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Xu Q, Ye M, Su Y, Feng L, Zhou L, Xu J, Wang D. Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in male tilapia lacking a functional rln3b gene. Int J Biol Macromol 2024; 270:132165. [PMID: 38729472 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2024.132165] [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: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/05/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Relaxin 3 is a neuropeptide that plays a crucial role in reproductive functions of mammals. Previous studies have confirmed that rln3a plays an important role in the male reproduction of tilapia. To further understand the significance of its paralogous gene rln3b in male fertility, we generated a homozygous mutant line of rln3b in Nile tilapia. Our findings indicated that rln3b mutation delayed spermatogenesis and led to abnormal testes structure. Knocking out rln3b gene resulted in a decrease in sperm count, sperm motility and male fish fertility. TUNEL detection revealed a small amount of apoptosis in the testes of rln3b-/- male fish at 390 days after hatching (dah). RT-qPCR analysis demonstrated that mutation of rln3b gene caused a significant downregulation of steroid synthesis-related genes such as cyp17a1, cyp11b2, germ cell marker gene, Vasa, and gonadal somatic cell marker genes of amh and amhr2. Furthermore, we found a significant down-regulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis-related genes, while a significantly up-regulation of the dopamine synthetase gene in the rln3b-/- male fish. Taken together, our data strongly suggested that Rln3b played a crucial role in the fertility of XY tilapia by regulating HPG axis genes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qinglei Xu
- Fisheries Engineering Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing 100141, China
| | - Maolin Ye
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Yun Su
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Li Feng
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Linyan Zhou
- Fisheries Engineering Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing 100141, China.
| | - Jian Xu
- Fisheries Engineering Institute, Chinese Academy of Fishery Sciences, Beijing 100141, China.
| | - Deshou Wang
- Key Laboratory of Freshwater Fish Reproduction and Development (Ministry of Education), Key Laboratory of Aquatic Science of Chongqing, School of Life Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Li W, Li H, Hu Q, Wang L, Yin Z, Hu G. IGFBP1a is a nutrient deficient response factor that can inhibit fish reproduction through the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis†. Biol Reprod 2024; 110:761-771. [PMID: 38374691 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioae009] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Reproduction is a high energy consuming process, so long-term malnutrition can significantly inhibit gonadal development. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism by which fasting inhibits reproduction. Our present study found that fasting could dramatically induce insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1 (IGFBP1) expression in the liver, hypothalamus, pituitary and ovaries of grass carp. In addition, IGFBP1a in the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis could inhibit the development of gonads. These results indicated that fasting may participate in the regulation of fish gonadal development through the mediation of IGFBP1a. Further studies found that IGFBP1a could markedly inhibit gonadotropin-releasing hormone 3 expressions in hypothalamus cells. At the pituitary level, IGFBP1a could significantly reduce the gonadotropin hormones (LH and FSH) expression by blocking the action of pituitary insulin-like growth factor 1. Interestingly, IGFBP1a could also directly inhibit the expression of lhr, fshr, and sex steroid hormone synthase genes (cyp11a, cyp17a, and cyp19a1) in the ovary. These results indicated that IGFBP1a should be a nutrient deficient response factor that could inhibit fish reproduction through the hypothalamus-pituitary-ovary axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Li
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hangyu Li
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Qiongyao Hu
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Linlin Wang
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhan Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Freshwater Ecology and Biotechnology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, China
| | - Guangfu Hu
- Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, College of Fisheries, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, China
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Royan MR, Hodne K, Nourizadeh-Lillabadi R, Weltzien FA, Henkel C, Fontaine R. Day length regulates gonadotrope proliferation and reproduction via an intra-pituitary pathway in the model vertebrate Oryzias latipes. Commun Biol 2024; 7:388. [PMID: 38553567 PMCID: PMC10980775 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06059-y] [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: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
In seasonally breeding mammals and birds, the production of the hormones that regulate reproduction (gonadotropins) is controlled by a complex pituitary-brain-pituitary pathway. Indeed, the pituitary thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) regulates gonadotropin expression in pituitary gonadotropes, via dio2-expressing tanycytes, hypothalamic Kisspeptin, RFamide-related peptide, and gonadotropin-releasing hormone neurons. However, in fish, how seasonal environmental signals influence gonadotropins remains unclear. In addition, the seasonal regulation of gonadotrope (gonadotropin-producing cell) proliferation in the pituitary is, to the best of our knowledge, not elucidated in any vertebrate group. Here, we show that in the vertebrate model Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes), a long day seasonally breeding fish, photoperiod (daylength) not only regulates hormone production by the gonadotropes but also their proliferation. We also reveal an intra-pituitary pathway that regulates gonadotrope cell number and hormone production. In this pathway, Tsh regulates gonadotropes via folliculostellate cells within the pituitary. This study suggests the existence of an alternative regulatory mechanism of seasonal gonadotropin production in fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Rahmad Royan
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Kjetil Hodne
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Rasoul Nourizadeh-Lillabadi
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Finn-Arne Weltzien
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Christiaan Henkel
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway
| | - Romain Fontaine
- Department of Preclinical Science and Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås, Norway.
