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Antioxidants
Special Issues
Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish
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Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish

A special issue of Antioxidants (ISSN 2076-3921).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 February 2026) | Viewed by 10554

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Daniela Vallone

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Interests: chronobiology; zebrafish; medaka; coral; cavefish; cell biology; evolution; genetics; circadian clock
Prof. Dr. Nicholas S. Foulkes

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 76344 Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
Interests: chronobiology; zebrafish; medaka; coral; cavefish; cell biology; evolution; genetics; circadian clock
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and associated oxidative stress have classically been considered to represent an important source of molecular and cellular damage and toxicity. However, it is increasingly clear that below a certain threshold, ROS also plays a vital role in cell signalling, as well as in certain physiological mechanisms, such as in the immune system. Various fish species have become increasingly popular as animal models for studying the effects of ROS in the contexts of both toxicology and normal physiology. Notable models include the zebrafish, alongside other species of great economic and ecological importance. 

We are pleased to invite you to submit your research to a Special Issue focused on “Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish”. This Special Issue will explore the latest advancements in our understanding of the toxic and physiological effects of ROS within the largest and most diverse of all vertebrate groups. We welcome original research articles and reviews that cover, but are not limited to, the following topics:

  • The contribution of ROS to the toxic effects of various important pollutants;
  • How ROS act to mediate the effects of environmental stressors on animal physiology;
  • The role of ROS in immune cell functions;
  • The contribution of oxidative stress to the regulation and functions of metabolic systems.

If your research aligns with these topics, then we encourage you to contribute to this exciting Special Issue.

Dr. Daniela Vallone
Prof. Dr. Nicholas S. Foulkes
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antioxidants is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • ROS
  • toxicology
  • fish
  • zebrafish
  • metabolism
  • immunity
  • cell signalling

