AUTHOR=Sobah Mohamed L. , Scott Aimee C. , Laird Miranda , Koole Cassandra , Liongue Clifford , Ward Alister C. 

TITLE=Socs3b regulates the development and function of innate immune cells in zebrafish

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology

VOLUME=14

YEAR=2023

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1119727

DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2023.1119727

ISSN=1664-3224

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Introduction</title><p>Suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) is a critical component of the negative feedback regulation that controls signaling by cytokines and other factors thereby ensuring that important processes such as hematopoiesis and inflammation occur at appropriate levels.</p></sec><sec><title>Methods</title><p>To gain further insights into SOCS3 function, the zebrafish <italic>socs3b</italic> gene was investigated through analysis of a knockout line generated using CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Zebrafish <italic>socs3b</italic> knockout embryos displayed elevated numbers of neutrophils during primitive and definitive hematopoiesis but macrophage numbers were not altered. However, the absence of <italic>socs3b</italic> reduced neutrophil functionality but enhanced macrophage responses. Adult <italic>socs3b</italic> knockout zebrafish displayed reduced survival that correlated with an eye pathology involving extensive infiltration of neutrophils and macrophages along with immune cell dysregulation in other tissues.</p></sec><sec><title>Discussion</title><p>These findings identify a conserved role for Socs3b in the regulation of neutrophil production and macrophage activation.</p></sec>