{"title":"Corrigendum to “Characterization of a novel WAP domain-containing protein with antibacterial immunity from sea cucumber Apostichopus japonicus” [Aquaculture, Volume 609, 15 October 2025, 742831]","authors":"Yiwei Zhang , Yina Shao , Weikang Liang , Chenghua Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742867","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742867","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742867"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365662","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-21DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742859
Sheng-han Gao , Jia-qi Sun , Kun-yu Zhao , Gang Li , Jian Zhang , Xue-peng Li
{"title":"Harnessing PoSAP, a serum amyloid P component in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) for superior antibacterial immunity in teleost fish","authors":"Sheng-han Gao , Jia-qi Sun , Kun-yu Zhao , Gang Li , Jian Zhang , Xue-peng Li","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742859","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742859","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Serum amyloid P component (SAP), a member of the short pentraxin family, plays a multifaceted role in immune responses. In this study, we investigated the antibacterial immunity of SAP in <em>Paralichthys olivaceus</em> (PoSAP). PoSAP comprises 215 amino acids and shares 55.6–76.1% overall sequence identity with other fish species. <em>In vitro</em>, recombinant PoSAP (rPoSAP) showed differential binding ability to eight bacterial species and agglutinated <em>S. aureus</em> and <em>P. fluorescens</em>. rPoSAP demonstrated bacteriostatic activity against seven bacterial species and bacterial activity against <em>E. tarda.</em> In serum, the addition of rPoSAP or blocking endogenous PoSAP significantly regulated hemolytic and bactericidal activity, potentially resulting from the interaction of PoSAP with complement C1qA and C1qC chains, thereby inducing activation of the classical complement pathway. Regarding leukocyte vitality, rPoSAP bound to peripheral blood leukocytes and activated their chemotaxis, proliferation, inflammatory gene expression, phagocytosis, and reactive oxygen species production, leading to leukocyte-mediated antibacterial effects. Besides, neutrophils stimulated with rPoSAP extruded neutrophil extracellular traps. <em>In vivo</em>, <em>PoSAP</em> expression was significantly regulated by bacterial infection, and rPoSAP enhanced antibacterial effects in flounder tissues. In summary, these observations provide novel insights into the superior antibacterial immunity conferred by PoSAP in teleost fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742859"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365663","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742869
F.P. Martínez-Antequera , P. Simó-Mirabet , M. Román , J. Fuentes , M. Oliva , D. Méndez-Paz , R. Vázquez-Sobrado , J.A. Martos-Sitcha , F.J. Moyano , J.M. Mancera
{"title":"Effect of algal extracts on the metabolism, intestinal functionality and oxidative status of gilthead of seabream (Sparus aurata)","authors":"F.P. Martínez-Antequera , P. Simó-Mirabet , M. Román , J. Fuentes , M. Oliva , D. Méndez-Paz , R. Vázquez-Sobrado , J.A. Martos-Sitcha , F.J. Moyano , J.M. Mancera","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742869","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742869","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensive aquaculture systems are associated with decrease in water quality and increased environmental stress and disease prevalence. This promotes the exploration of bioactive compounds that can be included in aquafeeds to enhance fish resilience under such negative conditions. The present study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with two different extracts obtained from the green seaweed <em>Ulva</em> spp. on the growth performance, intestinal functionality, metabolic profile and oxidative status of gilthead sea bream (<em>Sparus aurata</em>). These extracts, either characterized to be enriched in protein (P) or carbohydrate (F) fractions, were included at 12 % in respective diets. After a 42-day feeding trial, a 10-day starvation challenge was conducted as a putative proof-of-concept on the effects of bioactive compounds under food-deprivation. No significant differences in growth performance were observed between the experimental groups during the feeding period. However, after starvation challenge, fish fed the <em>Ulva</em>-based diets exhibited reduced weight loss (∼5 % lower than the control group), indicating enhanced physiological resilience. No significant effect of the inclusion of algal extracts was observed on intestinal morphology or functionality. Biochemical analyses revealed that plasma lactate levels were significantly lower (∼15 %) in the P group, while plasma protein concentrations were reduced (∼9 %) in the F group compared to the control. Hepatic glycogen depletion was more pronounced in fish fed both supplemented-experimental diets after the starving period. Conversely, oxidative stress markers indicated enhanced antioxidant capacity in both experimental groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was significantly higher (∼13 %), while malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a marker of lipid peroxidation, were ∼ 15 % lower in <em>Ulva</em>-fed fish compared to controls. These findings suggest that <em>Ulva</em> spp. extracts may confer metabolic and antioxidant benefits, particularly under starvation-induced stress, without compromising growth performance. Further research is warranted to optimize inclusion rates and elucidate their long-term impacts.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742869"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-19DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742870
