Ferritin has an important role in the immune response. It captures circulating iron to overcome an infection and also functions as a proinflammatory cytokine via the iron-independent nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) pathway [23] . Lysozyme is a key protein in the innate immune responses of invertebrates against Gram-negative bacterial infections and could also have antifungal properties. In addition, it provides nutrition through its digestive properties as it is a hydrolytic protein that can break the glycosidic union of the peptidoglycans of the bacteria cell wall [24] . The C1q domain containing proteins are a family of proteins that form part of the complement system. The C1q superfamily members have been found to be involved in pathogen recognition, inflammation, apoptosis, autoimmunity and cell differentiation. In fact, C1q can be produced in response to infection and it can promote cell survival through the NF-kB pathway [25] . Galectin-3 is a central regulator of acute and chronic inflammatory responses through its effects on cell activation, cell migration, and the regulation of apoptosis in immune cells [26] . The hemagglutinin/amebocyte aggregation factor is a single chain polypeptide involved in blood coagulation and adhesion processes such as self-nonself recognition, agglutination and aggregation processes. The hemagglutinin/ amebocyte aggregation factor and lectins play important roles in defense, specifically in the recognition and destruction of invading microorganisms [27] .