Oral bovine serum albumin immune‐stimulating complexes improve the immune responses and resistance of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea,Richardson, 1846) against Vibrio alginolyticus

This study aimed to investigate effects of bovine serum albumin immune‐stimulating complexes (BSA ISCOMs) on immune‐related genes expression, serum nonspecific immunity and disease resistance of large yellow croaker (Pseudosciaena crocea). Fish were fed diets containing 3.5 ml of BSA ISCOMs per kg feed (experimental group) or 3.5 ml of phosphate‐buffered saline per kg feed (control group) for 1 week. The liver, spleen, head‐kidney tissues were sampled for determining gene expression of myxovirus‐resistant protein (Mx), major histocompatibility complex class II alpha chain (MHC II α), tumour necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) 30 and 90 days after feeding. Also, blood samples were collected for determining activities of serum superoxide dismutase (SOD), interferon alpha (IFN‐α), TNF‐α and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). TNF‐α and MHCⅡα gene expression in the liver, spleen, head‐kidney, as well as IFN‐α, TNF‐α and ALP activities in the serum, of experimental fish were significantly higher 30 days after feeding; while only TNF‐α and MHC II gene expression in the head‐kidney remained upregulated 90 days after feeding. The cumulative mortality of the experimental fish was significantly lower than control. This study indicated that BSA ISCOMs improved the immune response and induced protective immunity in large yellow croaker.     

草鱼干扰素3蛋白多克隆抗体制备及其应用

为探讨干扰素3(Interferon 3,IFN3)在抗病毒免疫应答中的作用,以草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idella)巨噬细胞cDNA为模板,PCR扩增IFN3成熟肽基因序列,制备草鱼IFN3蛋白的多克隆抗体,同时研究了IFN3在草鱼不同免疫组织中的蛋白表达,以及草鱼呼肠孤病毒(grass carp reovirus,GCRV)感染草鱼肾细胞系(Ctenopharyngodon idella kidney,CIK)后不同时间点的表达。结果显示,细菌表达的重组IFN3大小约为45 kD,主要以包涵体形式存在;抗体效价约为1∶3 200,制备的多克隆抗体既能识别原核表达的重组蛋白,也能识别个体水平上和细胞水平上的内源蛋白。草鱼主要免疫组织中,肝胰腺和皮肤检测到相应条带。CIK细胞感染病毒后12 h开始检测到IFN3蛋白,随感染时间的延长,IFN3蛋白表达量有所增加。蛋白水平上检测IFN3的表达,为深入研究草鱼的抗病毒免疫机制奠定了基础。     

Histology,immunocytochemistry and qRT‐PCR analysis of Atlantic salmon,Salmo salar L., post‐smolts following infection with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV)

Infectious pancreatic necrosis (IPN) is a very serious viral disease in terms of its impact on production of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar L., fry and post‐smolts. Post‐smolts of Atlantic salmon were injected with infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) and cohabited with naive fish to produce natural infection. Cohabitant fish were sampled every 2 days, up to day 36 post‐infection (p.i.). From 90 cohabitant fish, 11 (12.2%) were positive by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The first detection of IPNV by IHC occurred on day 16 p.i. which coincided with the onset of mortality in this group. Besides the pancreas, the liver was found to be a key target organ for IPNV. For the first time, the virus was observed in the islets of Langerhans and in the kidney corpuscles of Stannius which suggests that the virus could affect the fish’s metabolism. The liver of two fish, which showed the most widespread presence of IPNV by IHC, had a pathology including focal necrosis and widespread presence of apoptotic hepatocytes, many of which did not stain for virus by IHC. Up‐regulation of cytokine gene expression was found only in the IHC‐positive (IHC+ve) fish and reflected the level of infection as determined by IHC positivity of the liver. In most fish, interferon (IFN), Mx, γIFN and γIP were up‐regulated in liver and kidney, while only IFN and Mx were up‐regulated in gill. IL1β and TNFα were not induced in any tissue. The gill showed variable levels of constitutive expression of IL1β and γIFN. The two fish with liver pathology had the highest level of IFN expression, especially relative to the level of Mx expression, in the liver compared with the other IHC+ve fish which did not have a liver pathology. The results suggest that following widespread infection of hepatocytes, the cells may over‐produce IFN, resulting in apoptosis of neighbouring cells with subsequent death from liver failure.     

