February 15-18, 2009 Washington State Convention Center Seattle ...

STUDIES WITH HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN STIMULATION FACTOR IN STRESS
MANAGEMENT IN FIN FISH CULTURE
Ronald J. Roberts*, Carmelo Agius and Charles Saliba.
Hagerman Aquaculture Research Laboratory
Hagerman, Idaho 83332 USA
heronpisces@btinternet.com
Heat Shock Proteins, otherwise known as cellular chaperones are guardian proteins, highly conserved throughout evolution and
found intra and extra-cellularly in all living creatures. They are produced in response to all stressful conditions (not just heat)
and help individual cells cope by supporting the cellular processes such as protein production and cellular membrane integrity
and also facilitate apoptosis and cellular recycling. Their activities can be broadly expressed as inhibiting undesirable actions
and interactions within the cell and promoting the desirable ones. In this respect they also play a role in immunogenesis and in
control of neoplasia. There are four major families of HSP designated according to molecular weight (kDa) as Hsp90 Hsp70
Hsp 60 and Hsp30.
In humans they have been shown to be highly active in numerous stressful situations eg. deep-sea divers, distance athletes and
following surgery. Until recently however, it has not been possible to induce them in advance of a stress and so help to obviate
the stress ab initio.
Recently a patented plant extract, Tex-OE has been shown to contain a specific Heat Shock Protein Stimulation Factor. As the
commercial product “Pro-Tex” this has been shown to mediate stress in humans, poultry, commercial rabbits and race-horses
and is commercially available in Europe for human and animal use as a neutraceutical. In UK, poultry chicks are now routinely
exposed to Pro-Tex in the first week of life, to ensure stress reduced hatchery output.
Studies with Pro-Tex as a component of feed and as an additive to the water, whence it is imbibed, have been carried out in
our laboratories and in commercial tilapia, salmon, trout, aquarium fish and sea-bass farms in USA UK and Malta. These have
included toxicity protection studies, transport stress studies, vaccination stress studies and studies on the effect of HSP’s on
sperm survival.
In all cases it has been shown that pre- exposure of fin fish to Heat Shock Protein Stimulation factor in the water or feed induces
high and persisting tissue levels of Heat Shock Proteins for up to three days, without any detrimental effects, and with often
remarkable effects if such fish are subjected to severe stress. In addition use prior to intraperitoneal vaccination reduces toxicity
and adhesions and samples of milt exposed to extender containing Pro-Tex is active and fertile for 50% longer than the same
milt in standard extender.
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