Transcription of immune genes upon challenge with viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV) in DNA vaccinated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Even though DNA vaccination has proven as one of the most effective methods in controlling fish rhabdoviruses, the immune mechanisms responsible for protection are still unknown. Many studies have focused on studying which cytokines and immune genes are triggered in response to the vaccine at different times post-vaccination. However, to elucidate the mechanism(s) responsible for protection, to our understanding it is also of great relevance to study the immune response to the virus in fish that have been previously vaccinated and compare it to the effects that the virus might have on non-vaccinated fish. This type of study has never been performed to date in fish. Thus, in the current work, we vaccinated rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with a DNA vaccine against viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), and 30 days post-vaccination we challenged the fish with a virulent VHSV. It was then, that we studied the immune response to the virus at very early times post-infection in fish, in order to compare the effects of VHSV on vaccinated or non-vaccinated trout. We studied the levels of expression of interleukin 1β (IL-1β), major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class Iα and IIα genes, immunoglobulin M (IgM), CD8α, type I interferon (IFN), Mx, IFN-γ and natural killer enhancing factor (NKEF) in head kidney, spleen and blood. When we compared the effect that VHSV had on vaccinated fish to the effect that the virus produced in fish vaccinated with the empty plasmid, the genes that were significantly up-regulated were IL-1β and MHC IIα in the spleen at day 1 post-infection, MHC Iα in all organs at day 1 post-infection, and IFN and Mx in the spleen and blood at days 1 and 3 post-infection, respectively. Genes that correlate with an increased specific immune response were not significantly increased in response to VHSV in these vaccinated animals. The results suggest that DNA vaccination induces a memory state in fish that, on the contrary to what would occur in mammals, primes the non-specific immune responses upon a later encounter with the virus.