iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomic analysis of Takifugu fasciatus liver in response to low-temperature stress

Low temperatures profoundly influence the physiological and behavioural processes of ectotherms, especially teleosts, which have made them the subjects of strong interest over time. However, the characteristics of fish cold-tolerance at the protein level remain unclear. Therefore, to shed further light on the molecular mechanisms of low temperature adaptation in fish, we conducted quantitative proteomics on the T. fasciatus liver using iTRAQ. Comparing the proteomic profiles of the T. fasciatus liver at 12 °C and 26 °C, a total of 3741 proteins were identified, and 160 were differentially abundant proteins (DAPs). Among the DAPs, the most significant changes were noted in proteins involved in oxidative stress (nine proteins), mitochondrial enzymes (eleven proteins) and signal transduction (thirteen proteins). The KEGG enrichment analysis indicated significant enhancement of D-arginine and D-ornithine metabolism, MAPK signalling, Wnt signalling and Gap junction pathway. Subsequently, three significantly up-regulated proteins (CIRB, HSP90 and GST) and two significantly down-regulated proteins (FLNB and A2ML1) were validated with parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) assays. Furthermore, the changes in abundance of proteins that are involved in oxidative stress, mitochondrial enzymes and signal transduction were validated at the transcriptional level with qPCR. These verification results show that the experimental data of iTRAQ are reliable. Our results not only deepen the understanding of the mechanisms underlying low-temperature tolerance in fish, but they also may contribute to the enhancement of cold tolerance during its breeding process. SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY: The study focused on a comparative quantitative proteomics analysis of the T. fasciatus liver in response to low temperatures using iTRAQ, which has not yet been reported in the literatures. The results showed that the effect of low temperature on T. fasciatus is significant, including a detoxification of metabolic by-products and oxidative stress, an activation of the mitochondrial enzyme to strengthen energy metabolism, and a negative effect on signal transduction, which result in dysfunction or suboptimal performance. These low-temperature-related changes in the liver proteome of T. fasciatus can facilitate the understanding of the low temperature-related response that takes place in similar conditions in the liver and may contribute to the breeding of cold-resistant strains.