Vitamin C Modulates the Immunotoxic Effect of 17α-Methyltestosterone in Nile Tilapia.
The synthetic androgen 17α-methyltestosterone (MT) is profusely used and practically needed in the production of all-male Nile tilapia fry; however, such androgenic hormones badly disrupt the immune system. This study aimed to alleviate or counteract the immunotoxic effect of MT using vitamin C (ascorbic acid or vit C). Our results show that the highest phagocytic activity (PA), phagocytic index (PI), and lysozyme activity were detected in the vit C group and the MT plus vit C group. Furthermore, PA and PI were significantly suppressed, but lysozyme activity was stronger in the MT group than in the control. No differences were detected in the differential leukocyte count among the studied groups. Moreover, vit C obviously reduced the upregulated expression level of the innate immune-related genes, interleukin 1β (il1β), interleukin 8 (il8), tumor necrosis factor α (tnfα), CC-chemokine, Toll-like receptor 7 (tlr7), immunoglobulin M (IgM) heavy chain, and cellular apoptosis susceptibility (cas) induced by MT, excluding tnfα in the liver and CC-chemokine and tlr7 in the kidney. The micronucleus frequency was found to significantly improve in the vit C plus MT group in comparison to that in the MT group. Normal histoarchitecture of the liver, kidney, and spleen was observed in all the groups, except for the frequently observed melanomacrophage centers in the spleen and kidney of the fish that were treated with vit C and vit C plus MT. More importantly, our findings demonstrate that the upregulation of immune-related genes is not necessarily a sign of a stimulated or enhanced immune system.
Animal Health Research Institute , Shibin Al-Kom Branch, Agriculture Research Centre, El-Minufiya, Egypt.|Department of Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University , Kafr El-Shaikh, Egypt.
Haitham G
0000-0003-4157-5372
HG
Abo-Al-Ela
Department of Animal Husbandry and Animal Wealth Development, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University , Edfina, Egypt.
Abeer F
AF
El-Nahas
Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Kafrelsheikh University , Kafr El-Shaikh, Egypt.
Shawky
S
Mahmoud
Animal Health Research Institute , Agriculture Research Centre, Giza, Egypt.
Essam M
EM
Ibrahim
D000818:Animals; D001205:Ascorbic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology*; D023681:Cichlids; D050719:Crk-Associated Substrate Protein / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D029941:Fish Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D007113:Immunity, Innate / Q000187:drug effects*; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D053583:Interleukin-1beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D007962:Leukocytes; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008777:Methyltestosterone / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000494:pharmacology; D015162:Micronucleus Tests; D009113:Muramidase / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010587:Phagocytosis / Q000187:drug effects; D013154:Spleen / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology
D050719:Crk-Associated Substrate Protein; D052244:Endocrine Disruptors; D029941:Fish Proteins; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D053583:Interleukin-1beta; D016209:Interleukin-8; D051199:Toll-Like Receptor 7; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D009113:Muramidase; D001205:Ascorbic Acid; D008777:Methyltestosterone