Author(s): CARRIERO, M. M.; HENRIQUE SILVA, F.; MEIRA, C. M.; GATO, I. M. Q.; CAETANO, A. R.; LOBO, F. P.; ALVES, A. L.; VARELA, E. S.; MAIA, A. A. M.

Summary: In the present study, the complete characterization of cDNA and genomic sequences of IL-1B and IL-8, as well as the expression profile of these genes in the South American fish pacu (Piaractus mesopotamicus) is provided. The full-length pmIL-1B cDNA was composed of 1208 nucleotides that would produce a precursor peptide with 273 amino acid residues. A putative caspase-1 cleavage site, similar to what is found in mammalian IL-1B, was identified producing a mature peptide with a theoretical molecular weight of 17.21 kDa. The pmIL-8 cDNA sequence consisted of 1019 nucleotides which encoded a 95-amino acid protein with a theoretical molecular weight of 10.43 kDa that showed all typical CXC chemokine features, including a 20-residue signal peptide and four conserved cysteine residues. Constitutive mRNA expression was detected for both genes in the liver, head kidney, gill, intestine, skin and spleen. After a bacterial challenge, up-regulation was detected for both pmIL-1B and pmIL-8 in the spleen and head kidney at 12 h post-infection. At 24 h post-infection there was a decrease in the expression of both genes, with pmIL-8 showing a significant down-regulation in the liver and head kidney when compared to the control groups.

Publication year: 2020

Types of publication: Journal article

Unit: Embrapa Fisheries and Aquaculture

Keywords: Bacterial infection, Expressão gênica, Fish, Fish immunology, Gene expression, Imunologia de peixe, Infecção, Infecção bacteriana, Interleukin, Interleukins, Pacu, Peixe, Piaractus mesopotamicus, South American fish