Changes in hepatic gene expression related to innate immunity, growth and iron metabolism in GH-transgenic amago salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) by cDNA subtraction and microarray analysis, and serum lysozyme activity

Growth hormone (GH) transgenic amago salmon (Oncorhynchus masou) were generated with a construct containing the sockeye salmon GH1 gene fused to the metallothionein-B (MT-B) promoter from the same species. This transgene directed significant growth enhancement with transgenic fish reaching approximately four to five times greater weight than control salmon in F2 and F3 generations. This drastic growth enhancement by GH transgene is well known in fish species compared with mammals, however, such fish can show morphological abnormalities and physiological disorders like other GH transgenic animals. GH is known to have many acute effects, but currently there are no data describing the chronic effects of over-expression of GH on various hepatic genes in GH transgenic fish. Hepatic gene expression is anticipated to play very important roles in many physiological functions and growth performance of transgenic and control salmon. To examine these effects, we performed subtractive hybridization (using cDNA generated from liver RNA) in both directions to identify genes both increased and decreased in transgenic salmon relative to controls (576 clones were isolated and sequenced in total). Heme oxygenase, vitelline envelope protein, Acyl-coA binding protein, NADH dehydrogenase, mannose binding lectin-associated serine protease, hemopexin-like protein, leucyte-derived chemotaxin2 (LECT2), and many other genes were obtained in higher clone frequencies suggesting enhanced expression. In contrast, complement C3-1, lectin, rabin, alcohol dehydrogenase, Tc1-like transposase, Δ6-desaturase, and pentraxin genes were obtained in lower frequencies. Microarray analysis was also performed to obtain quantitative expression data for these subtracted cDNA clones. Analysis of fish across seasons was also conducted using both F2 and F3 salmon. Results of the microarray data essentially corresponded with those of the subtraction data when both F2 and F3 fish were completely immature, but the expression pattern was changed when fish approached maturation. Genes showing enhanced expression in GH transgenic fish in F2 and F3 by array analysis were vitelline envelope protein, hemopexin-like protein, heme-oxygenase, inter α-trypsin inhibitor, LECT2, GTP cyclohydrolase I feedback regulatory protein (GFRP), and bikunin. Reduced expression genes were lectin, Δ6-desaturase, apolipoprotein, and pentraxin. In particular, lectin was found to be highly suppressed in all F2 and immature F3 salmon. Further, serum lysozyme activity, one of innate immunity, was significantly (p < 0.05) decreased in both F2 and F3 GH transgenic fish. These results indicate that the GH transgene fish had altered hepatic gene expression relating to iron-metabolism, innate immunity, reproduction, and growth.