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Shang G, Peng X, Ji C, Zhai G, Ruan Y, Lou Q, Jin X, He J, Wang H, Yin Z. Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein and luteinizing hormone are required for normal ovarian steroidogenesis and oocyte maturation in zebrafish†. Biol Reprod 2019; 101:760-770. [DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioz132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2019] [Revised: 06/18/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
In recent studies, luteinizing hormone (LH) was reported to play important roles in oocyte maturation. However, the mechanism by which LH signaling, especially regarding the steroidogenesis process, affects oocyte maturation has not been clarified. In this study, zebrafish models with a functional deficiency in luteinizing hormone beta (Lhb) or steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (Star), an enzyme that promotes the transport of cholesterol into the inner mitochondrial membrane for maturation-induced hormone (MIH) production, were generated using transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs). Similar phenotypes of the maturation-arrested oocytes in both female mutants have been observed. The levels of MIH in the oocytes of the female mutants were clearly decreased in both the lhb and star knockout zebrafish. The expression of star was dramatically down-regulated in the lhb mutant follicles and was clearly promoted by forskolin and hCG in vitro. Furthermore, treatment with the MIH precursors, pregnenolone or progesterone, as well as with MIH itself rescued the maturation-arrested oocyte phenotypes in both lhb and star mutants. The plasma levels of other steroids, including testosterone, estradiol, and cortisol, were not affected in the lhb mutants, while the levels of gonad hormones testosterone and estradiol were significantly increased in the star mutants. The cortisol levels were decreased in the star mutants. Collectively, our results confirm that LH plays important roles in the initiation of MIH synthesis from cholesterol and maintains oocyte maturation in zebrafish, as well as provide evidence that Star might act downstream of LH signaling in steroidogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guohui Shang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Xuyan Peng
- Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Province Eye Hospital, Henan International Joint Research Laboratory for Ocular Immunology and Retinal Injury Repair, Zhengzhou, Henan, P.R. China
| | - Cheng Ji
- Center for Circadian Clocks, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
- Department of Genetics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Gang Zhai
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Yonglin Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
- Institute of Hydrobiology, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Qiyong Lou
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Xia Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Jiangyan He
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
| | - Han Wang
- Center for Circadian Clocks, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
- Department of Genetics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Medical College, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Zhan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, P.R. China
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The basal function of teleost prolactin as a key regulator on ion uptake identified with zebrafish knockout models. Sci Rep 2016; 6:18597. [PMID: 26726070 PMCID: PMC4698586 DOI: 10.1038/srep18597] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prolactin (PRL) is an anterior pituitary hormone with a broad range of functions. Its ability to stimulate lactogenesis, maternal behavior, growth and development, osmoregulation, and epithelial ion transport has been reported in many vertebrates. In our present study, we have targeted the zebrafish prl locus via transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs). Two independent targeted mutant lines with premature termination of the putative sequence of PRL peptides were generated. All prl-deficient zebrafish progeny died at 6–16 days post-fertilization stage (dpf) in egg water. However, the prl-deficient larvae thrived and survived through adulthood in brackish water (5175 mg/L ocean salts), without obvious defects in somatic growth or reproduction. When raised in egg water, the expression levels of certain key Na+/Cl− cotransporters in the gills and Na+/K+-ATPase subunits, Na+/H+ exchangers and Na+/Cl− transporters in the pronephros of prl-deficient larvae were down-regulated at 5 dpf, which caused Na+/K+/Cl− uptake defects in the mutant fish at 6 dpf. Our present results demonstrate that the primary function of zebrafish prl is osmoregulation via governing the uptake and homeostasis of Na+, K+ and Cl−. Our study provides valuable evidence to understand the mechanisms of PRL function better through both phylogenetic and physiological perspectives.
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Cao M, Chen J, Peng W, Wang Y, Liao L, Li Y, Trudeau VL, Zhu Z, Hu W. Effects of growth hormone over-expression on reproduction in the common carp Cyprinus carpio L. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2014; 195:47-57. [PMID: 24184869 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2013.10.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2013] [Revised: 10/17/2013] [Accepted: 10/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
To study the complex interaction between growth and reproduction we have established lines of transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio) carrying a grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) growth hormone (GH) transgene. The GH-transgenic fish showed delayed gonadal development compared with non-transgenic common carp. To gain a better understanding of the phenomenon, we studied body growth, gonad development, changes of reproduction related genes and hormones of GH-transgenic common carp for 2years. Over-expression of GH elevated peripheral gh transcription, serum GH levels, and inhibited endogenous GH expression in the pituitary. Hormone analyses indicated that GH-transgenic common carp had reduced pituitary and serum level of luteinizing hormone (LH). Among the tested genes, pituitary lhβ was inhibited in GH-transgenic fish. Further analyses in vitro showed that GH inhibited lhβ expression. Localization of ghr with LH indicates the possibility of direct regulation of GH on gonadotrophs. We also found that GH-transgenic common carp had reduced pituitary sensitivity to stimulation by co-treatments with a salmon gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist and a dopamine antagonist. Together these results suggest that the main cause of delayed reproductive development in GH transgenic common carp is reduced LH production and release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxi Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ji Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yaping Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Lanjie Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yongming Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Vance L Trudeau
- Department of Biology, Centre for Advanced Research in Environmental Genomics, University of Ottawa, Ottawa K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan 430072, China.
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Xu J, Huang W, Zhong C, Luo D, Li S, Zhu Z, Hu W. Defining global gene expression changes of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in female sGnRH-antisense transgenic common carp (Cyprinus carpio). PLoS One 2011; 6:e21057. [PMID: 21695218 PMCID: PMC3112210 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0021057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2010] [Accepted: 05/18/2011] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis is critical in the development and regulation of reproduction in fish. The inhibition of neuropeptide gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) expression may diminish or severely hamper gonadal development due to it being the key regulator of the axis, and then provide a model for the comprehensive study of the expression patterns of genes with respect to the fish reproductive system. Methodology/Principal Findings In a previous study we injected 342 fertilized eggs from the common carp (Cyprinus carpio) with a gene construct that expressed antisense sGnRH. Four years later, we found a total of 38 transgenic fish with abnormal or missing gonads. From this group we selected the 12 sterile females with abnormal ovaries in which we combined suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) and cDNA microarray analysis to define changes in gene expression of the HPG axis in the present study. As a result, nine, 28, and 212 genes were separately identified as being differentially expressed in hypothalamus, pituitary, and ovary, of which 87 genes were novel. The number of down- and up-regulated genes was five and four (hypothalamus), 16 and 12 (pituitary), 119 and 93 (ovary), respectively. Functional analyses showed that these genes involved in several biological processes, such as biosynthesis, organogenesis, metabolism pathways, immune systems, transport links, and apoptosis. Within these categories, significant genes for neuropeptides, gonadotropins, metabolic, oogenesis and inflammatory factors were identified. Conclusions/Significance This study indicated the progressive scaling-up effect of hypothalamic sGnRH antisense on the pituitary and ovary receptors of female carp and provided comprehensive data with respect to global changes in gene expression throughout the HPG signaling pathway, contributing towards improving our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and regulative pathways in the reproductive system of teleost fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Chengrong Zhong
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Daji Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Shuangfei Li
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Zuoyan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Wei Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
- * E-mail:
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