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Wu XM, Zheng SY, Chang MX. Zebrafish as a Model for Investigating Antiviral Innate Immunity. Methods Mol Biol 2025; 2854:221-236. [PMID: 39192133 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-4108-8_22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024]
Abstract
Zebrafish is a widely used model organism in genetics, developmental biology, pathology, and immunology research. Due to their fast reproduction, large numbers, transparent early embryos, and high genetic conservation with the human genome, zebrafish have been used as a model for studying human and fish viral diseases. In particular, the ability to easily perform forward and reverse genetics and lacking a functional adaptive immune response during the early period of development establish the zebrafish as a favored option to assess the functional implication of specific genes in the antiviral innate immune response and the pathogenesis of viral diseases. In this chapter, we detail protocols for the antiviral innate immunity analysis using the zebrafish model, including the generation of gene-overexpression zebrafish, generation of gene-knockout zebrafish by clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 technology, methods of viral infection in zebrafish larvae, analyzing the expression of antiviral genes in zebrafish larvae using qRT-PCR, Western blotting and transcriptome sequencing, and in vivo antiviral assays. These experimental protocols provide effective references for studying the antiviral immune response in the zebrafish model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Man Wu
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture (CAS), Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Si Yao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture (CAS), Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ming Xian Chang
- Key Laboratory of Breeding Biotechnology and Sustainable Aquaculture (CAS), Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
- College of Advanced Agricultural Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.
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Dai R, Xia B, Wang M, Huang M, Chen L, Huang Y, Chen T. Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) Nectin4 plays an important role against red spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus infection. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2024; 150:109650. [PMID: 38788912 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2024.109650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Nectins are adhesion molecules that play a crucial role in the organization of epithelial and endothelial junctions and function as receptors for the entry of herpes simplex virus. However, the role of Nectin4 remains poorly understood in fish. In this study, nectin4 gene was cloned from medaka (OlNectin4). OlNectin4 was located on chromosome 18 and contained 11 exons, with a total genome length of 25754 bp, coding sequences of 1689 bp, coding 562 amino acids and a molecular weight of 65.5 kDa. OlNectin4 contained four regions, including an Immunoglobulin region, an Immunoglobulin C-2 Type region, a Transmembrane region and a Coiled coil region. OlNectin4 shared 47.18 % and 25.00 % identity to Paralichthys olivaceus and Mus musculus, respectively. In adult medaka, the transcript of nectin4 was predominantly detected in gill. During red spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) infection, overexpression of OlNectin4 in GE cells significantly increased viral gene transcriptions. Meanwhile, Two mutants named OlNectin4△4 (+4 bp) and OlNectin4△7 (-7 bp) medaka were established using CRISPR-Cas9 system. Nectin4-KO medaka had higher mortality than WT after infected with RGNNV. Moreover, the expression of RGNNV RNA2 gene in different tissues of the Nectin4-KO were higher than WT medaka after challenged with RGNNV. The brain and eye of Nectin4-KO medaka which RGNNV mainly enriched, exhibited significantly higher expression of interferon signaling genes than in WT. Taken together, the OlNectin4 plays a complex role against RGNNV infection by inducing interferon responses for viral clearance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronggui Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Bilin Xia
- College of Fisheries, Key Laboratory of Freshwater Animal Breeding, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Mengyang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Mingxi Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Yan Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China
| | - Tiansheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Mariculture Breeding, Engineering Research Center of the Modern Technology for Eel Industry, Ministry of Education, Key Laboratory of Healthy Mariculture for the East China Sea, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Fisheries College of Jimei University, Xiamen, 361021, China.
