국내외에서 80여 종이 넘는 담수 및 해산어류를 감염시켜 대량폐사를 발생시키는 바이러스성 출혈성 패혈증 바이러스 (VHSV) 진단검사를 위해 넙치의 여러 조직의 바이러스 발현량에 대한 정량적 데이터를 시간순서에 따라 분석하였다. 무작위 선별된 넙치에 3.0E+07 TCID50 per 0.1 mL per fish의 VHSV를 복강 주사하여 시간순서 (0시간, 6시간, 12시간, 1일, 2일, 3일, 5일, 7일)에 따라 조직 (아가미, 간, 신장, 비장, 근육)을 채취하였다. Real-time PCR 법을 통해 상대 정량한 결과 5일차 아가미, 간, 신장, 비장에서 바이러스의 발현량이 가장 높게 나타났다. 이번 연구를 통해 감염 초기단계에서 비장이 VHSV 확정진단을 위한 적정조직임을 입증하였으며, 국내 법정전염병 진단에 중요한 정보를 제공할 것이다.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced in organisms as the natural products of oxidative metabolism by environmental stress and pathogen invasion. ROS, such as superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, can be toxic to cells and tissues to cause oxidative stress. Recent study revealed that olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) superoxide dismutase (SOD) has been identified as a partial gene and strongly induced to benzoin[a]pyrene and it was deduced indicator of aquatic oxidative stress responses, but its transcriptional response against viral infection has not been investigated. In the present study, spatial and temporal expression profile was analyzed to investigate the function of Of-SOD in the anti-viral response. Of-SOD transcripts were ubiquitously detected in diverse tissues with variable levels using a real-time PCR. The expression of Of-SOD was significantly higher in the muscle, liver and brain, but extremely low in the stomach and spleen. Following VHSV challenge, the expression of Of-SOD increased within 3 hours and subsequently decreased to the original level at 2 days post-challenge in kidney. Although expression pattern and induction time are slight differences depending on the tissue, the transcript of Of-SOD was consistently increased in acute infection response, but expression is low in the chronic response. Collectively, Of-SOD expressions were inducible after VHSV infection and they were probably involved in the immune response against viral challenge. These results suggest that SODs may play important roles in the immune defense system of P. olivaceus and perhaps contribute to the protective effects against oxidative stress in this flounder.