Prolactin177, prolactin188 and prolactin receptor 2 in the pituitary of the euryhaline tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, are differentially osmosensitive

Temperature modulates the osmosensitivity of tilapia prolactin cells

In euryhaline fish, prolactin (Prl) plays an essential role in freshwater (FW) acclimation. In the euryhaline and eurythermal Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, Prl cells are model osmoreceptors, recently described to be thermosensitive. To investigate the effects of temperature on osmoreception, we incubated Prl cells of tilapia acclimated to either FW or seawater (SW) in different combinations of temperatures (20, 26 and 32 °C) and osmolalities (280, 330 and 420 mOsm/kg) for 6 h. Release of both Prl isoforms, Prl188 and Prl177, increased in hyposmotic media and were further augmented with a rise in temperature. Hyposmotically-induced release of Prl188, but not Prl177, was suppressed at 20 °C. In SW fish, mRNA expression of prl188 increased with rising temperatures at lower osmolalities, while and prl177 decreased at 32 °C and higher osmolalities. In Prl cells of SW-acclimated tilapia incubated in hyperosmotic media, the expressions of Prl receptors, prlr1 and prlr2, and the stretch-activated Ca2+ channel, trpv4,decreased at 32 °C, suggesting the presence of a cellular mechanism to compensate for elevated Prl release. Transcription factors, pou1f1, pou2f1b, creb3l1, cebpb, stat3, stat1a and nfat1c, known to regulate prl188 and prl177, were also downregulated at 32 °C. Our findings provide evidence that osmoreception is modulated by temperature, and that both thermal and osmotic responses vary with acclimation salinity.

Osmosensitive transcription factors in the prolactin cell of a euryhaline teleost

In euryhaline fish, prolactin (Prl) plays a key role in freshwater acclimation. Prl release in the rostral pars distalis (RPD) of the pituitary is directly stimulated by a fall in extracellular osmolality. Recently, we identified several putative transcription factor modules (TFM) predicted to bind to the promoter regions of the two prl isoforms in Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. We characterized the effects of extracellular osmolality on the activation of these TFMs from RPDs, in vivo and in vitro. OCT1_PIT1 01, CEBP_CEBP 01 and BRNF_RXRF 01 were significantly activated in freshwater (FW)- acclimated tilapia RPDs while SORY_PAX3 02 and SP1F_SP1F 06, SP1F_SP1F 09 were significantly activated in seawater (SW)- counterparts. Short-term incubation of SW- acclimated tilapia RPDs in hyposmotic media (280 mOsm/kg) resulted in activation of CAAT_AP1F 01, OCT1_CEBP 01, AP1F_SMAD 01, GATA_SP1F 01, SORY_PAX6 01 and CREB_EBOX 02, EBOX_AP2F 01, EBOX_MITF 01 while hyperosmotic media (420 mOsm/kg) activated SORY_PAX3 02 and AP1F_SMAD 01 in FW- tilapia. Short-term incubation of dispersed Prl cells from FW- acclimated fish exposed to hyperosmotic conditions decreased pou1f1, pou2f1b, stat3, stat1a and ap1b1 expression, while pou1f1, pou2f1b, and stat3 were inversely related to osmolality in their SW- counterparts. Further, in Prl cells of SW- tilapia, creb3l1 was suppressed in hyposmotic media. Collectively, our results indicate that multiple TFMs are involved in regulating prl transcription at different acclimation salinities and, together, they modulate responses of Prl cells to changes in extracellular osmolality. These responses reflect the complexity of osmosensitive molecular regulation of the osmoreceptive Prl cell of a euryhaline teleost.

Temperature modulates the osmosensitivity of tilapia prolactin cells

In euryhaline fish, prolactin (Prl) plays an essential role in freshwater (FW) acclimation. In the euryhaline and eurythermal Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, Prl cells are model osmoreceptors, recently described to be thermosensitive. To investigate the effects of temperature on osmoreception, we incubated Prl cells of tilapia acclimated to either FW or seawater (SW) in different temperature (20, 26 and 32°C) and osmolality (280, 330 and 420 mOsm/kg) combinations for 6 h. Release of both Prl isoforms, Prl188 and Prl177, increased in hyposmotic media and were further augmented with a rise in temperature. Hyposmotically-induced release of Prl188 was inhibited at 20°C. In SW fish, mRNA expression of prl188 and prl177 showed direct and inverse relationships with temperature, respectively. In SW-acclimated tilapia Prl cells incubated in hyperosmotic media, Prl receptors, prlr1 and prlr2, and the stretch-activated Ca2+ channel, trpv4, were inhibited at 32°C, suggesting the presence of a cellular mechanism to compensate for elevated Prl release. Transcription factors, pou1f1, pou2f1b, creb3l1, cebpb, stat3, stat1a and nfat1c, known to regulate prl188 and prl177, were also downregulated at 32°C. Our findings provide evidence that osmoreception is modulated by temperature, and that both thermal and osmotic responses vary with acclimation salinity.