草鱼jam-a分子在胚胎幼鱼期及受GCRV感染PSF细胞的表达分析

草鱼呼肠孤病毒(Grass carp reovirus, GCRV)可引发草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)出血病,导致高死亡率。草鱼吻端成纤维细胞(Grass carp snout fibroblast cells, PSF)是GCRV的敏感细胞系。JAM-A (Junctional adhesion molecule A)为免疫球蛋白超家族成员,是多种病毒的细胞受体。本研究在前期克隆到草鱼3种jam-a基因,命名为gcjam-a1,gcjam-a2和gcjam-a3。在获取ORF序列的基础上,利用qRT-PCR分析了3种gcjam-a在草鱼胚胎及幼鱼不同发育时期及PSF细胞中受GCRV(GD108株)感染前后的表达模式。结果显示,检测的13个胚胎及幼鱼发育时期中,gcjam-a1在未受精卵中高表达,在受精卵至出膜前的胚胎表达水平均较低;从出膜后1~3 d表达量开始上升;出膜6~15 d均呈高水平表达。gcjam-a2与gcjam-a3在草鱼胚胎及幼鱼发育各阶段表达水平较低。在无病毒感染的PSF细胞中,gcjam-a只有少量表达。受GCRV-GD108感染后,病毒S7基因在PSF细胞中的拷贝数随时间呈显著上调趋势,gcjam-a的表达量也有不同程度的上调,mRNA上调水平为gcjam-a1>gcjam-a2>gcjam-a3。本研究证实了3种gcjam-a基因在PSF细胞中的表达均与GCRV-GD108感染相关,其中,gcjam-a1的表达水平受GCRV-GD108感染影响最大,同时,它在孵化出膜后表达上升,推测它可能与病毒的感染更相关。gcjam-a1可作为下一步GCRV与宿主互作研究中的候选分子。     

初探母源免疫处理草鱼母本及其子代5种免疫因子含量的周年变化规律

为探究草鱼母源免疫因子传递特性,本实验借助ELISA和qPCR技术分别检测分析了GCRV弱毒疫苗免疫草鱼母本及其子代（即母源免疫子代）早期胚胎阶段至一龄期间5种免疫因子（IgM、C3、LZM、MBL和Bf）蛋白活性和基因表达水平的周年变化规律。结果显示,草鱼母本经GCRV弱毒疫苗免疫后,血液中5种免疫因子蛋白活性及基因表达水平在产卵期均显著高于对照组1.5倍以上,至免疫后第11个月与对照组无显著差异。母源免疫子代发育至水花（4 d）时,IgM、C3、MBL和Bf的基因表达水平均高于对照组;发育至乌仔（15 d）时,IgM、C3和Bf的蛋白活性水平均略高于对照组;发育至5~11月龄时,5种免疫因子在肝脏、脾脏、肾脏和头肾等免疫器官中仍存在高表达。研究表明,GCRV弱毒疫苗促使母源免疫因子在亲本和子代体内富集表达具有一定的时效性,最长可维持至11个月,为实际生产中草鱼母本疫苗免疫程序的制定提供参考依据。     

EGCG: Potential application as a protective agent against grass carp reovirus in aquaculture

