Dietary arginine compromises innate immunity and decreases disease resistance in european sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax)

Abstract

Infectious diseases are the cause of high losses in the aquaculture industry and therefore it is a priority to define sustainable strategies which simultaneously avoid the use of chemotherapeutics or antibiotics and reinforce fish immune capacity. Currently, one preferred approach is the use of immunostimulants which can supplement fish diets. As the sole precursor of nitric oxide, arginine is involved in important mechanisms of the immune response (Bronte and Zanovello, 2005). Arginine can also be converted into ornithine, and polyaminemediated cell proliferation is highly dependent on this amino acid availability (Andersen et al., 2013). Attempting to clarify the role of arginine on the modulation of fish immunity, this study aimed at verifying arginine effects on the innate immune status and disease resistance of the European sea bass.