Endocrine and osmoregulatory responses to tidally-changing salinities in fishes

Salinity is one of the main physical properties that govern the distribution of fishes across aquatic habitats. In order to maintain their body fluids near osmotic set points in the face of salinity changes, euryhaline fishes rely upon tissue-level osmotically-induced responses and systemic endocrine signaling to direct adaptive ion-transport processes in the gill and other critical osmoregulatory organs. Some euryhaline teleosts inhabit tidally influenced waters such as estuaries where salinity can vary between fresh water (FW) and seawater (SW). The physiological adaptations that underlie euryhalinity in teleosts have been traditionally identified in fish held under steady-state conditions or following unidirectional transfers between FW and SW. Far fewer studies have employed salinity regimes that simulate the tidal cycles that some euryhaline fishes may experience in their native habitats. With an emphasis on prolactin (Prl) signaling and branchial ionocytes, this mini-review contrasts the physiological responses between euryhaline fish responding to tidal versus unidirectional changes in salinity. Three patterns that emerged from studying Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) subjected to tidally-changing salinities include, 1) fish can compensate for continuous and marked changes in external salinity to maintain osmoregulatory parameters within narrow ranges, 2) tilapia maintain branchial ionocyte populations in a fashion similar to SW-acclimated fish, and 3) there is a shift from systemic to local modulation of Prl signaling.

Age-Dependent Decline in Salinity Tolerance in a Euryhaline Fish

Euryhaline teleost fish are characterized by their ability to tolerate a wide range of environmental salinities by modifying the function of osmoregulatory cells and tissues. In this study, we experimentally addressed the age-related decline in the sensitivity of osmoregulatory transcripts associated with a transfer from fresh water (FW) to seawater (SW) in the euryhaline teleost, Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus. The survival rates of tilapia transferred from FW to SW were inversely related with age, indicating that older fish require a longer acclimation period during a salinity challenge. The relative expression of Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl⁻ cotransporter 1a (nkcc1a), which plays an important role in hyposmoregulation, was significantly upregulated in younger fish after SW transfer, indicating a clear effect of age in the sensitivity of branchial ionocytes. Prolactin (Prl), a hyperosmoregulatory hormone in O. mossambicus, is released in direct response to a fall in extracellular osmolality. Prl cells of 4-month-old tilapia were sensitive to hyposmotic stimuli, while those of >24-month-old fish did not respond. Moreover, the responsiveness of branchial ionocytes to Prl was more robust in younger fish. Taken together, multiple aspects of osmotic homeostasis, from osmoreception to hormonal and environmental control of osmoregulation, declined in older fish. This decline appears to undermine the ability of older fish to survive transfer to hyperosmotic environments.

Tilapia prolactin cells are thermosensitive osmoreceptors

Prolactin (PRL) cells within the rostral pars distalis (RPD) of euryhaline and eurythermal Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, rapidly respond to a hyposmotic stimulus by releasing two distinct PRL isoforms, PRL₁₈₈ and PRL₁₇₇. Here, we describe how environmentally relevant temperature changes affected mRNA levels of PRL₁₈₈ and PRL₁₇₇ and the release of immunoreactive prolactins from RPDs and dispersed PRL cells. When applied under isosmotic conditions (330 mOsm/kg), a 6 °C rise in temperature stimulated the release of PRL₁₈₈ and PRL₁₇₇ from both RPDs and dispersed PRL cells under perifusion. When exposed to this same change in temperature, ~50% of dispersed PRL cells gradually increased in volume by ~8%, a response partially inhibited by the water channel blocker, mercuric chloride. Following their response to increased temperature, PRL cells remained responsive to a hyposmotic stimulus (280 mOsm/kg). The mRNA expression of transient potential vanilloid 4, a Ca²⁺-channel involved in hyposomotically-induced PRL release, was elevated in response to a rise in temperature in dispersed PRL cells and RPDs at 6 and 24 h, respectively; prl₁₈₈ and prl₁₇₇ mRNAs were unaffected. Our findings indicate that thermosensitive PRL release is mediated, at least partially, through a cell-volume dependent pathway similar to how osmoreceptive PRL release is achieved.

Regulation of thyroid hormones and branchial iodothyronine deiodinases during freshwater acclimation in tilapia

Euryhaline fishes are capable of maintaining osmotic homeostasis in a wide range of environmental salinities. Several pleiotropic hormones, including prolactin, growth hormone, and thyroid hormones (THs) are mediators of salinity acclimation. It is unclear, however, the extent to which THs and the pituitary-thyroid axis promote the adaptive responses of key osmoregulatory organs to freshwater (FW) environments. In the current study, we characterized circulating thyroxine (T4) and 3-3'-5-triiodothyronine (T3) levels in parallel with the outer ring deiodination (ORD) activities of deiodinases (dios) and mRNA expression of dio1, dio2, and dio3 in gill during the acclimation of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) to FW. Tilapia transferred from seawater (SW) to FW exhibited reduced plasma T4 and T3 levels at 6 h. These reductions coincided with an increase in branchial dio2-like activity and decreased branchial dio1 gene expression. To assess whether dios respond to osmotic conditions and/or systemic signals, gill filaments were exposed to osmolalities ranging from 280 to 450 mOsm/kg in an in vitro incubation system. Gene expression of branchial dio1, dio2, and dio3 was not directly affected by extracellular osmotic conditions. Lastly, we observed that dio1 and dio2 expression was stimulated by thyroid-stimulating hormone in hypophysectomized tilapia, suggesting that branchial TH metabolism is regulated by systemic signals. Our collective findings suggest that THs are involved in the FW acclimation of Mozambique tilapia through their interactions with branchial deiodinases that modulate their activities in a key osmoregulatory organ.

