Thermal and saline variations of the Southern Ocean are important signs of climate change which can alter the physiological responses of stenotic species residing at high latitudes. Our study aimed to evaluate the cellular stress response (CSR) of Harpagifer antarcticus subjected to increased ambient temperature and decreased salinity. The fish were distributed in different thermal (2, 5, 8, 11, and 14 °C) and saline (23, 28, and 33 psu) combinations for 10 days. We used qPCR analysis to evaluate the transcription of genes involved in the thermal shock response (HSP70, HSC70, HSP90, and GRP78), ubiquitination (E2, E3, ubiquitin, and CHIP), 26S proteasome complex (PSMA2, PSMB7, and PSMC1), and apoptosis (SMAC/Diablo and BAX) in the liver and gill. The expression profiles were tissue-specific and mainly dependent on temperature rather than salinity in the gill; meanwhile, in the liver, both conditions modulated the expression of these genes. Transcription of markers involved in the heat shock response was much higher in the liver than in the gill and was higher when salinity decreased and the temperature increased. Similarly, the genes involved in the ubiquitination pathway, 26S complex of the proteasome, and the apoptotic pathway showed the same pattern, being mainly induced in the liver rather than in the gill. This is the first study to show that this Antarctic fish can induce the cellular stress response in their tissues when subjected to these thermal/saline combinations.

南大洋的热量和盐分变化是气候变化的重要标志，可以改变高纬度地区狭窄物种的生理反应。我们的研究旨在评估南极Harpagifer的细胞应激反应（CSR）经受升高的环境温度和降低的盐度。将鱼以不同的温度（2、5、8、11和14°C）和盐水（23、28和33 psu）组合分配10天。我们使用qPCR分析来评估参与热休克反应（HSP70，HSC70，HSP90和GRP78），泛素化（E2，E3，泛素和CHIP），26S蛋白酶体复合物（PSMA2，PSMB7和PSMC1）的基因的转录以及肝和g中的凋亡（SMAC / Diablo和BAX）。表达谱是组织特异性的，主要取决于温度而不是than的盐度。同时，在肝脏中，两种情况都调节了这些基因的表达。在肝脏中，与热response反应有关的标记物的转录要比在g中的转录要高得多，并且在盐度降低和温度升高时，转录要更高。同样，泛素化途径，蛋白酶体的26S复合体和凋亡途径所涉及的基因显示出相同的模式，主要是在肝脏而不是在ill中诱导的。这是第一个显示该南极鱼在受到这些热/盐结合后可诱导其组织中细胞应激反应的研究。