The function of zebrafish gpbar1 in antiviral response and lipid metabolism

G protein-coupled bile acids receptor 1 (GPBAR1 or TGR5) has been widely studied as a metabolic regulator involved in bile acids synthesis, glucose metabolism and energy homeostasis. Several recent studies have shown that mammalian GPBAR1 is also involved in antiviral innate immune responses. However, the functions of piscine GPBAR1 in antibacterial or antiviral immune responses and lipid metabolism remain unclear. In the present study, we report the functional characterization of zebrafish gpbar1. Similar to mammalian GPBAR1, zebrafish gpbar1 contains similar domain composition, shows a dose-dependent activation by bile acids including INT777, LCA, DCA, CDCA and CA, and can be induced by viral infection. Compared with corresponding control groups, a significant antiviral activity against spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) infection was observed in ZF4 cells overexpressing zebrafish gpbar1 with INT777 treatment, but not in ZF4 cells overexpressing zebrafish gpbar1 without INT777 treatment. The activation of zebrafish gpbar1 had no significant antibacterial effect against Edwardsiella piscicida infection in ZF4 cells in vitro. Transcriptome analysis revealed that zebrafish gpbar1 activation played a crucial role in activating RLR signaling pathway and inducing the production of ISGs, but not for bile acid biosynthesis and transportation. The co-occurrence analysis for antiviral-related and bile acids metabolism-related DEGs suggested a strong interaction among 2 bile acid receptors (gpbar1 and nr1h4), slco2b1 and the antiviral DEGs. The lipidomic analysis showed that zebrafish gpbar1 activation in ZF4 cells resulted a change of glycerophospholipids, but none of bile acids nor their derivatives, which were different from mammalian GPBAR1. All together, these results firstly demonstrate the conserved antiviral role of gpbar1 and its function in regulating glycerophospholipids metabolism in teleost.