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Zhang F, Tang C, Zhu Y, Wang Q, Huang X, Yang C, He C, Zuo Z. Long-term exposure to aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist neburon induces reproductive toxicity in male zebrafish (Danio rerio). J Environ Sci (China) 2024; 142:193-203. [PMID: 38527884 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2023.06.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Neburon is a phenylurea herbicide that is widely used worldwide, but its toxicity is poorly studied. In our previous study, we found that neburon has strong aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) agonist activity, but whether it causes reproductive toxicity is not clear. In the present study, zebrafish were conducted as a model organism to evaluate whether environmental concentrations of neburon (0.1, 1 and 10 µg/L) induce reproductive disorder in males. After exposure to neburon for 150 days from embryo to adult, that the average spawning egg number in high concentration group was 106.40, which was significantly lower than 193.00 in control group. This result was mainly due to the abnormal male reproductive behavior caused by abnormal transcription of genes associated with reproductive behavior in the brain, such as secretogranin-2a. The proportions of spermatozoa in the medium and high concentration groups were 82.40% and 83.84%, respectively, which were significantly lower than 89.45% in control group. This result was mainly caused by hormonal disturbances and an increased proportion of apoptotic cells. The hormonal disruption was due to the significant changes in the transcription levels of key genes in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonadal axis following neburon treatment. Neburon treatment also significantly activated the AhR signaling pathway, causing oxidative stress damage and eventually leading to a significant increase in apoptosis in the exposed group. Together, these data filled the currently more vacant profile of neburon toxicity and might provide information to assess the ecotoxicity of neburon on male reproduction at environmentally relevant concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fucong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chen Tang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Yue Zhu
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Qian Wang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xin Huang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chunyan Yang
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Chengyong He
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Zhenghong Zuo
- Key Laboratory of the Ministry of Education for Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China.
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2
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Roggenbuck EC, Hall EA, Hanson IB, Roby AA, Zhang KK, Alkatib KA, Carter JA, Clewner JE, Gelfius AL, Gong S, Gordon FR, Iseler JN, Kotapati S, Li M, Maysun A, McCormick EO, Rastogi G, Sengupta S, Uzoma CU, Wolkov MA, Clowney EJ. Let's talk about sex: Mechanisms of neural sexual differentiation in Bilateria. WIREs Mech Dis 2024; 16:e1636. [PMID: 38185860 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.1636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
In multicellular organisms, sexed gonads have evolved that facilitate release of sperm versus eggs, and bilaterian animals purposefully combine their gametes via mating behaviors. Distinct neural circuits have evolved that control these physically different mating events for animals producing eggs from ovaries versus sperm from testis. In this review, we will describe the developmental mechanisms that sexually differentiate neural circuits across three major clades of bilaterian animals-Ecdysozoa, Deuterosomia, and Lophotrochozoa. While many of the mechanisms inducing somatic and neuronal sex differentiation across these diverse organisms are clade-specific rather than evolutionarily conserved, we develop a common framework for considering the developmental logic of these events and the types of neuronal differences that produce sex-differentiated behaviors. This article is categorized under: Congenital Diseases > Stem Cells and Development Neurological Diseases > Stem Cells and Development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emma C Roggenbuck
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elijah A Hall
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Isabel B Hanson
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Alyssa A Roby
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Katherine K Zhang
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Kyle A Alkatib
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Joseph A Carter
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jarred E Clewner
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Anna L Gelfius
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Shiyuan Gong
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Finley R Gordon
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Jolene N Iseler
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Samhita Kotapati
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Marilyn Li
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Areeba Maysun
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Elise O McCormick
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Geetanjali Rastogi
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Srijani Sengupta
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Chantal U Uzoma
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - Madison A Wolkov
- MCDB 464 - Cellular Diversity: Sex Differentiation of the Brain, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
| | - E Josephine Clowney
- Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
- Michigan Neuroscience Institute Affiliate, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA
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3
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Buchinger TJ, Li K, Bussy U, Huerta B, Tamrakar S, Johnson NS, Li W. Male lake char release taurocholic acid as part of a mating pheromone. J Exp Biol 2024; 227:jeb246801. [PMID: 38270203 PMCID: PMC10906664 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.246801] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024]
Abstract
The evolutionary origins of sexual preferences for chemical signals remain poorly understood, due, in part, to scant information on the molecules involved. In the current study, we identified a male pheromone in lake char (Salvelinus namaycush) to evaluate the hypothesis that it exploits a non-sexual preference for juvenile odour. In anadromous char species, the odour of stream-resident juveniles guides migratory adults into spawning streams. Lake char are also attracted to juvenile odour but have lost the anadromous phenotype and spawn on nearshore reefs, where juvenile odour does not persist long enough to act as a cue for spawning site selection by adults. Previous behavioural data raised the possibility that males release a pheromone that includes components of juvenile odour. Using metabolomics, we found that the most abundant molecule released by males was also released by juveniles but not females. Tandem mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance were used to identify the molecule as taurocholic acid (TCA), which was previously implicated as a component of juvenile odour. Additional chemical analyses revealed that males release TCA at high rates via their urine during the spawning season. Finally, picomolar concentrations of TCA attracted pre-spawning and spawning females but not males. Taken together, our results indicate that male lake char release TCA as a mating pheromone and support the hypothesis that the pheromone is a partial match of juvenile odour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tyler J. Buchinger
