Adjuvant Potential of Lionfish Venom on LPS Activated Mammalian Macrophages

The lionfish, originally from the Indo-Pacific, has become established in the western Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea as an exotic invasive species. Its presence can impact native fish and invertebrates by directly preying on them or competing for food resources.

The venom of the Pterois miles species of lionfish, one of the venomous invasive species in the marine ecosystem, was examined in our study for its effects on the immune system based on the variations in cytokine production levels. We evaluated the adjuvant capability of the venom of the Pterois miles species as well as its immunostimulatory effects by detecting the levels of cytokines associated with the inflammation. Additionally, the amount of p38 mapk, which is involved in inflammation, was analyzed by flow cytometry. Cytokine production was measured from the macrophages in the presence of the venom. Cell viability and intracellular p38 levels were also analyzed.

Our results suggest that the venom had immunostimulatory activity on the mammalian macrophages.This study demonstrates that finding new characteristics and concentrating more on the venom of the species may aid future research into employing P. miles venom (PMV) as a biomaterial in medical biotechnology, in addition to the recognized qualities of the substance.