Long-Term Heat Stress Triggers Immune Activation and Cell Death Remodeling in the Brain of Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides)

Abstract: Heat stress typically suppresses systemic immunity in fish; however, its effects on the brain—an organ traditionally regarded as immune-privileged—remain unclear. In this study, we performed histopathological examination and RNA-seq analysis on the brains of juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) exposed to control (28 °C) and elevated (36.5 °C) water temperatures for 8 weeks. Histological analysis revealed distinct cytoarchitectural and pathological changes in specific brain regions. RNA-seq analysi… Show more