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Andersson E, Schulz RW, Almeida F, Kleppe L, Skaftnesmo KO, Kjærner-Semb E, Crespo D, Fjelldal PG, Hansen TJ, Norberg B, Edvardsen RB, Wargelius A. Loss of Fshr Prevents Testicular Maturation in Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar L.). Endocrinology 2024; 165:bqae013. [PMID: 38298132 PMCID: PMC10878062 DOI: 10.1210/endocr/bqae013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Early puberty poses a significant challenge for male Atlantic salmon in aquaculture due to its negative impact on growth and welfare. The regulation of puberty in vertebrates involves 2 key reproductive hormones: follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and their gonadal receptors. In male mice lacking FSH receptor, testes size is reduced, but fertility is maintained, while medaka and zebrafish with a disrupted fshr gene exhibit near normal testis size and fertility. In these fishes both Fsh and Lh are present during puberty and Lh may rescue fertility, while in salmonid fish only Fsh is present in the circulation during puberty. Using CRISPR-Cas9, we produced crispants with a high prevalence of fshr mutations at the target site, which remained fertile, although more than half showed a testis development deviating from wild-type (wt) males. Crossing out these F0 crispants to each other produced a viable F1 generation showing frameshift (fshr-/-) or in-frame mutations (fshrif/if). Nearly all wt males matured while all fshr-/- males remained immature with small testes containing A spermatogonia as the furthest developed germ cell type and prepubertal plasma androgen levels. Also, the pituitary transcript levels of gnrhr2bba and lhb, but not for fshb, were reduced in the fshr-/- males compared with maturing males. More than half of the fshrif/if mutant males showed no or a delayed maturation. In conclusion, Atlantic salmon show the unique characteristic that loss of Fshr function alone results in male infertility, offering new opportunities to control precocious puberty or fertility in salmon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Andersson
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5817 Bergen, Norway
| | - Rüdiger W Schulz
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5817 Bergen, Norway
- Science Faculty, Department Biology, Utrecht University, NL-3584 CH Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | | | - Lene Kleppe
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5817 Bergen, Norway
| | | | | | - Diego Crespo
- Institute of Marine Research, NO-5817 Bergen, Norway
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Ribeiro DLS, Ribeiro LSS, Bezerra NPC, Silva JM, Noleto KS, Souza FA, Carvalho-Neta AV, Almeida ZS, Chaves DP, Torres Junior JRS. Differential gene expression pattern and plasma sex steroids during testicular development in Genyatremus luteus (Perciforme: Haemulidae) (Bloch, 1790). BRAZ J BIOL 2022; 82:e262017. [DOI: 10.1590/1519-6984.262017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract The aim of the current study is to evaluate gene expression patterns of LH (lhr) and estrogen (er) receptors and plasma steroid levels during testicular development in Genyatremus luteus. Males were histologically classified as immature (n=7), maturing (n=7) and mature (n=7), based on the cellular structure of their testes. Plasma 11-KT concentration recorded peak at the final maturation stage. The highest plasma 17α-OHP concentrations were observed at the immature stage; they decreased at the maturation and mature stages. On the other hand, 17β-estradiol (E2) recorded higher concentrations at the maturation stage. Er expression has significantly increased along the maturational development of animals’ testes. The mRNA observed for the LH receptor has decreased from immature to maturing stage; it presented expression peak at the mature stage. There was high association between receptor gene expression and plasma steroid levels, mainly E2. The current study was the first to feature different reproductive maturation stages in male G. luteus specimens, based on cellular, endocrine and molecular aspects. In addition, it has shown that the gene expression profile for er and lhr receptors, as well as plasma 11-KT and E2 concentrations, are directly linked to testicular maturation, although they are not necessarily associated with the gonadosomatic index.
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