Grass carp reovirus (GCRV) is the primary cause of grass carp haemorrhagic disease. The major catechin in green tea, (–)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐gallate (EGCG), has been found to have anti‐GCRV activity in the C. idellus kidney cell line (CIK). The aim of this study was to test the potential application of EGCG as an anti‐GCRV agent in aquaculture. Here, we demonstrate that various concentrations (99%, 50% and 35%) of EGCG could inhibit GCRV infectivity. EGCG (50%) + GCRV treatment significantly reduced the number of dead fish at 1‐, 2‐, 3‐, 4 ‐and 5‐day post‐challenge compared with the negative control (GCRV challenge without EGCG treatment). The safety of EGCG compound products on cell survival was studied using four fish cell lines; we did not detect a significant change in cell viability within 24 hours of EGCG incubation. We also evaluated toxicity and concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH) and lysozyme (LZM) in the grass carp, and the results showed that even a high dose of EGCG did not induce toxicity. Following EGCG compound injection, the concentration of MDA decreased and the concentration of GSH and LZM increased compared with the control groups. We also detected EGCG concentration in grass carp plasma and kidney using HPLC with electrochemical detection after intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 150 mg/kg. The concentration of EGCG in the plasma and kidney reached the highest levels (20 μg/ml and 1.5 μg/ml) about 12 hr after injection and then decreased. Overall, EGCG is a safe, effective product that could inhibit GCRV infection and improve immunoactivity in aquaculture.     

Cloning and expression analysis of innate immune genes from red sea bream to assess different susceptibility to megalocytivirus infection

As suggested by the Office International des Epizooties (OIE), fishes belonging to the genus Oplegnathus are more sensitive to megalocytivirus infection than other fish species including red sea bream (Pagrus major). To assess the roles of the innate immune response to these different susceptibilities, we cloned the genes encoding inflammatory factors including IL‐8 and COX‐2, and the antiviral factor like Mx from red sea bream for the first time and performed phylogenetic and structural analysis. Analysed expression levels of IL‐1β, IL‐8 and COX‐2 and the antiviral factor like Mx genes performed with in vivo challenge experiment showed no difference in inflammatory gene expression or respiratory burst activity between red sea bream and rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus). However, the Mx gene expression levels in red sea bream were markedly higher than those in rock bream, suggesting the importance of type I interferon (IFN)‐induced proteins, particularly Mx, during megalocytivirus infection, rather than inflammation‐related genes. The in vitro challenge experiments using embryonic primary cultures derived from both fish species showed no difference in cytopathic effects (CPE), viral replication profiles, and inflammatory and Mx gene expression pattern between the two fish species.     

草鱼出血病基因疫苗的免疫效果

为探讨含有草鱼呼肠孤病毒外衣壳蛋白VP6基因的重组基因疫苗对草鱼出血病的免疫效果，将重组基因疫苗分别配制为10、30和60μg三个梯度，同时设30μg pFastBacTMDual空载体组，均以等体积的氢氧化铝佐剂为免疫增强剂，对草鱼进行注射，以未经处理的草鱼作为对照组。定期采血测定抗体效价，最后对各组草鱼进行攻毒试验并计算死亡率和免疫保护力。结果显示：注射疫苗的三组草鱼均产生抗体，10μg组效价为1：6～1：11；30μg组为1：9-1：13；60μg组为1：11-1：17，且各组效价均在第28天测定最高，免疫保护率依次为100％、100％和95％，而空载体组和对照组为70％和0％。研究表明，疫苗能够诱导草鱼产生免疫反应，为草鱼出血病核酸疫苗的生产应用和产业化提供了重要的理论依据。     

Disease resistance and immune‐relevant gene expression in golden mandarin fish,Siniperca scherzeri Steindachner,infected with infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus‐like agent

Infectious spleen and kidney necrosis virus (ISKNV), family Iridoviridae, genus Megalocytivirus, may cause high mortality rates such as those seen in mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi. ISKNV has attracted much attention due to the possible environmental threat and economic losses it poses on both cultured and wild populations. We have investigated the pathogenicity of ISKNV‐like agent Megalocytivirus, isolated from infected pearl gourami, in golden mandarin fish, Siniperca scherzeri – a member of the Percichthyidae family – and in another Percichthyidae species, S. chuatsi. Fish were challenged with four different doses of ISKNV‐like agent Megalocytivirus (1, 10, 100 or 1000 μg per fish) over a 30‐day period, and cumulative fish mortalities were calculated for each group. No significant mortality was observed for fish challenged with the lowest dose (1 μg per fish) relative to a control group. However, all other challenged groups showed 100% mortality over a 30‐day period in proportion to the challenge dose. Quantitative real‐time PCR was performed to measure mRNA expression levels for six immune‐related genes in golden mandarin fish following ISKNV‐like agent challenge. mRNA expression levels for IRF1, Mx, viperin and interleukin 8 significantly increased, while mRNA levels for IRF2 and IRF7 remained constant or declined during the challenge period.     

