Fish & shellfish immunology最新文献

{"title":"Probiotic and postbiotic effects of Bacillus velezensis AAHM-BV2354 on boosting immunity, growth performance, antioxidant activity and resistance to Edwardsiella tarda infection in pangasius (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus)","authors":"Nugroho Wiratama ,&nbsp;Benchawan Kumwan ,&nbsp;Pakapon Meachasompop ,&nbsp;Yosapon Adisornprasert ,&nbsp;Prapansak Srisapoome ,&nbsp;Kim D. Thompson ,&nbsp;Phornphan Phrompanya ,&nbsp;Patcharapong Thangsunan ,&nbsp;Pattanapong Thangsunan ,&nbsp;Kanokporn Saenphet ,&nbsp;Supap Saenphet ,&nbsp;Wararut Buncharoen ,&nbsp;Anurak Uchuwittayakul","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110561","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110561","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The increasing demand for <em>Pangasianodon hypophthalmus</em> underscores the importance of addressing disease-related productivity challenges. Probiotic feed additives present a promising approach for improving disease management, enhancing productivity, and promoting sustainable growth in pangasius farming. This study investigated the impact of dietary supplementation with probiotics, postbiotics, and their synergistic combination, utilising <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> AAHM-BV2354, on fish health, growth performance, oxidative stress status, innate immune responses and disease resistance in pangasius, aimed at preventing <em>Edwardsiella tarda</em> infection. The experimental design featured five treatment groups, each receiving feed coated with different components of <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> AAHM-BV2354, including cells (BV_Cell), cell-free supernatant (BV_Cfs), and a combination of both (BV_Cell + Cfs), with 2 type of control group were feed top-dressed with 100 mL of 0.85 % NaCl/kg diet (Control) and feed coated with 100 mL of TSB medium/kg diet (C_TSB) for 30 days before the challenge test with <em>Edwardsiella tarda</em>. The findings revealed that the BV_Cfs treatment group exhibited a notable enhancement in SGR, ADG, and upregulation <em>gh1</em> gene. <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> AAHM-BV2354 demonstrated protective effects by reducing oxidative stress in MDA levels and boosting antioxidant enzymes in specific organs. Gene expression analysis revealed an upregulation in the expression of immune genes (<em>lygl1, tgfb, tnf, b2ml</em>), proinflammatory genes (<em>litaf, ifngr1l, c3, il13, il1b</em>), and antioxidant genes (<em>cusr, cat, gpx3, hspa13, nos1</em>) in various fish organs after administering probiotics, postbiotics, and their synergistic combination of <em>Bacillus velezensis</em> AAHM-BV2354. The subsequent challenge test with <em>E. tarda</em> showed that the BV_Cell treatment achieved the highest survival rate (90.62 %). These results indicate that all bioactive components of <em>B. velezensis</em> AAHM-BV2354 can serve as natural immunostimulants, enhancing the health and growth of pangasius.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110561"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614634","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor enhances antimicrobial peptide expression in the immune priming of Chinese mitten crab Eriocheir sinensis.","authors":"Xinyu Zhao, Xue Qiao, Xiaoyu Gu, Yuqing Zeng, Yiqing Wang, Mengjia Chen, Lingling Wang, Linsheng Song","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110562","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110562","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Immune priming confers a sustained, augmented response of innate immune system to a secondary immune stimulation in invertebrate, with involvement of both cellular and humoral immune reactions. Recent evidence indicates that immune effectors, such as antimicrobial peptides, play essential roles in the immune priming. However, the signaling pathways and mechanisms governing their generation remain largely unknown. In the present study, an in vivo immune priming model of Aeromonas hydrophila was established in the crab Eriocheir sinensis. Following a secondary challenge with A. hydrophila, the bacterial load of A. hydrophila in the haemolymph of crabs decreased significantly, and the antibacterial activities of the haemolymph supernatant against A. hydrophila was markedly enhanced. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression level and protein content of Kazal-type serine protease inhibitor-1 (EsKPI-1) in haemolymph was markedly upregulated after the secondary stimulation with A. hydrophila. The recombinant protein of EsKPI-1 (rEsKPI-1) displayed remarkable activity to bind Gram-negative bacteria (A. hydrophila and Escherichia coli) and Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) in vitro, and the antimicrobial activity to inhibit bacteria growth. Crucially, rEsKPI-1 was found to suppress the extracellular proteases secreted by these pathogens. Following the injection of dsRNA targeting EsKPI-1, there was a significant increase of bacterial load in the haemolymph and a concurrent antibacterial activity reduction of haemolymph against A. hydrophila upon the secondary stimulation with this bacterium. Furthermore, the mRNA transcripts of antimicrobial peptides EsALFs and EsCrustin in the crab haemocytes, as well as those of Toll pathway genes EsTLR-1, EsMyd88 and EsPelle all decreased significantly. The protein contents of EsMyd88 and P-EsDorsal also decreased significantly. These results collectively suggested that the EsKPI-1 played an indispensable role in mediating haemolymph antibacterial responses, particularly in the immune priming induced by A. hydrophila.</p>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":" ","pages":"110562"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144616848","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Unravelling the antifungal property of a type I crustin from Scylla olivacea: Membrane disruption and ROS generation as modes of action","authors":"S. Neelima,&nbsp;M.V. Anju,&nbsp;K. Archana,&nbsp;V.V. Anooja,&nbsp;P.P. Athira,&nbsp;M.R. Revathy,&nbsp;Anjali S. Mohan,&nbsp;Dhanya Kesavan,&nbsp;Rosamma Philip","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110551","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110551","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crustins, among the earliest families of gene-encoded antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) identified in crustaceans, are disulfide-rich peptides (6–22 kDa) characterized by a conserved Whey Acidic Protein (WAP) domain at the C-terminal end. This domain features a disulfide core formed by eight highly conserved cysteines. Functionally, crustins exhibit diverse biological roles. In this study, we demonstrate the in vitro antifungal efficacy and explore the mechanisms of action of <em>So</em>-Crustin, a Type-I crustin isoform derived from the Orange mud-crab <em>Scylla olivacea</em>. The recombinant peptide displayed potent antifungal activity, marked by rapid, membrane-targeted disruptions as nanoscale pores, &lt;14 Å in size, accompanied by the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and substantial alterations to cellular membrane integrity, culminating in cell lysis. These results highlight <em>So</em>-Crustin as a promising antifungal agent with potential applications in the development of innovative antifungal therapies.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110551"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605610","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Grass carp reovirus VP6 inhibits IFN production by degrading TBK1 through the autophagy pathway","authors":"Xiao Xu ,&nbsp;Zhuo-Cong Li ,&nbsp;Bao-Jie Cui ,&nbsp;Can Zhang ,&nbsp;Na Xu ,&nbsp;Yang-Yang Wang ,&nbsp;Dan-Dan Chen ,&nbsp;Long-Feng Lu ,&nbsp;Shun Li","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110559","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110559","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The interferon (IFN) response serves as a powerful defense mechanism against viral infections in fish. However, grass carp reovirus (GCRV) is capable of evading the IFN system, although the specific mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we report that GCRV VP6 employs an immune evasion strategy by degrading TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) through the autophagy pathway, thereby inhibiting IFN activation. Firstly, overexpression of VP6 facilitated the replication of GCRV, while, it impeded the activation of the IFN promoter induced by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) and GCRV. In addition, VP6 was found to interact with TBK1 and suppress its expression. Treatment with autophagy pathway inhibitors was able to restore TBK1 degradation, indicating that VP6 degrades TBK1 through the autophagy pathway. Furthermore, VP6 significantly attenuated the cellular antiviral response mediated by TBK1, thereby suppressing IFN production. These results demonstrate how GCRV evades the host immune response by exploiting the host autophagy system and provide insight into the underlying molecular mechanisms involved.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110559"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144614633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Phenotypic and functional characterization of CD4-2+ T cells in large yellow croaker Larimichthys crocea","authors":"Xinran Li ,&nbsp;Guolong Lai ,&nbsp;Yan Lin ,&nbsp;Sichang Liu ,&nbsp;Wenbing Bao ,&nbsp;Wenxuan Zhang ,&nbsp;Li Huang ,&nbsp;Guangming Shao ,&nbsp;Shihao Chen ,&nbsp;Yang Ding ,&nbsp;Xinhua Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110560","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110560","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>CD4⁺ T cells, also known as helper T (Th) cells, are crucial regulators of the adaptive immune system, orchestrating and coordinating immune responses that protect the host against a broad