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Research Project
BOLSA DE GESTÃO DE CIÊNCIA E TECNOLOGIA - PROGRAMA POLAR PORTUGUÊS: APOIO À GESTÃO DO PROGRAMA POLAR PORTUGUÊS PROPOLAR E À DINAMIZAÇÃO DE ACTIVIDADES DE DIVULGAÇÃO CIENTIFICA RELACIONADAS COM O MESMO
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Transcriptomic down-regulation of immune system components in barrier and hematopoietic tissues after lipopolysaccharide injection in antarctic notothenia coriiceps
Publication . Sousa, Carmen; Power, Deborah; Guerreiro, Pedro M; Louro, Bruno; Chen, Liangbiao; Canario, Adelino
The environmental conditions and isolation in the Antarctic have driven the evolution
of a unique biodiversity at a macro to microorganism scale. Here, we investigated the possible
adaptation of the teleost Notothenia coriiceps immune system to the cold environment and unique
microbial community of the Southern Ocean. The fish immune system was stimulated through an
intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS 0111:B4 from E. coli) and the tissue transcriptomic
response and plasma biochemistry were analyzed 7 days later and compared to a sham injected
control. Gene transcription in the head-kidney, intestine and skin was significantly modified by LPS,
although tissues showed different responsiveness, with the duodenum most modified and the skin
the least modified. The most modified processes in head-kidney, duodenum and skin were related to
cell metabolism (up-regulated) and the immune system (comprising 30% of differentially expressed
genes). The immune processes identified were mostly down-regulated, particularly interleukins and
pattern recognition receptors (PRRs), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptors and
mannose receptors, unlike the toll-like receptors response commonly described in other teleost fish.
The modified transcriptional response was not mirrored by a modified systemic response, as the
circulating levels of enzymes of innate immunity, lysozyme and antiproteases, were not significantly
different from the untreated and sham control fish. In conclusion, while the N. coriiceps immune
system shares many features with other teleosts there are also some specificities. Further studies
should better characterize the PRRs and their role in Antarctic teleosts, as well as the importance of
the LPS source and its consequences for immune activation in teleosts.
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Funding agency
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
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Funding Award Number
SFRH/BGCT/105762/2014