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ke Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Ugo Bussy
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Belinda Huerta
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Sonam Tamrakar
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
| | - Nicholas S. Johnson
- US Geological Survey, Great Lakes Science Center, Hammond Bay Biological Station, Millersburg, MI 49759, USA
| | - Weiming Li
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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Anderson AP, Renn SCP. The Ancestral Modulation Hypothesis: Predicting Mechanistic Control of Sexually Heteromorphic Traits Using Evolutionary History. Am Nat 2023; 202:241-259. [PMID: 37606950 DOI: 10.1086/725438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2023]
Abstract
AbstractAcross the animal kingdom there are myriad forms within a sex across, and even within, species, rendering concepts of universal sex traits moot. The mechanisms that regulate the development of these trait differences are varied, although in vertebrates, common pathways involve gonadal steroid hormones. Gonadal steroids are often associated with heteromorphic trait development, where the steroid found at higher circulating levels is the one involved in trait development for that sex. Occasionally, there are situations in which a gonadal steroid associated with heteromorphic trait development in one sex is involved in heteromorphic or monomorphic trait development in another sex. We propose a verbal hypothesis, the ancestral modulation hypothesis (AMH), that uses the evolutionary history of the trait-particularly which sex ancestrally possessed higher trait values-to predict the regulatory pathway that governs trait expression. The AMH predicts that the genomic architecture appears first to resolve sexual conflict in an initially monomorphic trait. This architecture takes advantage of existing sex-biased signals, the gonadal steroid pathway, to generate trait heteromorphism. In cases where the other sex experiences evolutionary pressure for the new phenotype, that sex will co-opt the existing architecture by altering its signal to match that of the original high-trait-value sex. We describe the integrated levels needed to produce this pattern and what the expected outcomes will be given the evolutionary history of the trait. We present this framework as a testable hypothesis for the scientific community to investigate and to create further engagement and analysis of both ultimate and proximate approaches to sexual heteromorphism.
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5
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Bowers JM, Li CY, Parker CG, Westbrook ME, Juntti SA. Pheromone Perception in Fish: Mechanisms and Modulation by Internal Status. Integr Comp Biol 2023; 63:407-427. [PMID: 37263784 PMCID: PMC10445421 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icad049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Pheromones are chemical signals that facilitate communication between animals, and most animals use pheromones for reproduction and other forms of social behavior. The identification of key ligands and olfactory receptors used for pheromonal communication provides insight into the sensory processing of these important cues. An individual's responses to pheromones can be plastic, as physiological status modulates behavioral outputs. In this review, we outline the mechanisms for pheromone sensation and highlight physiological mechanisms that modify pheromone-guided behavior. We focus on hormones, which regulate pheromonal communication across vertebrates including fish, amphibians, and rodents. This regulation may occur in peripheral olfactory organs and the brain, but the mechanisms remain unclear. While this review centers on research in fish, we will discuss other systems to provide insight into how hormonal mechanisms function across taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica M Bowers
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Cheng-Yu Li
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Coltan G Parker
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Molly E Westbrook
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
| | - Scott A Juntti
- Department of Biology, University of Maryland, 2128 Bioscience Research Bldg, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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6
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Chen X, Zheng J, Zhang J, Duan M, Xu H, Zhao W, Yang Y, Wang C, Xu Y. Exposure to difenoconazole induces reproductive toxicity in zebrafish by interfering with gamete maturation and reproductive behavior. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:155610. [PMID: 35504380 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2022] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Difenoconazole (DCZ) is a triazole fungicide that negatively affects aquatic organisms and humans. However, data regarding the reproductive toxicity of DCZ are insufficient. In this study, we used zebrafish (from 2 h post-fertilization [hpf] to adulthood) as a model to evaluate whether DCZ at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1, 1.0, and 10.0 μg/L) induces reproductive toxicity. After exposure to DCZ, egg production and fertilization rates were reduced by 1.0 and 10.0 μg/L. A significant decrease in gamete frequency (late vitellogenic oocytes and spermatozoa) was observed at 10.0 μg/L. The concentrations of 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and vitellogenin (VTG) were disrupted in females and males by 1.0 and 10.0 μg/L. Exposure to 10.0 μg/L DCZ significantly inhibited the contact time between female and male fish, which was mainly achieved by affecting male fish. The transcription of genes involved in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis was significantly changed after treatment with DCZ. Overall, these data show that the endocrine-disrupting effect of DCZ on the zebrafish HPG axis inhibited gamete maturation and disrupted reproductive behavior, reducing fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangguang Chen
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Junyue Zheng
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Manman Duan
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Hao Xu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Wentian Zhao
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Yang Yang
- State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Disease and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Chengju Wang
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China.