Transcriptomic responses of saline-adapted Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) to rearing in both saline and freshwater

The Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus, is an important species for global aquaculture. Recently, a single genetic line of Nile tilapia was developed using estimated breeding values (EBVs) for body weight under moderately saline water that showed significant improvement in growth performance. To explore the molecular mechanisms underlying this enhanced growth capacity, RNA-Seq was used to profile differences in gene expression in the liver and pituitary gland of high- and low-growth performance families of male Nile tilapia progeny, reared in either saline or freshwater environments. Comparisons of tissues from high- and low-EBV families, and also between fish reared in either saline or freshwater, revealed 142 and 2208 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), respectively. DEGs identified between the EBV groups comprised a number of genes involved in the regulation of growth and reproduction. We found an overexpression of hormone genes involved in growth-inhibition in the pituitary of Low-EBV tilapia including 2 somatostatin genes (GHIH), corticoliberin (CRH) and tachykinin-3-like protein. Furthermore, several genes associated with the cAMP pathway were underexpressed in low-EBV tilapia pituitary together with several early response genes. This study provides insight into the transcriptomic factors associated with growth performance in saline-adapted Nile tilapia reared in environments with high and low salinity levels and provides valuable knowledge for the future development of selection strategies to improve growth performance in this species.

Inter-individual variability in freshwater tolerance is related to transcript level differences in gill and posterior kidney of European sea bass

Acclimation to low salinities is a vital physiological challenge for euryhaline fish as the European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax. This species undertakes seasonal migrations towards lagoons and estuaries where a wide range of salinity variations occur along the year. We have previously reported intraspecific differences in freshwater tolerance, with an average 30% mortality rate. In this study, we bring new evidence of mechanisms underlying freshwater tolerance in sea bass at gill and kidney levels. In fresh water (FW), intraspecific differences in mRNA expression levels of several ion transporters and prolactin receptors were measured. We showed that the branchial Cl^-/HCO₃^- anion transporter (slc26a6c) was over-expressed in freshwater intolerant fish, probably as a compensatory response to low blood chloride levels and potential metabolic alkalosis. Moreover, prolactin receptor a (prlra) and Na⁺/Cl^- cotransporter (ncc1) but not ncc-2a expression seemed to be slightly increased and highly variable between individuals in freshwater intolerant fish. In the posterior kidney, freshwater intolerant fish exhibited differential expression levels of slc26 anion transporters and Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^- cotransporter 1b (nkcc1b). Lower expression levels of prolactin receptors (prlra, prlrb) were measured in posterior kidney which probably contributes to the failure in ion reuptake at the kidney level. Freshwater intolerance seems to be a consequence of renal failure of ion reabsorption, which is not sufficiently compensated at the branchial level.

Cloning and molecular characterization of PRL and PRLR from turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) and their expressions in response to short-term and long-term low salt stress

The pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL) regulates salt and water homeostasis by altering ion retention and water uptake through peripheral osmoregulatory organs. To understand the role of PRL and its receptor (PRLR) in hypoosmoregulation of turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), we characterized the PRL and PRLR gene and analyzed the tissue distribution of the two genes and their gene transcriptional patterns in the main expressed tissues under long-term and short-term low salt stress. The PRL cDNA is 1486 bp in length, incorporating an ORF of 636 bp with a putative primary structure of 211 residues. And the PRLR cDNA is 2849 bp in length, incorporating an ORF of 1944 bp with a putative primary structure of 647 residues. The deduced amino acid sequences of these two genes shared highly conserved structures with those from other teleosts. Quantitative real-time PCR results showed that PRL transcripts were strongly expressed in the pituitary and very weakly in brain, but were hardly expressed in other tissues. PRLR transcripts were most abundant in the kidney, to a lesser extent in the gill, intestine, brain, and spleen, and at low levels in the pituitary and other tissues examined. The expression of PRL in the pituitary increased after short-term or long-term low salt stress, and the highest expression level appeared 12 h after stress (P < 0.05). And there is no significant difference between both low salt group (5 ppt and 10 ppt) at each sampling point. The variation of PRLR expression in gill under short-term low salt stress is similar to that of PRL gene in pituitary, with highest value in 12 h (P < 0.05). However, the expression under long-term low salt stress was significantly higher than control group even than 12 h group under 5 ppt (P < 0.05). The expression of PRLR in the kidney increased first and then decreased after low salt stress, and the highest value also appeared in 12 h after stress and there was no significant difference between the salinity groups. After long-term low salt stress, the expression level also increased significantly (P < 0.05), but it was flat with 24 h, which was lower than 12 h. The variation of PRLR expression in the intestine was basically consistent with that in the kidney. The difference was that the expression level of 24 h after stress in the 5 ppt group was significantly higher than that of the 10 ppt group (P < 0.05). After a comprehensive analysis of the expression levels of the two genes, it can be found that the expression level increased and peaked at 12 h after short-term low salt stress, indicating that this time point is the key point for the regulation of turbot in response to low salt stress. This also provides very important information for studying the osmotic regulation of turbot. In addition, our results also showed that the expression of PRLR was stable in the kidney and intestine after long-term low salt stress, while the expression in the gill was much higher than short-term stress. It suggested that PRL and its receptors mainly exert osmotic regulation function in the gill under long-term low salt stress. At the same time, such a result also brings a hint for the low salt selection of turbot, focusing on the regulation of ion transport in the gill.

