Dev Comp Immunol 2020 02 15;103:103523. Epub 2019 Oct 15.
Laboratory of Experimental Immunology, BioMediTech, Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, FI-33014, Tampere University, Finland; Department of Pediatrics, Tampere University Hospital, P.O. Box 2000, FI-33521, Tampere, Finland; PEDEGO Research Unit, Medical Research Center Oulu, P.O. Box 8000, FI-90014, University of Oulu, Finland; Department of Children and Adolescents, Oulu University Hospital, P.O. Box 10, FI-90029, OYS, Finland. Electronic address:
Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge. To gain information about genes important for defense against tuberculosis, we used a well-established tuberculosis model; Mycobacterium marinum infection in adult zebrafish. To characterize the immunological response to mycobacterial infection at 14 days post infection, we performed a whole-genome level transcriptome analysis using cells from kidney, the main hematopoietic organ of adult zebrafish. Among the upregulated genes, those associated with immune signaling and regulation formed the largest category, whereas the largest group of downregulated genes had a metabolic role. We also performed a forward genetic screen in adult zebrafish and identified a fish line with severely impaired survival during chronic mycobacterial infection. Based on transcriptome analysis, these fish have decreased expression of several immunological genes. Taken together, these results give new information about the genes involved in the defense against mycobacterial infection in zebrafish.