| | - Yong Xu
- Innovation Center of Pesticide Research, Department of Applied Chemistry, College of Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
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7
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Anderson AP, Jones AG. The relationship between sexual dimorphism and androgen response element proliferation in primate genomes. Evolution 2022; 76:1331-1346. [PMID: 35420699 PMCID: PMC9321733 DOI: 10.1111/evo.14483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
In the males of many vertebrate species, sexual selection has led to the evolution of sexually dimorphic traits, which often are developmentally controlled by androgen signaling involving androgen response elements (AREs). Evolutionary changes in the number and genomic locations of AREs can modify patterns of receptor regulation and potentially alter gene expression. Here, we use recently sequenced primate genomes to evaluate the hypothesis that the strength of sexual selection is related to the genome-wide number of AREs in a diversifying lineage. In humans, we find a higher incidence of AREs near male-biased genes and androgen-responsive genes when compared to randomly selected genes from the genome. In a set of primates, we find that gains or losses of AREs proximal to genes are correlated with changes in male expression levels and the degree of sex-biased expression of those genes. In a larger set of primates, we find that increases in indicators of sexual selection are correlated with genome-wide ARE counts. Our results suggest that the responsiveness of the genome to androgens in humans and their close relatives has been shaped by sexual selection that arises from competition among males for mating access to females.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Adam G. Jones
- Department of BiologyUniversity of IdahoMoscowIdaho83844
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8
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Graham JL, Charlier TD, Bonadonna F, Caro SP. Olfactory detection of trace amounts of plant volatiles is correlated with testosterone in a passerine bird. Horm Behav 2021; 136:105045. [PMID: 34537486 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2021.105045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In response to damage by insects, plants release herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) into the air. Insectivorous birds exploit these cues and, consequently, reduce the damages inflicted to the plants. However, little is known about whether they solely use HIPVs as foraging cues, or if they also use them to modulate traits linked to reproduction. As caterpillars are the primary food source required for insectivorous birds to raise offspring, their ability to locate and predict future peaks in caterpillar biomass using olfaction is likely to be advantageous. Therefore, we tested whether an insectivorous songbird that naturally inhabits oak dominated forests can be trained to detect early spring infestation by hatchling caterpillars, at a time when oaks begin bursting, and birds prepare to breed. Tree buds were either infested with caterpillars or left as a control and visually obscured in a Y-Maze choice test. Additionally, we measured testosterone and 17β-estradiol as they influence olfactory perception in mammals and are linked to reproduction in vertebrates. After being trained to associate the presence of HIPVs with that of food, blue tits spent more time with, were more active around, and more frequently chose to first visit the infested trees, showing that blue tits can smell caterpillar activity. Males with higher testosterone spent more time around infested trees, suggesting that foraging behavior during the pre-breeding season is linked with a major reproductive signal. There was no relationship between foraging and estradiol in females. These results are an important foundation for further investigation of the role of hormones in avian olfaction and how smell may be useful for making breeding decisions that could improve reproductive success.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thierry D Charlier
- Univ Rennes, Inserm, EHESP, Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail), UMR_S 1085, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | | | - Samuel P Caro
- CEFE, Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France.
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9
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Maruska KP, Butler JM. Endocrine Modulation of Sending and Receiving Signals in Context-Dependent Social Communication. Integr Comp Biol 2021. [DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
Animal communication requires senders to transmit signals through the environment to conspecific receivers, which then leads to context-dependent behavioral decisions. Sending and receiving sensory information in social contexts, however, can be dramatically influenced by an individual’s internal state, particularly in species that cycle in and out of breeding or other physiological condition like nutritional state or social status. Modulatory substances like steroids, peptides, and biogenic amines can influence both the substrates used for sending social signals (e.g., motivation centers, sensorimotor pathways, and muscles) as well as the peripheral sensory organs and central neural circuitry involved in the reception of this information and subsequent execution of behavioral responses. This issue highlights research from neuroethologists on the topic of modulation of sending and receiving social signals and demonstrates that it can occur in both males and females, in different senses at both peripheral sensory organs and the brain, at different levels of biological organization, on different temporal scales, in various social contexts, and across many diverse vertebrate taxa. Modifying a signal produced by a sender or how that signal is perceived in a receiver provides flexibility in communication and has broad implications for influencing social decisions like mate choice, which ultimately affects reproductive fitness and species persistence. This phenomenon of modulators and internal physiological state impacting communication abilities is likely more widespread than currently realized and we hope this issue inspires others working on diverse systems to examine this topic from different perspectives. An integrative and comparative approach will advance discovery in this field and is needed to better understand how endocrine modulation contributes to sexual selection and the evolution of animal communication in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
- Biology Department, Stanford University, 371 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305-5020, USA
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10
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Sorensen PW, Levesque HM. Hormonal Prostaglandin F2α Mediates Behavioral Responsiveness to a Species-Specific Multi-component Male Hormonal Sex Pheromone in a Female Fish. Integr Comp Biol 2021; 61:193-204. [PMID: 33956973 DOI: 10.1093/icb/icab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Although hormonally-derived female sex pheromones have been well described in approximately a dozen species of teleost fish, only a few male sex pheromones have been characterized and the neuroendocrine underpinnings of behavioral responsiveness to them is not understood. Herein, we describe a study that addresses this question using the goldfish, Carassius auratus, an important model species of how hormones drive behavior in egg-laying teleost fishes. Our study had four components. First, we examined behavioral responsiveness of female goldfish and found that when injected with prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a treatment that drives female sexual receptivity, and found that they became strongly and uniquely attracted to the odor of conspecific mature males, while non-PGF2α-treated goldfish did not discern males from females. Next, we characterized the complexity and specificity of the male pheromone by examining the