spectrum of pathogenic threats. Two CD4 co-receptor genes, <em>cd4-1</em> and <em>cd4-2</em>, have been identified in teleost species, including the large yellow croaker <em>Larimichthys crocea</em>. In this study, we developed a monoclonal antibody (mAb) that specifically recognizes croaker CD4-2, enabling the identification and characterization of CD4-2⁺ T lymphocytes. Croaker CD4-2⁺ T cells were found predominantly distributed across both systemic and mucosal immune tissues, with the exception of peripheral blood, and were notably more abundant than IgM⁺ B cells in the liver, gut, head kidney (HK) and gills. Moreover, elevated transcription levels of <em>ifng</em>, <em>il2</em>, <em>il17a/f3</em>, and <em>il6</em> in sorted HK CD4-2⁺ T cells suggest their potential for functional differentiation into distinct Th lineages. Functional studies demonstrated that CD4-2⁺ T cells in the HK and spleen exhibited robust proliferative responses upon <em>in vitro</em> stimulation with T cell mitogens, including Phytohemagglutinin-L and Concanavalin A. More importantly, following infection with the protozoan parasite <em>Cryptocaryon irritans</em>, pronounced proliferations of CD4-2⁺ T cells were observed in the HK, spleen and gills, whereas the cellular expansion and activation were detected exclusively in the spleen, underscoring the pivotal role of the spleen in the induction and activation of CD4-2⁺ T cells in large yellow croaker. This study provides an in-depth characterization of CD4-2⁺ T cells in large yellow croaker and highlights their critical role in immune activation and anti-parasitic defense, offering valuable insights into their potential applications in immunological research and disease control in aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110560"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144597133","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Roles of B7 homologue 3 protein (B7-H3) in T cell responses of large yellow croaker (Larimichthys crocea)","authors":"Qiuhua Li ,&nbsp;Yuhong Chen ,&nbsp;Meiyan Wang ,&nbsp;Chenhao Li ,&nbsp;Jingqun Ao ,&nbsp;Xinhua Chen","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110550","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110550","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The B7 family provides critical co-stimulatory signals for T cell activation through receptor interactions, thereby modulating T cell proliferation and function. However, the roles and downstream signaling pathways of these molecules in teleosts remain largely unexplored. In the present study, we identified a B7-H3 homologue (<em>Lc</em>B7-H3) in large yellow croaker (<em>Larimichthys crocea</em>), a commercially significant marine teleost species. The deduced <em>Lc</em>B7-H3 protein contains conserved extracellular IgV-like and IgC-like domains, and phylogenetic analysis revealed its clustering with vertebrate B7-H3 homologues. It is constitutively expressed in all examined tissues and immune cells, with particularly high expression levels in mucosal tissues and primary head kidney monocytes/macrophages (PKMs). The recombinant <em>Lc</em>B7-H3 protein (r<em>Lc</em>B7-H3) significantly enhanced T cell proliferation and upregulated interleukin-2 expression, which is a hallmark of teleost T cell activation. Furthermore, r<em>Lc</em>B7-H3 increased phosphorylation levels of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 in the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway, as well as mTOR and 4E-BP1 in the mTOR signaling pathway. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that <em>Lc</em>B7-H3 may promote T cell proliferation and activation via MAPK/ERK and mTOR pathways, suggesting evolutionarily conserved roles among vertebrate B7-H3 homologues.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110550"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effects of puerarin on growth performance, digestive ability, immune response, and resistance to ammonia stress in Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) in low-salinity water","authors":"Yu-Lin Chang ,&nbsp;Long Qi ,&nbsp;Chao-Li Guan ,&nbsp;Yu-Yun He ,&nbsp;Wen-Xing Lu ,&nbsp;Guo-Fang Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110552","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110552","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ammonia stress is a severe environmental problem in shrimp aquaculture, causing oxidative damage, immune suppression, and metabolic disturbance. Puerarin is a bioactive flavonoid possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and immunomodulatory properties. This study examines puerarin supplementation's impact on immune response, growth performance, oxidative defense system, and ammonia metabolism in <em>Litopenaeus vannamei</em> under ammonia-induced stress. For 56 days, shrimp (designated as groups p0, p15, p30, p60, and p120, respectively) were fed diets supplemented with puerarin at 0, 15, 30, 60, and 120 mg/kg, followed by a 48h acute ammonia challenge. The