Integrated physiological and transcriptomic analyses reveal coordinated gill responses to heat stress in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca).
Climate change-driven warming of aquatic environments has made thermal stress an increasingly important factor influencing fish physiological homeostasis. Given their central roles in respiration and osmoregulation, gills are particularly responsive to variations in ambient temperature. Histological examination, physiological measurements, and transcriptome profiling were integrated to investigate the mechanisms associated with heat stress-induced gill injury in pikeperch (Sander lucioperca). Histological analysis revealed that exposure to 29 °C directly caused structural damage to the gills of pikeperch. Oxidative status was evaluated by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels and the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), and catalase (CAT). MDA accumulation was significantly enhanced under heat stress, while antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, POD, and CAT) displayed a transient increase followed by a subsequent decline. Transcriptome profiling showed marked enrichment of the protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway after heat stress, suggesting activation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in pikeperch gills. With increasing stress duration, the unfolded protein response (UPR) appeared unable to re-establish ER homeostasis, shifting ire1 and atf6 toward a pro-apoptotic state. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis further highlighted hub genes potentially involved in heat stress-induced ER stress and apoptosis. TUNEL staining and western blotting collectively confirmed that heat stress triggered apoptosis in pikeperch gill tissue. Overall, this study provides new insights into the physiological and molecular responses of pikeperch gills to heat stress and enhances our understanding of thermal stress adaptation in cold-water aquaculture species under climate change.