The potential mechanisms for isoliquiritigenin on the growth and immune regulation of Penaeus vannamei revealed by transcriptomic and metabolomic

Abstract

The resistance of Penaeus vannamei to disease invasion is crucial for the development of the shrimp industry. It is unknown whether isoliquiritigenin (ISL) can serve as an efficient immunostimulant for P. vannamei. The growth, antioxidant, apoptosis, and immunity were used to assess the feasibility of ISL as an immunostimulant. Transcriptomics and metabolomics were used to investigate the mechanism of immune stimulation by ISL. It was found that ISL had no effect on the survival rate of P. vannamei. Dietary ISL can enhance growth and the expressions of antioxidant, anti-stress, and immune (excluding antimicrobial peptides) related genes. Transcriptome analysis revealed that numerous up-regulated DEGs (differentially expressed genes) were involved in immune regulation. The significantly enriched functions and pathways of DEGs were commonly involved in metabolism and immunity. The DMs (differential metabolites) and key metabolite nodes were mostly mapped to the regulation of growth, nutrient metabolism, and immune response. In conclusion, dietary ISL can improve the growth, antioxidant capacity, stress resistance, and immunity of P. vannamei. These improvements may be achieved by regulating signaling pathways (Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, glutathione metabolism, signal transduction-related pathways, HIF-1 signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway) and altering the abundance of metabolite with antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant capabilities.