HOST FACTORS IN ZEBRAFISH ASSOCIATED WITH THE POTENTIATION OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTIVITY OF NATURAL AND SYNTHETIC COMPOUNDS, A NARRATIVE REVIEW

Abstract

The use of zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an experimental model has increased significantly over the past decades, particularly in studies of infectious diseases and in the evaluation of the antibacterial activity of natural and synthetic compounds. This organism exhibits a unique set of physiological, immunological, genetic, and metabolic characteristics that make it highly relevant for pharmacological and microbiological investigations. Factors such as the evolutionary conservation of the innate immune system, embryonic transparency, the presence of endogenous antimicrobial peptides, well-characterized inflammatory pathways, and biotransformation systems similar to those of mammals contribute to the potentiation of antibacterial activity when associated with therapeutic agents. This narrative review aims to discuss, in an integrated manner, the main host-related factors present in zebrafish that influence and enhance the antibacterial action of natural and synthetic compounds, highlighting the underlying mechanisms, experimental applications, and future perspectives in the development of new antimicrobial strategies.