Immune defence mechanisms presented in liver homogenates and bile of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata)

Because the role of the liver of fishes in providing possible immunity remains largely unknown, the aim of this work was to identify and characterize different humoral defence mechanisms in the liver homogenates and bile of gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) for the first time. Total protein levels and several immune parameters (complement activity, lysozyme and immunoglobulin M level) were studied. Furthermore, the activity of some lytic (proteases, antiproteases, esterase, alkaline phosphatase) and antioxidant (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) enzymes was determined. Finally, bacteriostatic activity on three opportunist fish pathogens (Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio angillarum and Photobacterium damselae) was measured. Lysozyme and antiprotease activity were undetected in liver and bile, while natural haemolytic complement activity was only detected in bile, and immunoglobulin M was detected in both samples. The levels of proteases, esterase and antioxidant enzymes were greater in bile than in liver homogenates, while the level of alkaline phosphatase was very low in both samples. In addition, while no bacteriostatic activity was detected on liver homogenates, the bile revealed a very potent bacteriostatic activity against all the tested pathogenic bacteria. These results corroborate that fish liver – especially fish bile – contains many factors involved in innate immunity that could be useful for better understanding the role of the liver as an organ involved in fish immune functions as well as the possible contribution of bile to gut mucosal immunity.