Antibody response in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) in relation to water temperature and oxygenation

The influence of water temperature and water oxygenation on the specific antibody response was evaluated by indirect ELISA in sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) immunized against human-gamma- globulins emulsified in Freund's complete adjuvant. A higher antibody response was observed in fish reared at 24 and 30 degreesC, than at 12 and 18 degreesC. For the fish group reared at 24 degreesC, the immunological observation was carried out until 300 days after immunization. At the end of this period, fish kept at 24 degreesC still showed immunological competence, although the antibody response began to decrease significantly from 120 days after the immunization. Fish reared under mild hyperoxia and normoxia conditions had higher antibody responses than fish reared under mild hypoxia conditions. Moreover, at the end of the experimental period of 56 days the antibody response of fish reared under hyperoxia conditions was significantly higher than the immune response detected in fish reared under normoxia and hypoxia conditions.