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Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of...
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Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Aquatic Animals".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 August 2025 | Viewed by 6589

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Hui Guo

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
Interests: aquaculture; molecular ecology; physiological ecology; multiomics; environmental pollutants
Dr. Liqiang Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Fisheries, Guangdong Ocean University, Zhanjiang 524025, China
Interests: environmental pollution; climate change; acclimation and adaption; molluscan biology and ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Water covers around 71% of the total surface of our planet and harbors millions of species ranging from microbes to mammals. However, environmental pollution in aquatic systems is an increasingly severe issue due to our increasing population, rapid industrialization, and advancement of technology. Environmental pollution can affect aquatic organisms at all levels of biological organization. Exposure to different environmental pollutants can elicit a variety of stress responses far beyond the normal organismal range. An integrated homeostatic response, which fails partly or entirely to happen may weaken immune system, affects physiological wellness and makes organisms prone to diverse diseases. This Special Issue will focus on the physiological and immune functions of aquatic animals exposed to environmental pollutants using newly developed technologies and methods.

Dr. Hui Guo
Dr. Liqiang Zhao
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • aquatic animals
  • environmental pollutants
  • stress response
  • physiological functions

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

19 pages, 3601 KiB  
Article
The Impact of Acute Ammonia Nitrogen Stress on Serum Biochemical Indicators and Spleen Gene Expression in Juvenile Yellowfin Tuna (Thunnus albacares)
by Yongyue Sun, Zhengyi Fu and Zhenhua Ma
Animals 2024, 14(21), 3090; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14213090 - 26 Oct 2024
Viewed by 553
Abstract
The presence of ammonia nitrogen in water has a significant impact on the serum and spleen of fish, potentially leading to changes in substances such as proteins in the serum while also causing damage to the immune function of the spleen. To investigate [...] Read more.
The presence of ammonia nitrogen in water has a significant impact on the serum and spleen of fish, potentially leading to changes in substances such as proteins in the serum while also causing damage to the immune function of the spleen. To investigate the effects of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) stress on juvenile yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares), this study established three NH3-N concentrations, 0, 5, and 10 mg/L, denoted as L0, L1, and L2, respectively. Serum and spleen samples were collected at 6, 24, and 36 h. The effects of different NH3-N concentrations and exposure times on the physiological status of juvenile fish were investigated by analyzing serum biochemical indices and splenic gene expression. The results indicate that in the L1 group, the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides (TG), complement 3 (C3) and complement 4 (C4) levels, and acid phosphatase (ACP) activity showed a trend of initially increasing and then decreasing. In the L2 group, the serum low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), HDL-C, and C4 levels and ACP activity also displayed an initially rising and then declining trend, while TG, C3, and creatinine (CRE) levels and alkaline phosphatase (AKP) activity showed an upward trend. In the L1 group, glutathione peroxidase 1b (GPX1b), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 6 receptor (IL-6r), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene expression levels in the spleen exhibited a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. In the L2 group, IL-10, IL-6r, tumor necrosis factor beta (TNF-β), caspase 2 (casp2), and caspase 9 (casp9) gene expression levels in the spleen also showed an initial increase followed by a decrease. When NH3-N levels are below 5 mg/L, it is recommended to limit stress exposure to no more than 36 h for the juvenile fish. For concentrations ranging from 5 to 10 mg/L, stress should be strictly controlled to within 24 h. Exposure to high NH3-N levels may affect biochemical indicators such as serum lipid metabolism, immunity, and metabolism in juvenile fish, and may damage the expression of antioxidant, immune gene, and apoptosis factors in the spleen. This study aims to deepen our understanding of the effects of NH3-N on juvenile tuna, with the goal of establishing effective water quality monitoring and management strategies. This will ensure the quality of aquaculture water, reduce the harm caused by NH3-N to juvenile yellowfin tuna, and enhance aquaculture efficiency and product quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals)
