The Zebrafish Perivitelline Fluid Provides Maternally-Inherited Defensive Immunity

de la Paz, Javiera F.; Anguita-Salinas, Consuelo; Diaz-Celis, Cesar; Chavez, Francisco P.; Allende, Miguel L.

Abstract

In the teleost egg, the embryo is immersed in an extraembryonic fluid that fills the space between the embryo and the chorion and partially isolates it from the external environment, called the perivitelline fluid (PVF). The exact composition of the PVF remains unknown in vertebrate animals. The PVF allows the embryo to avoid dehydration, to maintain a safe osmotic balance and provides mechanical protection; however, its potential defensive properties against bacterial pathogens has not been reported. In this work, we determined the global proteomic profile of PVF in zebrafish eggs and embryos, and the maternal or zygotic origin of the identified proteins was studied. In silico analysis of PVF protein composition revealed an enrichment of protein classes associated with non-specific humoral innate immunity. We found lectins, protease inhibitors, transferrin, and glucosidases present from early embryogenesis until hatching. Finally, in vitro and in vivo experiments done with this fluid demonstrated that the PVF possessed a strong agglutinating capacity on bacterial cells and protected the embryos when challenged with the pathogenic bacteria Edwardsiella tarda. Our results suggest that the PVF is a primitive inherited immune extraembryonic system that protects the embryos from external biological threats prior to hatching.

Más información

Título según WOS: ID WOS:000581336000001 Not found in local WOS DB
Título de la Revista: BIOMOLECULES
Volumen: 10
Número: 9
Editorial: MDPI
Fecha de publicación: 2020
DOI:

10.3390/biom10091274

Notas: ISI