Effect of temperature decrease on hemocyte apoptosis of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei

• Published in: Aquaculture international 2014-04, Vol.22 (2), p.761-774
• Main Authors: Li, Bin, Xian, Jian-An, Guo, Hui, Wang, An-Li, Miao, Yu-Tao, Ye, Jian-Min, Ye, Chao-Xia, Liao, Shao-An
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anticoagulants; Apoptosis; Biomedical and Life Sciences; caspase-3; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; hemocytes; Laboratories; Life Sciences; Litopenaeus vannamei; Marine; membrane potential; Oxidative stress; reactive oxygen species; shrimp; Water temperature; Yeast; Zoology
• ISSN: 0967-6120; 1573-143X
• DOI: 10.1007/s10499-013-9704-z

This study investigated the effect of continuous temperature decrease on hemocyte apoptosis of the white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei. In the stress group, water temperature decreased from 26 to 17 °C at a rate of 1 °C/h. Shrimp kept at 26 ± 0.5 °C were used as control group. Total hemocyte count (THC), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, cytoplasmic free-Ca²⁺ (CF-Ca²⁺) concentration, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), apoptotic cell ratio, and caspase-3 activity of L. vannamei hemocytes were determined when water temperature decreased to 23, 20, and 17 °C, respectively. Increased ROS production in hemocytes was observed when water temperature decreased to 20 and 17 °C. Decreased THC and cellular MMP, increased CF-Ca²⁺ concentration, apoptotic cell ratio, and caspase-3 activity were shown when water temperature decreased to 17 °C. These results indicate that water temperature decrease can induce oxidative stress on shrimp hemocytes and then cause mitochondria and caspase-3 mediated hemocyte apoptosis and THC reduction, when water temperature decreased to an unconformable level.