findings indicated that dietary puerarin significantly improved feed utilization, growth, and survival rates. Analysis of enzyme activity revealed that treatment groups p30, p60, and p120 had higher levels of trypsin (TPS) and amylase (AMS) activity (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). After 56 days, acid phosphatase (ACP) and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activities were significantly increased in all treated groups (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), with the highest levels observed in the p60 group. A similar trend was observed following ammonia stress. After 56 days, shrimp exhibited elevated antioxidant enzyme activity, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) levels rising significantly (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), and a significant decline in malondialdehyde (MDA) content (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), suggesting improved ability to cope with oxidative stress. p30, p60, and p120 groups showed increased gene expression of target of rapamycin (<em>tor</em>), eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E1a (<em>eif4e1a, eif4e2, and eif4ebp</em>) (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). After the ammonia stress challenge, antioxidant indicators (SOD, T-AOC, CAT, and MDA) exhibited trends consistent with those observed at the feeding trial's conclusion. The expression levels of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 <em>(Nrf2)</em>, superoxide dismutase (<em>SOD</em>), glutamine synthetase (<em>GS</em>) and glutamate dehydrogenase (<em>GDH</em>) genes were significantly upregulated in p30, p60, and p120 groups compared to p0 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while heat shock protein 70 (<em>HSP70</em>), tumor necrosis factor alpha <em>(TNF-α)</em>, and interleukin 1 beta <em>(IL-1β)</em> were significantly downregulated within these groups relative to p0 (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). The catalase (<em>CAT</em>) gene showed its lowest expression in the p30 group (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), whereas no significant differences were found among the other treatments (<em>P</em> &gt; 0.05). The findings indicate that puerarin increases <em>L. vannamei</em> growth, digestive utilization, and immunological capacity under ammonia stress, indicating its potential as a functional feed addition. A dietary inclusion level of 30 mg/kg was shown to be optimal.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110552"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144605608","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Disease resistance and genetic characteristics of genetically selected largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) revealed by whole genome resequencing","authors":"Hui Sun ,&nbsp;Jixiang Hua ,&nbsp;Yifan Tao ,&nbsp;Jie He ,&nbsp;Qingchun Wang ,&nbsp;Yalun Dong ,&nbsp;Jixiang He ,&nbsp;Jun Qiang","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110558","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110558","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) is a serious threat to aquacultured largemouth bass (<em>Micropterus salmoides</em>) because it is highly infectious and lethal. Our research group has carried out genetic improvement of largemouth bass with LMBV resistance as a target trait through family selection, combined with molecular marker-assisted selection, using the northern U.S.A. subspecies of largemouth bass as a foundation population. By 2023, we had generated 35 F₂ generation LMBV-resistant families. The top six lines with the highest survival rates were selected through LMBV virus challenge experiments, leading to the construction of an F₃-generation resistant population (SF) in 2024. After LMBV virus infection, the 7-day survival rate of the SF population was 28.9 % higher than that of the unselected control population (CF). Whole genome resequencing revealed higher genetic diversity of the SF population (PIC = 0.1557 <em>vs.</em> 0.1029, Ao = 1.8935 <em>vs.</em> 1.4329, Ho = 0.1647 <em>vs.</em> 0.1146) compared with the CF population. Forty-nine genomic regions selected in the SF population <em>vs.</em> the CF population were identified by selective scanning analysis (F_ST-ZHp/F_ST-θπ), and 169 candidate genes were localized. Among them, the immune regulation-related genes <em>atp7b</em>, <em>nampt</em>, <em>hpcal4,</em> and <em>ppsst1/2</em> were identified as key candidate genes for disease resistance under intensive selection in the SF population. These results provide new information about the genetic mechanism of LMBV resistance in largemouth bass, and theoretical support for further research on virus resistance and the selection of disease-resistant varieties. The identified genes and genomic regions are of great significance for the precision breeding of largemouth bass.