title: Effects of injecting chitin particles on the innate immune response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.).
abstract: To determine the effects of chitin (poly [1-->4]-beta-N-acetyl-D--glucosamine) particles on the innate immune response of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.), specimens were injected intravenously or intraperitoneally with the substance. Natural haemolytic complement activity, head-kidney leucocyte respiratory burst activity and phagocytic and cytotoxic activities were analysed in vitro 3, 5 or 10 days post-injection. All the immune parameters assayed remained unaffected when chitin was intravenously administered. However, the fish that had been intraperitoneally injected showed increased humoral and cellular immune responses. Natural haemolytic complement activity increased from 5 days post-injection although no statistically significant differences were observed. Respiratory burst and phagocytic activities peaked at 3 and 5 days post-injection, respectively, while cytotoxic activity had increased by 3 days post-injection and remained high until 10 days post-injection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, Spain.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Esteban
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Mulero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cuesta
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ortuño
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Meseguer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002686:Chitin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology*; D003170:Complement Pathway, Alternative / Q000276:immunology; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005434:Flow Cytometry / Q000662:veterinary; D006461:Hemolysis / Q000276:immunology; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal / Q000662:veterinary; D007275:Injections, Intravenous / Q000662:veterinary; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000276:immunology; D010473:Perciformes / Q000276:immunology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D016897:Respiratory Burst / Q000276:immunology; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured; D014733:Vibrio / Q000276:immunology; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D002686:Chitin