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Localization of three forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the brain and pituitary of the self-fertilizing fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus

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Abstract

The localization of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the brain and pituitary of the self-fertilizing mangrove killifish Kryptolebias marmoratus was examined by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization to understand its neuroendocrine system. The genome assembly of K. marmoratus did not have any sequence encoding GnRH1, but sequences encoding GnRH2 (chicken GnRH-II) and GnRH3 (salmon GnRH) were found. Therefore, GnRH1 was identified by in silico cloning. The deduced amino acid sequence of the K. marmoratus GnRH1 (mature peptide) was identical to that of the medaka GnRH. GnRH1 neurons were detected in the ventral part of the preoptic nucleus by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization, and GnRH1-immunoreactive (ir) fibers were observed throughout the brain. GnRH1-ir fibers were in close contact with luteinizing hormone (LH)-ir cells in the pituitary using double immunohistochemistry. GnRH2 neurons were detected in the midbrain tegmentum by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. Although GnRH2-ir fibers were observed throughout the brain, they were not detected in the pituitary. GnRH3 neurons were detected in the lateral part of the ventral telencephalic area by both methods. GnRH3-ir fibers were observed throughout the brain, and a few GnRH3-ir fibers were in close contact with LH-ir cells in the pituitary. These results indicate that GnRH1 and possibly GnRH3 are responsible for gonadal maturation through LH secretion and that all three forms of GnRH function as neurotransmitters or neuromodulators in the brain of K. marmoratus.

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Abbreviations

CE:

cerebellar corpus

cre:

cerebellar crest

D:

dorsal telencephalic area

Dc:

central part of dorsal telencephalic area

Dd:

dorsal part of dorsal telencephalic area

dDm:

dorsal region of Dm

Dl:

lateral part of dorsal telencephalic area

Dm:

medial part of dorsal telencephalic area

Dp:

posterior part of dorsal telencephalic area

DT:

dorsal thalamus

E:

entopeduncular nucleus

EG:

granular eminence

GL:

granular layer

GR:

corpus glomerulosum pars rotunda

MC:

Mauthner’s cell

NFLM:

nucleus of the medial longitudinal fascicle

NLT:

lateral tuberal nucleus

NM:

medial nucleus of rhombencephalic octavolateral area

NRL:

nucleus of lateral recess

OB:

olfactory bulb

OT:

optic tectum

PCL:

Purkinje cell layer

PGm:

medial preglomerular nucleus

PGZ:

periventricular gray zone of optic tectum

Pit:

pituitary

PO:

preoptic nucleus

PTh:

prethalamic nucleus

RF:

reticular formation

SCN:

suprachiasmatic nucleus

TL:

longitudinal torus

TS:

semicircular torus

Vc:

central part of ventral telencephalic area

Vd:

dorsal part of ventral telencephalic area

vDm:

ventral region of Dm

vem:

mesencephalic ventricle

ver:

rhombencephalic ventricle

Vl:

lateral part of ventral telencephalic area

VM:

ventromedial thalamic nucleus

Vp:

posterior part of ventral telencephalic area

Vv:

ventral part of ventral telencephalic area

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr. Akio Shimizu for a gift of universal antisera raised against mummichog FSHβ and LHβ.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Marine Biosciences, Kitasato University, Sagamihara, Kanagawa, 252-0373, Japan

    Masafumi Amano, Noriko Amiya, Ayae Kuriu & Ayano Yasuta

  2. Department of Aquatic Bioscience, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo, Tokyo, 113-8657, Japan

    Kataaki Okubo & Junpei Yamashita

  3. Laboratory of Fish Biology, Graduate School of Bioagricultural Sciences, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8601, Japan

    Naoyuki Yamamoto

  4. Graduate School of Fisheries and Environmental Sciences, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, 852-8521, Japan

    Yoshitaka Sakakura

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  1. Masafumi Amano
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  2. Noriko Amiya
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Correspondence to Masafumi Amano.

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Amano, M., Amiya, N., Okubo, K. et al. Localization of three forms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone in the brain and pituitary of the self-fertilizing fish, Kryptolebias marmoratus. Fish Physiol Biochem 45, 753–771 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10695-018-0601-2

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