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Effect of hypoxia and air-breathing restricted on respiratory physiology of air-breathing loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus)

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Abstract

This aim of this study was to determine the respiratory physiology response in the gill and gut of Paramisgurnus dabryanus under different breathing treatment patterns. The experimental design included the following three conditions: a control group without any stress treatments, an inhibited group with intestinal respiration inhibited, and an air-exposed group with gill respiration inhibited. The results indicated that the total static metabolic rate in the air-exposed group (188.92 ± 13.67 mg h−1 kg−1) was much higher than that of the other group after 7 days, decreased significantly after the first day of recovery (81.64 ± 7.85 mg h−1 kg−1). The air metabolic rate in the air-exposed group increased significantly after 7 days (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference among the groups. Histological observation on the gill and hindgut of P. dabryanus showed that the gill filament area of inhibited group became larger, while the gill structure of air exposed group showed some damage. The number of capillariesin the hindgut mucosal epithelial in air-exposed group showed a rapidly increase (P < 0.05). Likewise, the gas diffusion distance (1.24 ± 0.36 μm) became significantly shorter (P < 0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase activity of gill in the air-exposed group (846.68 ± 88.78 U mg−1 protein) significantly increased after 7 days whereas succinate dehydrogenase (1.02 ± 0.21 U mg−1 protein) and Na+/K+ ATPase (0.57 ± 0.20 U mg−1 protein) activity decreased significantly (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant change in the hindgut. After recovery, there was no significant difference in lactate dehydrogenase, succinate dehydrogenase, and Na+/K+ ATPase activity in the gill or hindgut in groups. P. dabryanus had a high viability in air-exposed condition. When recovery occurred under normoxic conditions, the physical levels of respiration returned back to the normal level quickly.

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The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

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Funding

This work was financially supported by National Key R&D Program of China Grant Number: 2018YFD0900903; Open Fund of Key Lab of Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of China, Grant Number: LFBC1006; Open Fund project of Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education) under Grant Number Klas-2018-01; and Project Fund of Pearl of River fishery resources survey and assessment innovation team under Grant Number 2020TD10).

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  1. Pearl River Fishery Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Science, Guangzhou, 510380, China

    YaQiu Liu

  2. Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development, Ministry of Education, The Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Science, Southwest University, Chongqing, 400715, China

    ZhiJian Wang

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  1. YaQiu Liu
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Correspondence to YaQiu Liu.

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The methods involving animals in this study were conducted in accordance with the Laboratory Animal Management Principles of China. All experimental protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of the Pearl River Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences.

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Liu, Y., Wang, Z. Effect of hypoxia and air-breathing restricted on respiratory physiology of air-breathing loach (Paramisgurnus dabryanus). Fish Physiol Biochem 47, 251–263 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00908-3

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