Table 2.

In vivo effects of 17β-estradiol on the gene expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, CXC chemokines, and anti-inflammatory mediators in the peritoneal leukocytes (PTL).

Gene	24 hpi	96 hpi
inos	1.25 ± 0.24	1.39 ± 0.56
il-1β	1.24 ± 0.35	1.49 ± 0.36
il-12p35	1.23 ± 0.23	0.74 ± 0.17
cxcl8_l2	0.77 ± 0.14	1.51 ± 0.49
cxcb2	1.65 ± 0.56	1.37 ± 0.38
arginase 1	1.43 ± 0.64	1.78 ± 0.23
arginase 2	2.56 ± 0.76	1.22 ± 0.3
il-10	1.51 ± 0.32	1.95 ± 0.35*
mmp9	1.45 ± 0.29	1.6 ± 0.45

Fish were fed for 14 days with control food (non-E2) or food treated with 17β-estradiol (E2, 20 mg/kg food). On day 14 of E2 feeding, fish were injected i.p. with A. salmonicida (4 × 10⁸ bacteria in 250 μL PBS per fish). At 24 and 96 h post-infection (hpi), the peritoneal leukocytes were collected, and gene expression was measured. Changes in gene expression are shown as x-fold increase compared to control group (non-E2) and standardized for the housekeeping gene 40S ribosomal protein s11. Averages and S.E. (n = 7). Stars (*) indicate statistically significant differences in the gene expression in PTL derived from fish fed with control (non-E2) and E2-treated food at 24 or 96 hpi (*p ≤ 0.05)