IRF2 and infection: Zhu et al. [45] identified an upregulation of two IFN signaling pathway genes (IRF1 and IRF2) in the skin and the gills of T. ovatus after infection with C. irritans. In addition, Li et al. [46] concluded that C. irritans infection can induce an increase in the number of antigen-presenting cells and lymphocytes in the mucosal immune system, which can mediate the activation of local specific B cells, leading to antibody production.