Tissue damage in organic rainbow trout muscle investigated by proteomics and bioinformatics.

The response to tissue damage is a complex process, which involves the coordinated regulation of multiple proteins to ensure tissue repair. In order to investigate the effect of tissue damage in a lower vertebrate, samples were taken from rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) at day seven after damage and proteins were separated using 2-DE. The experimental design included two groups of rainbow trout, which were fed organic feed either with or without astaxanthin. In total, 96 proteins were found to be affected by tissue damage, clearly demonstrating in this lower vertebrate the complexity and magnitude of the cellular response, in the context of a regenerative process. Using a bioinformatics approach, the main biological function of these proteins were assigned, showing the regulation of proteins involved in processes like apoptosis, iron homeostasis and regulation of muscular structure. Interestingly, it was established that exclusively within the astaxanthin feed group, three members of the annexin protein family (annexin IV, V and VI) was regulated in response to tissue damage