Comparison of immune gene expression of Ictalurus punctatus held at different water temperatures after vaccination with Ichthyophthirius multifiliis

• Grant number: 15/01822-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Doctorate
• Start date: June 08, 2015
• End date: February 20, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Veterinary Medicine - Preventive Veterinary Medicine
• Principal Investigator: Antonio Augusto Mendes Maia
• Grantee: Gabriel Sassarão Alves Moreira
• Supervisor: De-Hai Xu
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Aquatic Animal Health Research, United States
• Associated to the scholarship: 13/16738-9 - Expression of genes in Pseudoplatystoma corruscans, Pseudoplatystoma reticulatum,and its hybrid immunized with Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, BP.DR

Abstract

Worldwide production of channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus has been increasing due the high meat quality and easy of culture. Catfish production has been suffering great losses ($1.2 million annually in the US alone) caused by the protozoan Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, more popularly known as 'ich', which is responsible for the formation of white spot disease. Thus, studies involving temperature affects on the immunologicalresponse of fish have a great importance to understanding the mechanism of defense against this parasite. This work proposes to use molecular biology methods to study the expression of several immune genes following vaccination at different temperatures to define the immune molecules responsible for protection against Ich in channel catfish. Specific examples of the defense mechanism are the protein serum amyloid A (SAA)where one of various functions is participating in the inflammatory process by activating and attracting several immunological cells including monocytes and neutrophils as described in humans and other animals. Interferon gama (IFN-³) is another important immune molecule that is important for macrophage activation of the immune response to invading intracellular microorganism. The major histocompatibilitycomplex (MHC) that is responsible to the recognition of peptides during adaptive immune response. We will also evaluate the receptor CD8+ and CD4+ of cytotoxic and helper T cells, respectively. Results of this work will help to understand the influence of temperature on immune gene expression and protective immunity of channel catfish against Ich. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

XU, DE-HAI; ZHANG, QI-ZHONG; SHOEMAKER, CRAIG A.; ZHANG, DUNHUA; MOREIRA, GABRIEL S. A.. Molecular immune response of channel catfish immunized with live theronts of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY, v. 54, p. 86-92, JUL 2016. (15/01822-0)

ZHANG, DUNHUA; MOREIRA, GABRIEL S. A.; SHOEMAKER, CRAIG; NEWTON, JOSEPH C.; XU, DE-HAI. Detection and quantification of virulent Aeromonas hydrophila in channel catfish tissues following waterborne challenge. FEMS Microbiology Letters, v. 363, n. 9, MAY 2016. (15/01822-0)

XU, DE-HAI; MOREIRA, GABRIEL S. A.; SHOEMAKER, CRAIG A.; ZHANG, DUNHUA; BECK, BENJAMIN H.. Expression of immune genes in systemic and mucosal immune tissues of channel catfish vaccinated with live theronts of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis. FISH & SHELLFISH IMMUNOLOGY, v. 66, p. 540-547, JUL 2017. (15/01822-0)