Fish & shellfish immunology最新文献

{"title":"Combined histopathological, immunoenzymatic and transcriptomic analyses reveal the immune response mechanisms of silver pomfret infected by Vibrio parahaemolyticus","authors":"Dianyang Zhou ,&nbsp;Ping Han ,&nbsp;Yadong Xue ,&nbsp;Zhennan Sun ,&nbsp;Longdi Wang ,&nbsp;Xiumei Liu ,&nbsp;Jianming Chen ,&nbsp;Yajun Wang ,&nbsp;Suming Zhou ,&nbsp;Xue Sun ,&nbsp;Xinxin Du ,&nbsp;Xubo Wang","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111124","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111124","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The silver pomfret (<em>Pampus argenteus</em>), a vital aquaculture species, is highly susceptible to <em>Vibrio parahaemolyticus</em> infections, yet the molecular mechanisms underlying its immune response remain poorly understood. This study investigated gill responses to <em>V. parahaemolyticus</em> infection via intraperitoneal injection, analyzing histopathological, transcriptomic, and enzymatic changes at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h post-infection (hpi). Histological analysis revealed progressive gill damage, with significant architectural disruption from 6 hpi and severe lesions by 48 hpi. Transcriptome profiling of 18 cDNA libraries generated 40–67 million clean reads, yielding 4492–5231 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) across time points, with 1094–2174 unique DEGs per time point. Inflammatory cytokines (<em>tnf-α</em>, <em>il-1β</em>, <em>il-8</em>, <em>il-12</em>) showed robust upregulation, peaking at 6–24 hpi, indicative of an active immune response. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG analyses identified enriched pathways, including “oxidative phosphorylation” (3–48 hpi) and “tight junction” (24 hpi), with “oxidoreductase activity” and “aerobic respiration” as the dominant functional categories. Oxidative stress markers (MDA, SOD, CAT, POD) exhibited time-dependent increases, reflecting enhanced antioxidant defenses. Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) revealed the turquoise module as being strongly correlated with infection, identifying hub genes (<em>gapdh</em>, <em>gapdhs</em>, <em>pgam2</em>, <em>g6pd</em>, <em>taldo1</em>, <em>pgam1a</em>) critical to immune regulation. This study is the first to systematically investigate the temporal crosstalk between inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and metabolic reprogramming in silver pomfret gills during <em>V. parahaemolyticus</em> infection, providing novel molecular targets for the control of vibriosis.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111124"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974591","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":"Activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway is associated with NAC-mediated alleviation of nitrite-induced oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stress and apoptosis in Marsupenaeus japonicus","authors":"Yexin Lei,&nbsp;Rui Xu,&nbsp;Jinlong Zhan,&nbsp;Jianyong Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111114","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111114","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Nitrite accumulation poses a serious threat to aquatic animals in intensive aquaculture systems. Although the antioxidant role of the Nrf2-Keap1 pathway is well established, its regulatory mechanisms under nitrite stress in crustaceans remain poorly understood. This investigation focused on the protective impact of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on <em>Marsupenaeus japonicus</em> exposed to nitrite toxicity. Shrimp were injected with NAC or PBS and then exposed to 100 mg/L of nitrite nitrogen for 72 h. The findings revealed that pretreatment with NAC markedly reduced tissue damage in both the hepatopancreas and gills, in comparison to the PBS control group. Additionally, the NAC-treated <em>M. japonicus</em> exhibited upregulated mRNA levels of <em>Nrf2</em> and its associated antioxidant genes including <em>NQO1</em>, <em>HO-1</em>, <em>CAT</em>, <em>GPx</em>, <em>GST</em>, and <em>SOD</em>, while <em>Keap1</em> expression was notably suppressed. Additionally, the NAC group downregulated endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS)-related genes (<em>PERK</em>, <em>eIF2α</em>, <em>ATF4</em>, <em>GRP78</em>, <em>CHOP</em>, <em>IRE1</em>, <em>XBP1</em>, <em>ATF6</em>) and apoptosis-related genes (<em>Caspase-3</em>, <em>Caspase-9</em>, <em>p53</em>, <em>Bax</em>, <em>Apaf-1</em>), while upregulating <em>Bcl-2</em>. Additionally, the NAC group improved total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and SOD activity, reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content and Caspase-3 activity, and decreased the apoptosis rate in the hepatopancreas. The results indicate that NAC alleviates oxidative stress, ERS, and apoptosis triggered by nitrite in <em>M. japonicus</em>. This protective effect is associated with the activation of the Nrf2-Keap1 signaling pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic strategy for nitrite toxicity in crustacean aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111114"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923758","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":"Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae exacerbates virulence through oxidative stress, apoptosis induction and gut microbiota dysbiosis in zebrafish models","authors":"Zhining Mo ,&nbsp;Jiajie Liu ,&nbsp;Yunhong Yi ,&nbsp;Mei Li ,&nbsp;Xiaosong Yang ,&nbsp;Gongqing Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111101","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111101","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Carbapenem-resistant <em>Klebsiella pneumoniae</em> (CRKP), as a critical nosocomial pathogen, has emerged as a major global public health challenge due to its multidrug resistance and enhanced pathogenicity. This study systematically elucidated the virulence characteristics of CRKP and its host interaction mechanisms by comparing CRKP (ST258, <em>blaKPC</em>-positive) with carbapenem-susceptible <em>K. pneumoniae</em> (CSKP, ST86) in zebrafish infection models. We established dual infection models (adult intraperitoneal injection and larval immersion), revealing that ST258 CRKP strain exhibited significantly enhanced virulence: its median lethal dose (LD₅₀) was 7.3-fold lower than ST86 CSKP strain, with persistent proliferation in liver and intestinal tissues causing more severe histopathological damage. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that CRKP infection induced stronger oxidative stress and more pronounced apoptosis. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed CRKP-specific gut microbiota dysbiosis: a 147 % increase in <em>Klebsiella</em> abundance with significant depletion of protective <em>Faecalibacterium</em> and <em>Cetobacterium</em>, whereas CSKP infection primarily promoted <em>Aeromonas</em> and <em>Citrobacter</em> proliferation. Functional prediction analysis further identified CRKP-specific activation of drug metabolism pathways (e.g., cytochrome P450) and disruption of amino acid metabolism (e.g., suppressed cysteine/methionine pathways), which were closely associated with impaired host antioxidant defenses. This study provides zebrafish model evidence that the ST258 CRKP strain enhances pathogenicity through multiple mechanisms compared to the ST86 CSKP strain: enhanced tissue invasiveness, induction of oxidative stress and apoptosis, and disruption of gut microbial homeostasis. These findings offer novel insights into the pathogenesis of this high-risk CRKP clone and inform the development of microbiota-targeted therapeutic strategies against drug-resistant infections.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111101"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145917180","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":"Toxic effects of microplastic (polyethylene) exposure: Stress, immune responses and neurotoxicity in crucian carp, Carassius carassius","authors":"Young-Bin Yu ,&nbsp;A-Hyun Jo ,&nbsp;Cheol Young Choi ,&nbsp;Ju-Chan Kang ,&nbsp;Jun-Hwan Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111139","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111139","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Crucian carp (<em>Carassius carassius</em>) were exposed to polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) at concentrations of 0, 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 mg/L for two weeks. The experimental fish had a mean weight of 23.2 ± 3.1 g and a mean length of 12.1 ± 0.9 cm. Exposure to ≥32 mg/L PE-MPs caused significant increases in cortisol and HSP70 levels, indicating activation of endocrine and cellular stress responses. In contrast, immune parameters such as lysozyme activity and IgM concentrations were significantly reduced, demonstrating suppression of both innate and adaptive immune functions. Moreover, acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was significantly inhibited, reflecting impaired cholinergic neurotransmission and neurotoxicity. Integrated biomarker response (IBR) analysis revealed concentration-dependent alterations, while heatmap and principal component analyses (PCA) confirmed that PE-MPs predominantly induced stress-related physiological responses. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that exposure to ≥32 mg/L PE-MPs poses significant physiological and neuro-immunotoxic risks to <em>C. carassius</em>.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111139"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146028937","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":"Transcriptome analysis reveals the response mechanism of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) brain to MSRV infection","authors":"Qi Guo ,&nbsp;Pengfei Wang ,&nbsp;Bao Lou ,&nbsp;Weifeng Shen ,&nbsp;Mingming Han ,&nbsp;Wenzhi Guan ,&nbsp;Sunjian Lyu ,&nbsp;Li Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111109","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111109","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Micropterus salmoides</em> is an economically significant freshwater fish that faces serious threats from various pathogens. <em>Micropterus salmoides</em> rhabdovirus (MSRV) is a pathogenic virus that primarily infects juvenile fish, leading to severe disease. Although some studies have reported the transcriptome sequencing of immune-related tissues in <em>Micropterus salmoides</em> after MSRV infection, studies focusing on the central nervous system remain scarce. In this study, largemouth bass juvenile fish were infected by intraperitoneal injection of MSRV. Severe external clinical sign, together with high virus load were detected in brain tissues after MSRV infection. Transcriptomic analysis showed that the expression level of 658 genes (297 up-regulated genes and 361 down-regulated) in brain tissues was significantly altered. First, KEGG analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were positively enriched in the pathways related to immune signaling and cell death, such as JAK-STAT signaling pathway, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction and apoptosis. Next, Most DEGs