Changes in PRL Gene Expression During Upstream Movement of the Japanese Eel, Anguilla japonica

Changes in mRNA levels of prolactin (PRL) during upstream movement were examined in juvenile Japanese eels, Anguilla japonica. Glass eels and elvers were collected from 2007 to 2009 near the entrance of Hamana Lake, and in a small inflowing stream, the Egawa River. Quantification of mRNA was performed by real-time PCR and expressed as whole-body content. PRL mRNA levels of glass eels caught in the coastal zone and tidal area were low. Eels that moved downward in the tidal zone and migrated upstream to enter into freshwater showed increased levels of PRL mRNA. These changes suggest the importance of up-regulation of PRL gene expression in juvenile eels during their upstream movement from seawater to fresh water, particularly in relation to hyperosmoregulation.

Systemic versus tissue-level prolactin signaling in a teleost during a tidal cycle

Euryhaline Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) are native to estuaries where they encounter tidal fluctuations in environmental salinity. These fluctuations can be dramatic, subjecting individuals to salinities characteristic of fresh water (FW < 0.5‰) and seawater (SW 35‰) within a single tidal cycle. In the current study, we reared tilapia under a tidal regimen that simulated the dynamic conditions of their native habitat. Tilapia were sampled every 3 h over a 24 h period to temporally resolve how prolactin (PRL) signaling is modulated in parallel with genes encoding branchial effectors of osmoregulation. The following parameters were measured: plasma osmolality, plasma PRL₁₇₇ and PRL₁₈₈ concentrations, pituitary prl₁₇₇ and prl₁₈₈ gene expression, and branchial prl receptor (prlr1 and prlr2), Na⁺/Cl^--cotransporter (ncc2), Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^--cotransporter (nkcc1a), Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (nkaα1a and nkaα1b), cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (cftr), and aquaporin 3 (aqp3) gene expression. Throughout the 24 h sampling period, plasma osmolality reflected whether tilapia were sampled during the FW or SW phases of the tidal cycle, whereas pituitary prl gene expression and plasma PRL levels remained stable. Branchial patterns of ncc2, nkcc1a, nkaα1a, nkaα1b, cftr, and aqp3 gene expression indicated that fish exposed to tidally changing salinities regulate the expression of these gene transcripts in a similar fashion as fish held under static SW conditions. By contrast, branchial prlr1 and prlr2 levels were highly labile throughout the tidal cycle. We conclude that local (branchial) regulation of endocrine signaling underlies the capacity of euryhaline fishes, such as Mozambique tilapia, to thrive under dynamic salinity conditions.

The effects of transfer from steady-state to tidally-changing salinities on plasma and branchial osmoregulatory variables in adult Mozambique tilapia

The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, is a teleost fish native to estuarine waters that vary in salinity between fresh water (FW) and seawater (SW). The neuroendocrine system plays a key role in salinity acclimation by directing ion uptake and extrusion in osmoregulatory tissues such as gill. While most studies with O. mossambicus have focused on acclimation to steady-state salinities, less is known about the ability of adult fish to acclimate to dynamically-changing salinities. Plasma osmolality, prolactin (PRL) levels, and branchial gene expression of PRL receptors (PRLR1 and PRLR2), Na⁺/Cl^- and Na⁺/K⁺/2Cl^- co-transporters (NCC and NKCC), Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKAα1a and NKAα1b), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) were measured in fish reared in FW and SW steady-state salinities, in a tidal regimen (TR) where salinities changed between FW and SW every six hours, and in fish transferred from FW or SW to TR. Regardless of rearing regimen, plasma osmolality was higher in fish in SW than in FW fish, while plasma PRL was lower in fish in SW. Furthermore, branchial gene expression of effectors of ion transport in TR fish showed greater similarity to those in steady-state SW fish than in FW fish. By seven days of transfer from steady-state FW or SW to TR, plasma osmolality, plasma PRL and branchial expression of effectors of ion transport were similar to those of fish reared in TR since larval stages. These findings demonstrate the ability of adult tilapia reared in steady-state salinities to successfully acclimate to dynamically-changing salinities. Moreover, the present findings suggest that early exposure to salinity changes does not significantly improve survivability in future challenge with dynamically-changing salinities.

Acute salinity tolerance and the control of two prolactins and their receptors in the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) and Mozambique tilapia (O. mossambicus): A comparative study

Osmoregulation in vertebrates is largely controlled by the neuroendocrine system. Prolactin (PRL) is critical for the survival of euryhaline teleosts in fresh water by promoting ion retention. In the euryhaline Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus), pituitary PRL cells release two PRL isoforms, PRL₁₈₈ and PRL₁₇₇, in response to a fall in extracellular osmolality. Both PRLs function via two PRL receptors (PRLRs) denoted PRLR1 and PRLR2. We conducted a comparative study using the Nile tilapia (O. niloticus), a close relative of Mozambique tilapia that is less tolerant to increases in environmental salinity, to investigate the regulation of PRLs and PRLRs upon acute hyperosmotic challenges in vivo and in vitro. We hypothesized that differences in the regulation of PRLs and PRLRs underlie the variation in salinity tolerance of tilapias within the genus Oreochromis. When transferred from fresh water to brackish water (20‰), Nile tilapia increased plasma osmolality and decreased circulating PRLs, especially PRL₁₇₇, to a greater extent than Mozambique tilapia. In dispersed PRL cell incubations, the release of both PRLs was less sensitive to variations in medium osmolality in Nile tilapia than in Mozambique tilapia. By contrast, increases in pituitary and branchial prlr2 gene expression in response to a rise in extracellular osmolality were more pronounced in Nile tilapia relative to its congener, both in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results support the conclusion that inter-specific differences in salinity tolerance between the two tilapia congeners are tied, at least in part, to the distinct responses of both PRLs and their receptors to osmotic stimuli.

