| Effect of b-glucan as a immunostimulant in aquaculture |
| Paper ID : 1110-ICIAQUA |
| Authors |
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mahdiyeh gharabaghi *, mehdi soltani , Department of Aquatic Animal Health Faculty of Veterinary Medicine University of Tehran Tehran, Iran |
| Abstract |
| Aquaculture is plagued with several problems from environmental pollution to fish diseases, and it is imperative to improve health of farm animals. This is true not only from the commercial point of view, but also from the point of minimalizing the spread of diseases to the outside world. Immunostimulants are considered as an effective tool for enhancing immune status of cultured organisms. Among different immunostimulants used in aquaculture practices, b-glucan is one of the promising immunostimulant. Beta-glucan is a predominant non-starch polysaccharide composed of linear chains of b-D-glucose linked by b-(1 / 3), (1 / 4), and/or (1 / 6)-D-glycosidic linkage consisting of over 25,000 D-glucose units either in branched or unbranched form. β-Glucans are responsible for a multitude of actions, which protect and enhance the immune system and provide optimum resistance to any possible health assailants due to its ability to bind directly with macrophages and other white blood cells (neutrophils and natural killer (NK) cells) and activate them . When β-glucan receptors are engaged by β-glucan, all immune functions are improved including phagocytosis (ability to engulf foreign cells and particles); release of certain cytokines such as IL-1, IL-6, GM-CSF, and interferons; and the processing of antigens. These cytokines stimulate formation of new white blood cells, providing immunity to β-glucan binding receptors present in all vertebrates ranging from fish to human. |
| Keywords |
| Keywords: b-glucan ,immunostimulant, aquaculture |
| Status: Abstract Accepted (Poster Presentation) |