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Antibacterial ability of two species of tilapia is related to inducibility of the p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway
Author(s) -
Hu PingGe,
Zou ZhiYing,
Xiao Wei,
Zhu JingLin,
Li DaYu,
Yu Jie,
Yang Hong,
Chen BingLin,
Ma YinHua
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
aquaculture research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.646
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-2109
pISSN - 1355-557X
DOI - 10.1111/are.14903
Subject(s) - nile tilapia , tilapia , oreochromis , biology , p38 mitogen activated protein kinases , mapk/erk pathway , protein kinase a , tumor necrosis factor alpha , immune system , kinase , microbiology and biotechnology , immunology , fishery , fish <actinopterygii>
Abstract The p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinases (p38 MAPKs) are essential cytoplasmic proteins involved in signalling in innate immune systems, and they play important roles in immune responses. The aim of this study was to explore the role of p38 MAPK in the immune response of Nile tilapia ( Oreochromis niloticus ) and hybrid tilapia ( O. niloticus ♀× O. aureus ♂ ). Both strains of tilapia were challenged with Streptococcus agalactiae by artificial abdominal injection. The gene expression of p38 MAPK , interleukin‐1β ( IL‐1β ) and tumour necrosis factor‐α ( TNF‐α ) after challenge was detected using real‐time quantitative PCR, and the protein level was determined using Western blotting and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Compared with their respective controls, both of the tilapia species showed significant changes in gene and protein expression levels of p38 MAPK, IL‐1β and TNF‐α after challenge with S. agalactiae . The p38 MAPK protein expression increased faster, and to a higher level, in hybrid tilapia than in Nile tilapia. We concluded that the p38 MAPK pathway is activated by S. agalactiae infection in Nile tilapia and hybrid tilapia, and the rapid response and high‐level protein expression of p38 MAPK might be one reason for the stronger bacterial resistance of hybrid tilapia than Nile tilapia.