Oocyte maturation and ovulation are two major events that occur in fish prior to spawning. While earlier studies have shown that 17α, 20β-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (17,20β-P) and the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system are regulators of oocyte maturation in the zebrafish (Danio rerio), it is not known whether these hormones play a role in regulating prostaglandin synthesis which is thought to mediate ovulation. I determined if 17,20β-P and human IGF-1 affect the expression of genes involved in prostaglandin biosynthesis including phospholipase A2 (cpla2) and cyclooxygenase-1/2 (ptgs1/ptgs2), or prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α) levels. 17,20β-P and IGF-1 stimulated oocyte maturation in mid-vitellogenic (MV) and full grown (FG) follicles. In FG follicles, 17,20β-P increased cpla2 expression, whereas IGF-1 increased cpla2 and ptgs2 expression. Both 17,20β-P and IGF-1 increased PGF2α production. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling pathways were shown to mediate IGF-1- and 17,20β-P-induced oocyte maturation and cpla2 and ptgs2 expression. Collectively, these results demonstrate that 17,20β-P and IGFs are important regulators of oocyte maturation and prostaglandin synthesis in zebrafish.
Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:OGU.10214/3209 |
Date | 21 December 2011 |
Creators | Melnyk, Nicholas C. |
Contributors | Van Der Kraak, Glen |
Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
Language | English |
Detected Language | English |
Type | Thesis |
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