clc-2c is regulated by salinity, prolactin and extracellular osmolality in tilapia gill

Teleosts inhabiting fresh water (FW) depend upon ion-absorptive ionocytes to counteract diffusive ion losses to the external environment. A Clc Cl^- channel family member, Clc-2c, was identified as a conduit for basolateral Cl^- transport by Na⁺/Cl^- cotransporter 2 (Ncc2)-expressing ionocytes in stenohaline zebrafish (Danio rerio). It is unresolved whether Clc-2c/clc-2c is expressed in euryhaline species and how extrinsic and/or intrinsic factors modulate branchial clc-2c mRNA. Here, we investigated whether environmental salinity, prolactin (Prl) and osmotic conditions modulate clc-2c expression in euryhaline Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). Branchial clc-2c and ncc2 mRNAs were enhanced in tilapia transferred from seawater (SW) to FW, whereas both mRNAs were attenuated upon transfer from FW to SW. Next, we injected hypophysectomized tilapia with ovine prolactin (oPrl) and observed a marked increase in clc-2c from saline-injected controls. To determine whether Prl regulates clc-2c in a gill-autonomous fashion, we incubated gill filaments in the presence of homologous tilapia Prls (tPrl₁₇₇ and tPrl₁₈₈). By 24 h, tPrl₁₈₈ stimulated clc-2c expression ~5-fold from controls. Finally, filaments incubated in media ranging from 280 to 450 mosmol/kg for 3 and 6 h revealed that extracellular osmolality exerts a local effect on clc-2c expression; clc-2c was diminished by hyperosmotic conditions (450 mosmol/kg) compared with isosmotic controls (330 mosmol/kg). Our collective results suggest that hormonal and osmotic control of branchial clc-2c contributes to the FW adaptability of Mozambique tilapia. Moreover, we identify for the first time a regulatory link between Prl and a Clc Cl^- channel in a vertebrate.

Autocrine Positive Feedback Regulation of Prolactin Release From Tilapia Prolactin Cells and Its Modulation by Extracellular Osmolality

Prolactin (PRL) is a vertebrate hormone with diverse actions in osmoregulation, metabolism, reproduction, and in growth and development. Osmoregulation is fundamental to maintaining the functional structure of the macromolecules that conduct the business of life. In teleost fish, PRL plays a critical role in osmoregulation in fresh water. Appropriately, PRL cells of the tilapia are directly osmosensitive, with PRL secretion increasing as extracellular osmolality falls. Using a model system that employs dispersed PRL cells from the euryhaline teleost fish, Oreochromis mossambicus, we investigated the autocrine regulation of PRL cell function. Unknown was whether these PRL cells might also be sensitive to autocrine feedback and whether possible autocrine regulation might interact with the well-established regulation by physiologically relevant changes in extracellular osmolality. In the cell-perfusion system, ovine PRL and two isoforms of tilapia PRL (tPRL), tPRL177 and tPRL188, stimulated the release of tPRLs from the dispersed PRL cells. These effects were significant within 5-10 minutes and lasted the entire course of exposure, ceasing within 5-10 minutes of removal of tested PRLs from the perifusion medium. The magnitude of response varied between tPRL177 and tPRL188 and was modulated by extracellular osmolality. On the other hand, the gene expression of tPRLs was mainly unchanged or suppressed by static incubations of PRL cells with added PRLs. By demonstrating the regulatory complexity driven by positive autocrine feedback and its interaction with osmotic stimuli, these findings expand upon the knowledge that pituitary PRL cells are regulated complexly through multiple factors and interactions.

Prolactin 177, prolactin 188, and extracellular osmolality independently regulate the gene expression of ion transport effectors in gill of Mozambique tilapia

This study characterized the local effects of extracellular osmolality and prolactin (PRL) on branchial ionoregulatory function of a euryhaline teleost, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus). First, gill filaments were dissected from freshwater (FW)-acclimated tilapia and incubated in four different osmolalities, 280, 330, 380, and 450 mosmol/kg H2O. The mRNA expression of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase α1a (NKA α1a) and Na(+)/Cl(-) cotransporter (NCC) showed higher expression with decreasing media osmolalities, while Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) cotransporter 1a (NKCC1a) and PRL receptor 2 (PRLR2) mRNA levels were upregulated by increases in media osmolality. We then incubated gill filaments in media containing ovine PRL (oPRL) and native tilapia PRLs (tPRL177 and tPRL188). oPRL and the two native tPRLs showed concentration-dependent effects on NCC, NKAα1a, and PRLR1 expression; Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) expression was increased by 24 h of incubation with tPRLs. Immunohistochemical observation showed that oPRL and both tPRLs maintained a high density of NCC- and NKA-immunoreactive ionocytes in cultured filaments. Furthermore, we found that tPRL177 and tPRL188 differentially induce expression of these ion transporters, according to incubation time. Together, these results provide evidence that ionocytes of Mozambique tilapia may function as osmoreceptors, as well as directly respond to PRL to modulate branchial ionoregulatory functions.

