Chitooligosaccharide boosts the immunity of immunosuppressed blunt snout bream against bacterial infections.

The immunosuppression hazard of fish brought by intensive aquaculture needs to be addressed urgently, while chitooligosaccharide (COS) shows the potential application in the prevention the immunosuppression of fish due to its superior biological properties. In this study, COS reversed the cortisol-induced immunosuppression of macrophages and improved the immune activity of macrophages in vitro, promoting the expression of inflammatory genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, iNOS) and NO production, and increasing the phagocytic activity of macrophages. In vivo, the oral COS was absorbed directly through the intestine, significantly ameliorating the innate immunity of cortisol-induced immunosuppression of blunt snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala). Such as facilitated the gene expression of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) and pattern recognition receptors (TLR4, MR) and potentiated bacterial clearance, resulting in an effective improvement in survival and tissue damage. Altogether, this study demonstrates that COS offers potential strategies in the application of immunosuppression prevention and control in fish.