转录组学分析揭示了海上风电机组噪声胁迫下海参的免疫应答机制

海上风电作为可再生能源的重要形式，可以有效降低对传统能源的依赖，减少碳排放。然而，风力涡轮机的运行会产生水下噪音，可能对周围地区的海洋底栖生物产生负面影响。海参是生活在海洋中的行动缓慢的无脊椎动物，依靠肠道内的免疫系统来适应环境。为了评估海上风力发电机产生的特征噪声的频率范围，我们进行了实地调查。此外，我们在模拟实验中利用海参来评估它们对海上风力涡轮机产生的噪音的反应。建立对照组、低频噪声组(模拟海上风机125Hz和250Hz噪声)和高频噪声组(模拟海上风机2500Hz噪声)，每组持续7天。测量体腔液中免疫酶活性的结果表明，噪音可以降低SOD酶的活性，这可能使海参更容易受到自由基引起的氧化损伤。低频率的噪音会降低CAT酶的活性，这可能会使海参更容易发炎。为了阐明假设的免疫反应机制，提取肠道组织进行转录组测序。结果表明，在125Hz低频噪声胁迫下，差异表达基因(DEG)数量最多，达到1764个。噪声胁迫下，海胆细胞凋亡和细胞运动性降低，干扰脂质代谢过程和膜合成。低频噪声能促进海胆胰液分泌，增强其消化吸收脂肪的能力，而高频噪声对过氧化氢酶和机体免疫力有抑制作用。本研究为海上风电建设环境安全评价提供了理论支持。

Offshore wind power, as an important form of renewable energy, can effectively reduce reliance on traditional energy sources and cut carbon emissions. However, the operation of wind turbines generates underwater noise, which may exert negative impacts on marine benthic organisms in surrounding areas. Sea cucumbers are slow-moving invertebrates inhabiting marine environments, relying on the immune system in their intestines to adapt to environmental changes. To evaluate the frequency range of characteristic noise produced by offshore wind turbines, we conducted field investigations. Additionally, we utilized sea cucumbers in simulation experiments to assess their responses to the noise generated by offshore wind turbines. We established three groups: a control group, a low-frequency noise group (simulating noise at 125 Hz and 250 Hz from offshore wind turbines), and a high-frequency noise group (simulating noise at 2500 Hz from offshore wind turbines), with each group lasting 7 days. The results of measuring immune enzyme activities in coelomic fluid showed that noise can reduce the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), which may make sea cucumbers more susceptible to oxidative damage caused by free radicals. Low-frequency noise can decrease the activity of catalase (CAT), potentially making sea cucumbers more prone to inflammation. To clarify the hypothesized immune response mechanism, we extracted intestinal tissues for transcriptome sequencing. The results revealed that under 125 Hz low-frequency noise stress, the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) peaked at 1764. Under noise stress, the apoptosis and cell motility of sea urchins decreased, interfering with lipid metabolic processes and membrane synthesis. Low-frequency noise can promote pancreatic juice secretion in sea urchins, enhancing their capacity to digest and absorb fat, while high-frequency noise exhibits inhibitory effects on catalase activity and host immunity. This study provides theoretical support for environmental safety assessment of offshore wind power construction.