within the significant enrichment of “Citrate cycle”, “Oxidative phosphorylation”, “proteasome” and “ribosome” were downregulated in brain tissues infected with MSRV. Additionally, we found that MSRV infection reduces both the mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP production in largemouth bass brain tissues, thereby inhibiting viral replication. Altogether, this study revealed immune-related genes and pathways that defend against MSRV infection, as well as other cellular processes potentially involved in host antiviral responses or viral invasion. These findings are pending functional validation. All these results provided a reference for further in-depth study mechanisms of viral-host interactions in teleost fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111109"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145923825","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":"Co-infection of Cryptocaryon irritans and Vibrio harveyi impairs osmoregulatory and respiratory functions in orange-spotted grouper Epinephelus coioides","authors":"Xueli Lai ,&nbsp;Haoran Tang ,&nbsp;Huicheng Wu ,&nbsp;Yanwei Li ,&nbsp;Xueming Dan ,&nbsp;Zequan Mo","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111133","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111133","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptocaryon irritans</em> and <em>Vibrio harveyi</em> are common parasitic and bacterial pathogens infecting mariculture fish such as the orange-spotted grouper (<em>Epinephelus coioides</em>), and they cause significant economic losses. Epidemiological evidence indicated that <em>V. harveyi</em> commonly causes secondary bacterial infection in teleost infected with <em>C. irritans</em>. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of <em>C. irritans</em> and <em>V. harveyi</em> co-infection in grouper remain unclear. In this study, a co-infection model was established in vivo that the co-infection increased the mortality of grouper and facilitated the replication of <em>V. harveyi</em>. Blood smear analysis showed that the percentage of white blood cells, including monocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils, obviously increased in co-infected grouper. Histopathological and ultrastructural observations showed that co-infection induced the pathological changes in gills and trunk kidney. Excessive mucus was produced in gills and apoptosis was induced in trunk kidney. Enzymatic assays revealed a significant change in serum ion and protein, respiratory enzyme, and osmoregulatory enzyme in co-infected grouper. Moreover, detection of peripheral oxygen saturation and osmotic pressure demonstrated that the death of co-infected grouper was associated with the asphyxiation and osmotic pressure imbalance. Therefore, our study could facilitate further research on the pathogenic mechanisms of <em>C. irritans</em> and <em>V. harveyi</em> co-infection in orange-spotted grouper.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111133"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145974561","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 silymarin improves gut–liver health by enhancing intestinal barrier integrity and modulating TLR4/NF-κB and NLRP3-mediated inflammatory responses in Aeromonas hydrophila–infected grass carp","authors":"Feng Jia ,&nbsp;Li Wei ,&nbsp;Wei-Dan Jiang ,&nbsp;Pei Wu ,&nbsp;Yang Liu ,&nbsp;Yao-Bin Ma ,&nbsp;Hong-Yun Zhang ,&nbsp;Xiao-Wan Jin ,&nbsp;Hong-Mei Ren ,&nbsp;Xiao-Qiu Zhou ,&nbsp;Lin Feng","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bacterial infections compromise fish physiological homeostasis by impairing barrier function and metabolic organs, posing a persistent challenge in intensive aquaculture. Silymarin (SLM) is a plant-derived flavonoid complex obtained from <em>Silybum marianum</em>, widely recognized for its multifunctional pharmacological and bioactivity. However, its regulatory role under stress induced by bacterial pathogens in aquatic animals remains poorly understood. This study explored the impact and potential mechanisms of dietary SLM on intestinal barrier function and liver protection in juvenile grass carp. Fish (24.2 ± 0.1 g) were randomly assigned to six groups and fed diets containing 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, or 100 mg/kg SLM for 70 days. Subsequently, the fish were challenged with <em>Aeromonas hydrophila</em> (<em>A. hydrophila</em>) for 6 days. Optimal SLM supplementation (1) alleviated intestinal damage by upregulating tight junction proteins and downregulating myosin light chain kinase (MLCK); (2) reduced liver pro-inflammatory cytokines, inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS) translocation, and suppressed activation of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway; (3) mitigated liver inflammation by inhibiting the phosphorylation of key nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway proteins and downregulating nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome components; (4) decreased liver oxidative stress while enhancing antioxidant capacity and improving liver function; and (5) modulated gene expression related to metabolic enzymes and transporters in the intestine and liver. Dietary SLM improved gut–liver health by supporting barrier function, reducing inflammation, and enhancing metabolic and antioxidant responses, indicating its promise for nutritional use in aquaculture.