Tilapia develop protective immunity including a humoral response following exposure to tilapia lake virus.

Tilapia lake virus (TiLV) is an emerging virus associated with high mortality in cultured tilapia. Since the first report of tilapia lake virus, it has been detected in diseased tilapia in sixteen countries around the world. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop an efficacious vaccine to prevent TiLV disease (TiLVD) and reduce its global economic impact. Understanding the role of the adaptive immune response following exposure of tilapia to TiLV is a critical step in the development of such a vaccine. In this study, we challenged red hybrid tilapia by cohabitation or intraperitoneal injection and demonstrated that surviving fish develop a protective immunity. We also demonstrated that tilapia that survived experimental infections possess significant antibodies against the protein encoded by the TiLV segment 4. We then developed a TiLV indirect ELISA to determine the antibody response in tilapia. The ELISA revealed high antibody levels in survivors of experimental challenges and following outbreaks on farms. The ELISA effectively distinguished TiLV-exposed from unexposed tilapia and was used to monitor anti-TiLV antibody kinetics following infection. During the primary infection, tilapia developed an antibody response as early as 7 days post TiLV challenge (dpc), peaked at 15 dpc, showed a gradual decline up until about 42 dpc, but persisted in some fish up until day 110 dpc. Upon re-infection, an increased antibody response occurred within 7-14 days, demonstrating that tilapia that survive TiLV infections develop humoral memory. In conclusion, our results demonstrated that tilapia mount antibody responses against TiLV that supports protective immunity to subsequent TiLV disease. The persistence of anti-TiLV antibodies in survivors following a single exposure suggests a single vaccination might be adequate to protect tilapia during the entire grow-out period. This study provides important information about the immune response of tilapia following exposure to TiLV as a first step in the development of an efficacious vaccine against this emerging and economically important viral disease.

Effects of dietary supplementation with apple peel powder on the growth, blood and liver parameters, and transcriptome of genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus).

High-density aquaculture and nutritional imbalances may promote fatty liver in genetically improved farmed tilapia (GIFT, Oreochromis niloticus), thus reducing the gains achieved by breeding. In this study, apple peel powder (APP) was used as a feed additive for GIFT. A control group (fed on a diet without APP) and five groups fed on diets supplemented with APP (at 0.05%, 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, or 0.8% of the diet, by weight) were established to investigate the effects of APP on GIFT growth performance and physiological parameters, and on gene expression as determined by transcriptomic analysis. Dietary supplementation with APP at 0.2% promoted GIFT growth, reduced total cholesterol and triacylglycerol levels in the serum and liver, and decreased alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase activities in the serum. Gene expression profiles in the liver were compared among the control, 0.2% APP, and 0.8% APP groups, and differentially expressed genes among these groups were identified. Annotation analyses using tools at the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in the regulation of immunity and fat metabolism. The results showed that excessive supplementation with APP in the diet significantly inhibited the expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 and liver-type fatty acid-binding protein, and stimulated the expression of fatty acid desaturase 2, heat shock protein 90 beta family member 1, and nuclear factor kappa B. This resulted in disordered lipid metabolism and increased pro-inflammatory reactions, which in turn caused liver damage. Therefore, APP has good potential as an environmentally friendly feed additive for GIFT at levels of 0.1%-0.2% in the diet, but excessive amounts can have adverse effects.

Systemic versus tissue-level prolactin signaling in a teleost during a tidal cycle.