(‐)‐Epicatechin gallate,a metabolite of (‐)‐epigallocatechin gallate in grass carp,exhibits antiviral activity in vitro against grass carp reovirus

(‐)‐Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a catechin found in green tea, has been demonstrated to exhibit activity against grass carp reovirus (GCRV). In the current study, we found that EGCG is partially transformed in vivo into (‐)‐epicatechin gallate (ECG), which differs from EGCG only by the absence of a hydroxyl group, and exhibits similar pharmacokinetic behaviour to that of EGCG. ECG is also a major catechin in green tea, but little information on its antiviral activity is available. Therefore, we assessed whether ECG affects GCRV in vitro. We incubated grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) kidney (CIK) cells with ECG and GCRV‐JX01 at different concentrations, and typical cytopathogenic effect (CPE) values were observed for 5 and 10 µg/ml ECG. However, the CPE in 20 µg/ml ECG treatment group was low; no significant CPE was observed for 40 µg/ml ECG treatment; and a high ECG concentration (80 µg/ml) led to stress response in the CIK cells. Western blot results also revealed that ECG suppresses GCRV replication in CIK cells. Thus, the data indicate that ECG, as well as EGCG, exhibits potential as an antiviral agent for aquaculture.     

鱼类IRF家族在干扰素抗病毒免疫反应中的调控功能

干扰素调节因子(IRF)家族成员是一类重要的转录因子,在机体细胞感染病毒时单独或共同调控干扰素基因(IFN)的表达。IRF家族蛋白结构非常保守。其中N端DBD结构域赋予了IRF蛋白结合IFN启动子的功能,而C端IAD主要介导蛋白互作,因而不同IRF成员可能在不同的信号通路中发挥功能。哺乳动物IRF家族有9个成员,IRF1～9。鱼类IRF家族有11个成员,除了IRF1～9外,还包括硬骨鱼类特有的IRF11,以及在鸟类基因组中也存在的IRF10。哺乳类研究表明,IRF1/3/5/7/9在病毒感染的细胞中正调控IFN基因的表达,而IRF2则负调控IFN的表达。近十多年来,鱼类IRF家族的功能研究取得了重要进展,相关研究结论基本来自于体外的实验数据。本文综述了鱼类IRF家族成员的表达、亚细胞定位以及调控IFN抗病毒免疫反应的分子机制。     

草鱼出血病病毒vp6核酸疫苗的免疫效果评估

为了评估草鱼出血病病毒(GCRV)vp6基因核酸疫苗的免疫效果,将vp6基因克隆进pFastBacTMDual载体杆状病毒的多角体蛋白(Ph)启动子下游,同时将团头鲂(Megalobrama amblycephala)β-actin启动子控制的vp6基因克隆进杆状病毒的P10启动子下游,获核酸疫苗载体pFastBac-FA-VP6-ph-VP6。按每尾分别注射疫苗载体10、30、60μg的剂量免疫草鱼(Ctenopharyngodon idellus)(体长14～20 cm,体质量60～120 g),同设pFastBacTMDual载体(30μg/尾)阴性对照组及空白对照组(0.4 mL/尾无菌水)。于免疫后不同时间通过RT-PCR检测免疫鱼体中vp6基因的表达,并于免疫后第14、21、28、49、70天分别通过间接凝集反应检测血液中的抗体水平,并在免疫第21天感染GCRV评估免疫保护效果。结果显示,核酸疫苗免疫草鱼后,各免疫组均有抗体产生,抗体效价在免疫后第28天达到最高;攻毒后每尾注射疫苗载体10、30、60μg组的死亡率分别为0%、0%、5%,pFastBacTMDual载体对照组和空白对照组分别为30%和100%。表明构建的核酸疫苗对草鱼病毒性出血病有较好的免疫保护效果。     

Generation and characterization of aptamers against grass carp reovirus infection for the development of rapid detection assay

