Apoptotic effects of artificial feed supplemented with Thymus vulgaris on Oncorhynchus mykiss against Yersinia ruckeri

Chemical composition of the essential oil was analyzed by GC-MS, and found to contain the phenol (40.95 %) as major component. Results showed that Y. ruckeri (3 × 107cfu fish-1) infection caused the characteristic symptoms on rainbow trout (petechial hemorrhages on the surface of body and liver). Y. ruckeriinducedinhibitions of Cas-3, Cas-8, p53 and HSP-70. After the administration of thyme essential oil (10 mg kg-1 diet) to infected fish tissues, Cas-3, Cas-8, p53 and HSP-70 mRNAs were up-regulated by 9.31, 9.18, 9.58, and 6,1 fold change, respectively. According to the results of the study, the inhibitions seen all analyzed genes were due to Y. ruckeri infection. However, they were entirely increased by thyme treatment. Thus, targeting pro-apoptotic proteases by agents such as T. vulgaris could improve therapeutic options for infectious disease in fish.