Euryhaline Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) are native to estuaries where they encounter tidal fluctuations in environmental salinity. These fluctuations can be dramatic, subjecting individuals to salinities characteristic of fresh water (FW < 0.5‰) and seawater (SW 35‰) within a single tidal cycle. In the current study, we reared tilapia under a tidal regimen that simulated the dynamic conditions of their native habitat. Tilapia were sampled every 3 h over a 24 h period to temporally resolve how prolactin (PRL) signaling is modulated in parallel with genes encoding branchial effectors of osmoregulation. The following parameters were measured: plasma osmolality, plasma PRL177 and PRL188 concentrations, pituitary prl177 and prl188 gene expression, and branchial prl receptor (prlr1 and prlr2), Na+/Cl--cotransporter (ncc2), Na+/K+/2Cl--cotransporter (nkcc1a), Na+/K+-ATPase (nkaα1a and nkaα1b), cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (cftr), and aquaporin 3 (aqp3) gene expression. Throughout the 24 h sampling period, plasma osmolality reflected whether tilapia were sampled during the FW or SW phases of the tidal cycle, whereas pituitary prl gene expression and plasma PRL levels remained stable. Branchial patterns of ncc2, nkcc1a, nkaα1a, nkaα1b, cftr, and aqp3 gene expression indicated that fish exposed to tidally changing salinities regulate the expression of these gene transcripts in a similar fashion as fish held under static SW conditions. By contrast, branchial prlr1 and prlr2 levels were highly labile throughout the tidal cycle. We conclude that local (branchial) regulation of endocrine signaling underlies the capacity of euryhaline fishes, such as Mozambique tilapia, to thrive under dynamic salinity conditions.

Trace minerals in tilapia fillets: Status in the United States marketplace and selenium supplementation strategy for improving consumer's health.

This goal of this study was to highlight the importance of minerals in the diet of fish for meeting micronutrient requirements in the human diet. First arsenic, calcium, cadmium, copper, iron, molybdenum, magnesium, manganese, sodium, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, and zinc concentrations of twelve commercially available tilapia samples were measured. The nutritional value of fillets in regard to their mineral content were assessed to establish potential health benefits or risks for consumers. The health benefit value of selenium was also calculated. Positive health benefit values indicate that tilapia fillets in the United States marketplace of this study do not pose health risks associated with mercury exposures. Selenium was the trace mineral of interest. After the market study, a seven-week fish feeding trial was conducted to study the influence of organic versus inorganic dietary selenium on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Fish were fed two different diets enriched with the same concentration (0.01g kg-1) of selenium in form of inorganic (sodium selenite) or organic (seleno-L-methionine) selenium in triplicate groups. There were no significant differences between growth and biometrics of fish fed different diets (p>0.05). At the end of trial twelve fish from each treatment were collected. Fillets of fish fed organic selenium had selenium concentrations of 0.55 ± 0.01 µg g-1 which were significantly (p<0.05) higher than fish fed inorganic selenium at levels of 0.22 ± 0.008 µg g-1 or fish samples from the marketplace with a selenium level of 0.2 ± 0.03 µg g-1. Fish fed organic selenium also had significantly higher (p<0.05) plasma and kidney selenium in comparison to fish fed inorganic selenium. No significant differences (p>0.05) were observed in glutathione peroxidase activities in either the plasma or liver of Nile tilapia in the different treatment groups. This study shows that organic selenium is a better option for production of Nile tilapia fillets rich in selenium.

Haemato-immunological studies in ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles exposed euryhaline fish, Oreochromis mossambicus.

The present study was aimed to analyze the effect of ZnO and TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) on Haemato-immunological parameters in adult Tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. The nanoparticles size found as 47 nm and 30 nm for ZnO and TiO2 respectively. The acute toxicity (96 h) of ZnO (LC50: 100-110 ppm) and TiO2 (LC50: 80-90 ppm) NPs were identified by using probit analysis. RBC, Hb and HCT levels decreased in nanoparticles exposed groups resulted in decreased oxygen carrying capacity of RBC and other erythrocyte indices (MCH, MCV, MCHC). Increased WBC, neutrophils & monocytes and decreased lymphocyte levels were observed as increased concentration of the nanoparticles. The results were found as statistically significant (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the present study depicts that ZnO NPs exhibits more toxicity than TiO2 NPs. Nanoparticles presence even in low concentration (ppm) cause damage to the connective tissues of fish, so the existing permissible levels of these nanoparticles in water are need to be revised.

Alterations of haemato-biochemical parameters pre and post-challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila and survival of Oreochromis mossambicus fed Moringa oleifera-based diets.

