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Research Project

Nutritional immunology as a tool to boost immunity and disease resistance in farmed fish

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Publications

Alternative proteins for fish diets: implications beyond growth
Publication . Aragão, Cláudia; Gonçalves, Ana Teresa; Costas, Benjamín; Azeredo, Rita; Xavier, Maria João; Engrola, Sofia
Aquaculture has been challenged to find alternative ingredients to develop innovative feed formulations that foster a sustainable future growth. Given the most recent trends in fish feed formulation on the use of alternative protein sources to decrease the dependency of fishmeal, it is fundamental to evaluate the implications of this new paradigm for fish health and welfare. This work intends to comprehensively review the impacts of alternative and novel dietary protein sources on fish gut microbiota and health, stress and immune responses, disease resistance, and antioxidant capacity. The research results indicate that alternative protein sources, such as terrestrial plant proteins, rendered animal by-products, insect meals, micro- and macroalgae, and single cell proteins (e.g., yeasts), may negatively impact gut microbiota and health, thus affecting immune and stress responses. Nevertheless, some of the novel protein sources, such as insects and algae meals, have functional properties and may exert an immunostimulatory activity. Further research on the effects of novel protein sources, beyond growth, is clearly needed. The information gathered here is of utmost importance, in order to develop innovative diets that guarantee the production of healthy fish with high quality standards and optimised welfare conditions, thus contributing to a sustainable growth of the aquaculture industry.
Dietary tryptophan intervention counteracts stress-induced transcriptional changes in a teleost fish HPI axis during inflammation
Publication . Peixoto, Diogo; Carvalho, Inês; Machado, Marina; Aragão, Cláudia; Costas, Benjamín; Azeredo, Rita
Immune nutrition is currently used to enhance fish health by incorporating functional ingredients into aquafeeds. This study aimed to investigate the connections between tryptophan nutrition and the network that regulates the communication pathways between neuroendocrine and immune systems in European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax). When tryptophan was supplemented in the diet of unstressed fish, it induced changes in the hypothalamic-pituitary-interrenal axis response to stress. Tryptophan-mediated effects were observed in the expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines and glucocorticoid receptors. Tryptophan supplementation decreased pro-opiomelanocortin b-like levels, that are related with adrenocorticotropic hormone and cortisol secretion. When stressed fish fed a tryptophan-supplemented diet were subjected to an inflammatory stimulus, plasma cortisol levels decreased and the expression of genes involved in the neuroendocrine response was altered. Modulatory effects of tryptophan dietary intervention on molecular patterns seem to be mediated by altered patterns in serotonergic activity.

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Funders

Funding agency

Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Funding programme

CEEC IND 3ed

Funding Award Number

2020.00290.CEECIND/CP1599/CT0001

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