Immune response and resistance of Pacific white shrimp larvae administered probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic through the bio-encapsulation of Artemia sp.

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the immune response and the disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) larvae administered probiotic Pseudoalteromonas piscicida 1Ub 106 CFU mL−1, prebiotic mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS) 12 mg L−1, and synbiotic (probiotic P. piscicida 1Ub 106 CFU mL−1 and 12 mg L−1 prebiotic MOS) through the bio-encapsulation of Artemia sp. The bio-encapsulation was done in the rearing medium of Artemia sp. for 4 h. The bio-encapsulated Artemia sp. was administered from mysis three to post-larvae (PL) 12. After 13 days of the feeding trial, PL13 were challenged with Vibrio harveyi MR5339 RfR (3 × 107 CFU mL−1) through immersion. The challenge test was performed in the rearing medium (30 individuals L−1) for 5 days. Total hemocyte count (THC), phenoloxidase activity (PO), and respiratory burst activity (RB) were measured before and 3 days after the challenge test, while the shrimp survival was observed until 5 days to evaluate the immune response. The expression of immune-related genes of the shrimp larvae including serine protein, peroxinectin, lipopolysaccharide, and β-1,3-glucan-binding protein was analyzed 24 h after the challenge test. The results demonstrated that THC, PO, RB, the expression of immune-related genes and the survivals of the shrimp larvae administered probiotic, prebiotic, and synbiotic were higher (p < 0.05) than that of control. The administration of probiotic P. piscisida 1Ub, prebiotic MOS, and synbiotic through the bio-encapsulation of Artemia sp. could effectively improve the immune response and the disease resistance of Pacific white shrimp larvae with the best result demonstrated by the synbiotic treatment.