This study investigated the extent of changes in haemato-biochemical and immunological parameters of O. mossambicus fed with M. oleifera-based diets pre and post-challenge with different concentrations of A. hydrophila. Moringa oleifera powdered leaves were added to five experimental diets at 0%, 3%, 6%, 9% and 12%, designated D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5, respectively. Each diet was randomly fed to triplicate groups of 45 fish (33.46 ±â€¯1.57 g) for 45 days. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in WG, FCR and SGR between treatments. There was an increase in WBC, RBC, HGB and HCT with increasing M. oleifera levels. No significant changes (P > 0.05) were observed in AST, ALT, ALP and LDH levels between treatments. After 45 days, fish from each treatment were injected with varying concentrations (0, 1 × 106 cfu, 1.5 × 106 cfu, 3 × 106 cfu and 4 × 106 cfu ml-1) of Aeromonas hydrophila. There was a significant decline in RBC, HGB and HCT of fish in the D1-D3 compared to the D4 and D5 groups. There was an increase in AST, ALT, ALP and LDH in the D1-D3 groups while no significant changes (P > 0.05) were observed in the D4 and D5 groups between bacterial concentrations. Survival rate was lower in the D1-D3 compared to the D4 and D5 groups, indicating that immunity was enhanced in fish fed with the highest M. oleifera inclusion levels. NBT and lysozyme activities were also lower in the D1-D3 groups compared to the D4 and D5 groups. The enhancement of immunity is attributed to the presence of biologically active compounds with immunostimulatory properties. The phytochemistry of the M. oleifera revealed high levels of total polyphenol, total phenols, total flavonoids, carotenoids, vitamins C and E.

Characterization and expression of Na+/K+-ATPase in gills and kidneys of the Teleost fish Oreochromis mossambicus, Oreochromis urolepis hornorum and their hybrids in response to salinity challenge.

Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus, O. urolepis hornorum, their hybrids O. mossambicus♀ × O. hornorum♂ and O. hornorum♀ × O. mossambicus♂) were exposed to a high salinity environment to evaluate their osmoregulatory responses. The plasma osmolality of all the tilapia species were elevated with the salinity challenge. The activities of Na+/K+-ATPase (NKA) in both the gill and kidney showed a similar increased change tendency compared with the control. The distribution of NKA α1 mRNA in all the examined tissues suggested that NKA α1 has a possible housekeeping role for this isoform. The amount of NKA α1 mRNA in the gill and kidney was elevated in the four fishes with similar expression patterns after transfer from freshwater to seawater. The NKAα1 mRNA expression levels in the gill reached their peak level at 24 h after transfer (P < 0.01) compared to the freshwater group, following decreases in the pretreatment level at 48 h (P > 0.05). However, the NKAα1 mRNA expression levels in the kidney were not significantly affected with increasing environmental salinity (P > 0.05). The differences in the responses to saltwater challenge may be associated with differences in saltwater tolerance between the four tilapia. The drastic increase in the plasma osmolality, NKA activities and mRNA expression suggested that the hybrids (O. mossambicus♀ × O. hornorum♂) possess heterosis in salinity responsiveness compared to that of both the parents, indicating a maternal effect on the salinity tolerance of the tilapia hybrids. This study provides a theoretical basis to further study the mechanism of fish osmoregulation response to salinity challenge.

Effects of Microcystis on Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal-Liver Axis in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

In the present study, Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) were used to assess the endocrine disruption potential of Microcytis aeruginosa. Male Nile tilapia were exposed to lyophilized M. aeruginosa or purified microcystin-LR (8.3 µg/L) for 28 days. The levels of serum hormones (17ß-estradiol and testosterone) and transcripts of selected genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal-liver axis were analyzed. The results showed that serum hormones were significantly up-regulated, and transcripts of 13 genes (GHRH, PACAP, GH, GHR1, GHR2, IGF1, IGF2, CYP19a, CYP19b, 3ß-HSD1, 20ß-HSD, 17ß-HSD1 and 17ß-HSD8) were significantly altered after Microcytis exposure. These results indicate that fish reproduction can be altered in a Microcystis bloom-contaminated aquatic environment.

The effects of elevated carbon dioxide and temperature levels on tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus): Respiratory enzymes, blood pH and hematological parameters.