Anelisa González , Mariano Elisio , Julieta Suárez , Adrián G. Vega , Esteban Ricci , Eddie O. Aristizabal , Leandro A. Miranda , Jorge A. Hirt-Chabbert
{"title":"Influences of temperature variations on the reproductive activity of red porgy (Pagrus pagrus)","authors":"Anelisa González , Mariano Elisio , Julieta Suárez , Adrián G. Vega , Esteban Ricci , Eddie O. Aristizabal , Leandro A. Miranda , Jorge A. Hirt-Chabbert","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742870","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742870","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated the effect of temperature variations on the reproductive activity of captive red porgy (<em>Pagrus pagrus</em>) under a controlled thermal regime during four spawning seasons (2015–2018). Daily relative fecundity (fecundity) and percentage of viable eggs (egg viability) of daily spawning were evaluated in response to water temperature in a manner independent of days from the spawning onset using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). Mean fecundity changed in a roughly bell-shaped manner with thermal change up to ~18.5 °C, with a peak at 16.6 °C. Fecundity dropped sharply when the temperature exceeded 18.5 °C, indicating ovarian regression. Egg viability increased almost linearly between ~15 and 18 °C. Within the same thermal range of spawning peaks (between ⁓15.5 and 17.5 °C), a significant dispersion of fecundity values was observed, with ovarian maturation and ovulation synchrony among females being maximal around 16.6 °C. This information on the reproductive responses of red porgy to variations in temperature would help to optimize reproductive control in captivity. Furthermore, this study provides important information for approaching the role of temperature variation as a driver of change in the reproductive dynamics of wild populations in the context of climate variability and change.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742870"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338481","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742866
Craig Roger Norrie , D. Shallin Busch , Jonathan Davis , Paul McElhany , Jacqueline L. Padilla Gamiño
{"title":"Differential performance of diploid, mated triploid, and induced triploid Pacific oysters under varied environmental conditions: Insights into impacts of temperature, dissolved oxygen, and pCO2","authors":"Craig Roger Norrie , D. Shallin Busch , Jonathan Davis , Paul McElhany , Jacqueline L. Padilla Gamiño","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742866","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742866","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Pacific oysters (<em>Crassostrea gigas</em>) are an important aquaculture species due to their fast growth, high market demand, and adaptability. Triploid oysters, have an additional set of chromosomes relative to diploids, grow faster and are functionally sterile. Thus, triploids comprise a large proportion of oysters grown worldwide. Triploid oysters are reported to experience higher mortality than diploids. Growers must make decisions that balance the risks and rewards of growing triploids. Understanding how stressors affect oysters is essential to understanding the drivers of triploid mortality and to prepare for the impacts of climate change on individuals in aquaculture. Here, we examined impacts of temperature, dissolved oxygen (DO), and <em>p</em>CO<sub>2</sub> on genetically related juvenile diploid, chemically induced triploid, and mated triploid Pacific oysters. Diploid and induced triploid groups were full siblings, mated triploids were half-siblings. We measured whole organism physiological responses—growth, mortality and respiration — after a 4-week exposure to different environmental conditions. Survival was high in all groups across a broad range of temperature and DO levels. Survival of mated triploids was negatively impacted at lower (but higher than ambient) <em>p</em>CO<sub>2</sub> levels. Diploids and induced triploids had similar respiration across temperature and <em>p</em>CO<sub>2</sub> experiments. Diploids respired more across all dissolved oxygen treatments. Differing performance of mated triploids suggests that production method or genetic background may contribute to their resilience or susceptibility to stress. Considering the stressors that will be placed on individuals in commercial aquaculture when making ploidy selections is essential to ensure the resilience of aquaculture as the climate changes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742866"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314589","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742862
Taryn Garlock , Quinn LaFontaine , Frank Asche