responsiveness of PGF2α-treated females to the odor of either mature male conspecifics or male common carp odor, as well as their nonpolar and polar fractions. We found that the odor of male goldfish was more attractive than that of male common carp, and that its activity was attributable to both its nonpolar and polar fractions with the later conveying information on species-identity. Third, we hypothesized that androstenedione (AD), a 19-carbon sex steroid produced by all male fish might be the nonpolar fraction and tested whether PGF2α-treated goldfish were attracted to either AD alone or as part of a mixture in conspecific water. We found that while AD was inactive on its own, it became highly attractive when added to previously unattractive female conspecific water. Lastly, in a test of whether nonhormonal conspecific odor might determine species-specificity, we added AD to water of three species of fish and found that while AD made goldfish water strongly attractive, its effects on other species holding water were small. We conclude that circulating PGF2α produced at the time of ovulation induces behavioral sensitivity to a male sex pheromone in female goldfish and that this male pheromone is comprised of AD and a mixture of body metabolites. Because PGF2α commonly mediates ovulation and female sexual behavior in egg-laying fishes, and AD is universally produced by male fishes as a precursor to testosterone, we suggest that these two hormones may have similar roles mediating male-female behavior and communication in many species of fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
| | - Haude M Levesque
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA
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11
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Nishiike Y, Miyazoe D, Togawa R, Yokoyama K, Nakasone K, Miyata M, Kikuchi Y, Kamei Y, Todo T, Ishikawa-Fujiwara T, Ohno K, Usami T, Nagahama Y, Okubo K. Estrogen receptor 2b is the major determinant of sex-typical mating behavior and sexual preference in medaka. Curr Biol 2021; 31:1699-1710.e6. [PMID: 33639108 DOI: 10.1016/j.cub.2021.01.089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2020] [Revised: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/25/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Male and female animals typically display innate sex-specific mating behaviors, which, in vertebrates, are highly dependent on sex steroid signaling. While estradiol-17β (E2) signaling through estrogen receptor 2 (ESR2) serves to defeminize male mating behavior in rodents, the available evidence suggests that E2 signaling is not required in teleosts for either male or female mating behavior. Here, we report that female medaka deficient for Esr2b, a teleost ortholog of ESR2, are not receptive to males but rather court females, despite retaining normal ovarian function with an unaltered sex steroid milieu. Thus, contrary to both prevailing views in rodents and teleosts, E2/Esr2b signaling in the brain plays a decisive role in feminization and demasculinization of female mating behavior and sexual preference in medaka. Further behavioral testing showed that mutual antagonism between E2/Esr2b signaling and androgen receptor-mediated androgen signaling in adulthood induces and actively maintains sex-typical mating behaviors and preference. Our results also revealed that the female-biased sexual dimorphism in esr2b expression in the telencephalic and preoptic nuclei implicated in mating behavior can be reversed between males and females by altering the sex steroid milieu in adulthood, likely via mechanisms involving direct E2-induced transcriptional activation. In addition, Npba, a neuropeptide mediating female sexual receptivity, was found to act downstream of E2/Esr2b signaling in these brain nuclei. Collectively, these functional and regulatory mechanisms of E2/Esr2b signaling presumably underpin the neural mechanism for induction, maintenance, and reversal of sex-typical mating behaviors and sexual preference in teleosts, at least in medaka.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuji Nishiike
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Daichi Miyazoe
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Rie Togawa
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Keiko Yokoyama
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Kiyoshi Nakasone
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Masayoshi Miyata
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kikuchi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yasuhiro Kamei
- Spectrography and Bioimaging Facility, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takeshi Todo
- Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Tomoko Ishikawa-Fujiwara
- Department of Genome Biology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Kaoru Ohno
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Takeshi Usami
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nagahama
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Aichi 444-8585, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
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12
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Lan XR, Li YW, Chen QL, Shen YJ, Liu ZH. Tributyltin impaired spermatogenesis and reproductive behavior in male zebrafish. AQUATIC TOXICOLOGY (AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS) 2020; 224:105503. [PMID: 32438217 DOI: 10.1016/j.aquatox.2020.105503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2020] [Revised: 04/22/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Tributyltin (TBT) was reported to affect sexual behavior and gametogenesis in fish. However, the modes of action involved are largely unclear. In order to elucidate the toxicological mechanisms of TBT in reproduction, zebrafish (Danio rerio) males were exposed to TBT at concentrations of 100 and 500 ng/L for 28 days. After exposure, the sperm count of the treated fish was sharply decreased though the testis weight and gonadosomatic index remained unchanged. Moreover, reduced number of spermatogonia and spermatozoa and increased spermatocytes were observed in TBT-treated fish by histological observation and PCNA-immunostaining. Increased number of apoptotic-positive spermatocytes was also present in TBT-treated fish, indicating an enhanced apoptosis in these cells. Consistent to decreased number of spermatogonia, down-regulated expressions of genes responsible for germ cell proliferation (cyclind1 and pcna) were observed in TBT-treated fish. In contrast, TBT elevated the expressions of genes involved in meiotic entry and maintenance (aldhla2, sycp3 and dmc1) while suppressed the mRNA level of gene responsible for terminus of meiotic entry (cyp26a1), in agreement with arrested meiosis and reduced sperm count. Furthermore, TBT significantly elevated the ratios of bax/bcl-2 and tnfrsf1a/tnfrsf1b in testis, which are markers for intrinsic- and extrinsic-apoptotic pathways, consistent with the enhanced TUNEL positive signals in spermatocytes. Moreover, TBT also significantly affected the parameter of reproductive behaviors in treated fish (reflected by decreased frequency of meeting, visits and time spent in spawning area). Consistently, the expressions of genes responsible for the modulation of reproductive behaviors in brain (such as cyp19a1b, kiss2, gnrh3 and ompb) were significantly down-regulated in treated-fish. Interestingly, disrupted reproductive behaviors of untreated female fish were also observed in the present study. The present study indicated that TBT might affect the reproduction of zebrafish male by disrupting the spermatogenesis and reproductive behavior of the fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Rong Lan
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Ying-Wen Li
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Qi-Liang Chen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Yan-Jun Shen
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China
| | - Zhi-Hao Liu
- Chongqing Key Laboratory of Animal Biology, College of Life Sciences, Chongqing Normal University, Chongqing 401331, China.