Oreochromis mossambicus were exposed to two different temperature and carbon dioxide partial pressure levels for about two weeks, as the ambient (Control; 25°C, 3.3mg/L CO2), high CO2 (25°C, 14mg/L CO2), high temperature (30°C, 3mg/L CO2) and combined (30°C, 14.1mg/L CO2) groups. No mortality was observed during the experiments. As a result of the study, elevated CO2 concentrations cause negative effects on the hematological parameters. At the end of the study, while the blood Carbonic Anhydrase (CA) activity, in the high CO2 group (25°C, 14mg/L CO2), statistically increased at the 7th day compared to the control group, it decreased at the 14th day (p<0.05). In addition, the blood CA activity, in the combined (30°C, 14.1mg/L CO2) group, showed a decrease at the 14th day compared to the control group (p<0.05). At the end of study, unlike the blood CA activity, gill, liver and kidney CA activity showed an increase in the tissues compared to the control groups (p<0.05). Furthermore, the Na(+), K(+)-ATPase activities were stimulated significantly in the gills in both high CO2 and temperature groups at day 7, but it showed a significant amount of inhibition at the 14th day compared to the control groups. Overall, increasing carbon dioxide concentration in different temperatures has negative effects on the hematological parameters and respiratory enzyme of the tilapia fish. In addition, it is observed that the fish survive at negative conditions with adaptation mechanisms.

Predictive Blood Chemistry Parameters for Pansteatitis-Affected Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus).

One of the largest river systems in South Africa, the Olifants River, has experienced significant changes in water quality due to anthropogenic activities. Since 2005, there have been various "outbreaks" of the inflammatory disease pansteatitis in several vertebrate species. Large-scale pansteatitis-related mortality events have decimated the crocodile population at Lake Loskop and decreased the population at Kruger National Park. Most pansteatitis-related diagnoses within the region are conducted post-mortem by either gross pathology or histology. The application of a non-lethal approach to assess the prevalence and pervasiveness of pansteatitis in the Olifants River region would be of great importance for the development of a management plan for this disease. In this study, several plasma-based biomarkers accurately classified pansteatitis in Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) collected from Lake Loskop using a commercially available benchtop blood chemistry analyzer combined with data interpretation via artificial neural network analysis. According to the model, four blood chemistry parameters (calcium, sodium, total protein and albumin), in combination with total length, diagnose pansteatitis to a predictive accuracy of 92 percent. In addition, several morphometric traits (total length, age, weight) were also associated with pansteatitis. On-going research will focus on further evaluating the use of blood chemistry to classify pansteatitis across different species, trophic levels, and within different sites along the Olifants River.

Thymol and Carvacrol Affect Hybrid Tilapia through the Combination of Direct Stimulation and an Intestinal Microbiota-Mediated Effect: Insights from a Germ-Free Zebrafish Model.

BACKGROUND: Essential oils (EOs) are commonly used as animal feed additives. Information is lacking on the mechanisms driving the beneficial effects of EOs in animals, especially the role played by the intestinal microbiota of the host. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to clarify the relative contribution of direct effects of EOs on the physiology and immune system of tilapia and indirect effects mediated by the intestinal microbiota by using a germ-free zebrafish model. METHODS: Juvenile hybrid tilapia were fed a control diet or 1 of 4 treatment diets containing 60-800 mg Next Enhance 150 (NE) (an EO product containing equal levels of thymol and carvacrol)/kg for 6 wk. The key humoral and cellular innate immune parameters were evaluated after the feeding period. In another experiment, the gut microbiota of tilapia fed a control or an NE diet (200 mg/kg) for 2 wk were transferred to 3-d postfertilization (dpf) germ-free (GF) zebrafish, and the expression of genes involved in innate immunity and tight junctions was evaluated in zebrafish at 6 dpf. Lastly, NE was directly applied to 3-dpf GF zebrafish at 3 doses ranging from 0.2 to 20 mg/L, and the direct effect of NE on zebrafish was evaluated after 1 and 3 d. RESULTS: NE supplementation at 200 mg/kg enhanced phagocytosis activity of head kidney macrophages (×1.36) (P < 0.05) and plasma lysozyme activity (×1.69) of tilapia compared with the control (P < 0.001), indicating an immunostimulatory effect. Compared with those colonized with control microbiota, GF zebrafish colonized with NE microbiota showed attenuated induction of immune response marker genes serum amyloid a (Saa; ×0.62), interleukin 1ß (Il1ß; ×0.29), and interleukin 8 (Il8; ×0.62) (P < 0.05). NE treatment of GF zebrafish at 2 and 20 mg/L for 1 d upregulated the expression of Il1ß (×2.44) and Claudin1 (×1.38), respectively (P < 0.05), whereas at day 3 the expression of Occludin2 was higher (×3.30) in the 0.2-mg NE/L group compared with the GF control (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: NE may affect the immunity of tilapia through a combination of factors, i.e., primarily through a direct effect on host tissue (immune-stimulating) but also an indirect effect mediated by microbial changes (immune-relieving).

