title: Enhanced transcription of complement and coagulation genes in the absence of adaptive immunity.
abstract: A recessive nonsense mutation in the zebrafish recombination activating gene 1 (rag1) gene results in defective V(D)J recombination; however, animals homozygous for this mutation (rag1(-/-)) are reportedly viable and fertile in standard, nonsterile aquarium conditions but display increased mortality after intraperitoneal injection with mycobacteria. Based on their survival in nonsterile environments, we hypothesized that the rag1(-/-) zebrafish may possess an "enhanced" innate immune response to compensate for the lack of an adaptive immune system. To test this hypothesis, microarray analyses were used to compare the expression profiles of the intestines and hematopoietic kidneys of rag1 deficient zebrafish to the expression profiles of control (heterozygous) siblings. The expression levels of 12 genes were significantly altered in the rag1(-/-) kidney including the up regulation of a putative interferon stimulated gene, and the down regulation of genes encoding fatty acid binding protein 10, keratin 5 and multiple heat shock proteins. The expression levels of 87 genes were shown to be significantly altered in the rag1(-/-) intestine; the majority of these differences reflect increased expression of innate immune genes, including those of the coagulation and complement pathways. Subsequent analyses of orthologous coagulation and complement genes in Rag1(-/-) mice indicate increased transcription of the complement C4 gene in the Rag1(-/-) intestine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences and Center for Comparative Medicine and Translational Research, College of Veterinary Medicine, North Carolina State University, 4700 Hillsborough St., Raleigh, NC 27606, USA.
authors.forename: Dereje D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Jima
authors.forename: Radhika N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Shah
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Orcutt
authors.forename: Deepa
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Joshi
authors.forename: J McHugh
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Gary W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Litman
authors.forename: Nikolaus S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Trede
authors.forename: Jeffrey A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Yoder
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D000818:Animals; D030801:Animals, Genetically Modified; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D003181:Complement C4 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D003165:Complement System Proteins / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D016654:Genes, RAG-1 / Q000502:physiology; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D007413:Intestinal Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D020411:Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis; D014158:Transcription, Genetic; D015854:Up-Regulation; D015027:Zebrafish
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D003181:Complement C4; D003165:Complement System Proteins