In vivo and in vitro effects of high-K(+) stress on branchial expression of ROMKa in seawater-acclimated Mozambique tilapia

Recently, a teleost ortholog of renal outer medullary K(+) channel (ROMK) expressed in gill ionocytes (ROMKa) has emerged as a primary K(+)-excreting pathway in fish. However, the mechanisms by which ROMKa expression is regulated in response to perturbations of plasma K(+) levels are unknown. In this study, we aimed to identify potential links between the endocrine system and K(+) regulation in a euryhaline fish. We assessed time-course changes in multiple endocrine parameters, including plasma cortisol and gene expression of branchial glucocorticoid and mineralocorticoid receptors (GR1, GR2, and MR) and pituitary hormones, in seawater (SW)-acclimated Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) exposed to high-K(+) (H-K) SW. Exposure to H-K SW elicited little effects on plasma cortisol or mRNA levels of GRs and pituitary hormones. Since plasma K(+) and branchial ROMKa expression was increased within 6h after H-K treatment in vivo, the effect of high K(+) was subsequently tested in a gill filament incubation experiment using media with differing K(+) concentrations. ROMKa mRNA levels were induced following incubation of filaments in H-K medium for 6h. The present study is the first to demonstrate that the expression of ROMKa in teleost ionocytes can respond to high K(+) conditions independent from systemic signaling.

The effects of acute salinity challenges on osmoregulation in Mozambique tilapia reared in a tidally changing salinity

This study characterizes the differences in osmoregulatory capacity among Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, reared in freshwater (FW), in seawater (SW) or under tidally driven changes in salinity. This was addressed through the use of an abrupt exposure to a change in salinity. We measured changes in: (1) plasma osmolality and prolactin (PRL) levels; (2) pituitary expression of prolactin (PRL) and its receptors, PRLR1 and PRLR2; (3) branchial expression of PRLR1, PRLR2, Na(+)/Cl(-) co-transporter (NCC), Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) co-transporter (NKCC), α1a and α1b isoforms of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA), cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3). Mozambique tilapia reared in a tidal environment successfully adapted to SW while fish reared in FW did not survive a transfer to SW beyond the 6 h sampling. With the exception of CFTR, the change in the expression of ion pumps, transporters and channels was more gradual in fish transferred from tidally changing salinities to SW than in fish transferred from FW to SW. Upon transfer to SW, the increase in CFTR expression was more robust in tidal fish than in FW fish. Tidal and SW fish successfully adapted when transferred to FW. These results suggest that Mozambique tilapia reared in a tidally changing salinity, a condition that more closely represents their natural history, gain an adaptive advantage compared with fish reared in FW when facing a hyperosmotic challenge.

Prolactin stimulates sodium and chloride ion channels in A6 renal epithelial cells

Many hormonal pathways contribute to the regulation of renal epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) function, a key process for maintaining blood volume and controlling blood pressure. In the present study, we examined whether the peptide hormone prolactin (PRL) regulates ENaC function in renal epithelial cells (A6). Basolateral application of several different concentrations of PRL dramatically stimulated the transepithelial current in A6 cells, increasing both amiloride-sensitive (ENaC) and amiloride-insensitive currents. Using cell-attached patch clamp, we determined that PRL increased both the number (N) and open probability (Po) of ENaC present in the apical membrane. Inhibition of PKA with H-89 abolished the effect of PRL on amiloride-sensitive and insensitive transepithelial currents and eliminated the increase in ENaC NPo with PRL exposure. PRL also increased cAMP in A6 cells, consistent with signaling through the cAMP-dependent PKA pathway. We also identified that PRL induced activity of a 2-pS anion channel with outward rectification, electrophysiological properties consistent with ClC4 or ClC5. RT-PCR only detected ClC4, but not ClC5 transcripts. Here, we show for the first time that PRL activates sodium and chloride transport in renal epithelial cells via ENaC and ClC4.

The role of osmotic stress transcription factor 1 in fishes

Osmotic stress transcription factor 1 (Ostf1) was first discovered by subtractive hybridization in the gills of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) transferred from fresh water (FW) to seawater (SW). It is a putative transcriptional regulator and the “early hyperosmotic regulated protein”. In the 2 hours after FW to SW transfer, ostf1 mRNA levels increase six fold. It is believed that, as a fast-response gene, Ostf1 plays a critical role in fish osmoregulation. Since its discovery, numerous studies have been performed to understand the nature and osmoregulatory mechanism of Ostf1. A decade has passed since the discovery of Ostf1, and it is a good time to summarize our current understanding of this gene. Different fish models have been used to study Ostf1, which is not limited to the traditional euryhaline fishes, such as eels and tilapia. Ostf1 can be found in modern fish models such as medaka and zebrafish. This review covers and summarizes the findings from different fishes, and provides a perspective for future Ostf1 studies.