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13
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Anderson AP, Rose E, Flanagan SP, Jones AG. The Estrogen-Responsive Transcriptome of Female Secondary Sexual Traits in the Gulf Pipefish. J Hered 2020; 111:294-306. [PMID: 32124926 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esaa008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Sexual dimorphism often results from hormonally regulated trait differences between the sexes. In sex-role-reversed vertebrates, females often have ornaments used in mating competition that are expected to be under hormonal control. Males of the sex-role-reversed Gulf pipefish (Syngnathus scovelli) develop female-typical traits when they are exposed to estrogens. We aimed to identify genes whose expression levels changed during the development and maintenance of female-specific ornaments. We performed RNA-sequencing on skin and muscle tissue in male Gulf pipefish with and without exposure to estrogen to investigate the transcriptome of the sexually dimorphic ornament of vertical iridescent bands found in females and estrogen-exposed males. We further compared differential gene expression patterns between males and females to generate a list of genes putatively involved in the female secondary sex traits of bands and body depth. A detailed analysis of estrogen-receptor binding sites demonstrates that estrogen-regulated genes tend to have nearby cis-regulatory elements. Our results identified a number of genes that differed between the sexes and confirmed that many of these were estrogen-responsive. These estrogen-regulated genes may be involved in the arrangement of chromatophores for color patterning, as well as in the growth of muscles to achieve the greater body depth typical of females in this species. In addition, anaerobic respiration and adipose tissue could be involved in the rigors of female courtship and mating competition. Overall, this study generates a number of interesting hypotheses regarding the genetic basis of a female ornament in a sex-role-reversed pipefish.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emily Rose
- Department of Biology, University of Tampa, Tampa, FL
| | - Sarah P Flanagan
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - Adam G Jones
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID
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14
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Okubo K, Miyazoe D, Nishiike Y. A conceptual framework for understanding sexual differentiation of the teleost brain. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2019; 284:113129. [PMID: 30825478 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2019.02.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 02/26/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Vertebrate brains are sexually differentiated, giving rise to differences in various physiological and behavioral phenotypes between the sexes. In developing mammals and birds, the neural substrate underlying sex-dependent physiology and behavior undergoes an irreversible process of sexual differentiation due to the effects of perinatal gonadal steroids and sex chromosome complement. The differentiated neural substrate is then activated in the adult by the sex-specific steroid milieu to facilitate the expression of sex-typical phenotypes. However, this well-established concept does not hold for teleost fish, whose sexual phenotypes (behavioral or otherwise) are highly labile throughout life and can be reversed even in adulthood. Indeed, the available evidence suggests that, in teleosts, neither gonadal steroids early in development nor the sex chromosome complement contribute much to brain sexual differentiation; instead, steroids in adulthood serve to both differentiate the neural substrate and activate it to elicit sex-typical phenotypes in a transient and reversible manner. Evidence further suggests that marked sexual dimorphisms and adult steroid-dependent lability in the neural expression of sex steroid receptors constitute the primary molecular basis for sexual differentiation and lability of the teleost brain. The consequent sexually dimorphic but reversible steroid sensitivity in response to the adult steroid milieu may enable the teleost brain to maintain lifelong sexual lability and to undergo phenotypic sex reversal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan.
| | - Daichi Miyazoe
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
| | - Yuji Nishiike
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-8657, Japan
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15
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Lee SLJ, Horsfield JA, Black MA, Rutherford K, Gemmell NJ. Identification of sex differences in zebrafish (Danio rerio) brains during early sexual differentiation and masculinization using 17α-methyltestoterone. Biol Reprod 2019; 99:446-460. [PMID: 29272338 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/iox175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2017] [Accepted: 12/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Sexual behavior in teleost fish is highly plastic. It can be attributed to the relatively few sex differences found in adult brain transcriptomes. Environmental and hormonal factors can influence sex-specific behavior. Androgen treatment stimulates behavioral masculinization. Sex dimorphic gene expression in developing teleost brains and the molecular basis for androgen-induced behavioral masculinization are poorly understood. In this study, juvenile zebrafish (Danio rerio) were treated with 100 ng/L of 17 alpha-methyltestosterone (MT) during sexual development from 20 days post fertilization to 40 days and 60 days post fertilization. We compared brain gene expression patterns in MT-treated zebrafish with control males and females using RNA-Seq to shed light on the dynamic changes in brain gene expression during sexual development and how androgens affect brain gene expression leading to behavior masculinization. We found modest differences in gene