Cellular and humoral immune response of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) (Teleostei: Serranidae) immunized with Sphaerospora dicentrarchi (Myxosporea: Bivalvulida).

The immune response of European sea bass after intracaelomic immunization with Sphaerospora dicentrarchi was studied. Fish were injected with S. dicentrarchi spores (DIC), with spores plus adjuvant (DIC + FCA), with adjuvant alone (FCA) or with PBS. Several parameters of the immune response were measured. Serum lysozyme increased significantly in DIC fish 1 week after immunization (p.i.) and it remained significantly higher in DIC + FCA fish 4 weeks p.i., and in DIC fish 8 weeks p.i. than in PBS-injected fish. The number of nitroblue tetrazolium-positive blood cells was significantly higher in DIC + FCA fish 1, 4 and 8 weeks p.i, but the highest values were detected 1 week p.i. The highest stimulation index was detected in phagocytes from DIC + FCA fish. The number of S. dicentrarchi antibody-secreting cells was significantly higher in DIC + FCA fish than in DIC fish. Serum from DIC and DIC + FCA fish, stained the polar capsules and the valves of S. dicentrarchi spores in immunohistochemistry. Serum antibodies could not be detected using immunoblot assay. All these results show that immunization with S. dicentrarchi resulted in the activation of the non-specific immune response, mainly 7 days p.i. A specific humoral response against the parasite was also demonstrated but it had a low magnitude.