Animal cells and systems

The Korean Society for Integrative Biology (한국통합생물학회)
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Masculinization in juvenile longtooth grouper, $Epinephelus$ $bruneus$, with aromatase inhibitor: changes in GtH subunit mRNA expression and steroids hormone levels

  • Hur, Sung-Pyo (Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus) ;
  • Lim, Bong-Soo (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University) ;
  • Hwang, In-Joon (Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Kim, Se-Jae (Department of Life Science, Jeju National University) ;
  • Ryu, Yong-Woon (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University) ;
  • Hur, Sang-Woo (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University) ;
  • Song, Young-Bo (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University) ;
  • Jeong, Hyung-Bok (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University) ;
  • Baek, Hae-Ja (Department of Marine Biology, Pukyong National University) ;
  • Takemura, Akihiro (Department of Biology, Chemistry and Marine Sciences, University of the Ryukyus) ;
  • Lee, Young-Don (Marine and Environmental Research Institute, Jeju National University)
  • Received : 2011.05.05
  • Accepted : 2011.07.03
  • Published : 2012.04.30
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Abstract

We investigated the effects of fadrozol, an aromatase inhibitor (AI), and $17{\alpha}$-methyltestosterone (MT) on the induction of sex change in juvenile longtooth grouper $Epinephelus$ $bruneus$, via histological observation of gonads. Changes in the mRNA expression of GtH subunits (FSH-${\beta}$ and LH-${\beta}$) in the pituitary, and estradiol-$17{\beta}$ (E2) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) levels in the blood were also surveyed after AI and MT treatment. Juvenile longtooth groupers ($113{\pm}17g\;body\;weight$; $16.2{\pm}1.2cm\;body\;length$) received intramuscular injections of AI at 3 (3-AI) and 5 (5-AI) mg/kg BWdoses and MT at a 5 mg/kg BW (5-MT) dose. At week 7 post-injection, 3-AI and 5-MT oocytes were degenerated, and gonads of the 5-AI group initiated spermatogenesis. At week 21 post-injection, 3-AI- and 5-MT-treated gonads contained spermatogonia and spermatocytes, while 5-AI treatment induced advanced stages of spermatogenesis. The serum E2 level showed no significant differences throughout the experimental period, whereas that of 11-KT was significantly elevated in the 5-AI group at weeks 7 and 21 post-injection. A significant increase in the expression of FSH-${\beta}$ mRNA was evident in the 5-AI group at week 21 post-injection. In contrast, LH-${\beta}$ mRNA expression did not significantly differ among groups during the experimental period. These results imply that sex change has two stages in the longtooth grouper. In the first stage, oocytes are degenerated by the stimulation by 11-KT, and in the second stage spermatogenesis occurs, owing to the co-effects of 11-KT and FSH-${\beta}$.

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References

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