytivirus, stimulated the proliferation of peripheral blood leukocytes (PBL), enhanced the expression of immune genes, and reduced apoptosis of PBL. When endosomal acidification was blocked by chloroquine (CQ), R848-mediated antiviral activity and immune response were significantly reduced. Likewise, inhibition of Myd88 activation markedly impaired the pro-proliferation and anti-apoptosis effect of R848. Cellular study showed that cultured founder cells treated with R848 exhibited augmented NF-κB activity, which, however, was dramatically reduced in the presence of CQ and Myd88 inhibitor. Furthermore, when NF-κB was inactivated, the effect of R848 on cell proliferation and apoptosis was significantly decreased. Taken together, these results indicate that R848 is an immunostimulant with antiviral property in a teleost species, and that the immune response of R848 is mediated by, most likely, TLR7/TLR8 signaling pathway, in which Myd88 and NK-κB play an essential role.

Production of inflammatory mediators and extracellular traps by carp macrophages and neutrophils in response to lipopolysaccharide and/or interferon-γ2

Neutrophilic granulocytes and macrophages are crucial for the innate immune response against infections. They migrate into the focus of inflammation, where they efficiently bind, engulf and kill bacteria by proteolytic enzymes, antimicrobial peptides, reactive oxygen (ROS) and nitrogen (RNS) species. Moreover, activated neutrophils and macrophages can form extracellular traps (ETs). Fish neutrophils and macrophages are morphologically, histochemically, and functionally similar to their mammalian counterparts, but their significance for regulation of inflammatory responses and pathogen killing needs further elucidation. We compared the activity of head kidney monocytes/macrophages and neutrophilic granulocytes of common carp and established that upon lipopolysaccharide stimulation, not only neutrophils, but also carp monocytes/macrophages release extracellular DNA and are capable to form macrophage extracellular traps (METs). To clarify whether many specific LPS functions reported for piscine phagocytes might be due to impurities in the commonly used LPS preparations we studied expression of inflammatory mediators, release of DNA, ROS and RNS in cells stimulated with LPS or its highly purified form (pLPS). Also IFN-γ2 stimulation and its synergism with LPS/pLPS in stimulating expression of pro-inflammatory mediators was studied. Results substantiate that a classical stimulation of TLR4 by LPS may indeed be absent in carp as most of the classically reported LPS effects are abolished or diminished when pLPS is used. Interestingly, we also observed a potent IL-10 expression in neutrophilic granulocytes upon LPS stimulation, which, apart from their pro-inflammatory function, clearly indicates a role in restrictive control of the inflammatory reaction.

Effects of recombinant flagellin B and its ND1 domain from Vibrio anguillarum on macrophages from gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss, W.)

Flagellin is the principal component of flagellum in Gram negative and positive bacteria, and it is also the ligand that activates the Toll-like receptor 5 (TLR5) in mammals and fish. In higher vertebrates, flagellin induces the activation of the membrane-bound TLR5 (TLR5M), which promotes the expression of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines and the co-stimulatory molecules present in antigen-presenting cells needed for the activation of T cells. In the present study, we report the production of two recombinant proteins of Vibrio anguillarum: i) a full length flagellin B (FlaB) (rFla) and ii) the amino-terminus of the D1 domain (rND1) of the same protein, the region mainly responsible for binding to TLR5 and for the immunostimulatory activity of flagellin. The effects of these recombinant proteins were assessed in vitro using head kidney macrophages of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L., Perciformes, Sparidae) and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss W., Salmoniformes, Salmonidae). In both species, 3 h of stimulation with rFla and rND1 induced expression of the proinflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and of the chemokine IL-8. In gilthead seabream macrophages stimulated with rFla and rND1, a 900- and 6-fold increase were observed for IL-1β transcription, while a 900- and 3-fold increase were recorded for IL-8 transcription, respectively, as compared to non-stimulated macrophages. In rainbow trout, rFla increased expression of IL-8 40-fold in macrophages, whereas rND1 increased expression of the chemokine 3-fold, as compared to non-stimulated cells. The results obtained for rFla and rND1 demonstrate their modulatory capabilities in vitro, suggesting that rFla and rND1 could be evaluated as immunostimulatory candidates for use in farmed fish. However, further in vivo studies are needed to confirm and expand on the present results.