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14 pages, 1679 KiB  
Article
Effects of Trace Elements on the Fatty Acid Composition in Danubian Fish Species
by Katarina Jovičić, Vesna Djikanović, Isidora Santrač, Sanja Živković, Milena Dimitrijević and Jelena S. Vranković
Animals 2024, 14(6), 954; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14060954 - 19 Mar 2024
Viewed by 999
Abstract
In this study, the concentrations of metals and trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in the muscle tissue of adult roach and white bream at two different sites in the Belgrade section of the Danube. [...] Read more.
In this study, the concentrations of metals and trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) were determined in the muscle tissue of adult roach and white bream at two different sites in the Belgrade section of the Danube. Twenty-six fatty acids, consisting of nine saturated FA (SFAs), seven monosaturated FA (MUFAs) and ten polysaturated FA (PUFAs), were identified. The analysis of the concentration of metals and trace elements of the roach and white bream showed species-specific differences in their bioaccumulation. Four of all elements analyzed (As, Hg, Ni and Pb) correlated significantly with the changes in FA profiles in fish from both sampling sites, with the exception of Cu, which correlated with the FA profile at the site before, and Zn, whose concentration influenced the FA profile at the site after wastewater discharges. The lower PUFA content in the fish from a site under higher environment pressure could indicate that the fish are stressed. The results suggest that changes in lipid composition may be one of the protective mechanisms of cells to cope with anthropogenic stressors. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals)
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13 pages, 6032 KiB  
Article
Toxic Effects of Bisphenol AF Exposure on the Reproduction and Liver of Female Marine Medaka (Oryzias melastigma)
by Huichen Li, Jiahao Gao, Yue Liu, Yujia Ding, Yusong Guo, Zhongduo Wang, Zhongdian Dong and Ning Zhang
Animals 2024, 14(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020222 - 10 Jan 2024
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1643
Abstract
In recent years, bisphenol AF (BPAF) in aquatic environments has drawn attention to its ecological risks. This study aims to investigate the toxic effects of BPAF (188.33 μg/L) exposure for 30 days on female marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). On the 10th [...] Read more.
In recent years, bisphenol AF (BPAF) in aquatic environments has drawn attention to its ecological risks. This study aims to investigate the toxic effects of BPAF (188.33 μg/L) exposure for 30 days on female marine medaka (Oryzias melastigma). On the 10th and 30th day of exposure, the toxicity was evaluated using histological analysis of the liver and ovaries and the transcription levels of genes related to the antioxidant system, immune system, and hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Findings revealed that (1) BPAF exposure caused vacuolation, karyopyknosis and karyolysis in the liver of marine medaka, and the toxic impact augmented with duration; (2) exposure to BPAF for 10 days facilitated the growth and maturation of primary ova, and this exposure had a comparatively inhibitory effect after 30 days; (3) exposure to BPAF resulted in a biphasic regulation of the transcriptional abundance of genes involved in antioxidant and inflammatory response (e.g., il-8, cat), with an initial up-regulation followed by down-regulation. Additionally, it disrupted the transcriptional pattern of HPG axis-related genes (e.g., 3βhsd, arα). In conclusion, 188.33 μg/L BPAF can alter the expression levels of functionally related genes, impair the structural integrity of marine organisms, and pose a threat to their overall health. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals)
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21 pages, 3208 KiB  
Article
Differential Toxicity Responses between Hepatopancreas and Gills in Litopenaeus vannamei under Chronic Ammonia-N Exposure
by Yuan Zhang, Jianyong Liu, Hongbiao Zhuo, Lanting Lin, Jinyan Li, Shuo Fu, Haiqiong Xue, Haimin Wen, Xiaoxun Zhou, Chaoan Guo and Guangbo Wu
Animals 2023, 13(24), 3799; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13243799 - 9 Dec 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1471
Abstract
