Short time-series expression transcriptome data reveal the gene expression patterns and potential biomarkers of blood infection with LPS and poly (I:C) in Mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi).

Blood transcriptomics has emerged as a vital tool for tracking the immune system and supporting disease diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and research. The present study was conducted to analyze the gene expression profile and potential biomarker candidates using the whole blood of mandarin fish (Siniperca chuatsi) infected with LPS or poly (I:C) at 0 h, 3 h, 6 h, and 12 h. Our data suggest that 310 shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified among each comparison group after LPS infection, and 137 shared DEGs were identified after poly (I:C) infection. A total of 62 shared DEGs were differentially expressed in all compared groups after LPS or poly (I:C) infection. Pathways analysis for DEGs in all different compared groups showed that cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction was the most enrichment pathway. The expression levels of genes C-X-C chemokine receptor type 2-like (cxcr2), chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 9a (ccr9a), chemokine (C-C motif) receptor 9b (ccr9b), chemokine (C-X-C motif) receptor 4b (cxcr4b), and interleukin 10 receptor alpha (il10ra) were significantly different in all compared groups and most enriched in cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathway. The protein-protein interactions analysis among all shared DEGs showed that cxcr4 was the hub gene with the highest degree. The biomarker candidates discovered in this study may, following validation, prove effective as diagnostic tools in monitoring mandarin fish diseases.

The silent threat: Nanopolystyrene and chrysene pollutants disrupt the intestinal mucosal barrier, new insights from juvenile Siniperca chuatsi.

The intestinal mucosal barrier-comprising microbial, mechanical, chemical, and immunological barriers-is critical to protection against pathogens and maintenance of host health; however, it remains unclear whether it is affected by environmental contaminants. Therefore, the present study assessed whether exposure to ambient concentrations of nanopolystyrene (NP) and chrysene (CHR)-two ubiquitous environmental pollutants in the aquatic environment-affect the intestinal mucosal barrier in juvenile Siniperca chuatsi. After exposure for 21 days, S. chuatsi exhibited intestinal oxidative stress and imbalance of intestinal microbial homeostasis. NP and/or CHR exposure also disrupted the intestinal mechanical barrier, as evidenced by the altered intestinal epithelial cell morphology, disrupted structure of intercellular tight junctions, and decreased expression of tight junction proteins. Damage to the intestinal chemical barrier manifested as thinning of the mucus layer owing to the loss and damage of goblet cells. Furthermore, the intestinal immunological barrier was impaired as indicated by the loss of intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes and increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and immunoglobulins. These findings collectively suggest that the intestinal mucosal barrier was damaged. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first to report that exposure to NP and/or CHR at environmentally relevant concentrations disrupts the intestinal mucosal barrier in organisms and highlight the significance of nanoplastic/CHR pollution for intestinal health.