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110558"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144597115","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fermented rice water enhances disease resistance against Aeromonas hydrophila infection in Labeo rohita fingerlings by modulating immune response","authors":"Chandan Debnath","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110554","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110554","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigated the immunomodulatory potential of dietary fermented rice water (FRW) in enhancing resistance to <em>Aeromonas hydrophila</em> infection in <em>Labeo rohita</em> fingerlings. Using a completely randomized design, 360 fingerlings (11.87 ± 0.24 g) were distributed across 12 tanks with three replicates per treatment. Fish received commercial diets supplemented with 0 % (control), 1 %, 2 %, or 3 % FRW for 45 days, followed by bacterial challenge at 1 × 10⁷ CFU/fish. FRW supplementation significantly enhanced hematological parameters compared to controls (P &lt; 0.05). Red blood cell counts increased from 3.05 × 10⁶ cells/μL in controls to 3.76–3.79 × 10⁶ cells/μL in the 2 % and 3 % treatments. White blood cell counts rose from 9.18 × 10⁴ to 12.34–12.51 × 10⁴ cells/μL, while hemoglobin concentrations improved from 8.34 to 10.28–10.35 g/dL in supplemented groups (P &lt; 0.05). Serum biochemical markers demonstrated substantial improvements, with total protein levels reaching 4.47–4.52 g/dL versus 3.53 g/dL in controls (P &lt; 0.05). Non-specific immune responses, antioxidant enzyme activities, and gene expression were significantly enhanced in FRW groups (P &lt; 0.05). Gene expression analysis revealed upregulation of TLR21, MyD88, IL-10, and TGF-β1, while TNF-α was downregulated compared to controls (P &lt; 0.05). Growth performance improved significantly, with specific growth rates increasing from 1.65 %/day in controls to 1.92–1.94 %/day in the 2 % and 3 % groups (P &lt; 0.05). Following bacterial challenge, survival rates were significantly higher in FRW-supplemented groups (66.67–84.44 %) compared to controls (46.67 %) (P &lt; 0.001). The 2 % and 3 % treatments showed equivalent protective efficacy (P &gt; 0.05), indicating optimal protection at 2 % inclusion level. However, careful concentration optimization remains critical as suboptimal dosing may compromise therapeutic benefits. These findings demonstrate FRW's potential as a sustainable immunostimulant for aquaculture disease management.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"165 ","pages":"Article 110554"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144588051","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary corn silk enhances growth, immunity, and gene expression in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) cultured in a biofloc system.","authors":"Hien Van Doan, Supriya Wannavijit, Khambou Tayyamath, Tran Thi Diem Quynh, Punika Ninyamasiri, Nguyen Vu Linh, Sang Van Vu, Phisit Seesuriyachan, Majid Khanzadeh, Seyed Hossein Hoseinifar","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110555","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fsi.2025.110555","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study evaluates the effects of dietary corn silk (Zea mays L.) supplementation on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, immune response, and gene expression of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reared in a biofloc system. Three hundred juvenile Nile tilapia were fed diets supplemented with corn silk (CS) at different inclusion levels (0, 5, 10, 20, and 40 g kg^-1) for eight weeks. The results showed that fish fed 10 g kg^-1 corn silk exhibited the highest final weight, weight gain, and specific growth rate, while feed conversion ratio was significantly improved compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Digestive enzyme activity, including amylase, lipase, protease, and trypsin, was significantly elevated in fish receiving 10 g kg^-1 corn silk, suggesting enhanced nutrient digestion and absorption. Serum and skin mucus immune parameters, such as lysozyme and peroxidase activity, were markedly higher in supplemented groups, particularly at 10 and 20 g kg^-1 inclusion levels. Additionally, alternative complement hemolytic activity (ACH50) was significantly upregulated in fish fed 20 g kg^-1 corn silk. Gene expression analysis revealed that growth-related (ghrelin, galanin, npya, and ef-α), immune-related (il1β, tnfα, nfκb, and mhciiα), and antioxidant-related (hsp70, gpx, and nrf2) genes were significantly upregulated in fish fed 10 g kg^-1 corn silk. These findings highlight the potential of corn silk as a functional feed additive to enhance growth, digestion, and immune responses in Nile tilapia, contributing to sustainable aquaculture practices. Further research should explore optimal inclusion levels and the long-term effects of corn silk supplementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":" ","pages":"110555"},"PeriodicalIF":4.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}