expression between juvenile male and female zebrafish brains. Brain aromatase (cyp19a1b), prostaglandin 3a synthase (ptges3a), and prostaglandin reductase 1 (ptgr1) were among the genes with sexually dimorphic expression patterns. MT treatment significantly altered gene expression relative to both male and female brains. Fewer differences were found among MT-treated brains and male brains compared to female brains, particularly at 60 dpf. MT treatment upregulated the expression of hydroxysteroid 11-beta dehydrogenase 2 (hsd11b2), deiodinase, iodothyronine, type II (dio2), and gonadotrophin releasing hormones (GnRH) 2 and 3 (gnrh2 and gnrh3) suggesting local synthesis of 11-ketotestosterone, triiodothyronine, and GnRHs in zebrafish brains which are influenced by androgens. Androgen, estrogen, prostaglandin, thyroid hormone, and GnRH signaling pathways likely interact to modulate teleost sexual behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie L J Lee
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Julia A Horsfield
- Department of Pathology, Dunedin School of Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Michael A Black
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Kim Rutherford
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
| | - Neil J Gemmell
- Department of Anatomy, University of Otago, Dunedin, Otago, New Zealand
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16
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Hiraki-Kajiyama T, Yamashita J, Yokoyama K, Kikuchi Y, Nakajo M, Miyazoe D, Nishiike Y, Ishikawa K, Hosono K, Kawabata-Sakata Y, Ansai S, Kinoshita M, Nagahama Y, Okubo K. Neuropeptide B mediates female sexual receptivity in medaka fish, acting in a female-specific but reversible manner. eLife 2019; 8:39495. [PMID: 31383257 PMCID: PMC6684226 DOI: 10.7554/elife.39495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Male and female animals display innate sex-specific mating behaviors. In teleost fish, altering the adult sex steroid milieu can effectively reverse sex-typical mating behaviors, suggesting remarkable sexual lability of their brains as adults. In the teleost medaka, neuropeptide B (NPB) is expressed female-specifically in the brain nuclei implicated in mating behavior. Here, we demonstrate that NPB is a direct mediator of estrogen action on female mating behavior, acting in a female-specific but reversible manner. Analysis of regulatory mechanisms revealed that the female-specific expression of NPB is dependent on direct transcriptional activation by estrogen via an estrogen-responsive element and is reversed in response to changes in the adult sex steroid milieu. Behavioral studies of NPB knockouts revealed that female-specific NBP mediates female receptivity to male courtship. The female-specific NPB signaling identified herein is presumably a critical element of the neural circuitry underlying sexual dimorphism and lability of mating behaviors in teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Towako Hiraki-Kajiyama
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Japan
| | - Junpei Yamashita
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keiko Yokoyama
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukiko Kikuchi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mikoto Nakajo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Daichi Miyazoe
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yuji Nishiike
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kaito Ishikawa
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kohei Hosono
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yukika Kawabata-Sakata
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.,Department of Pathophysiology, Tokyo Medical University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Ansai
- Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan.,Laboratory of Bioresources, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Masato Kinoshita
- Division of Applied Biosciences, Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Nagahama
- Division of Reproductive Biology, National Institute for Basic Biology, Okazaki, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
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17
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A Blend of F Prostaglandins Functions as an Attractive Sex Pheromone in Silver Carp. FISHES 2019. [DOI: 10.3390/fishes4020027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A series of laboratory experiments tested the hypothesis that the Silver Carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix), an invasive river carp from China, employs a prostaglandin F2α-derived sex pheromone that is attractive and species-specific. Using electro-olfactogram recording (EOG), we found that the olfactory system of this species is acutely sensitive to three F-series prostaglandins (PGFs) at picomolar concentrations and that this sensitivity is enhanced when juveniles are masculinized using androgens, consistent with expectations of a sex pheromone. Individual PGFs had behavioral activity but it was low, suggesting a mixture might be important. To pursue this possibility, we implanted carps with osmotic pumps containing prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a treatment previously shown to elicit release of a PGF-based spawning pheromone in the Common Carp. We found that PGF2α-implanted Silver Carp released a species-specific odor that contained a blend of PGF2α and two of its metabolites, which masculinized individuals detected and were attracted to with high sensitivity. Finally, we found that a mixture of these PGFs was attractive to masculinized Silver Carp, while a different mixture released by Bighead Carp was not. We conclude that Silver Carp likely use a species-specific PGF2α-derived sex pheromone that is probably released at spawning and might be useful in its control. Confirmatory studies that explore pheromone function in naturally mature Silver Carp using natural odors in the field should now be conducted to further confirm our proof-of-concept study.
