The influence of oocyte cortisol on the early ontogeny of intelectin and TLR-5, and changes in lysozyme activity in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) embryos

The ontogeny of lysozyme activity, intelectin, TLR-5M and TLR-5S gene expression and intelectin localization was examined in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) reared from oocytes immersed for 3 h prior to fertilization in either ovarian fluid alone (CC) or cortisol-enriched ovarian fluid at either 100 ng mL− 1 (C1) or 1000 ng mL− 1 (C2) [final oocyte cortisol concentrations were ~ 3, ~ 5, and ~ 7.5 ng oocyte− 1 for the CC, C1 and C2 treatment groups, respectively]. Lysozyme activity was elevated in the cortisol-treated groups from the zygote until 13-days post fertilization (dpf), but was not affected at 21-dpf. Intelectin levels were elevated in both cortisol treatment groups at 12-hpf (2-cell stage) and then suppressed between 36- and 48-hpf. Intelectin mRNA transcript levels were elevated in both cortisol treatment groups in oocytes; there were no differences among treatment groups at 1- and 5-dpf, and suppressed in the C2 treatment group in 13-dpf and 26-dpf. TLR-5 mRNA transcripts were higher in cortisol-treated oocytes prior to fertilization; TLR-5S mRNA was more abundant than TLR-5M mRNA. The ontogeny of the gene expression patterns, and the gene, lectin and lysozyme responses to oocyte cortisol adjustments suggest an important role of innate immune systems in the early cleavage stages of embryonic cells.