Health parameters and antioxidant response in Black Sea whiting Merlangius merlangus euxinus (Nordmann, 1840) parasitized by nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum (Rud., 1802)

Abstract

Biometrical and biochemical parameters in healthy and parasitized by nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum Black Sea whiting Merlangius merlangus euxinus were studied. The increase of hepatosomatic index and decrease of spleen index in infected fish were found, while condition factor was similar in both groups. Antioxidant enzyme activities (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (PER), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST)) were higher in red blood cells in the parasitized fish as compared with the healthy animals. In the liver, the antioxidant response was not uniform: activities of SOD and GST decreased and activities of PER, GR and CAT increased in the infected individuals. The obtained results reflect host defense against oxidative stress caused parasitic infection. The tissue specific fluctuations of antioxidant response in parasitized and healthy fish are discussed. Data in this study can be used for understanding the defense mechanisms of fish against parasites.

Biochemical response of two fish species of Gobiidae (Gobiiformes) to Cryptocotyle (Opisthorchiida, Heterophyidae) metacercariae infection from the mouth of the river Chernaya (Black Sea)

“…The balance of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant activity characterizes the adaptive capabilities of living organisms while a shift in the balance results in pathological changes including damage of molecular and cellular structures. The level of TBARS is a well-characterized biomarker of oxidative stress manifested in pathogen enhance the formation of reactive oxygen species in organism (Bello et al, 2000;Mukjrakov & Silkina, 2006;Skuratovskaya et al, 2013Skuratovskaya et al, , 2015Skuratovskaya et al, , 2019Rudneva et al, 2016). Parasites affect the metabolism of infected fish partly by inducing oxidative stress, which is manifested in the enhancement of peroxide and free radical processes.…”

“…The host response is characterized by enhanced synthesis of reactive oxygen species aimed at parasite elimination. This process can both inhibit and stimulate antioxidant enzyme activities (Bello et al, 2000;Mukjrakov & Silkina, 2006;Skuratovskaya et al, 2013Skuratovskaya et al, , 2015Skuratovskaya et al, , 2019Mozhdeganloo & Heidarpour, 2014).…”

“…Host responses to parasites are varied and manifest at different levels, including immunological reactions, physiological and biochemical changes in their metabolism. Infections cause biochemical rearrangements in the infected host tissues and can bring about serious structural and functional changes in the infected organs (Mukjrakov & Silkina, 2006;Skuratovskaya et al, 2013Skuratovskaya et al, , 2015Skuratovskaya et al, , 2019Eissa et al 2014;Mozhdeganloo & Heidarpour, 2014;Jang et al, 2017).…”

Oxidative stress biomarkers in the African sharptooth catfish, Clarias gariepinus, associated with infections by adult digeneans and water quality

“…For instance, low levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), lipid peroxidation (LPX) and total protein (TP) have been associated with infection by acanthocephalans ( Radovanović et al, 2010 ; Nabi et al, 2017 ); TP and catalase (CAT) have been found to be lower, and SOD and LPX higher in hosts infected with digeneans ( Belló et al, 2000 ; Stumbo et al, 2012 ). Superoxide dismutase and CAT were higher in fish co-infected with nematode and myxosporean parasites ( Skuratovskaya et al, 2013 ); SOD and CAT were high in fish hosts infected with nematodes ( Skuratovskaya et al, 2018 ). Higher levels of CAT and low TP have been recorded in fish infected with cestodes ( Dautremepuits et al, 2002 ).…”