La actividad de la lisozima, un biomarcador sensible de la respuesta inmunitaria en organismos acuáticos: el modelo emergente del pulpo maya

Abstract

The essential function of the immune system (IS), in both higher vertebrates and fish, is to defend against any foreign physical, chemical, or biological agent (antigen or stressor) that could jeopardize the organism’s homeostatic balance. The IS carries out its action through two main mechanisms, called innate immunity and acquired immunity. Each of these types of immune response is further classified as cellular or humoral immunity, depending on whether it is activated by cellular effectors or associated with soluble substances, respectively. It is also known that both forms of immunity, cellular and humoral, can respond specifically or nonspecifically to the presence of the stressor. In higher vertebrates, such as humans, there are differences in the activation, mechanisms, and components involved of the IS compared to invertebrate organisms. For example, invertebrates do not produce immunoglobulins (antibodies), and furthermore, the response in marine invertebrates generally occurs through innate, humoral, and nonspecific action, with lysozyme activity being one of the main mechanisms. Lysozyme is a molecule present in the serum, plasma, cutaneous mucus, liver, and gills of bony fish, and in invertebrates, it has been found in hemolymph and mucus. A recent study on the Mayan octopus Octopus maya, one of the main fishing resources of the Yucatan Peninsula and Mexico, has quantified the activity of lysozyme, projecting its use as a relevant bioindicator in ecophysiology and aquaculture health.

Key words: Immune response, marine invertebrate, cephalopods, Octopus maya.