{"title":"Public interest in aquatic foods in the United States: A study of internet search activity","authors":"Taryn Garlock , Quinn LaFontaine , Frank Asche","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742862","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742862","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The U.S. seafood market has undergone major changes in the last decade, and market data is typically available with a significant delay, hindering the industry's capacity to respond. We examine U.S. public interest in aquatic foods over time utilizing weekly internet search data from July 2009 to July 2024 obtained from Google's search data platform, Google Trends. The analysis shows that internet searches and changes in their frequencies can reveal short-term shocks as well as longer trends. A major shift in the search volume index for fresh and frozen fish, as well as a shift from seafood restaurants to seafood recipes, was attributed to COVID-19. The results also show seasonality in public interest for seafood and show a declining search volume index for several species in recent years indicative of weak demand. The analysis highlights that internet search data can provide decision-makers with valuable market information much earlier than official statistics.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742862"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314534","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742861
Fredrik R. Staven , Manuel Gesto , Marta C. Soares , Nina S. Iversen , Andreas R. Staven , Torvald B. Egeland , Silje Stensby-Skjærvik , Lauris Boissonnot , Thor Magne Jonassen , Sigurd Olav Stefansson , Erik Höglund , Torstein Kristensen , Albert Kjartan D. Imsland
{"title":"License to chill: Environmental enrichment for post-vaccination recovery and social training of lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus)","authors":"Fredrik R. Staven , Manuel Gesto , Marta C. Soares , Nina S. Iversen , Andreas R. Staven , Torvald B. Egeland , Silje Stensby-Skjærvik , Lauris Boissonnot , Thor Magne Jonassen , Sigurd Olav Stefansson , Erik Höglund , Torstein Kristensen , Albert Kjartan D. Imsland","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742861","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742861","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Commercial production of lumpfish (<em>Cyclopterus lumpus</em>) offers a non-invasive, continuous, and environmentally friendly method for controlling sea lice (<em>Lepeophtheirus salmonis</em> and <em>Caligus elongatus</em>) in Atlantic salmon (<em>Salmo salar</em>) farming in the North-Atlantic region. However, rearing lumpfish in barren tanks contrasts with its natural benthic lifestyle, and may impair cognitive development, social interaction and ultimately cleaner behaviour. This study investigated the effect of environmental enrichment (EE) during post-vaccination recovery and after deployment in salmon net pens. A total of 18,000 lumpfish were distributed in six production tanks in a randomised triplicate setup with three tanks for control and three tanks with the combination of plastic shelters and salmon silicone models for seven weeks. The study continued at sea for two months using triplicate net pens, with blinded sampling protocols. Results showed that lumpfish in enriched tanks experienced a significant increase in growth, observed on day 28 post-vaccination and interacted actively with both enrichment types. Vaccination had a significant effect on brain neurotransmitters and blood cortisol but was not affected by EE. After deployment at sea, net pens with enriched lumpfish showed a trend towards reduced lice counts of adult female lice during first two weeks. However, lice consumption in both control and treatment were remarkably high, with pooled ingestion rates ranging from 30 to 36.7 % in weeks 4 and 8 post-deployment. Welfare assessments indicated good condition and no difference across treatments. These findings suggest that EE may serve as a practical strategy with the potential to mitigate post-vaccination stress, and enhance habituation to shelters and salmon cues, supporting its use as a reinforcing measure before deployment at sea.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742861"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144338483","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-17DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742856
Ye Huang , Haishui Zhou , Weichen Wang, Xiangxin Kong, Zhaoyang Ning, Weijie Mu
{"title":"Growth performance, biochemical indexes, and intestinal microbiota of Phoxinus lagowskii larvae under carbonate alkalinity stress","authors":"Ye Huang , Haishui Zhou , Weichen Wang, Xiangxin Kong, Zhaoyang Ning, Weijie Mu","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742856","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742856","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The Amur minnow (<em>Phoxinus lagowskii</em>), a commercially significant cold-water fish, faces challenges in saline-alkaline aquaculture due to limited understanding of early-life stage adaptations. This study investigated the integrated adaptive mechanisms of the embryonic and larval stages in response to carbonate alkalinity stress (0–8 mmol/L carbonate alkalinity) through histological, physiological, and microbiome analyses. The results revealed that moderate alkalinity (2–6 mmol/L) did not compromise hatching success, larval survival, or growth performance. However, high alkalinity significantly reduced hatching rates, and induced hepatic oxidative stress characterized by elevated activities of SOD, CAT, ALT, and AST, and altered intestinal morphology. The gill osmoregulatory capacity was enhanced through upregulation of Na<sup>+</sup>/K<sup>+</sup>-ATPase (NKA) and Ca<sup>2+</sup>/Mg<sup>2+</sup>-ATPase (CMA) activities, along with increased expression of <em>AQP1</em> and <em>NHE3</em>, highlighting critical ionoregulatory adjustments. Immune-related genes (<em>TNF-α</em>, <em>IL-10</em>, <em>IL-13</em>) in the liver were significantly upregulated. The intestinal microbiota exhibited resilience under alkalinity stress, with an increase in Proteobacteria and the probiotic <em>Gemmobacter</em>, alongside a reduction in the pathogenic <em>Shewanella</em>. This study elucidates the synergistic roles of hepatic antioxidant defense, gill osmoregulatory plasticity, and intestinal microbial dynamics in mediating alkalinity tolerance, providing actionable insights for optimizing saline-alkaline aquaculture practices.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742856"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144322003","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-16DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742857