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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21 pages, 5744 KB  
Article
Oxidative Stress Signaling and Regenerative Responses in a Larval Zebrafish Model of Retinal Light Damage
by Ignacio Babiloni-Chust, Luigi Donato, Samuele Sartori, Matthias Carl, Darin Zerti, Carmela Rinaldi, Vincenzo Flati, Marco Feligioni, Rosalia D’Angelo, Rita Maccarone and Lucia Poggi
Antioxidants 2026, 15(3), 348; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15030348 - 10 Mar 2026
Viewed by 852
Abstract
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a widely used model for studying retinal regeneration. In adults, light-induced retinal damage (LIRD) serves as an environmental phototoxic stressor that induces photoreceptor degeneration and regenerative responses, whereas larval models remain comparatively underexplored. In this study, [...] Read more.
The zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a widely used model for studying retinal regeneration. In adults, light-induced retinal damage (LIRD) serves as an environmental phototoxic stressor that induces photoreceptor degeneration and regenerative responses, whereas larval models remain comparatively underexplored. In this study, we validate a larval LIRD paradigm as a versatile system for studying acute phototoxic injury and early regeneration-associated transcriptomic responses. Using high-throughput RNA sequencing, we profiled retinal transcriptional changes 48 h post-LIRD and complemented these findings with targeted pharmacological modulation of redox signaling. Larval LIRD induced robust activation of canonical apoptotic and regeneration-associated pathways, recapitulating key features of adult LIRD models while engaging previously underexplored gene-regulatory networks. Among these, pathways related to oxidative stress responses, antioxidant enzymes, and oxygen metabolism were prominently regulated. Functional attenuation of oxidative stress using the N-acetylcysteine reduced phototoxic injury-induced apoptosis and proliferation, while inflammatory markers remained largely unaffected. Conversely, subtoxic intra-retinal hydrogen peroxide exposure was sufficient to induce proliferative markers without eliciting apoptosis response. At the signaling level, modulation of oxidative stress influenced components of growth-associated signaling pathways activated during early injury response. Together, these findings support a role for oxidative stress as a key component of early injury-associated signaling in larval retinal regeneration. This study integrates histological, transcriptomic, and pharmacological analyses to interrogate early regenerative programs and provides a comprehensive transcriptomic resource for exploring redox-associated mechanisms in retinal injury and repair. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish)
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29 pages, 7737 KB  
Article
The Regulation of Oxidative Stress Is a Conserved Response to RNA Virus Infection in Fish
by Alejandro Romero, Patricia Pereiro, Antonio Figueras and Beatriz Novoa
Antioxidants 2026, 15(1), 96; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox15010096 - 12 Jan 2026
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 925
Abstract
RNA viruses are major pathogens in fish, causing high mortality and substantial economic losses in aquaculture. To uncover conserved antiviral mechanisms, we investigated the response of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), and [...] Read more.
RNA viruses are major pathogens in fish, causing high mortality and substantial economic losses in aquaculture. To uncover conserved antiviral mechanisms, we investigated the response of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) to viral hemorrhagic septicemia virus (VHSV), infectious pancreatic necrosis virus (IPNV), and red-spotted grouper nervous necrosis virus (RGNNV) using a comparative proteomic approach complemented by in vivo and in vitro functional assays. Proteomic analyses revealed the central, conserved role of proteins involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and redox homeostasis during early infection. Functional assays using head kidney-derived leukocytes identified neutrophils and macrophages as the primary ROS producers and showed that the modulation of cytoplasmic and mitochondrial ROS, as well as ROS-dependent DNA release, follows virus-specific patterns. The pharmacological inhibition of NADPH oxidase and mitochondrial ROS significantly affected viral replication, demonstrating the direct role of ROS in viral pathogenicity. Collectively, these findings highlight redox modulation as a conserved host response in teleost fish during RNA virus infection, linking oxidative stress regulation to viral progression. This knowledge provides a foundation for developing broad-spectrum therapeutic or preventive strategies to enhance disease resistance and promote sustainable aquaculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish)
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19 pages, 2399 KB  
Article
Xingkai Lake Topmouth Culter (Culter alburnus) Exhibits Biochemical and Histopathological Alterations upon Acute Ammonia Exposure
by Junfei Yu, Hongling Yang, Guohe Cai, Jianming Xu, Banghua Xia and Yunzhang Sun
Antioxidants 2025, 14(11), 1318; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14111318 - 31 Oct 2025
Viewed by 994
Abstract
The Xingkai Lake topmouth culter (Culter alburnus) is an endemic, economically valuable fish in Heilongjiang that is highly sensitive to ammonia. However, the systemic effects of acute ammonia stress on its liver have not been determined. The objective of this study [...] Read more.
The Xingkai Lake topmouth culter (Culter alburnus) is an endemic, economically valuable fish in Heilongjiang that is highly sensitive to ammonia. However, the systemic effects of acute ammonia stress on its liver have not been determined. The objective of this study was to elucidate the changes in and relationships among stress biomarkers, antioxidant defense mechanisms, apoptosis indicators, and histopathological alterations in the liver of C. alburnus, a fish species native to Xingkai Lake, China, under acute ammonia exposure. Guided by the findings of a 96 h-LC50 assay, the researchers subjected the fish to 48 h of acute exposure at specified total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) concentrations of 30 mg/L, 36 mg/L, and 40 mg/L. A comprehensive assessment of physiological and biochemical markers, including cortisol (COR), blood ammonia (Amm), blood glucose (Glu), aspartate aminotransaminase (AST), alanine aminotransaminase (ALT), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and malondialdehyde (MDA), revealed pronounced physiological stress and oxidative damage, particularly in the high-concentration groups. The physiological effects of ammonia exposure on C. alburnus showed a clear concentration and time dependence. Notably, elevated ammonia levels significantly upregulated apoptosis-associated genes such as P53, Bax, and Caspase-3. These findings were further substantiated by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays and histopathological examinations. Overall, the study demonstrated that acute ammonia exposure exerted substantial impacts on the physiological, biochemical, and genetic expression profiles of C. alburnus in Xingkai Lake, leading to sustained stress and oxidative damage, especially at elevated concentrations (30–40 mg/L). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish)
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22 pages, 3267 KB  
Article
Light-Induced Transcription in Zebrafish Targets Mitochondrial Function and Heme Metabolism
by Alessandra Boiti, Hanna T. Weber, Yuhang Hong, Rima Siauciunaite, Sebastian G. Gornik, Nicholas S. Foulkes and Daniela Vallone
Antioxidants 2025, 14(10), 1151; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14101151 - 23 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1418
Abstract
In fish cells, light exposure elevates levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and stress-activated MAP kinase activity and thereby induces gene transcription. However, we lack a complete understanding of the function and evolution of this regulatory mechanism. Here, we reveal that a set [...] Read more.
In fish cells, light exposure elevates levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and stress-activated MAP kinase activity and thereby induces gene transcription. However, we lack a complete understanding of the function and evolution of this regulatory mechanism. Here, we reveal that a set of mitochondrial and heme metabolism genes is transcriptionally induced in zebrafish cells upon exposure to light or elevated ROS. The integrity of D-box and E-box enhancers in these gene promoters is essential for their transcriptional activation. Furthermore, light-induced transcription of mitochondrial and heme metabolism genes is absent in a cell line derived from the blind Somalian cavefish (Phreatichthys andruzzii). This fish species has evolved in perpetual darkness and lacks light-dependent circadian and DNA repair responses as well as D-box-mediated and light- and ROS-induced transcription. PAR-bZip transcription factors bind to and activate transcription via the D-box. Cavefish homologs of these factors share extensive homology with their zebrafish counterparts and lack the deletion mutations that characterize other light-dependent genes in this species. These results extend the role of the D-box as a key regulator of light- and ROS-driven transcription in fish, beyond the circadian clock and DNA repair systems, to also encompass metabolic and mitochondrial function. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish)
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Review

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37 pages, 497 KB  
Review
Oxidative Stress and Neurotoxicity Biomarkers in Fish Toxicology
by Grzegorz Formicki, Zofia Goc, Bartosz Bojarski and Małgorzata Witeska
Antioxidants 2025, 14(8), 939; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox14080939 - 30 Jul 2025
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5579
Abstract
Exposure to xenobiotics causes pathophysiological changes in fish, including oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. Here, we describe the biochemical mechanisms underlying oxidative stress (i.e., redox imbalance) and the biochemical markers commonly used to assess its level. Neurotoxicity biomarkers used in fish include behavioral, histological, [...] Read more.
Exposure to xenobiotics causes pathophysiological changes in fish, including oxidative stress and neurotoxicity. Here, we describe the biochemical mechanisms underlying oxidative stress (i.e., redox imbalance) and the biochemical markers commonly used to assess its level. Neurotoxicity biomarkers used in fish include behavioral, histological, molecular, neurotransmitter-related, and enzymatic parameters, among which acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity is the most commonly measured. We therefore also review the changes in AChE activity in fish exposed to common xenobiotics. In most cases, AChE activity decreased in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, although some studies reported no change or even an increase. We emphasize the relevance of all the parameters discussed in the context of fish toxicology studies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Reactive Oxygen Species Signalling and Oxidative Stress in Fish)
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