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Histological alterations and microbial ecology of the intestine in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) fed dietary probiotics and microalgae

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Abstract

The effects on histology and microbial ecology in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata) intestine caused by dietary probiotic and microalgae were studied. Fish were fed non-supplemented (C, control) or supplemented diets with Tetraselmis chuii, Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Bacillus subtilis single or combined (diets T, P, B, BT and BP) for 4 weeks. Curiously, fish fed the experimental diets showed similar morphological alterations when studied by light and electron microscopy and significant signs of intestinal damage were detected. No effect of microalgae or B. subtilis on the intestinal absorptive area was observed, whereas the number of goblet cells and IELs were significantly lower in fish fed the T, P, B and BT diets and T, BT and BP diets, respectively. Interestingly, only the diets containing B. subtilis resulted in a significant reduction of microvilli height. Alterations such as wide intercellular spaces and large vacuoles in enterocytes were observed in fish fed T, B, BT, BT and P in lesser degrees. These observations demonstrate that fish fed experimental diets presented different signs of oedema and inflammation that could compromise their body homeostasis. Moreover, the experimental diets cause important alterations in the intestinal microbiota by a significant decrease in bacterial diversity, as demonstrated by the fall in specific richness, Shannon and range-weighted richness indices. To our knowledge, this is the first in vivo study regarding the implications of the use of probiotics in combination with immunostimulants on fish intestinal morphology and microbiota. More morphofunctional studies are needed in order to correlate the nutritional and immune aspects of fish gut.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by a national project of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación (AGL2008-05119-C02-01 and AGL2008-05119-C02-02) and Fundación Séneca (Grupo de Excelencia de la Región de Murcia 04538/06).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fish Innate Immune System Group, Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, Regional Campus of International Excellence “Campus Mare Nostrum”, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Rebeca Cerezuela, José Meseguer & Mª Ángeles Esteban

  2. Group of Prophylaxis and Biocontrol of Fish Diseases, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Málaga, 29071, Málaga, Spain

    Milena Fumanal, Silvana Teresa Tapia-Paniagua & Miguel Ángel Moriñigo

  3. Department of Cell Biology and Histology, Faculty of Biology, University of Murcia, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Mª Ángeles Esteban

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  1. Rebeca Cerezuela
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  2. Milena Fumanal
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  3. Silvana Teresa Tapia-Paniagua
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  4. José Meseguer
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  5. Miguel Ángel Moriñigo
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Correspondence to Mª Ángeles Esteban.

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Cerezuela, R., Fumanal, M., Tapia-Paniagua, S.T. et al. Histological alterations and microbial ecology of the intestine in gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata L.) fed dietary probiotics and microalgae. Cell Tissue Res 350, 477–489 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00441-012-1495-4

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