Ammonia nitrogen is one of the main toxic substances in aquatic cultivation environments. Chronic exposure to excessive amounts of ammonia-N creates toxic consequences, retarding the growth of aquatic organisms. This study investigated the growth performance, morphological and physiological alterations, and transcriptome changes in [...] Read more.
Ammonia nitrogen is one of the main toxic substances in aquatic cultivation environments. Chronic exposure to excessive amounts of ammonia-N creates toxic consequences, retarding the growth of aquatic organisms. This study investigated the growth performance, morphological and physiological alterations, and transcriptome changes in the hepatopancreas and gills of white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. The results showed that there was no significant difference in the survival rate (p > 0.05), whereas growth performance was reduced significantly in the treated groups compared to the control groups (p < 0.05). Significant structural damage and vacuolation occurred in hepatopancreas and gill tissues in the treated groups. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and Na+/K+-ATPase content were significantly increased by chronic ammonia-N exposure in the two tissue groups. In addition, catalase (CAT) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were significantly altered in the hepatopancreas groups (p < 0.05), whereas no differences were observed in the gill groups (p > 0.05). There were 890 and 1572 differentially expressed genes identified in the hepatopancreas (treated versus control groups) and gills (treated versus control groups), respectively, of L. vannamei under chronic ammonia-N exposure. Functional enrichment analysis revealed associations with oxidative stress, protein synthesis, lipid metabolism, and different serine proteases. The gills maintained cellular homeostasis mainly through high expression of cytoskeleton and transcription genes, whereas the hepatopancreas down-regulated related genes in the ribosome, proteasome, and spliceosome pathways. These genes and pathways are important in the biosynthesis and transformation of living organisms. In addition, both tissues maintained organismal growth primarily through lipid metabolism, which may serve as an effective strategy for ammonia-N resistance in L. vannamei. These results provided a new perspective in understanding the mechanisms of ammonia-N resistance in crustaceans. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals)
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13 pages, 3544 KiB  
Article
Molecular and Functional Characterization of α Chain of Interleukin-15 Receptor (IL-15Rα) in Orange-Spotted Grouper (Epinephelus coioides) in Response to Vibrio harveyi Challenge
by Yilin Zhang, Fan Wu, Guanjian Yang, Jichang Jian, Yishan Lu and Zhiwen Wang
Animals 2023, 13(23), 3641; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13233641 - 24 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1271
Abstract
Interleukin-15 (IL15) is a proinflammatory cytokine that could induce the production of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, the α chain of the IL15 receptor of Epinephelus coioides (Ec-IL15Rα), a natural regulator of IL15, was identified, and immune response functions of fish were determined [...] Read more.
Interleukin-15 (IL15) is a proinflammatory cytokine that could induce the production of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, the α chain of the IL15 receptor of Epinephelus coioides (Ec-IL15Rα), a natural regulator of IL15, was identified, and immune response functions of fish were determined and characterized. Ec-IL15Rα contains a 720 bp open reading frame that encodes 239 amino acids, including four typical conserved cysteine residues with a highly conserved sushi domain. Ec-IL15Rα is closely related to Epinephelus lanceolatus and is the most clustered with teleost. Subcellular localization studies showed that Ec-IL15Rα was situated in the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Ec-IL15Rα was detected in 11 tissues, with the highest expression in the liver and blood. Meanwhile, the Ec-IL15Rα transcriptional levels substantially increased in nine tissues after Vibrio harveyi infection. Ec-IL15Rα was significantly up-regulated in HKLs by ConA, PHA, LPS and poly I:C stimulation. In vitro analysis, the recombinant protein of rEc-IL15Rα stimulates HKL proliferation and IL1R, IL6R, IL10, and IL16 expression. Challenge experiments revealed that IL15Rα protein showed an increase of 6.67–10% survival protection rate after V. harveyi infection. This study provides a better understanding of the immune protection of IL15Rα in vertebrate fish. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Pollutant Effects on the Physiological and Immune Functions of Aquatic Animals)
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