Characterization and expression of gamma-interferon-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) gene in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) with implications for GILT in innate immune response.

The interferon-γ-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the processing and presentation of MHC class II-restricted antigen (Ag) by catalyzing disulfide bond reduction. In this study, a rainbow trout cDNA (designated as rGILT) was cloned and identified from Oncorhynchus mykiss. The open reading frame of rGILT consists of 759 bases encoding a protein of 253 amino acids with an estimated molecular mass of 28.23 kDa and a theoretical isoelectric point of 4.94. The rGILT exhibited a characteristic GILT signature sequence CQHGX₂ECX₂NX₄C and CXXC motif. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that rGILT had been derived from a common ancestor with other GILT proteins. RT-PCR results showed that rGILT and rIFN-γ (rainbow trout IFN-γ) mRNA was expressed in a tissue-specific manner and obviously up-regulated in splenocytes and the cells from head kidney after induction with LPS. Recombinant rGILT fused with His6 tag was efficiently expressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) and purified by Ni-NTA affinity chromatography. Further study revealed that rGILT was capable of catalyzing the reduction of the interchain disulfide bonds from intact IgG. This study shows that rGILT may be involved in the immune response to bacteria challenge and maintain first line of innate immune defense at basal level in O. mykiss. It also provides the basis for investigating on the role of GILT using O. mykiss as an animal model for related studies.