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HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning

Development of an in vitro model to study environmental factors influencing the gill epithelial function

Alternative title: Karakterisering av en cellemodell for studier av miljøfaktorer på gjellefunksjonen til Atlantisk laks

Awarded: NOK 4.0 mill.

Project Number:

294876

Application Type:

Project Period:

2019 - 2022

Partner countries:

Characterization of a cell model for studies of environmental factors on the gill function of Atlantic salmon (GILLMODEL). Gill disease in Atlantic salmon is a significant problem. Poor gill health, often caused by infectious agents (viruses, bacteria) or poor water quality, leads to both poor animal welfare and sometimes reduced growth. With the increasing use of water recycling in aquaculture facilities (RAS facilities), as well as more intensive production, new challenges related to gill health are expected. We therefore need more tools to gain a better understanding of the gills' biology. The gills' surface cells (epithelium) have an important barrier function and their integrity is very important to maintain homeostasis. Now members of this project group have managed to establish a promising epithelial cell line (ASG-10) from the gills of Atlantic salmon. The project GILLMODEL, have through a comprehensive characterization of this cell line, proven that the ASG-10 cell line supports the utility of the cells for a range of in vitro experiments including toxicity trials, transfections, whole-water testing, studies of xenobiotic metabolism and evaluation of host-pathogen interactions, despite the relative simplicity of the cell line compared with the complexity of gills.

Our comprehensive characterisation of the ASG-10 cell line have proven that this cell line is a useful cell model for further research on the gills, regarding gill biology, infection and toxicology studies as well as water testing. Several research groups, both national and international, have already showed interest in using the cell line in their projects. Altogether, ASG-10 as a model system to investigate gill related effects are getting attention, and will hopefully be an alternative to fish trials.

The multifunctional nature of the fish gill combined with the large surface area exposed to the external environment makes poor gill health in Atlantic salmon is a major challenge. The cause of gill problems is commonly multifactorial, often linked to infectious agents, bad water quality or a combination of several factors. With the increasing use of recirculation aquaculture systems new challenges with the local environment occur, linked to in-house microorganisms and water quality. These factors will affect fish health, including the epithelial function of the gill. Fundamental in vitro tools for research on the tolerance and barrier function of the gill epithelium are therefore needed. The lack of a gill epithelial cell line from Atlantic salmon has hampered in vitro experiments, but members of this project group have now managed to establish a promising Atlantic salmon gill epithelial cell line (ASG10). GILLMODEL will, through a thorough characterization of the ASG10 cell line, develop a model for studying epithelial gill biology as a replacement for experimental animals. This model can be used to test environmental factors influencing the gill toxicity and integrity in Atlantic salmon. To perform this task, the Norwegian Veterinary Institute has gathered a multidisciplinary team with expertise on fish pathology and physiology, cell biology, molecular biology, infection medicine and toxicology. In addition, several national and international external partners, possessing high key competence are involved. Overall, this project will provide an important tool that can replace parts of the experimental animals used for gill research. Furthermore, the model can be useful as a monitoring system to assess water-borne challenges related to gill disease.

Publications from Cristin

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Funding scheme:

HAVBRUK2-Stort program for havbruksforskning