Evolutionary history and functional characterization of Lj-TICAM-a and Lj-TICAM-b formed via lineage-specific tandem duplication in lamprey (Lampetra japonica)

A Comparative Transcriptomic Study and Key Gene Targeting of Lamprey Gonadal Immune Response

The mammalian testis and ovary possess special immunocompetence, which is central to provide protection against pathogens. However, the innate immune responses to immune challenges in lamprey gonads are poorly understood. In this study, we extracted RNA from testis and ovary tissues of lampreys at 0 hour, 8 hours and 17 days after lipopolysaccharides (LPS) stimulation and performed transcriptome sequencing. While the transcriptome profiles of the two tissues were different for the most part, genes LIP, LECT2, LAL2, GRN, ITLN, and C1q were found to be the most significantly up-regulated genes in both. Quantitative Real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis confirmed that these genes were upregulated after stimulation. Furthermore, immunohistochemical staining showed that these genes in lamprey gonads are expressed in high quantities and have a specific distribution. Taken together, our results suggest that these genes could play an essential role in response of the gonads to LPS induction. This research establishes a basis for investigating the immune mechanism of vertebrate gonads and presents a fresh concept for gaining insight into the evolutionary development of jawless vertebrates.

Riding the wave of innovation: immunoinformatics in fish disease control

The spread of infectious illnesses has been a significant factor restricting aquaculture production. To maximise aquatic animal health, vaccination tactics are very successful and cost-efficient for protecting fish and aquaculture animals against many disease pathogens. However, due to the increasing number of immunological cases and their complexity, it is impossible to manage, analyse, visualise, and interpret such data without the assistance of advanced computational techniques. Hence, the use of immunoinformatics tools is crucial, as they not only facilitate the management of massive amounts of data but also greatly contribute to the creation of fresh hypotheses regarding immune responses. In recent years, advances in biotechnology and immunoinformatics have opened up new research avenues for generating novel vaccines and enhancing existing vaccinations against outbreaks of infectious illnesses, thereby reducing aquaculture losses. This review focuses on understanding in silico epitope-based vaccine design, the creation of multi-epitope vaccines, the molecular interaction of immunogenic vaccines, and the application of immunoinformatics in fish disease based on the frequency of their application and reliable results. It is believed that it can bridge the gap between experimental and computational approaches and reduce the need for experimental research, so that only wet laboratory testing integrated with in silico techniques may yield highly promising results and be useful for the development of vaccines for fish.