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18
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Kikuchi Y, Hiraki-Kajiyama T, Nakajo M, Umatani C, Kanda S, Oka Y, Matsumoto K, Ozawa H, Okubo K. Sexually Dimorphic Neuropeptide B Neurons in Medaka Exhibit Activated Cellular Phenotypes Dependent on Estrogen. Endocrinology 2019; 160:827-839. [PMID: 30776298 DOI: 10.1210/en.2019-00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Brain and behavior of teleosts are highly sexually plastic throughout life, yet the underlying neural mechanisms are largely unknown. On examining brain morphology in the teleost medaka (Oryzias latipes), we identified distinctively large neurons in the magnocellular preoptic nucleus that occurred much more abundantly in females than in males. Examination of sex-reversed medaka showed that the sexually dimorphic abundance of these neurons is dependent on gonadal phenotype, but independent of sex chromosome complement. Most of these neurons in females, but none in males, produced neuropeptide B (Npb), whose expression is known to be estrogen-dependent and associated with female sexual receptivity. In phenotypic analysis, the female-specific Npb neurons had a large euchromatic nucleus with an abundant cytoplasm containing plentiful rough endoplasmic reticulum, exhibited increased overall transcriptional activity, and typically displayed a spontaneous regular firing pattern. These phenotypes, which are probably indicative of cellular activation, were attenuated by ovariectomy and restored by estrogen replacement. Furthermore, the population of Npb-expressing neurons emerged in adult males treated with estrogen, not through frequently occurring neurogenesis in the adult teleost brain, but through the activation of preexisting, quiescent male counterpart neurons. Collectively, our results demonstrate that the morphological, transcriptional, and electrophysiological phenotypes of sexually dimorphic preoptic Npb neurons are highly dependent on estrogen and can be switched between female and male patterns. These properties of the preoptic Npb neurons presumably underpin the neural mechanism for sexual differentiation and plasticity of brain and behavior in teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yukiko Kikuchi
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Towako Hiraki-Kajiyama
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Laboratory for Systems Molecular Ethology, RIKEN Center for Brain Science, Wako, Saitama, Japan
| | - Mikoto Nakajo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Chie Umatani
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Kanda
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshitaka Oka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Keisuke Matsumoto
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Ozawa
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kataaki Okubo
- Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, Japan
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19
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Nikonov AA, Maruska KP. Male dominance status regulates odor-evoked processing in the forebrain of a cichlid fish. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5083. [PMID: 30911102 PMCID: PMC6433859 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41521-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The ability to identify odors in the environment is crucial for survival and reproduction. However, whether olfactory processing in higher-order brain centers is influenced by an animal's physiological condition is unknown. We used in vivo neuron and local field potential (LFP) recordings from the ventral telencephalon of dominant and subordinate male cichlids to test the hypothesis that response properties of olfactory neurons differ with social status. Dominant males had a high percentage of neurons that responded to several odor types, suggesting broad tuning or differential sensitivity when males are reproductively active and defending a territory. A greater percentage of neurons in dominant males also responded to sex- and food-related odors, while a greater percentage of neurons in subordinate males responded to complex odors collected from behaving dominant males, possibly as a mechanism to mediate social suppression and allow subordinates to identify opportunities to rise in rank. Odor-evoked LFP spectral densities, indicative of synaptic inputs, were also 2-3-fold greater in dominant males, demonstrating status-dependent differences in processing possibly linking olfactory and other neural inputs to goal-directed behaviors. For the first time we reveal social and reproductive-state plasticity in olfactory processing neurons in the vertebrate forebrain that are associated with status-specific lifestyles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Nikonov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA
| | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Bldg., Baton Rouge, LA, 70803, USA.
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20
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Sorensen PW, Appelt C, Stacey NE, Goetz FW, Brash AR. High levels of circulating prostaglandin F 2α associated with ovulation stimulate female sexual receptivity and spawning behavior in the goldfish (Carassius auratus). Gen Comp Endocrinol 2018; 267:128-136. [PMID: 29940184 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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: 02/18/2018] [Revised: 06/19/2018] [Accepted: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
This study tested the hypothesis that blood-borne prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) produced at the time of ovulation by female goldfish, a typical scramble-spawning, egg-laying cyprinid fish, functions as a hormone which stimulates female sexual receptivity, behavior, and pheromone release, thereby synchronizing female mating behavior with egg availability. We conducted 5 experiments. First, we tested whether PGF2α is found in the blood of female fish and if it increases at the time of ovulation. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, we found that circulating PGF2α was approximately 1 ng/ml prior to ovulation, increased over 50-fold within 3 h of ovulation and returned to preovulatory values after spawning and egg release. Ovulated fish also released over 2 ng/h of PGF2α and 800 ng/h of 15-keto-PGF2α, a metabolite of PGF2α - both compounds with known pheromonal function. Second, we tested how closely levels of circulating PGF2α tracked the timing of ovulation by sampling fish at the time of ovulation and discovered that PGF2α increased within 15 min of ovulation, peaked after 9 h, and fell to basal levels as fish spawned and released their eggs. Third, we tested whether an interaction between eggs and the reproductive tract serves as a source of circulating PGF2α and its relationship with female sexual receptivity by injecting ovulated eggs (or an egg-substitute) into the reproductive tract of females stripped of ovulated eggs. We found both of these treatments elicited measurable increases in plasma PGF2α as well as female sexual behavior. A fourth experiment showed that indothemacin, a PG synthase inhibitor, blocked both PGF2α increase and female sexual behavior in egg-substitute-injected fish. Finally, we tested the relationship between the expression of female behavior and PGF2α in PGF2α-injected fish and found that circulating PGF2α levels closely paralleled behavior, rising within 15 min and peaking at 45 min. Together, these experiments establish that PGF2α functions as a behavioral blood-borne hormone in the goldfish, suggesting it likely has similar activity in other related, externally-fertilizing fishes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Christopher Appelt
- Department of Fisheries Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108, USA.
| | - Norman E Stacey
- University of Alberta, Department of Biological Sciences, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Fredrick Wm Goetz
- Department of Biology, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA.
| | - Alan R Brash
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232, USA.
