Oral immunization of rainbow trout to infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (Ipnv) induces different immune gene expression profiles in head kidney and pyloric ceca

Induction of neutralizing antibodies and protection by oral vaccination with DNA-alginates of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss against infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV) was recently reported [1]. Because orally induced immune response transcript gene profiles had not been described yet neither in fish, nor after IPNV vaccination, we studied them in head kidney (an immune response internal organ) and a vaccine entry tissue (pyloric ceca). By using an oligo microarray enriched in immune-related genes validated by RTqPCR, the number of increased transcripts in head kidney was higher than in pyloric ceca while the number of decreased transcripts was higher in pyloric ceca than in head kidney. Confirming previous reports on intramuscular DNA vaccination or viral infection, mx genes increased their transcription in head kidney. Other transcript responses such as those corresponding to interferons, their receptors and induced proteins (n = 91 genes), VHSV-induced genes (n = 25), macrophage-related genes (n = 125), complement component genes (n = 176), toll-like receptors (n = 31), tumor necrosis factors (n = 32), chemokines and their receptors (n = 121), interleukines and their receptors (n = 119), antimicrobial peptides (n = 59), and cluster differentiation antigens (n = 58) showed a contrasting and often complementary behavior when head kidney and pyloric ceca were compared. For instance, classical complement component transcripts increased in head kidney while only alternative pathway transcripts increased in pyloric ceca, different β-defensins increased in head kidney but remained constant in pyloric ceca. The identification of new gene markers on head kidney/pyloric ceca could be used to follow up and/or to improve immunity during fish oral vaccination.

► Transcriptomes of rainbow trout organs are described after oral vaccination.
► Our own designed oligo microarray enriched in immune-related genes was used.
► More yet-undescribed genes increased in head kidney than in pyloric ceca.
► Pyloric ceca showed more decreased transcripts than head kidney.
► New gene markers can be used to improve fish oral vaccination.