title: Estrogen-dependent seasonal adaptations in the immune response of fish.
abstract: Clinical and experimental evidence shows that estrogens affect immunity in mammals. Less is known about this interaction in the evolutionary older, non-mammalian, vertebrates. Fish form an excellent model to identify evolutionary conserved neuroendocrine-immune interactions: i) they are the earliest vertebrates with fully developed innate and adaptive immunity, ii) immune and endocrine parameters vary with season, and iii) physiology is constantly disrupted by increasing contamination of the aquatic environment. Neuro-immuno-endocrine interactions enable adaption to changing internal and external environment and are based on shared signaling molecules and receptors. The presence of specific estrogen receptors on/in fish leukocytes, implies direct estrogen-mediated immunoregulation. Fish leukocytes most probably are also capable to produce estrogens as they express the cyp19a and cyp19b - genes, encoding aromatase cytochrome P450, the enzyme critical for conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens. Immunoregulatory actions of estrogens, vary among animal species, and also with dose, target cell type, or physiological condition (e.g., infected/non-infected, reproductive status). They moreover are multifaceted. Interestingly, season-dependent changes in immune status correlate with changes in the levels of circulating sex hormones. Whereas E2 circulating in the bloodstream is perhaps the most likely candidate to be the physiological mediator of systemic immune-reproductive trade-offs, leukocyte-derived hormones are hypothesized to be mainly involved in local tuning of the immune response. Contamination of the aquatic environment with estrogenic EDCs may violate the delicate and precise allostatic interactions between the endogenous estrogen system and the immune system. This has negative effects on fish health, but will also affect the physiology of its consumers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Immunology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, PL30-387 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Szwejser
authors.affiliation: Cell Biology and Immunology Group, Dept of Animal Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: B M Lidy
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Verburg-van Kemenade
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Immunology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, PL30-387 Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maciuszek
authors.affiliation: Department of Evolutionary Immunology, Institute of Zoology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, PL30-387 Krakow, Poland. Electronic address: magdalena.chadzinska@uj.edu.pl.
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chadzinska
mesh_terms: D000222:Adaptation, Physiological / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001141:Aromatase / Q000378:metabolism*; D004967:Estrogens / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000378:metabolism*; D009490:Neurosecretory Systems / Q000378:metabolism; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen / Q000378:metabolism; D012098:Reproduction / Q000502:physiology; D012621:Seasons
chemical_list: D004967:Estrogens; D011960:Receptors, Estrogen; D001141:Aromatase
keywords: Aromatase; Endocrine disrupting compounds; Estrogen receptors; Estrogens; Fish; Season