Magical role of iron nanoparticles for enhancement of thermal efficiency and gene regulation of fish in response to multiple stresses

Abstract

The present study addresses the challenges of uncontrolled temperature and pollution in aquatic environments, with a focus on fish ability to tolerate high temperature. The investigation aimed to determine the role of iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) in enhancing the thermal tolerance of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus exposed to high-temperature stress, arsenic (As), and ammonia (NH₃) toxicity. Fe-NPs were synthesized using green approaches, specifically from fish gill. The dietary Fe-NPs were formulated and supplemented at 10, 15, and 20 mg kg⁻¹ of feed. Notably, Fe-NPs at 15 mg kg⁻¹ diet significantly reduced the critical thermal minimum (CTmin) (14.44 ± 0.21 °C) and the lethal thermal minimum (LTmin) (13.46 ± 0.15 °C), compared to the control and other treatment groups. Conversely, when Fe-NPs at 15 mg kg⁻¹ were supplemented with or without exposure to stressors (As + NH₃+T), the critical thermal maximum (CTmax) increased to 47.59 ± 0.16 °C, and the lethal thermal maximum (LTmax) increased to 48.60 ± 0.37 °C, both significantly higher than the control and other groups. A strong correlation was observed between LTmin and CTmin (R² = 0.90) and between CTmax and LTmax (R² = 0.98). Furthermore, dietary Fe-NPs at 15 mg kg⁻¹ significantly upregulated the expression of stress-related genes, including HSP70, iNOS, Caspase-3a, CYP450, MT, cat, sod, gpx, TNFα, IL, TLR, and Ig. The enhanced thermal tolerance (LTmin and LTmax) can be attributed to these gene regulations, suggesting the mechanistic involvement of Fe-NPs in improving thermal resilience. Overall, the findings demonstrate that dietary supplementation with Fe-NPs, particularly at 15 mg kg⁻¹, improves thermal tolerance and stress response in P. hypophthalmus by enhancing gene expression and overall thermal efficiency under stressor conditions.