Expression of cytokine genes in head kidney and spleen cells of Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) infected with Nocardia seriolae

Nocardiosis caused by Nocardia seriolae is an important disease affecting marine fish for which neither control nor preventive measures are available. In this study, we investigated cytokine gene expression in Japanese flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) infected with N. seriolae to understand the innate immune response. Japanese flounder were challenged with different concentrations of N. seriolae suspensions (0, 1, and 10 mg/L) by immersion for 10 min. Mortality was 75% and 95% in fish infected by 1 and 10 mg/L, respectively. The expression of cytokine genes (TNF-α, IL-1β, CC-chemokine) in head kidney and spleen cells to N. seriolae challenge was investigated 2, 24 h, 3 days, and 10 days post-challenge. TNF-α expression was significantly increased in spleen after 24 h in 1 mg/L group and in HK after 2 h in 10 mg/L group, but after 24 h and 3 days in 10 mg/L group and after 3 days in 1 mg/L group, it was significantly decreased. IL-1β expression was significantly up-regulated in spleen after 24 h in 1 mg/l group while in HK only after 2 h in 10 mg/L group before suddenly down-regulated significantly 24 h in 10 mg/L group. The expression of CC-chemokine gene in both spleen and HK was significantly up-regulated in 10 mg/L group 2 h post-challenge and down-regulated in HK after 24 h and after 10 days in 1 mg/L group in spleen, compared to the control group.