Sohn Min-Young, Kang Gyoungsik, Kim Kyung-Ho, Son Ha-Jeong, Park Chan-Il
Department of Marine Biology & Aquaculture, College of Marine Science, Gyeongsang National University, Tongyeong 53064, Republic of Korea.
Department of Aquatic Life Medicine, College of Marine Science, Gyeongsang National University, Tongyeong 53064, Republic of Korea.
Animals (Basel). 2025 Jul 17;15(14):2119. doi: 10.3390/ani15142119.
() is a central pro-inflammatory cytokine that mediates host immune responses during infection. In this study, we identified and characterized the gene in the starry flounder () through transcriptomic analysis. The deduced protein contained a conserved TNF domain and transmembrane region, and phylogenetic analysis confirmed its homology with other teleost TNFα proteins. Tissue-specific expression profiling revealed high baseline expression in immune-related peripheral organs and a distinct temporal modulation in response to infection. Recombinant TNFα (rTNFα), produced using a cell-free expression system, significantly enhanced phagocytic activity in peripheral and kidney-derived leukocytes in a dose-dependent manner. Peak activity was observed at 150-200 μg/mL, while a decline at higher concentrations suggested a threshold for immune stimulation. Importantly, hemolysis assays confirmed the safety of rTNFα even at the highest tested concentrations. These results demonstrate the immunomodulatory potential of TNFα as a molecular adjuvant in aquaculture vaccines and underscore its potential utility in immune-enhancing strategies for sustainable aquaculture.
（）是一种核心促炎细胞因子，在感染期间介导宿主免疫反应。在本研究中，我们通过转录组分析鉴定并表征了星斑川鲽（）中的该基因。推导的蛋白质包含一个保守的肿瘤坏死因子（TNF）结构域和跨膜区域，系统发育分析证实了其与其他硬骨鱼TNFα蛋白的同源性。组织特异性表达谱显示在免疫相关外周器官中有高基线表达，并且在应对感染时有明显的时间调制。使用无细胞表达系统产生的重组TNFα（rTNFα）以剂量依赖方式显著增强外周血和肾脏来源白细胞的吞噬活性。在150 - 200μg/mL时观察到峰值活性，而在较高浓度下活性下降表明存在免疫刺激阈值。重要的是，溶血试验证实即使在最高测试浓度下rTNFα也是安全的。这些结果证明了TNFα作为水产养殖疫苗中分子佐剂的免疫调节潜力，并强调了其在可持续水产养殖免疫增强策略中的潜在效用。