Da Huo , Bayden Russell , Fang Su , Botao Liu , Libin Zhang , Hongsheng Yang , Mary A. Sewell , Lina Sun
{"title":"Exploring hypoxia-triggered edema in sea cucumbers: Molecular perspectives on environmental stress","authors":"Da Huo , Bayden Russell , Fang Su , Botao Liu , Libin Zhang , Hongsheng Yang , Mary A. Sewell , Lina Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742857","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742857","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Intensified human activities in coastal zones (e.g. nutrient pollution, coastal development) and climate change reduce solubility and enhance water stratification, and have been driving the expansion and intensification of hypoxic zones globally. When exposed to hypoxic stress, some sea cucumbers become edematous (swollen with excessive fluid) and are more susceptible to mortality. However, the difference of specific phenotype indicators between edematous sea cucumber and non-edematous sea cucumber, and the mechanism underpinning edematous is not clear. Here, we exposed the ecologically valuable sea cucumbers species <em>Apostichopus japonicus</em>, which has an economic impact of >US$45 bn annually, to acute hypoxia (2 mg/L) to elucidate the physiological and molecular mechanisms which underpin edematous. We found that the percent of body wall weight (Wbw) in wet weight (Ww) was higher in normoxia sea cucumbers (53.49 %–53.80 %) than edematous sea cucumbers (43.32 %–44.80 %), indicating edematous sea cucumber contains excessive seawater inside the body to transport more oxygen to cope with hypoxia. The co-identified up-regulated mRNAs (i.e. ficolin-2, metalloproteinase inhibitor 3-like, and complement component C3) and down-regulated mRNAs (i.e. receptor-type tyrosine-protein phosphatase epsilon, PR domain zinc finger protein 2, and protein NLRC5-like) in both respiratory tree and tube foot were crucial. In edematous sea cucumbers, up-regulated genes were largely involved in “metabolism of cofactors and vitamins” and “folding, sorting and degradation,” while genes involved in “signal transduction” and “immune system” were largely down-regulated. Retinol metabolism and Phospholipase D signaling pathways participated in regulating sea cucumber edema but have varied patterns. Overall, we provide insights into the molecular mechanism underpinning sea cucumber edema and help to understand the response of sea cucumbers to increasingly oxygen-limited future oceans.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742857"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144321924","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
AquaculturePub Date : 2025-06-16DOI: 10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742860
Huicheng Wu , Yingtong Hu , Yipei Lu, Yanwei Li, Xueming Dan, Zequan Mo
{"title":"Effect of subcutaneous injection vaccine on protection against Cryptocaryon irritans infection","authors":"Huicheng Wu , Yingtong Hu , Yipei Lu, Yanwei Li, Xueming Dan, Zequan Mo","doi":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742860","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.aquaculture.2025.742860","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Cryptocaryon irritans,</em> an ectoparasitic protozoan, causes significant economic losses in marine fish farming. Vaccination is a crucial strategy for disease prevention, with injection being the most effective and widely used delivery method. Given that <em>C. irritans</em> primarily invades the skin, subcutaneous injection may better stimulate a localized immune response, providing faster and more efficient protection. In this study, orange-spotted groupers <em>(Epinephelus coioides)</em> were immunized with recombinant <em>Tetrahymena thermophila</em> tubulin protein via subcutaneous and intraperitoneal injection. The results showed that subcutaneous vaccination significantly enhanced immune protection, achieving a relative protection rate approximately 2.3 times higher than intraperitoneal vaccination. Specific IgM levels were consistently higher in the serum, mucus, and tissue culture medium of subcutaneously vaccinated fish, both before and after challenge. Notably, parasite-specific IgM levels were also elevated in this group. Immunofluorescence analysis revealed an increased number of IgM-positive cells in mucosal and systemic tissues. Histological analysis indicated that subcutaneously injected antigens were primarily retained in the skin and gradually degraded, whereas intraperitoneally injected antigens were captured in the spleen, highlighting differences in antigen distribution. These findings underscore the potential of subcutaneous injection as an effective vaccination route against <em>C. irritans</em> and provide valuable insights for optimizing immunization strategies in marine fish.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":8375,"journal":{"name":"Aquaculture","volume":"609 ","pages":"Article 742860"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2025-06-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144314587","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":1,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}