Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42449054›Full record

ArticleJournal of fish biology2026

Dietary modulation of antimicrobial peptides (HAMP and LEAP2) in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) fed a phytobiotic functional diet: Integrated genomic characterisation and tissue-specific expression.

Roberta Marcoli, Jane E Symonds, Seumas P Walker, Cesar Lopez, Mark A Preece, Christopher Battershill, Steve Bird

Abstract read
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Article in Journal of fish biology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Roberta MarcoliCentre for Sustainable Tropical Fisheries, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3483-6899
Jane E SymondsCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Seumas P WalkerCawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand.
Cesar LopezOptoScale, Puerto Montt, Chile.
Mark A PreeceThe New Zealand King Salmon Company, Nelson, New Zealand.
Christopher BattershillSchool of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
Steve BirdSchool of Science, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.

Funding

Aquaculture Health Strategies to Maximise Productivity and Security Research Programme CAWX1707New Zealand Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment CAWX1606
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are key components of the innate immune system in fish, providing rapid protection against microbial pathogens. Among these, the liver-expressed antimicrobial peptides (LEAPs), comprising LEAP-1 (hepcidin; HAMP) and LEAP-2, play central roles in host defence and iron regulation. In this study, we present an integrated characterisation of the genomic organisation, tissue expression and dietary responsiveness of HAMP and LEAP2 paralogues in Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), and assess their modulation by a phytobiotic functional feed under commercial farming conditions. Genome mining identified three functional HAMP and three LEAP2 paralogues in Chinook salmon, all retaining conserved features typical of their respective peptide families and arising from salmonid-specific genome duplication events. Constitutive expression analysis revealed liver-dominant expression of HAMP, whereas LEAP2 paralogues exhibited distinct tissue-specific profiles, with LEAP2.1 and LEAP2.2 expressed predominantly in the liver and skin, and LEAP2.3 largely restricted to gills and skin. A six-month feeding trial using a functional diet supplemented with the phytobiotic NatControl™ resulted in marked tissue- and paralogue-specific upregulation of AMP gene expression. HAMP expression was upregulated across multiple immune-relevant tissues, including head kidney, skin, spleen, liver and gills. LEAP2 paralogues also showed clear dietary responsiveness, with LEAP2.1 and LEAP2.2 upregulated in the liver and kidney, and LEAP2.3 showing strong upregulation in gills. Despite these molecular responses, no significant differences in growth or survival were observed between diet groups. Together, these findings provide the first integrated characterisation of HAMP and LEAP2 systems in Chinook salmon, demonstrate their sensitivity to dietary immunomodulation and support their use as molecular biomarkers of functional immune priming. The results further indicate that NatControl™ acts as an effective immunostimulant, enhancing innate immune readiness without compromising growth performance under non-challenging conditions.

Indexed as

Antimicrobial PeptidesFish ProteinsHepcidinsSalmonAnimal FeedAnimalsDietDiet, Plant-BasedGene Expression RegulationImmunity, InnateImmunonutrition DietLiverAntimicrobial PeptidesFish ProteinsHepcidinsantimicrobial peptideChinook salmonimmune systemnatcontrolphytobiotic diet

Identifiers

PMID42449054
PMCPMC13675493

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.