Abstract
In seasonally breeding vertebrates, extrinsic factors like photoperiod and temperature are major determinants, controlling the annual reproductive cycle. In teleosts, kisspeptin, which occurs in two molecular forms: kisspeptin1 (Kiss1) and kisspetin2 (Kiss2), has been reported to alter gonadotropin (Lh and Fsh) secretion but its effect on gonadotropin-releasing hormone (Gnrh) secretion is not unequivocally proved. In the catfish Heteropneustes fossilis, we isolated and characterized kiss2 and gnrh2 cDNAs and the present work reports effects of altered photo-thermal conditions and melatonin (MT, a pineal hormone) on their expressions in the brain. The exposure of the catfish to long photoperiod (LP, 16 h light) at normal temperature (NT) or high temperature (HT, 28 °C) at normal photoperiod (NP) for 14 or 28 days stimulated both kiss2 and gnrh2 expression in both gonad resting and preparatory phases with the combination of LP + HT eliciting maximal effects. Short photoperiod (SP, 8 h light) under NT or HT altered the gene expression according to the reproductive phase and temperature. MT that mediates photo-thermal signals to the brain inhibited brain kiss2 and gnrh2 gene expression in the NP + HT, LP + NT, and SP + NT groups. The altered photo-thermal conditions elicited changes in steroidogenic pathway as evident from changes in plasma E2, progesterone, and testosterone levels. The results show that brain kiss2-gnrh2 signaling is involved in photo-thermal-mediated mechanisms controlling reproduction.
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Acknowledgments
The authors would like to thank the personnel of the research teams for their assistance. The qPCR facility of DBT-ISLS, Banaras Hindu University, is acknowledged.
Funding
The research work was supported by a grant from DST-SERB, New Delhi (EMR/2016/002751 dated 27-03-2017). Dr. K.P. Joy is INSA Senior Scientist (Award No. INSA/SP/SS/2019/629 dated 31-12-2019).
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R. C designed the experiments, analyzed the data, and framed the written part of the manuscript. S. S conducted the study and collected the data. B. S and S. G read the manuscript and gave suggestions. K. P. J supervised the research project, interpreted the data, and finalized the written part of the manuscript. All authors read the final version and approved the final manuscript.
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Chaube, R., Sharma, S., Senthilkumaran, B. et al. Expression profile of kisspeptin2 and gonadotropin-releasing hormone2 mRNA during photo-thermal and melatonin treatments in the female air-breathing catfish Heteropneustes fossilis. Fish Physiol Biochem 46, 2403–2419 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00888-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-020-00888-4