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Acclimation to different environmental salinities induces molecular endocrine changes in the GH/IGF-I axis of juvenile gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.)

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Abstract

To assess the role of the GH/IGF-I axis in osmotic acclimation of the gilthead seabream Sparus aurata, juvenile specimens were acclimated to four environmental salinities: hyposmotic (5 ‰), isosmotic (12 ‰) and hyperosmotic (40 and 55 ‰). The full-length cDNAs for both pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) and prepro-somatostatin-I (PSS-I), the precursor for mature somatostatin-I (SS-I), were cloned. Hypothalamic PACAP and PSS-I, hypophyseal growth hormone (GH) and prolactin (PRL), and hepatic insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) mRNA expression levels were analyzed in the four rearing salinities tested. PACAP and IGF-I mRNA values increased significantly in response to both 5 and 55 ‰ salinities, showing a U-shaped curve relationship with the basal level in the 40 ‰ group. Hypothalamic PSS-I expression increased strongly in the 55 ‰ environment. GH mRNA levels did not change in any of the tested environmental salinities. PRL mRNA maximum levels were encountered in the 5 and 12 ‰ environments, but significantly down-regulated in the 40 ‰. Plasma cortisol levels significantly increased in the 40 ‰ environment. These results are discussed in relation to the well-known high adaptability of Sparus aurata to different environmental salinities and the role of the GH/IGF-I axis in this process.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly supported by Grants AGL2007-61211/ACU (Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia and FEDER, Spain) and Proyecto de Excelencia PO7-RNM-02843 (Junta de Andalucía) to JMM. Authors would like to appreciate Mrs. Asmaa Galal-Khallaf´s precious help during the conduction of the experiment. Also, authors would like to thank Planta de Cultivos Marinos (CASEM, Universidad de Cádiz, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain) for providing experimental fish. KMG would like to appreciate the role of the Egyptian Bureau in Madrid and the Egyptian Government in facilitating the stay period in Spain. Experimentation has been carried out at the Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI-MAR) facilities from the Universidad de Cádiz.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Biología Marina y Acuicultura, Instituto de Ciencias Marinas de Andalucía, Consejo Superior Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC), 11510, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain

    Khaled Mohammed-Geba & G. Martínez-Rodríguez

  2. Departamento de Biología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Ambientales, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEIMAR), Universidad de Cádiz, 11510, Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain

    Khaled Mohammed-Geba & J. M. Mancera

  3. Molecular Biology and Genetic Engineering Division, Department of Zoology, Faculty of Sciences, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom, Menoufia, Egypt

    Khaled Mohammed-Geba

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  1. Khaled Mohammed-Geba
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  2. J. M. Mancera
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  3. G. Martínez-Rodríguez
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Correspondence to Khaled Mohammed-Geba.

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Communicated by H.V. Carey.

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Mohammed-Geba, K., Mancera, J.M. & Martínez-Rodríguez, G. Acclimation to different environmental salinities induces molecular endocrine changes in the GH/IGF-I axis of juvenile gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata L.). J Comp Physiol B 185, 87–101 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-014-0871-7

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