The Stimulation of Cytokine-like Proteins in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Orally Treated with ß-1, 3-glucan

The stimulation of tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-a), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-10 (IL-10) or interleukin-12 (IL-12)-like proteins using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was investigated in tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) orally treated with ß-1,3-glucan (ßG) for five days. The stimulation of each cytokine were determined in the plasma of tilapia orally treated with ßG. The TNF-a reactive protein was significantly stimulated in the plasma of tilapia treated with ßG. The levels of IL-1ß, IL-10 and IL-12 antibody-reactive proteins also increased in the plasma of fish treated with ßG. On the other hand, the phagocytic indices of macrophages in tilapia treated with ßG significantly increased. These results suggest that the immunostimulation in tilapia orally treated with ßG may relate with the production of cytokine-like proteins.