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111135"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146017872","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":"CXCL20a promotes the immune protection of an inactivated vaccine against grass carp reovirus infection in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella)","authors":"Yizhong Lu ,&nbsp;Shijie Wang ,&nbsp;Yuezong Xu ,&nbsp;Bo Tang ,&nbsp;Guanyu Chen ,&nbsp;Jianguo Su ,&nbsp;Chunrong Yang","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Grass carp (<em>Ctenopharyngodon idella</em>) is frequently threatened by hemorrhagic disease caused by grass carp reovirus (GCRV) infection in aquaculture. Vaccination represents a crucial strategy for preventing this infectious disease, where adjuvants play a pivotal role in enhancing vaccine efficacy. This study evaluated the chemokine CXCL20a as a molecular adjuvant to boost the immunogenicity of an inactivated GCRV vaccine. A CXCL20a fusion protein (rC20) was prepared and purified, and a tag-free form (Tf-rC20) was obtained after TrxA tag removal. Five experimental groups were established: PBS control, vaccine alone, rC20 alone, and vaccine combined with rC20 and Tf-rC20 in separate groups. The vaccine-alone group showed a 60 % survival rate, which increased to 74 % and 78 % in the Vac + rC20 and Vac + Tf-rC20 groups, respectively. Tf-rC20 showed slightly higher efficacy than rC20, although the difference was limited. Viral load quantification and splenic histopathology further confirmed that combined immunization suppressed viral replication and alleviated tissue damage. Serum immune parameters analyses revealed that combined immunization significantly enhanced the activities of lysozyme, total superoxide dismutase, and complement component C3, suggesting a potentiation of non-specific immunity. qRT-PCR results showed significant upregulation of immune-related genes, including IFN1, IL-6, Mx2, and IgM, in immune tissues, indicating that CXCL20a promoted both innate and adaptive immune responses. These results collectively demonstrate that the recombinant CXCL20a protein, functioning as a molecular adjuvant, can synergize with the inactivated vaccine to significantly enhance protective immunity against GCRV in grass carp, providing a promising candidate for the development of novel adjuvants in fish vaccines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111140"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146017876","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":"Corrigendum to “Identification and functional characterization of cGAS and cGAS-like in snakehead Channa argus” [Fish Shellfish Immunol. 165 (2025) 110566]","authors":"Hong Qing Zhang ,&nbsp;Long Wei Cai ,&nbsp;Yu Hang Deng ,&nbsp;Meng Xin Yan ,&nbsp;Peng Fei Mu ,&nbsp;Bo Li ,&nbsp;Lan Hao Liu ,&nbsp;P. Nie","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111149","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111149","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111149"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146085025","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":"The Atlantic salmon tongue mucosa functions as an active mucosal immune site capable of responding to a pathogen","authors":"Carlo C. Lazado ,&nbsp;Elisabeth Ytteborg ,&nbsp;Hanne Brenne ,&nbsp;Muhammad Salman Malik ,&nbsp;Malene Soleng ,&nbsp;Erik Burgerhout ,&nbsp;Aleksei Krasnov ,&nbsp;Marianne Iversen","doi":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111120","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fsi.2026.111120","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The tongue of teleost fish is a mucosal organ whose role in immunity remains largely understudied. Here, we performed transcriptomic analyses of the Atlantic salmon (<em>Salmo salar</em>) smolt tongue to investigate its baseline gene expression profile and its immune response to a bacterial challenge with <em>Yersinia ruckeri</em>. In the unstimulated state, transcriptomic profiling revealed that the tongue is a highly metabolically active organ with enrichment of genes involved in cytoskeletal organisation, transport, and metabolism. Gene ontology (GO) analysis identified terms associated with immune system processes indicating that the tongue maintains a state of immune readiness even in the absence of infection or pathogenic stimulation. The transcriptional body map further revealed that the tongue shares gene expression features at the naïve state with both muscular and mucosal tissues including genes related to immunity. Following bacterial exposure both <em>ex vivo</em> and <em>in vivo</em>, an immune response was observed and was characterised by the upregulation of cytokines, chemokines, and antimicrobial effectors. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses identified activation of immune- and metabolism-related pathways, including immune signalling, oxidative phosphorylation, lysosome, and phagosome pathways, thus reflecting the high energetic demand of the immune response to the bacterial pathogen. These findings collectively reveal that a transient bacterial challenge elicits a metabolically demanding immune response in the salmon tongue driven by coordinated regulation of immune signalling and cellular metabolic pathways. This study demonstrates that the Atlantic salmon tongue is an active component of the mucosal immune system and provides novel insights into the intersection of metabolism and immunity in fish mucosal organs, particularly in response to a transient bacterial challenge.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":12127,"journal":{"name":"Fish & shellfish immunology","volume":"170 ","pages":"Article 111120"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2026-03-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145951781","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}