T cell transcripts and T cell activities in the gills of the teleost fish sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

The gills of fish are a mucosal tissue that contains T cells involved in the recognition of non-self and pathogens, and in this work we describe some features of gill-associated T cells of European sea bass, a marine model species. A whole transcriptome was obtained by deep sequencing of RNA from unstimulated gills that has been analyzed for the presence of T cell-related transcripts. Of the putative expressed sequences identified in the transcriptome, around 30 were related to main functions related to T cells including Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg cell subpopulations, thus suggesting their possible presence in the branchial epithelium. The number of T cells in the gills of sea bass, measured with the specific T cell mAb DLT15 range from 10% to 20%, and IHC analysis shows their abundance and distribution in the epithelium. Leukocytes from gills are able to proliferate in the presence of lectins ConA and PHA, as measured by flow cytometry using CFSE fluorescence incorporation, and during proliferation the number of T cells counted by immunofluorescence increased. In lectin-proliferating cells the expression of T cell-related genes TRβ, TRγ, CD4, CD8α, CD45 and IL-10 increased dramatically. Our data represent a first analysis on T cell genes and on basic T cell activities of fish gills, and suggest the presence of functionally active subpopulations of T lymphocytes in this tissue.

Effects of TLR agonists and viral infection on cytokine and TLR expression in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar)

The development of efficient and cheap vaccines against several aquatic viruses is necessary for a sustainable fish farming industry. Toll-like receptor (TLR) ligands have already been used as good adjuvants in human vaccines. With more understanding of TLR expression, function, and ligand specificity in fish, more efficient adjuvants for fish viral vaccines can be developed. In this paper, we examine all known TLRs in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) and demonstrate that head kidney and spleen are the main organs expressing TLRs in salmon. We also show that adherent head kidney leucocytes from salmon are able to respond to many of the known agonists for human TLRs, and that viral infection can induce up-regulation of several TLRs. These findings substantiate these receptors' role in immune responses to pathogens in salmonids making their ligands attractive as vaccine adjuvant candidates.

Lipopolysaccharides isolated from Aeromonas salmonicida and Vibrio anguillarum show quantitative but not qualitative differences in inflammatory outcome in Sparus aurata (Gilthead seabream)

In fish, the defence system recognises pathogenic microorganisms via pathogen recognition receptors (PRRs) that sense particular structures of the pathogens; the so-called pathogen associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as bacterial lipopolysaccharides (LPSs). The result of the PAMP-PRR interactions leads to complex and orchestrated immune responses. In this study, Sparus aurata (Gilthead seabream) were intraperitoneally injected with purified lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Aeromonas salmonicida (As)- and Vibrio anguillarum (Va) (1 mg*Kgfish(-1)), both Gram negative bacteria responsible for vibriosis and furunculosis respectively, therefore causing an impact upon marine fish cultures. Head-kidney, intestine, spleen, liver and blood samples were collected at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h post-injection. Plasma levels of cortisol, prostaglandins and lactate were measured and were significantly increased after As-LPS and Va-LPS treatment. Furthermore, tissue-specific differences of the gene regulatory patterns were evident for each LPS. When monocyte/macrophage cell cultures were challenged with As-LPS and Va-LPS, the pro-inflammatory cytokine mRNA abundances present a similar pattern of response. However, As-LPS always triggered a stronger response concerning TNFα, IL1β and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX2) mRNA abundance as well as PGE2 levels in the supernatant. Overall, the results indicate that specific LPSs do not activate different pro-inflammatory responses and that the observed gene expression pattern is tissue and concentration dependent.

In vitro immune functions in thiamine-replete and -depleted lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush)

In this study we examined the impacts of in vivo thiamine deficiency on lake trout leukocyte function measured in vitro. When compared outside the context of individual-specific thiamine concentrations no significant differences were observed in leukocyte bactericidal activity or in concanavalin A (Con A), and phytohemagglutinin-P (PHA-P) stimulated leukocyte proliferation. Placing immune functions into context with the ratio of in vivo liver thiamine monophosphate (TMP--biologically inactive form) to thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP--biologically active form) proved to be the best indicator of thiamine depletion impacts as determined using regression modeling. These observed relationships indicated differential effects on the immune measures with bactericidal activity exhibiting an inverse relationship with TMP to TPP ratios, Con A stimulated mitogenesis exhibiting a positive relationship with TMP to TPP ratios and PHA-P stimulated mitogenesis exhibiting no significant relationships. In addition, these relationships showed considerable complexity which included the consistent observation of a thiamine-replete subgroup with characteristics similar to those seen in the leukocytes from thiamine-depleted fish. When considered together, our observations indicate that lake trout leukocytes experience cell-type specific impacts as well as an altered physiologic environment when confronted with a thiamine-limited state.

