Transcriptome profile analysis of mucosal immune responses in the gill of Takifugu rubripes infected with Vibrio harveyi.

Abstract

Vibrio harveyi is the main pathogen causing significant economic losses in Takifugu rubripes farming. The early immune response to V. harveyi infection in T. rubripes was investigated using Illumina NovaSeq 6000 technology. A total of 4720 differentially expressed genes were identified in the gill transcriptome at 0, 3, and 24 h post-infection compared to the control group. Pathways associated with mucosal immunity, such as cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules (CAMs), and the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, were significantly enriched. Specifically, the results implied the cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway is crucial in mediating immune responses. The cooperative interplay between Ccr7 and Cxcl13 may enhance pathogen resistance during the early mucosal immune phase in T. rubripes. These findings provide valuable insights into the early mucosal immune response to V. harveyi infection in T. rubripes.