Early responses in Penaeus vannamei during experimental infection with Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) spores by injection and oral routes

• Published in: Journal of invertebrate pathology 2022-05, Vol.190, p.107740-107740, Article 107740
• Main Authors: Subash, Palaniappan, Uma, Arumugam, Ahilan, Baboonsundaram
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animals; EHP; Enterocytozoon - physiology; Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei; Immune responses in shrimp; Microsporidians; Penaeidae - genetics; Shrimp diseases; Spores; Superoxide Dismutase
• ISSN: 0022-2011; 1096-0805
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jip.2022.107740

[Display omitted] •EHP challenge induced oxidative stress in P. vannamei by increasing RBA from 6hpi.•Two key antioxidant enzymes, SOD and CAT prevents oxidative damage caused by EHP.•Toll gene was upregulated inducing the proPO, THC and LYS activity to EHP from 6hpi.•EHP tackles early responses in shrimp producing nested-PCR positive EHP at 24hpi. Hepatopancreatic microsporidiosis caused by Enterocytozoon hepatopenaei (EHP) is associated with severe production losses in Penaeus vannamei farming. Early responses in P. vannamei experimentally infected with EHP was assessed in this study by feeding infected hepatopancreatic tissue and by injecting purified EHP spores (∼1 × 105 Spores/shrimp). Immune responses to EHP infection were assessed in the haemolymph by analysing the total haemocyte count (THC), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, prophenoloxidase activity (proPO), respiratory burst activity (RBA), catalase activity (CAT), lysozyme activity (LYS) and Toll gene expression in hepatopancreas at 0, 6, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60 and 72 h post-infection (hpi). Experimental infection with EHP resulted in a significant (p