Page 53 - 《水产学报》2025年第12期

陈帅钰，等 水产学报, 2025, 49(12): 129604

Effects of hypoxic stress on the energy metabolism, hepatic antioxidant
capacity and histomorphology in Oplegnathus punctatus

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CHEN Shuaiyu , GAO Tao , LIU Zhifei , WANG Feng , GAO Yuntao ,
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CHEN Xiatian , JIA Yudong 2*
1. College of Fisheries and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, China;
2. Yellow Sea Fisheries Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Qingdao 266071, China;
3. College of Navigation and Naval Architecture, Dalian Ocean University, Dalian 116023, China
Abstract: Dissolved oxygen is a crucial environmental factor that significantly influences the survival, growth, and develop-
ment of aquatic organisms. Fish species are diverse, and their physiological responses to hypoxic stress vary considerably. To
investigate the impact of hypoxic stress on the antioxidant capacity, energy metabolism, and tissue morphology of Oplegnathus
punctatus, a valuable species for deep-sea aquaculture, this study examined alterations in hepatic antioxidant enzyme activities,
glycolipid metabolite levels, and tissue morphology in two size groups (200 g and 50 g) of O. punctatus under critical oxygen
partial pressure (P crit ) and loss of equilibrium (LOE) conditions. The results revealed that under hypoxic stress reaching LOE,
the activities of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), pyruvate kinase (PK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and hexokinase (HK), as well
as lactate content, significantly increased (P<0.05) in both size groups, with the 200 g group showing greater increases in
energy metabolism enzyme activities compared to the 50 g group. Hepatic glycogen content decreased during hypoxia, with a
significant reduction in the 50 g group at LOE (P<0.05), while the 200 g group showed no significant change. Concurrently, the
activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), alanine aminotransferase (ALT),
and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the liver were significantly elevated (P<0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) content
also increased significantly (P<0.05), reflecting heightened oxidative stress levels. Notably, the 50 g group exhibited smaller
increases in antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the 200 g group. In contrast, the activities of lipoprotein lipase (LPL)
and fatty acid synthase (FAS) showed no significant changes during hypoxia (P>0.05). Furthermore, the proportions of hepato-
cyte migration, lysis, and pyknosis significantly increased in both size groups, whereas the proportion of normal hepatocytes
gradually decreased. All measured parameters returned to control levels 24 hours after restoration of normal dissolved oxygen.
In conclusion, hypoxic stress significantly affected the glycolysis, hepatic antioxidant capacity, and tissue morphology of O.
punctatus in this experiment. The fish primarily relied on anaerobic glycolysis to meet energy demands under hypoxic condi-
tions, with the 200 g group exhibiting more pronounced changes compared to the 50 g group. These results provide a theoret-
ical foundation and data support for the effectively management of O. punctatus in captivity.
Key words: Oplegnathus punctatus; hypoxic stress; liver antioxidant capacity; energy metabolism; histomorphology

Corresponding author: JIA Yudong. E-mail: jiayd@ysfri.ac.cn
Funding projects: Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund (CAFS 2023TD81, 20603022025013);
Natural Science Foundation of Shandong Province (ZR2025QC239); Qingdao Postdoctoral Science Foundation
(QDBSH20240102012)

中国水产学会主办 sponsored by China Society of Fisheries https://www.china-fishery.cn
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