Estrogenic activities of diuron metabolites in female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

Some endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can alter the estrogenic activities of the organism by directly interacting with estrogen receptors (ER) or indirectly through the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis. Recent studies in male Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) indicated that diuron may have anti-androgenic activity augmented by biotransformation. In this study, the effects of diuron and three of its metabolites were evaluated in female tilapia. Sexually mature female fish were exposed for 25 days to diuron, as well as to its metabolites 3,4-dichloroaniline (DCA), 3,4-dichlorophenylurea (DCPU) and 3,4-dichlorophenyl-N-methylurea (DCPMU), at concentrations of 100 ng/L. Diuron metabolites caused increases in E2 plasma levels, gonadosomatic indices and in the percentage of final vitellogenic oocytes. Moreover, diuron and its metabolites caused a decrease in germinative cells. Significant differences in plasma concentrations of the estrogen precursor and gonadal regulator17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP) were not observed. These results show that diuron metabolites had estrogenic effects potentially mediated through enhanced estradiol biosynthesis and accelerated the ovarian development of O. niloticus females.

Features of the Effect of a Complex Probiotic with Bacillus Bacteria and the Larvae of Hermetia illucens Biomass on Mozambique Tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus O. niloticus) and Russian Sturgeon (Acipenser gueldenstaedti) Fry.

A study of the effect of a complex probiotic preparation with bacteria of the genus Bacillus and a microdose of larvae of the fly Hermetia illucens on the physiological. parameters of fish has been carried out. It was established that introduction of the complex into artificial feeds for tilapia and Russian sturgeon juveniles during their incubation in recirculating aquaculture systems improves the digestion efficiency and increases the rate of fish growth and body mass accumulation. In tilapia, a decrease in the cholesterol level was revealed, while in sturgeon, an increase in the hemoglobin content was found. It was noted that a probiotic with biologically active agents H. illucens had a stimulating effect on the development of sexual gonads in female sturgeon fry, promoted an increase in the ovary mass, and provided for the development of eggs without morphological disturbances.

Development of a label-free immunosensor system for detecting plasma cortisol levels in fish.

Fishes display a wide variation in their physiological responses to stress, which is clearly evident in the plasma corticosteroid changes, chiefly cortisol levels in fish. In the present study, we describe a novel label-free immunosensor for detecting plasma cortisol levels. The method is based on immunologic reactions and amperometric measurement using cyclic voltammetry. For the immobilization of the antibody on the surface of sensing electrode, we used a self-assembled monolayer of thiol-containing compounds. Using this electrode, we detect the CV signal change caused by the generation of antigen-antibody complex. The immunosensor showed a response to cortisol levels, and the anodic peak value linearly decreased with a correlation coefficient of 0.990 in diluted plasma. The specificity of the label-free immunosensor system was investigated using other steroid hormones, such as 17α, 20ß-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one, progesterone, estriol, estradiol, and testosterone. The specific detection of cortisol was suggested by a minimal change from -0.32 to 0.51 µA in the anodic peak value of the other steroid hormones. The sensor system was used to determine the plasma cortisol levels in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), and the results were compared with those of the same samples determined using the conventional method (ELISA). A good correlation was obtained between values determined using both methods (correlation coefficient 0.993). These findings suggest that the proposed label-free immunosensor could be useful for rapid and convenient analysis of cortisol levels in fish plasma samples.

