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Schizothorax prenanti corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH): molecular cloning, tissue expression, and the function of feeding regulation

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Abstract

Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is a potent mediator of endocrine, autonomic, behavioral, and immune responses to stress. For a better understanding of the structure and function of the CRH gene and to study its effect on feeding regulation in cyprinid fish, the cDNA of the CRH gene from the brain of Schizothorax prenanti was cloned and sequenced. The full-length CRH cDNA consisted of 1,046 bp with an open reading frame of 489 bp encoding a protein of 162 amino acids. Real-time quantitative PCR analyses revealed that CRH was widely expressed in central and peripheral tissues. In particular, high expression level of CRH was detected in brain. Furthermore, CRH mRNA expression was examined in different brain regions, especially high in hypothalamus. In addition, there was no significant change in CRH mRNA expression in fed group compared with the fasted group in the S. prenanti hypothalamus during short-term fasting. However, CRH gene expression presented significant decrease in the hypothalamus in fasted group compared with the fed group (P < 0.05) on day 7; thereafter, re-feeding could lead to a significant increase in CRH mRNA expression in fasted group on day 9. The results suggest that the CRH may play a critical role in feeding regulation in S. prenanti.

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Abbreviations

CRH:

Corticotropin-releasing hormone

ICV:

Intracerebroventricular

MC4-R:

Melanocortin-4 receptor

CNS:

Central nervous system

MS-222:

Tricaine methanesulfonate

HPI:

Hypothalamic–pituitary–interrenal

qPCR:

Real-time quantitative PCR

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grants from the Major Project of Education Department in Sichuan (12ZA120) and the double branch plan of Sichuan Agricultural University (01570702).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Aquaculture, Sichuan Agricultural University, 46# Xinkang Road, Ya’an, 625014, China

    Tao Wang, Chaowei Zhou, Dengyue Yuan, Fangjun Lin, Hu Chen, Hongwei Wu, Rongbin Wei, Zhiming Xin, Ju Liu, Yundi Gao & Zhiqiong Li

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  1. Tao Wang
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  2. Chaowei Zhou
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  3. Dengyue Yuan
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  4. Fangjun Lin
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  9. Ju Liu
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Correspondence to Zhiqiong Li.

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Tao Wang and Chaowei Zhou have contributed equally to this work.

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Wang, T., Zhou, C., Yuan, D. et al. Schizothorax prenanti corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH): molecular cloning, tissue expression, and the function of feeding regulation. Fish Physiol Biochem 40, 1407–1415 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-014-9935-6

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