title: Electrotransfer of the epinecidin-1 gene into skeletal muscle enhances the antibacterial and immunomodulatory functions of a marine fish, grouper (Epinephelus coioides).
abstract: Electrotransfer of plasmid DNA into skeletal muscle is a common non-viral delivery system for the study of gene function and for gene therapy. However, the effects of epinecidin-1 (epi) on bacterial growth and immune system modulation following its electrotransfer into the muscle of grouper (Epinephelus coioides), a marine fish species, have not been addressed. In this study, pCMV-gfp-epi plasmid was electroporated into grouper muscle, and its effect on subsequent infection with Vibrio vulnificus was examined. Over-expression of epi efficiently reduced bacterial numbers at 24 and 48 h after infection, and augmented the expression of immune-related genes in muscle and liver, inducing a moderate innate immune response associated with pro-inflammatory infiltration. Furthermore, electroporation of pCMV-gfp-epi plasmid without V. vulnificus infection induced moderate expression of certain immune-related genes, particularly innate immune genes. These data suggest that electroporation-mediated gene transfer of epi into the muscle of grouper may hold potential as an antimicrobial therapy for pathogen infection in marine fish.
authors: Marine Research Station, Institute of Cellular and Organismic Biology, Academia Sinica, 23-10 Dahuen Road, Jiaushi, Ilan 262, Taiwan.
authors: Lin-Han
authors: LH
authors: Lee
authors: Cho-Fat
authors: CF
authors: Hui
authors: Chi-Mu
authors: CM
authors: Chuang
authors: Jyh-Yih
authors: JY
authors: Chen
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017756:Aquaculture / Q000379:methods; D017931:DNA Primers / Q000235:genetics; D018274:Electroporation / Q000379:methods / Q000662:veterinary; D005260:Female; D005393:Fish Diseases / Q000628:therapy* / Q000821:virology*; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D018014:Gene Transfer Techniques / Q000662:veterinary; D015316:Genetic Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism / Q000494:pharmacology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000378:metabolism; D010473:Perciformes; D010957:Plasmids / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000235:genetics; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D014735:Vibrio Infections / Q000628:therapy / Q000662:veterinary*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides; D017931:DNA Primers; D029941:Fish Proteins; D007155:Immunologic Factors; C521392:epinecidin-1, Epinephelus coioides
keywords: Electroporation; Epinecidin-1; Epinephelus coioides; Vibrio vulnificus