Quantitative in situ hybridization of three gonadotropin-releasing hormone-encoding mRNAs in castrated and progesterone-treated male tilapia

Ishwar S. Parhar, Tomoko Soga, Yasuo Sakuma

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Abstract

We investigated the effects of castration and progesterone administration on the three gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)-encoding mRNAs in sexually mature male tilapia Oreochromis niloticus. In situ hybridization histochemistry was performed using 35S-labeled antisense oligonucleotide probes complementary to salmon-, seabream-, and chicken II- GnRH cDNAs to quantify cellular GnRH mRNA expression in the terminal nerve ganglia (nucleus olfactoretinalis), preoptic area, and midbrain tegmentum of animals castrated for 2 weeks and injected intraperitoneally with sesame oil or progesterone. Castration significantly elevated salmon-GnRH mRNA but not seabream- or chicken II-GnRH mRNA levels. Progesterone treatment had no effect on salmon-, seabream-, or chicken II-GnRH mRNA levels. Comparisons between intact, castrated, and progesterone-treated animals showed no change in the total volume of nucleus olfactoretinalis, cell sizes, and total numbers of cells expressing GnRH mRNA within the midbrain and preoptic area. These results demonstrate that salmon-GnRH but not seabream- or chicken II- GnRH-synthesizing neurons are under a gonadal steroid negative feedback control and that progesterone might not be the main hormone regulating the three GnRH-encoding mRNAs in the male tilapia.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)406-414
Number of pages9
JournalGeneral and Comparative Endocrinology
Volume112
Issue number3
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Dec 1998
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Chicken II-GnRH
  • In situ hybridization
  • LHRH
  • Midbrain tegmentum
  • Nucleus olfactoretinalis
  • Preoptic area
  • Salmon-GnRH
  • Seabream- GnRH

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