Gram-negative marine bacteria: structural features of lipopolysaccharides and their relevance for economically important diseases

Gram-negative marine bacteria can thrive in harsh oceanic conditions, partly because of the structural diversity of the cell wall and its components, particularly lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS is composed of three main parts, an O-antigen, lipid A, and a core region, all of which display immense structural variations among different bacterial species. These components not only provide cell integrity but also elicit an immune response in the host, which ranges from other marine organisms to humans. Toll-like receptor 4 and its homologs are the dedicated receptors that detect LPS and trigger the immune system to respond, often causing a wide variety of inflammatory diseases and even death. This review describes the structural organization of selected LPSes and their association with economically important diseases in marine organisms. In addition, the potential therapeutic use of LPS as an immune adjuvant in different diseases is highlighted.

Acquired immunity and vaccination against infectious pancreatic necrosis virus of salmon

Acquired immunity plays an important role in the protection of salmonids vaccinated against infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) infections. In recent years, vaccine research has taken a functional approach to find the correlates of protective immunity against IPNV infections. Accumulating evidence suggests that the humoral response, specifically IgM is a correlate of vaccine protection against IPNV infections. The role of IgT on the other hand, especially at the sites of virus entry into the host is yet to be established. The kinetics of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell gene expression have also been shown to correlate with protection in salmonids, suggesting that other arms of the adaptive immune response e.g. cytotoxic T cell responses and Th1 may also be important. Overall, the mechanisms of vaccine protection observed in salmonids are comparable to those seen in other vertebrates suggesting that the immunological basis of vaccine protection has been conserved across vertebrate taxa.

Innate immune responses of salmonid fish to viral infections

Viruses are the most serious pathogenic threat to the production of the main aquacultured salmonid species the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss and the Atlantic salmon Salmo salar. The viral diseases Infectious Pancreatic Necrosis (IPN), Pancreatic Disease (PD), Infectious Haemorrhagic Necrosis (IHN), Viral Haemorrhagic Septicaemia (VHS), and Infectious Salmon Anaemia (ISA) cause massive economic losses to the global salmonid aquaculture industry every year. To date, no solution exists to treat livestock affected by a viral disease and only a small number of efficient vaccines are available to prevent infection. As a consequence, understanding the host immune response against viruses in these fish species is critical to develop prophylactic and preventive control measures. The innate immune response represents an important part of the host defence mechanism preventing viral replication after infection. It is a fast acting response designed to inhibit virus propagation immediately within the host, allowing for the adaptive specific immunity to develop. It has cellular and humoral components which act in synergy. This review will cover inflammation responses, the cell types involved, apoptosis, antimicrobial peptides. Particular attention will be given to the type I interferon system as the major player in the innate antiviral defence mechanism of salmonids. Viral evasion strategies will also be discussed.

Effects of recombinant trout leptin in superoxide production and NF-κB/MAPK phosphorylation in blood leukocytes

Studies in mammals indicate that leptin is a multifunctional cytokine involved in regulation of energy metabolism and the modulation of the immune function. However, evidence for an immunomodulatory effect of leptin in fish is still missing. At least in part, this lack of knowledge is due to the absence of materials and models. In this study, we produced trout recombinant leptin (rt-lep) and tested its capacity to trigger cellular pathways, usually active in mammal immune system cells. STAT3, NF-κB, and the three major MAPK cascades (JNK, p38 and ERK), were activated by rt-lep in in vitro incubations with blood leucocytes of the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss. We also showed that rt-lep causes a decrease in superoxide anion production in trout blood leucocytes. Thus our data indicate that as in mammals also in teleosts leptin plays pleiotropic activities. Importantly, its actions in fishes do not always conform to the picture emerging for mammals.