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21
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Sato K, Sorensen PW. The Chemical Sensitivity and Electrical Activity of Individual Olfactory Sensory Neurons to a Range of Sex Pheromones and Food Odors in the Goldfish. Chem Senses 2018; 43:249-260. [PMID: 29514213 PMCID: PMC5913646 DOI: 10.1093/chemse/bjy016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Although it is well established that the olfactory epithelium of teleost fish detects at least 6 classes of biologically relevant odorants using 5 types of olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs), little is understood about the specificity of individual OSNs and thus how they encode identity of natural odors. In this study, we used in vivo extracellular single-unit recording to examine the odor responsiveness and physiological characteristics of 109 individual OSNs in mature male goldfish to a broad range of biological odorants including feeding stimuli (amino acids, polyamines, nucleotides), sex pheromones (sex steroids, prostaglandins [PGs]), and a putative social cue (bile acids). Sixty-one OSNs were chemosensitive, with over half of these (36) responding to amino acids, 7 to polyamines, 7 to nucleotides, 5 to bile acids, 9 to PGs, and 7 to sex steroids. Approximately a quarter of the amino acid-sensitive units also responded to polyamines or nucleotides. Three of 6 amino acid-sensitive units responded to more than 1 amino acid compound, and 5 sex pheromone-sensitive units detected just 1 sex pheromone. While pheromone-sensitive OSNs also responded to the adenylyl cyclase activator, forskolin, amino acid-sensitive OSNs responded to either forskolin or a phospholipase C activator, imipramine. Most OSNs responded to odorants and activators with excitation. Our results suggest that pheromone information is encoded by OSNs specifically tuned to single sex pheromones and employ adenylyl cyclase, suggestive of a labeled-line organization, while food information is encoded by a combination of OSNs that use both adenylyl cyclase and phospholipase C and are often less specifically tuned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koji Sato
- Okazaki Institute for Integrative Bioscience, Biosensing Research, Higashiyama Myodaijicho, Okazaki, Aichi, Japan
| | - Peter W Sorensen
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota, St Paul, MN, USA
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22
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Nikonov AA, Butler JM, Field KE, Caprio J, Maruska KP. Reproductive and metabolic state differences in olfactory responses to amino acids in a mouth brooding African cichlid fish. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2980-2992. [PMID: 28596215 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.157925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2017] [Accepted: 06/05/2017] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Olfaction mediates many crucial life-history behaviors such as prey detection, predator avoidance, migration and reproduction. Olfactory function can also be modulated by an animal's internal physiological and metabolic states. While this is relatively well studied in mammals, little is known about how internal state impacts olfaction in fishes, the largest and most diverse group of vertebrates. Here we apply electro-olfactograms (EOGs) in the African cichlid fish Astatotilapia burtoni to test the hypothesis that olfactory responses to food-related cues (i.e. l-amino acids; alanine and arginine) vary with metabolic, social and reproductive state. Dominant males (reproductively active, reduced feeding) had greater EOG magnitudes in response to amino acids at the same tested concentration than subordinate males (reproductively suppressed, greater feeding and growth rates). Mouth brooding females, which are in a period of starvation while they brood fry in their mouths, had greater EOG magnitudes in response to amino acids at the same tested concentration than both recovering and gravid females that are feeding. Discriminant function analysis on EOG magnitudes also grouped the male (subordinate) and female (recovering, gravid) phenotypes with higher food intake together and distinguished them from brooding females and dominant males. The slope of the initial negative phase of the EOG also showed intra-sexual differences in both sexes. Our results demonstrate that the relationship between olfaction and metabolic state observed in other taxa is conserved to fishes. For the first time, we provide evidence for intra-sexual plasticity in the olfactory response to amino acids that is influenced by fish reproductive, social and metabolic state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexandre A Nikonov
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Julie M Butler
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Karen E Field
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - John Caprio
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
| | - Karen P Maruska
- Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, 202 Life Sciences Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA
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23
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Fatsini E, Carazo I, Chauvigné F, Manchado M, Cerdà J, Hubbard PC, Duncan NJ. Olfactory sensitivity of the marine flatfish Solea senegalensis to conspecific body fluids. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 220:2057-2065. [PMID: 28348043 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.150318] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2016] [Accepted: 03/21/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Chemical communication is better understood in freshwater fish than marine fish. The Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) is a marine flatfish wherein one of the problems in aquaculture is the poor reproductive performance of hatchery-bred males. Is chemical communication involved in the reproduction of this species? Urine, intestinal fluid and mucus samples were taken from adult fish (wild-caught and hatchery-bred) over the spawning season (March-May), and assessed for olfactory potency using the electro-olfactogram (EOG). The effect of stimulation of the olfactory system with adult female urine on circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels was also tested in males. Intestinal fluid and urine were potent olfactory stimuli for both juvenile and adult conspecifics, evoking large-amplitude, concentration-dependent EOG responses, with thresholds of detection at approximately 1:106 However, the amplitude of the response to urine depended on the sex and state of maturity of both the donor and the receiver. Most olfactory activity could be extracted by C18 solid-phase cartridges. Urine from mature females evoked a slight, but significant, increase in circulating LH levels in mature males 30 min after exposure. Furthermore, the olfactory potency of urine differed between wild-caught and hatchery-bred fish; however, contrary to expectations, urine from wild-caught females was less potent than that from hatchery-bred females. Taken together, these results strongly suggest that faeces- and urine-released odorants are involved in reproduction in the Senegalese sole, and establish a basis for further investigation into pheromonal communication in marine teleosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elvira Fatsini
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
| | - Ignacio Carazo
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
| | - François Chauvigné
- IRTA-Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Manuel Manchado
- IFAPA Centro El Toruño, Junta de Andalucía, Camino Tiro Pichón s/n, 11500 El Puerto Santa María, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Joan Cerdà
- IRTA-Institut de Ciències del Mar, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), Barcelona 08003, Spain
| | - Peter C Hubbard
- Centre of Marine Sciences (CCMAR), Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
| | - Neil J Duncan
- IRTA Sant Carles de la Ràpita Crta, De Poble Nou km. 5.5 (43540) Sant Carles de la Ràpita, Tarragona, Spain
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