Nutritional Immunity and Antioxidant Strategies in Aquatic Systems

Aquatic organisms deploy nutritional immunity to withhold essential micronutrients – notably iron, manganese and zinc – from invading pathogens, thereby curbing microbial proliferation. Concurrently, they rely on an intricate antioxidant network to neutralise reactive oxygen species generated during normal metabolism, immune activation and environmental stress. Enzymatic defences such as superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase, together with non-enzymatic antioxidants like polyphenols and vitamins, maintain redox homeostasis. Dietary interventions in aquaculture have harnessed plant-derived compounds, including proanthocyanidins, resveratrol and chlorogenic acid, to bolster both micronutrient sequestration and antioxidant capacity. These approaches modulate key signalling pathways (for example Nrf2/Keap1 and SIRT1/PINK1) and shape intestinal microbiota, linking nutritional immunity with systemic health. Such strategies not only enhance disease resistance and growth performance but also reduce reliance on antibiotics, promoting sustainable aquatic production on a global scale.

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Nutritional Immunity and Antioxidant Strategies in Aquatic Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in nutritional immunity and antioxidant strategies in aquatic systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Nutritional immunity: The host-driven mechanism of sequestering micronutrients to limit pathogen proliferation.

Antioxidant capacity: The combined ability of enzymatic and non-enzymatic systems to neutralise reactive oxygen species.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS): Highly reactive oxygen-containing molecules that can damage cellular components.

Nrf2/Keap1 pathway: A redox-sensitive transcriptional system that induces antioxidant gene expression.

SIRT1/PINK1 pathway: A regulatory axis involved in mitochondrial quality control and reduction of oxidative stress.

Polyphenolic compounds: Plant-derived molecules with multiple phenol units that exhibit antioxidant and immunomodulatory activities.

Gut microbiota: The community of microorganisms inhabiting the digestive tract, influencing immunity and metabolism.

References

1. Multi-Omics Analysis to Understand the Effects of Dietary Proanthocyanidins on Antioxidant Capacity, Muscle Nutrients, Lipid Metabolism, and Intestinal Microbiota in Cyprinus carpio. Antioxidants (2023).
2. Resveratrol alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced liver injury by inducing SIRT1/P62-mediated mitophagy in gibel carp (Carassius gibelio). Frontiers in Immunology (2023).
3. Effects of chlorogenic acid on growth, metabolism, antioxidation, immunity, and intestinal flora of crucian carp (Carassius auratus). Frontiers in Microbiology (2023).