Immunostimulation by phospholipopeptide biosurfactant from Staphylococcus hominis in Oreochromis mossambicus.

The immunostimulatory effect of phospholipopeptide biosurfactant from Staphylococcus hominis (GenBank Accession No: KJ564272) was assessed with Oreochromis mossambicus. The non-specific (serum lysozyme activity, serum antiprotease activity, serum peroxidase activity and serum bactericidal activity), specific (bacterial agglutination assay) immune responses and disease resistance activity against Aeromonas hydrophila were examined. Fish were intraperitonially injected with water soluble secondary metabolite (biosurfactant) of S. hominis at a dose of 2 mg, 20 mg and 200 mg kg(-1) body weight. Commercial surfactant surfactin (sigma) at 20 mg kg(-1) was used as standard and saline as negative control. All the doses of water soluble biosurfactant tested, significantly enhanced the specific, nonspecific immunity and disease resistance from the day of post administration of phospholipopeptide biosurfactant till the tail of the experimental period. These results clearly indicated that the secondary metabolite isolated from S. hominis stimulates the immunity of finfish thereby could enhance aquaculture production.

Effects of Wheat Naturally Contaminated with Fusarium Mycotoxins on Growth Performance and Selected Health Indices of Red Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × O. mossambicus).

An 8-week feeding trial was conducted to examine effects of wheat naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins (deoxynivalenol, DON 41 mg·kg(-1)) on growth performance and selected health indices of red tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus × O. mossambicus; initial weight = 4.3 g/fish). Five experimental diets were formulated by replacement of clean wheat with naturally contaminated wheat resulting in graded levels of DON and zearalenone (ZEN) (Diet 1 0.07/0.01, Diet 2 0.31/0.09, Diet 3 0.50/0.21, Diet 4 0.92/0.37 and Diet 5 1.15/0.98 mg·kg(-1)). Groups of 50 fish were randomly allocated into each of 20 aquaria and fed to near-satiety for eight weeks. Growth rate, feed intake and feed efficiency of fish fed the experimental diets decreased linearly with increasing levels of Fusarium mycotoxins (p < 0.05). Although growth depression was associated with feeding diets naturally contaminated with Fusarium mycotoxins, especially DON, no biochemical and histopathological parameters measured in blood and liver appeared affected by Fusarium mycotoxin concentrations of diets (p > 0.05). Though there was no clear evidence of overt DON toxicity to red tilapia, it is recommended that feed ingredients should be screened for Fusarium mycotoxin contamination to ensure optimal growth performance.

Effects of exercise training on carbohydrate and lipid catabolism in the swimming muscles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus).

This study aims to determine the effects of exercise training on carbohydrate and lipid catabolism in the swimming muscles of Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) by measuring the levels of related enzymes, lipids and free fatty acids. We designed one control group and two training groups of fish that were exercised at different training intensities [0, 1 and 1.5 body lengths per second (bl/s)]. The fish in the experimental groups were trained for 12 h/day for 4 weeks. Compared with the control group, the 1 and 1.5 bl/s groups showed significantly increased hexokinase and pyruvate kinase activities in red muscle (p < 0.05). In white muscle, pyruvate kinase activity was significantly higher in the 1.5 bl/s group than in the control group (p < 0.05), and hexokinase activity did not significantly differ between the groups. The activities of hormone-sensitive lipase and carnitine palmitoyltransferase I in both muscle types were significantly lower in the training groups than in the control group (p < 0.05). The plasma-free fatty acid level decreased (p < 0.05), while the lipid percentages increased in red muscle (p < 0.05) after exercise training. These findings clearly indicated that with exercise training, glycolysis increased and lipid oxidation decreased in the swimming muscle of tilapia.

Ionizing radiation effects on sex steroid hormone levels in serum and milt of freshwater fish Oreochromis mossambicus.