The osmoregulatory effects of rearing Mozambique tilapia in a tidally changing salinity

The native distribution of Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, is characterized by estuarine areas subject to salinity variations between fresh water (FW) and seawater (SW) with tidal frequency. Osmoregulation in the face of changing environmental salinity is largely mediated through the neuroendocrine system and involves the activation of ion uptake and extrusion mechanisms in osmoregulatory tissues. We compared plasma osmolality, plasma prolactin (PRL), pituitary PRL mRNA, and mRNA of branchial ion pumps, transporters, channels, and PRL receptors in tilapia reared in FW, SW, brackish water (BW) and in tidally-changing salinity, which varied between FW (TF) and SW (TS) every 6h. Plasma PRL was higher in FW tilapia than in SW, BW, TF, and TS tilapia. Unlike tilapia reared in FW or SW, fish in salinities that varied tidally showed no correlation between plasma osmolality and PRL. In FW fish, gene expression of PRL receptor 1 (PRLR1), Na(+)/Cl(-) cotransporter (NCC), aquaporin 3 (AQP3) and two isoforms of Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase (NKA α1a and NKA α1b) was higher than that of SW, BW or tidally-changing salinity fish. Gene expression of the Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1a), and the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) were higher in fish in SW, BW or a tidally-changing salinity than in FW fish. Immunocytochemistry revealed that ionocytes of fish in tidally-changing salinities resemble ionocytes of SW fish. This study indicated that tilapia reared in a tidally-changing salinity can compensate for large changes in external osmolality while maintaining osmoregulatory parameters within a narrow range closer to that observed in SW-acclimated fish.

Prolactin is a major inhibitor of hepatic Leptin A synthesis and secretion: studies utilizing a homologous Leptin A ELISA in the tilapia

The present study identifies regulatory interactions between leptin A (LepA) and the pituitary hormone prolactin (PRL). In order to measure tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) LepA, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) utilizing a rabbit polyclonal antibody specific to tilapia LepA was first developed. The antibody shows strong cross reactivity to recombinant tilapia LepA (rtLepA), and a corresponding 16kDa protein in both tilapia and striped bass plasma, but not to recombinant human leptin (rhLep). The assay has a linear detection range of 0.25-1000nM, with intra- and interassay variability of 9% and 16%, respectively. Plasma LepA levels measured in tilapia ranged from 0.8 to 3.9nM, similar to that found for other vertebrates. Hypophysectomy (Hx) increased circulating LepA and lepa mRNA levels in the liver, the dominant source of hormone production. Adminstration of ovine PRL (oPRL, 5μg/g BW) to Hx fish restored circulating LepA and hepatic lepa mRNA levels to those of control fish. Additionally, oPRL reduced lepa mRNA levels in a dose-dependent fashion in cultured hepatocytes following an 18h incubation. Previous work in our lab indicates that rhLep stimulates PRL release in vitro from tilapia pituitaries. Here, both rtLepA and rhLep (0.5μg/g BW) increased mRNA expression of tilapia prolactin mRNAs (prl1, prl2) in the pituitary in vivo. These results demonstrate that LepA enhances pituitary prolactin synthesis and release, while PRL in turn inhibits hepatic leptin secretion and synthesis in teleosts. We postulate this regulatory interaction may be necessary for mobilizing energy reserves during acute hyperosmotic adaptation.

Effects of salinity and prolactin on gene transcript levels of ion transporters, ion pumps and prolactin receptors in Mozambique tilapia intestine

Euryhaline teleosts are faced with significant challenges during changes in salinity. Osmoregulatory responses to salinity changes are mediated through the neuroendocrine system which directs osmoregulatory tissues to modulate ion transport. Prolactin (PRL) plays a major role in freshwater (FW) osmoregulation by promoting ion uptake in osmoregulatory tissues, including intestine. We measured mRNA expression of ion pumps, Na(+)/K(+)-ATPase α3-subunit (NKAα3) and vacuolar type H(+)-ATPase A-subunit (V-ATPase A-subunit); ion transporters/channels, Na(+)/K(+)/2Cl(-) co-transporter (NKCC2) and cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR); and the two PRL receptors, PRLR1 and PRLR2 in eleven intestinal segments of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) acclimated to FW or seawater (SW). Gene expression levels of NKAα3, V-ATPase A-subunit, and NKCC2 were generally lower in middle segments of the intestine, whereas CFTR mRNA was most highly expressed in anterior intestine of FW-fish. In both FW- and SW-acclimated fish, PRLR1 was most highly expressed in the terminal segment of the intestine, whereas PRLR2 was generally most highly expressed in anterior intestinal segments. While NKCC2, NKAα3 and PRLR2 mRNA expression was higher in the intestinal segments of SW-acclimated fish, CFTR mRNA expression was higher in FW-fish; PRLR1 and V-ATPase A-subunit mRNA expression was similar between FW- and SW-acclimated fish. Next, we characterized the effects of hypophysectomy (Hx) and PRL replacement on the expression of intestinal transcripts. Hypophysectomy reduced both NKCC2 and CFTR expression in particular intestinal segments; however, only NKCC2 expression was restored by PRL replacement. Together, these findings describe how both acclimation salinity and PRL impact transcript levels of effectors of ion transport in tilapia intestine.