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Wang J, Li Y. Current advances in antiviral RNA interference in mammals. FEBS J 2024; 291:208-216. [PMID: 36652199 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 01/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Mammals have potent innate immune systems that work together to fight against a variety of distinct viruses. In addition to interferon (IFN) response, which has been intensively studied, antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) is gradually being studied. However, previous studies indicated low Dicer activity on double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) substrates in vitro and that IFN response masks or inhibits antiviral RNAi in mammals. Therefore, whether or not the RNAi is functional for antiviral response in mammalian somatic cells is still an ongoing area of research. In this review, we will present the current advances in antiviral RNAi in mammals and focus on three fundamental questions critical to the intense debate about whether RNAi can function as an innate antiviral immunity in mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiaxin Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yang Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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RNA interference, an emerging component of antiviral immunity in mammals. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:137-146. [PMID: 36606711 DOI: 10.1042/bst20220385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2022] [Revised: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Antiviral RNA interference (RNAi) is an immune pathway that can, in certain conditions, protect mammalian cells against RNA viruses. It depends on the recognition and dicing of viral double-stranded RNA by a protein of the Dicer family, which leads to the production of viral small interfering RNAs (vsiRNAs) that sequence-specifically guide the degradation of cognate viral RNA. If the first line of defence against viruses relies on type-I and type-III interferons (IFN) in mammals, certain cell types such as stem cells, that are hyporesponsive for IFN, instead use antiviral RNAi via the expression of a specific antiviral Dicer. In certain conditions, antiviral RNAi can also contribute to the protection of differentiated cells. Indeed, abundant vsiRNAs are detected in infected cells and efficiently guide the degradation of viral RNA, especially in cells infected with viruses disabled for viral suppressors of RNAi (VSRs), which are virally encoded blockers of antiviral RNAi. The existence and importance of antiviral RNAi in differentiated cells has however been debated in the field, because data document mutual inhibition between IFN and antiviral RNAi. Recent developments include the engineering of a small molecule inhibitor of VSR to probe antiviral RNAi in vivo, as well as the detection of vsiRNAs inside extracellular vesicles in the serum of infected mice. It suggests that using more complex, in vivo models could allow to unravel the contribution of antiviral RNAi to immunity at the host level.
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Shanaka KASN, Jung S, Madushani KP, Wijerathna HMSM, Neranjan Tharuka MD, Kim MJ, Lee J. Generation of viperin-knockout zebrafish by CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome engineering and the effect of this mutation under VHSV infection. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY 2022; 131:672-681. [PMID: 36309322 DOI: 10.1016/j.fsi.2022.10.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Viperin is an important virus-induced protein in animals that negatively participates in RNA viral replication and transcription. The reactive machinery of viperin suggests that it produces a regulatory molecule ddhCTP, which may affect immune regulation. In this study, we investigated the expression pattern of viperin in larval and adult stages of zebrafish by whole-mount in situ hybridization and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). To elucidate the function of viperin, we generated a zebrafish knockout model using the CRISPR/Cas9 method and evaluated the mutation's effects under viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) infections. In zebrafish larvae, viperin was expressed in the brain region, eye, and pharynx, which was confirmed by cryosectioning. In adult zebrafish, blood cells showed the highest levels of viperin expression. In 5 dpf fish challenged with VHSV, the expression of the viral NP protein was significantly enhanced in viperin-/- compared to wild-type fish. In vitro VHSV propagation analysis indicated comparatively higher levels of virus propagation in viperin-/- fish. Mortality analysis confirmed higher mortality rates, and interferon gene expression analysis showed a strong upregulation of interferon (ifn)φ1 and 3 gene in viperin-/- fish infected with VHSV. This study describes the successful generation of a viperin-knockout model and the role of viperin during VHSV infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- K A S N Shanaka
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea
| | - Sumi Jung
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea
| | - K P Madushani
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea
| | - H M S M Wijerathna
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea
| | - M D Neranjan Tharuka
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea
| | - Myoung-Jin Kim
- Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources, Sangju-si, Gyeongsangbuk-do, 37242, Republic of Korea.
| | - Jehee Lee
- Department of Marine Life Sciences & Fish Vaccine Research Center, Jeju National University, Jeju Self, Governing Province, 63243, Republic of Korea; Marine Science Institute, Jeju National University, Jeju Self-Governing Province, 63333, Republic of Korea.
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