Gonadal soma-derived factor (gsdf) is a teleost- and gonad-specific growth factor involved in gonadal differentiation and early germline cell development. In protogynous grouper, the androgen-induced precocious male phase is transient, and a reversible sex change (induced male-to-female change) occurs after chemical withdrawal. In this study, we used MT (17α-methyltestosterone)-induced bi-directional sex change to understand the role of Gsdf signaling in the sexual differentiation of orange-spotted grouper, Epinephelus coioides. Our results showed that the expression of gsdf was higher in the MT-induced male (functional male) than in the control female (primary oocyte stage). Conversely, high gsdf expression was also found in the transient phase of reversible induced male-to-female sex change (dormant gonad). Furthermore, gsdf/Gsdf was expressed in the Sertoli cells surrounding the spermatogonia and the somatic cells surrounding the oogonia. gsdf/Gsdf expression was also found in the somatic cells surrounding the spermatogonia-like cells in the transient phase of induced male-to-female sex change. Recombinant Gsdf (rGsdf) was produced and specific anti-Gsdf antiserum was obtained. Moreover, the proliferation activities of the oogonia were decreased by rGsdf in in vitro ovarian tissue culture (equivalent to 1.125 mg crude protein extracted from 37.5 mg testicular tissue/ml). Conversely, the treatment of ovarian tissue culture with rGsdf did not affect the expression levels of female and male sex-related genes (equivalent to 1.125 mg crude protein extracted from 37.5 mg testicular tissue/ml). Taken together, our data suggest that Gsdf signaling is related to the arrest of proliferation activity in early-stage germline cells but is not directly related to sexual phase determination.

性腺体细胞源性因子（gsdf）是一种硬骨和性腺特异性生长因子，参与性腺分化和早期种系细胞发育。在原性石斑鱼中，雄激素诱导的性早熟是短暂的，化学停药后会发生可逆的性别变化（诱发的男女之间的变化）。在这项研究中，我们使用MT（17α-甲基睾丸激素）诱导的双向性别变化，了解Gsdf信号在橙斑石斑鱼，石斑鱼（Epinephelus coioides）的性别分化中的作用。我们的结果表明，gsdf在MT诱导的雄性（功能性雄性）中的表达高于对照雌性（原代卵母细胞阶段）。相反，高gsdf在可逆性诱导的男女性别变化的过渡期（休眠性腺）中也发现了这种表达。此外，gsdf / Gsdf在精原细胞周围的Sertoli细胞和卵原细胞周围的体细胞中表达。在诱导的男女性别变化的过渡阶段，在精子细胞样细胞周围的体细胞中也发现了g sdf / Gsdf表达。产生了重组Gsdf（rGsdf），并获得了特异性的抗Gsdf抗血清。此外，rGsdf在体外降低了卵子的增殖活性。卵巢组织培养（相当于从37.5 mg睾丸组织/ ml中提取1.125 mg粗蛋白）。相反，用rGsdf处理卵巢组织培养物不会影响女性和男性性别相关基因的表达水平（相当于从37.5 mg睾丸组织/ ml提取1.125 mg粗蛋白）。两者合计，我们的数据表明，Gsdf信号传导与早期种系细胞中增殖活性的抑制有关，但与性相测定没有直接关系。