Grass carp reovirus (GCRV) causes devastating viral haemorrhagic disease in farmed grass carp (Ctenopharyngon idellus). As novel molecular probes, aptamers have been widely applied in rapid diagnosis and efficient therapies against virus or diseases. In this study, three single‐stranded DNA (ssDNA) aptamers were selected against GCRV‐infected CIK cells via SELEX (systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment technology). Secondary structures predicted by MFOLD indicated that aptamers formed stem‐loop structures, and GVI‐11 had the lowest ΔG value of ?30.84 KJ/mol. Three aptamers could specifically recognize GCRV‐infected CIK cells, with calculated dissociation constants (Kd) of 220.86, 176.63 and 278.66 nM for aptamers GVI‐1, GVI‐7 and GVI‐11, respectively, which indicated that they could serve as specific delivery system for antiviral therapies. The targets of aptamers GVI‐1, GVI‐7 and GVI‐11 on the surface of GCRV‐infected cells could be membrane proteins, which were trypsin‐sensitive. Furthermore, FAM‐labelled aptamer GVI‐7 could be applied to detect GCRV infection in vivo. It is the first time to generate and characterize aptamers against GCRV‐infected cells. These aptamers have great potentials in development of rapid diagnosis technology and antiviral agents against GCRV infection in aquaculture.     

Molecular cloning of MDA5, phylogenetic analysis of RIG‐I‐like receptors (RLRs) and differential gene expression of RLRs,interferons and proinflammatory cytokines after in vitro challenge with IPNV,ISAV and SAV in the salmonid cell line TO

The RIG‐I receptors RIG‐I, MDA5 and LGP2 are involved in viral recognition, and they have different ligand specificity and recognize different viruses. Activation of RIG‐I‐like receptors (RLRs) leads to production of cytokines essential for antiviral immunity. In fish, most research has focused on interferons, and less is known about the production of proinflammatory cytokines during viral infections. In this study, we have cloned the full‐length MDA5 sequence in Atlantic salmon, and compared it with RIG‐I and LGP2. Further, the salmonid cell line TO was infected with three fish pathogenic viruses, infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), infectious salmon anaemia virus (ISAV) and salmonid alphavirus (SAV), and differential gene expression (DEG) analyses of RLRs, interferons (IFNa‐d) and proinflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α1, TNF‐α2, IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐12 p40s) were performed. The DEG analyses showed that the responses of proinflammatory cytokines in TO cells infected with IPNV and ISAV were profoundly different from SAV‐infected cells. In the two aforementioned, TNF‐α1 and TNF‐α2 were highly upregulated, while in SAV‐infected cells these cytokines were downregulated. Knowledge of virus recognition by the host and the immune responses during infection may help elucidate why and how some viruses can escape the immune system. Such knowledge is useful for the development of immune prophylactic measures.     

Alteration of the haemocyte parameters,expression of immune‐related and neurohormone bursicon genes of giant river prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii (de Man) in the response to salinity stress and ammonia stress

We examined the effects of salinity stress and ammonia stress on alteration of the haemocyte count, phenoloxidase activity, expressions of immune‐related genes including prophenoloxidase (proPO), crustin, heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and expressions of stress‐responsive neurohormone (Bur‐α and Bur‐β) in the thoracic and abdominal ganglia of giant river prawn Macrobrachium. These parameters of prawn that subjected to salinity stress (transferred from 0‰ to 5‰ and 10‰), and subjected to ammonia‐nitrogen (ammonia‐N) stress (transferred from 0 to 0.262 mg/L and 0.786 mg/L) were examined after 0, 3, 6, 24, 72 and 168 hr respectively. During the initial period of 3, 6 and 24 hr, granulocyte haemocyte (granular and semi‐granular hemocyte) count and PO activity significantly decreased, while expressions of Bur‐α and Bur‐β significantly increased. After 24 hr, granulocyte haemocyte count and PO activity significantly increased, whereas expressions of Bur‐α and Bur‐β significantly decreased. The expressions of proPO, crustin and HSP70 were significantly downregulated in the prawn that subjected to salinity stress and ammonia‐N stress at all time periods of 3–168 hr. In conclusion, changes in the granulocyte haemocyte count of M. rosenbergii following salinity stress and ammonia‐N stress are closely associated with the changes of Bur‐α and Bur‐β expressions.     

