Zebrafish <i>pten</i> Genes Play Relevant but Distinct Roles in Antiviral Immunity

• Main Authors: Patricia Pereiro, Antonio Figueras, Beatriz Novoa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-04-01
• Series: Vaccines
• Subjects: zebrafish; PTEN; phosphatidylinositol 3–kinase (PI3K)/AKT; immune response; SVCV; antiviral
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2076-393X/8/2/199

The PTEN (phosphatase and TENsin homolog on chromosome 10) gene encodes a bifunctional phosphatase that acts as a tumor suppressor. However, PTEN has been implicated in different immune processes, including autophagy, inflammation, regulation of natural killer (NK) cell cytolytic activity and type I interferon responses. Unlike mammals, zebrafish possess two <i>pten</i> genes (<i>ptena</i> and <i>ptenb</i>). This study explores the involvement of both zebrafish <i>pten</i> genes in antiviral defense. Although <i>ptena</i>^-/- and <i>ptenb</i>^-/- larvae were more susceptible to Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV), the viral replication rate was lower in the mutant larvae than in the wild-type larvae. We observed that both mutant lines showed alterations in the transcription of numerous genes, including those related to the type I interferon (IFN) system, cytolytic activity, autophagy and inflammation, and some of these genes were regulated in opposite ways depending on which <i>pten</i> gene was mutated. Even though the lower replication rate of SVCV could be associated with impaired autophagy in the mutant lines, the higher mortality observed in the <i>ptena</i>^-/- and <i>ptenb</i>^-/- larvae does not seem to be associated with an uncontrolled inflammatory response.