Overexpression of T-bet, GATA-3 and TGF-ss Induces IFN-gamma, IL-4/13A, and IL-17A Expression in Atlantic Salmon

• Published in: Biology
• Main Authors: Slettjord, Tiril H., Sekkenes, Hege J., Chi, Heng, Bogwald, Jarl, Swain, Trilochan, Dalmo, Roy A., Swain, Jaya Kumari
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI 2020
• Subjects: overexpression; T-bet; GATA-3; TGF-ss; Atlantic salmon; gene expression; Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics; Biology; Gata
• Online Access: http://ir.qdio.ac.cn/handle/337002/167436; http://ir.qdio.ac.cn/handle/337002/167437; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology9040082

The overexpression of GATA-3, T-bet and TGF-ss may theoretically induce IL-4/A, IFN-gamma and IL-17A expression, respectively. Whether this also applies to fish is not yet known. The plasmid vectors encoding reporter gene (RFP)-tagged T-bet, GATA-3 and TGF-ss were used as overexpression tools, transfected into cells or injected intramuscularly to monitor the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-4/13A and IL-17A. In addition, the fish were either experimentally challenged with Vibrio anguillarum (VA group) or Piscirickettsia salmonis (PS group). The reporter gene (RFP) inserted upstream of the GATA-3, T-bet and TGF-ss genes, was observed in muscle cell nuclei and in inflammatory cells after intramuscular (i.m.) injection. PS group: following the injection of GATA-3 and T-bet-encoding plasmids, the expression of GATA-3 and T-bet was high at the injection site. The spleen expression of IFN-gamma, following the injection of a T-bet-encoding plasmid, was significantly higher on day 2. VA group: The T-bet and GATA-3-overexpressing fish expressed high T-bet and GATA-3 mRNA levels in the muscles and on day 4 post-challenge. The expression of TGF-ss in the muscles of fish injected with TGF-ss-encoding plasmids was significantly higher on days 7 (8 days pre-challenge) and 19 (4 days after challenge). The protective effects of the overexpression of T-bet, GATA-3 and TGF-ss on both bacterial infections were negligible.