Immune response of DNA vaccine against lymphocystis disease virus and expression analysis of immune‐related genes after vaccination

In this study, we found that an intramuscular injection of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus, 60–80 g in weight and 15–20 mL in length) with 5 μg of a DNA vaccine (pEGFP‐N2‐LCDV‐cn‐MCP 0.6 kb, containing lymphocystis disease virus major capsid protein gene) induced a strong immune response. Subsequent real‐time polymerase chain reaction showed that the expression of immune‐related genes [e.g., major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I α, MHC II α, T‐cell receptor (TCR), tumour necrosis factor (TNF), tumour necrosis factor receptor (TNFR), Mx, interleukin (IL)‐1β, CXC and IL‐8R] was significantly changed after DNA vaccination. The most remarkable alternation was the expression of MHC I α and MHC II α genes: MHC II α reached the maximum on day 8 in different tissues, and MHC I α on day 2 in the intestine and gills. The expression of TCR increased and reached a plateau in 2 days in the spleen, gills, kidney and liver after vaccination and then decreased after day 8. In contrast, the expression of TCR in the intestine increased and reached a plateau in 8 days. The expression of IL‐8R reached the maximum on day 2 in different tissues and then decreased on day 8. Mx increased in the gills, kidney, spleen and liver on days 2, 8, 2 and 2, but decreased in the intestine, gills, spleen and liver on days 2, 8, 8 and 8 respectively. The TNFR expression increased in the spleen, kidney and gills on days 2, 8 and 8, but decreased in intestine, liver and gills on days 2, 8 and 8 respectively. The expression of TNF, CXC and IL‐1β increased 2 and 8 days after the injection of DNA vaccine. However, the expression of TNF, CXC and IL‐1β altered on days 2 and 8 with different patterns in different tissues respectively. The fish responded to the DNA vaccine by yielding a specific immunoglobulin against lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV) as observed with indirect ELISA. The DNA vaccine induced a unique humoral response, suggesting that the DNA vaccine activated both cellular and humoral defences of the specific immune system of Japanese flounder.     

GCRV弱毒疫苗免疫草鱼母本的免疫因子代间传递与表达特性

为探究GCRV弱毒疫苗母源性免疫的草鱼母本及其子代免疫因子(IgM、C3、LSZ)表达特性及代间传递效应,采用ELISA、Rt-q PCR等方法检测了草鱼母本产前40 d接种疫苗后,母本血液、子代早期发育阶段及2月龄幼鱼3种免疫因子的蛋白活性及基因表达水平。结果显示,经GCRV弱毒疫苗免疫的草鱼母本血液、早期胚胎及幼鱼阶段IgM蛋白活性均显著高于对照组样品。子代各阶段中,28日龄的夏花样品IgM蛋白活性水平最高,而5日龄水花样品中蛋白活性最低;从受精卵发育至3日龄水花阶段,实验组样品免疫因子C3和LSZ的蛋白活性均显著高于对照组;2组鱼中IgM、C3和LSZ蛋白的活性水平随着发育进行,总体上呈先下降后升高的趋势,从卵细胞至3日龄水花阶段实验组样品C3和LSZ蛋白活性水平均显著高于对照组。实验组和对照组受精卵IgM基因的表达水平差异最大,实验组表达量为对照组的3.4倍。从24 h器官形成期至3日龄水花样品中,实验组C3基因的表达水平显著高于对照组。从卵细胞至3 h囊胚期阶段,实验组LSZ基因表达水平显著高于对照组。实验组2月龄草鱼体肾、头肾、脾脏组织中IgM基因表达量均显著高于对照组;感染GCRV病毒后,实验组死亡尾数(2尾)低于对照组死亡尾数(5尾)。研究表明母源性免疫可在草鱼进行代间传递,并对子代起到一定程度的免疫保护作用。