Epigallocatechin-3-gallate inhibits replication of white spot syndrome virus in the freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii

The freshwater crayfish Procambarus clarkii is native to North America and Mexico, and it was introduced to China in 1929. The production and consumption of P. clarkii in China are the highest worldwide, reaching 208.96 million tons in 2020. The white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) is a major pathogen that affects shrimp, crayfish, crabs and lobsters, and it has caused widespread loss to the P. clarkii industry. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a small-molecule compound, has a multitude of biological functions and the ability to bind to the 37 kDa/67 kDa laminin receptor (LamR). EGCG has potential antiviral effects against WSSV. In this study, we evaluated the potential anti-WSSV applications of EGCG in P. clarkii. We demonstrated that various concentrations (10 mu g/g center dot bw, 20 mu g/g center dot bw and 40 mu g/g center dot bw) of EGCG can suppress WSSV infection in P. clarkii. Histopathological examination revealed no characteristic pathological changes due to EGCG administration in P. clarkii tissues. Furthermore, pharmacokinetics studies of EGCG in P. clarkii revealed its rapid absorption (T-max = 2 h), and the peak concentrations of EGCG were 73.78 mu g/g in the liver and 24.87 mu g/g in the muscle. Our results indicate the high potential applications of EGCG against WSSV in P. clarkii.

Automated summary

The study showed that different concentrations of EGCG can suppress WSSV infection in P. clarkii, with histopathological examination revealing no characteristic pathological changes in P. clarkii tissues due to EGCG administration. Pharmacokinetics studies demonstrated rapid absorption of EGCG in P. clarkii, with peak concentrations of 73.78 μg/g in the liver and 24.87 μg/g in the muscle. The results indicate the high potential applications of EGCG against WSSV in P. clarkii.