The effects of single or combined administration of galactooligosaccharide and Pediococcus acidilactici on cutaneous mucus immune parameters, humoral immune responses and immune related genes expression in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings

The present study was performed to investigate the effects of single or combined administration of galactooligosaccharide (GOS) and Pediococcus acidilactici on cutaneous mucus immune parameters, humoral immune responses and immune related genes expression in common carp (Cyprinus carpio) fingerlings. Carps were fed experimental diets for 8 weeks as follows: non-supplemented (Control), prebiotic diet (10 g/kg GOS), probiotic diet (1 g/kg [0.9 × 107 CFU] lyophilized P. acidilactici) and synbiotic diet (10 GOS in combination with 1 g/kg [0.9 × 107 CFU] lyophilized P. acidilactici). Unlike skin mucus, the serum lysozyme activity showed no significant difference between carps fed supplemented or control diets, however, remarkable elevation of serum ACH50 activity was noticed in carps fed supplemented diet (pro-, pre- and synbiotic diets) compared control group. Besides, feeding on pro-, pre- and synbiotic supplemented diets significantly increased serum and skin mucus total Ig levels. However, no significant difference was observed between treatments and control group in case of skin mucus proteases activity. There was no significant difference between expression levels of intestinal genes of LYZ and IL1b in fish fed on pre- and synbiotic, compared to the control. However, evaluation of TNF-alpha gene expression in the intestine of carps revealed remarkable down-regulation in treated groups (p < 0.05). These results indicated positive effect of supplementation of carp diet with GOS and P. acidilactici on some mucosal or serum immune parameters.