Effects of salinity on metabolic rate and branchial expression of genes involved in ion transport and metabolism in Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus)

This study investigated the effects of two rearing salinities, and acute salinity transfer, on the energetic costs of osmoregulation and the expression of metabolic and osmoregulatory genes in the gill of Mozambique tilapia. Using automated, intermittent-flow respirometry, measured standard metabolic rates (SMRs) of tilapia reared in seawater (SW, 130 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹) were greater than those reared in fresh water (FW, 103 mg O₂ kg⁻¹ h⁻¹), when normalized to a common mass of 0.05 kg and at 25±1°C. Transfer from FW to 75% SW increased SMR within 18h, to levels similar to SW-reared fish, while transfer from SW to FW decreased SMR to levels similar to FW-reared fish. Branchial gene expression of Na⁺-K⁺-2Cl⁻ cotransporter (NKCC), an indicator of SW-type mitochondria-rich (MR) cells, was positively correlated with SMR, while Na⁺-Cl⁻ cotransporter (NCC), an indicator of FW-type MR cells, was negatively correlated. Principal Components Analysis also revealed that branchial expression of cytochrome c oxidase subunit IV (COX-IV), glycogen phosphorylase (GP), and a putative mitochondrial biogenesis regulator in fish, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), were correlated with a higher SMR, plasma osmolality, and environmental salinity, while expression of glycogen synthase (GS), PGC-1β, and nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) had negative correlations. These results suggest that the energetic costs of osmoregulation are higher in SW than in FW, which may be related to the salinity-dependent differences in osmoregulatory mechanisms found in the gills of Mozambique tilapia.

Effects of acclimation salinity on the expression of selenoproteins in the tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus

Selenoproteins are ubiquitously expressed, act on a variety of physiological redox-related processes, and are mostly regulated by selenium levels in animals. To date, the expression of most selenoproteins has not been verified in euryhaline fish models. The Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, a euryhaline cichlid fish, has a high tolerance for changes in salinity and survives in fresh water (FW) and seawater (SW) environments which differ greatly in selenium availability. In the present study, we searched EST databases for cichlid selenoprotein mRNAs and screened for their differential expression in FW and SW-acclimated tilapia. The expression of mRNAs encoding iodothyronine deiodinases 1, 2 and 3 (Dio1, Dio2, Dio3), Fep15, glutathione peroxidase 2, selenoproteins J, K, L, M, P, S, and W, was measured in the brain, eye, gill, kidney, liver, pituitary, muscle, and intraperitoneal white adipose tissue. Gene expression of selenophosphate synthetase 1, Secp43, and selenocysteine lyase, factors involved in selenoprotein synthesis or in selenium metabolism, were also measured. The highest variation in selenoprotein and synthesis factor mRNA expression between FW- and SW-acclimated fish was found in gill and kidney. While the branchial expression of Dio3 was increased upon transferring tilapia from SW to FW, the inverse effect was observed when fish were transferred from FW to SW. Protein content of Dio3 was higher in fish acclimated to FW than in those acclimated to SW. Together, these results outline tissue distribution of selenoproteins in FW and SW-acclimated tilapia, and indicate that at least Dio3 expression is regulated by environmental salinity.

Endocrine regulation of prolactin cell function and modulation of osmoreception in the Mozambique tilapia

Prolactin (PRL) cells of the Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, are osmoreceptors by virtue of their intrinsic osmosensitivity coupled with their ability to directly regulate hydromineral homeostasis through the actions of PRL. Layered upon this fundamental osmotic reflex is an array of endocrine control of PRL synthesis and secretion. Consistent with its role in fresh water (FW) osmoregulation, PRL release in tilapia increases as extracellular osmolality decreases. The hyposmotically-induced release of PRL can be enhanced or attenuated by a variety of hormones. Prolactin release has been shown to be stimulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), 17-β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH), atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain-natriuretic peptide (BNP), C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP), ventricular natriuretic peptide (VNP), PRL-releasing peptide (PrRP), angiotensin II (ANG II), leptin, insulin-like growth factors (IGFs), ghrelin, and inhibited by somatostatin (SS), urotensin-II (U-II), dopamine, cortisol, ouabain and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). This review is aimed at providing an overview of the hypothalamic and extra-hypothalamic hormones that regulate PRL release in euryhaline Mozambique tilapia, particularly in the context on how they may modulate osmoreception, and mediate the multifunctional actions of PRL. Also considered are the signal transduction pathways through which these secretagogues regulate PRL cell function.

Differential regulation of TRPV4 mRNA levels by acclimation salinity and extracellular osmolality in euryhaline tilapia

Prolactin (PRL) cells of the euryhaline Mozambique tilapia, Oreochromis mossambicus, are osmoreceptors. Hyposmotically-induced PRL release is mediated by the inward movement of extracellular Ca(2+) through a stretch-activated Ca(2+) channel, which has been recently identified as the transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4). In the present study, changes in plasma PRL, as well as PRL and TRPV4 mRNA expression from the rostral pars distalis (RPD), were measured in fish transferred from seawater (SW) to fresh water (FW) and in fish transferred from FW to SW. The in vitro effects of osmolality on PRL release and on PRL and TRPV4 mRNA expression in dispersed PRL cells were compared between fish adapted to SW and FW. Both the release and expression of PRL fell when fish were transferred to SW and rose when fish were transferred to FW. By contrast, TRPV4 expression increased by 48h after fish were transferred from FW to SW and declined as early as 6h after transfer from SW to FW. A similar pattern was observed in vitro where TRPV4 expression responded positively to an increase in medium osmolality while PRL expression declined. Incubation with the Ca(2+) ionophore, A23187, and the phosphodiesterase inhibitor, IBMX, stimulated PRL release. While both IBMX and A23187 inhibited TRPV4 expression, only A23187 reduced PRL expression. Together, these findings indicate that the expression of TRPV4 mRNA is osmosensitive, increasing as extracellular osmolality rises. Furthermore, these data suggest that TRPV4 expression may be regulated through the same second messenger pathways involved in hyposmotically-induced PRL release.