Silver nanoparticles enhance vannamei survival against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) by activating the shrimp immune system.

The scientists found that an increase in the survival rate of infected shrimp by 20% when treated with silver nanoparticles was associated with a 2-fold increase in LGBP gene expression. LGBP (Lipopolysaccharide and beta-1,3-glucan binding protein) is a key gene in shrimp immune system when infected with WSSV virus causing white spot disease in shrimp.
Excess iron in alum contaminated ponds facilitates the growth of white spot virus. The results showed that a small dose of silver nanoparticles was able to enhance the immune response in shrimp to fight white spot disease, the use of silver nanoparticles had no adverse effects on healthy shrimp. The disease is caused by the virus, so there is currently no special treatment, which is completely based on the immune system of the infected shrimp and improving the living environment. Therefore, to prevent white spot disease caused by WSSV virus, it is advisable to combine the use of nano-silver and control to avoid the presence of iron (iron alum) in the culture medium.
1. The studied shrimp sample is a batch of shrimp with a size of about 8g (125 shrimp / kg). Farmed in tanks at about 26 degrees Celsius. Shrimp are maintained under these conditions until they reach 10 g (100 shrimp / kg). Shrimp were fed with a conventional commercial feed with 35% protein.
2. Inoculate the WSSV white spot disease virus provided by ITVY Aquaculture Laboratory (Mexico) into the 3rd abdomen of shrimp.
3. Silver nanoparticles (AgNP) were tested at the concentration of 120ppm and 12ppm under different conditions as in Table 2 (table 2) below.
– Group S1 was tested with nano silver concentration of 120ppm on shrimp samples infected with white spot virus.
– Group S2 was tested with nano silver concentration of 12ppm on shrimp samples infected with white spot virus.
– Group S3 was tested with nano silver concentration of 120ppm on shrimp samples infected with white spot virus, in iron containing medium (FeSO4).
– Group S4 was tested with the concentration of nano silver is 12ppm on shrimp samples infected with white spot virus, in iron containing medium (FeSO4).
– S5 group was tested on shrimp samples infected with white spot virus but without nano silver and iron (FeSO4). – Group S6 was tested on normal healthy shrimp samples, without using nano silver and in an iron-free environment (FeSO4).
4. Analysis of virus causing WSSV white spot disease and gene expression of the immune system by real-time PCR method. The Vp24 gene of the WSSV white spot virus encodes the main protein for viral expression located on the envelope of the virus.
1. Results of tissue analysis of shrimp Photographs of healthy tissue exposure to nano silver were tested on the placenta tissues of shrimp: a) lymphoid organ, b) gill and c) stomach as shown in figure 1 below. Photograph showed that nano silver used at the same concentration as research did not cause any adverse effects
2. Tested with WSSV virus The test samples (S1-S5) were again exposed to the white spot virus. Then the death rate was recorded after 6 hpi (hours post-infection: the number of hours after viral infection) until the S5 sample was recorded (without using nano silver) completely dead. The results are shown in figure 3 below:
3. Results of the viral load on the test samples Determination of the content of virus causing white spot disease in shrimp through protein of Vp24 gene of WSSV virus, determined through realtime PCR method. The results are shown in Figure 4C below.
4. Results of shrimp immune system’s response to white spot virus.
Alba R. Ochoa-Meza, Ana R. Álvarez-Sánchez, Carlos R. Romo-Quiñonez, Aarón Barraza, Francisco J. Magallón-Barajas, Alexis Chávez-Sánchez, Juan Carlos García-Ramos, Yanis Toledano-Magaña, Nina Bogdanchikova, Alexey Pestryakov, Claudio Humberto Mejía-Ruiz, Silver nanoparticles enhance survival of white spot syndrome virus infected Penaeus vannamei shrimps by activation of its immunological system, Fish and Shellfish Immunology 84 (2019) 1083–1089.