Effects of gamma rays on the sex steroid hormone levels [testosterone (T), 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) and 17ß-estradiol (E2)] were studied in the freshwater fish Oreochromis mossambicus. Gamma radiation induced effects on hormone levels reported here for the first time in the fish. Since radionuclides released accidentally or during a nuclear disaster can contaminate inland water bodies, biomonitoring methods are required for assessing the impacts of certain dose levels of radiation that may ultimately result in ionizing radiation exposure to both humans and non-human biota. Three groups of (n=15 in each group) fishes were irradiated with a single dose of (60)Co 10Gy, 15Gy and 20Gy with a duration of .33, .50 and .66min. Significant decrease of the hormone levels was seen at higher doses of 15Gy and 20Gy. The sex steroid hormone levels in the fishes are vital for sperm production, development, differential functions related to the physiology and reproductive behavior. This study serves as biomonitoring tool to assess the ionizing radiation effects on reproductive behavior of aquatic biota.

Pharmacokinetics of doxycycline in tilapia (Oreochromis aureus × Oreochromis niloticus) after intravenous and oral administration.

The pharmacokinetics of doxycycline was studied in plasma after a single dose (20 mg/kg) of intravenous or oral administration to tilapia (Oreochromis aureus × Oreochromis niloticus) reared in fresh water at 24 °C. Plasma samples were collected from six fish per sampling point. Doxycycline concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography with a 0.005 µg/mL limit of detection, then were subjected to noncompartmental analysis. Following oral administration, the double-peak phenomenon was observed, and the first (Cmax1 ) and second (Cmax2) peaks were 1.99 ± 0.43 µg/mL at 2.0 h and 2.27 ± 0.38 µg/mL at 24.0 h, respectively. After the intravenous injection, a Cmax2 (12.12 ± 1.97 µg/mL) was also observed, and initial concentration of 45.76 µg/mL, apparent elimination rate constant (λz) of 0.018 per h, apparent elimination half-life (t1/2λz) of 39.0 h, systemic total body clearance (Cl) of 41.28 mL/h/kg, volume of distribution (Vz) of 2323.21 mL/kg, and volume of distribution at steady-state (Vss) of 1356.69 mL/kg were determined, respectively. While after oral administration, the λz, t1/2λz, and bioavailability of doxycycline were 0.009 per h, 77.2 h, and 23.41%, respectively. It was shown that doxycycline was relatively slowly and incompletely absorbed, extensively distributed, and slowly eliminated in tilapia, in addition, doxycycline might undergo enterohepatic recycling in tilapia.

Role for leptin in promoting glucose mobilization during acute hyperosmotic stress in teleost fishes.

Osmoregulation is critical for survival in all vertebrates, yet the endocrine regulation of this metabolically expensive process is not fully understood. Specifically, the function of leptin in the regulation of energy expenditure in fishes, and among ectotherms, in general, remains unresolved. In this study, we examined the effects of acute salinity transfer (72  h) and the effects of leptin and cortisol on plasma metabolites and hepatic energy reserves in the euryhaline fish, the tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Transfer to 2/3 seawater (23  ppt) significantly increased plasma glucose, amino acid, and lactate levels relative to those in the control fish. Plasma glucose levels were positively correlated with amino acid levels (R2=0.614), but not with lactate levels. The mRNA expression of liver leptin A (lepa), leptin receptor (lepr), and hormone-sensitive and lipoprotein lipases (hsl and lpl) as well as triglyceride content increased during salinity transfer, but plasma free fatty acid and triglyceride levels remained unchanged. Both leptin and cortisol significantly increased plasma glucose levels in vivo, but only leptin decreased liver glycogen levels. Leptin decreased the expression of liver hsl and lpl mRNAs, whereas cortisol significantly increased the expression of these lipases. These findings suggest that hepatic glucose mobilization into the blood following an acute salinity challenge involves both glycogenolysis, induced by leptin, and subsequent gluconeogenesis of free amino acids. This is the first study to report that teleost leptin A has actions that are functionally distinct from those described in mammals acting as a potent hyperglycemic factor during osmotic stress, possibly in synergism with cortisol. These results suggest that the function of leptin may have diverged during the evolution of vertebrates, possibly reflecting differences in metabolic regulation between poikilotherms and homeotherms.